INDIANANGLER

Hi John.

I fish travel rods all the time in India and lure fish for the mahseer regularly. I've had loads of 20's, a 30, a 47 and a 77 on a St Croix Tidemaster spinning rod rated to cast just 2oz. OK, so it's actually under rated and will blast out 3oz with ease but the point is that heavy spinning rods in the same league as the TFG rod can and will handle big fish.
If you need to be able to throw bigger lures and or want a rod that will do for bait fishing but which is light enough to hold all day, check out the Shimano Beastmaster AX Pilk 300 or the Wychwood Grande Tourer Catfish rod which is just a little longer. I have the Shimano and it's a 4 piece and rated to cast 190g and I've handled the Wychwood and can confirm that it's a nice rod rated at a 5lb test curve.
Fosters of Birmingham are currently doing the Shimmy for £80 and the Wychwood for £60, so they're not going to break the bank.

As to reels, it's a matter of choice. The Spheros is reputedly bomb proof and I've just ordered one from the US for a mate for half of the price that you've been quoted - so shop arround.
I personally use an 8000 size Shimano Stradic with front drag but will also be packing an Okuma as a spare and because it's baitfeeder function will be handy for bait fishing.

I found the fly fishing hard work on the last trip and although I failed to hook up, I did prick two very nice fish before going back to the lures. There's a post on here somewhere about my fluf chucking attempts.

You havent said whether you're travelling on a package or independently. If it's the latter, do try to find some time to fish the coast. There's some spectacular fishing to be had.

Nice reply Ken, thanks.

I can't actually find either rod on Foster's website but have elsewhere. Is a pilk the same as a pirk and therefore basically a very heavy spinner? My large lures are mostly in the 40-50 gm range. The Shimano is rated 50-190gm, does this mean that my lures are too small for it and it wouldn't cast them properly ?

Also, you suggest I could use it for bait fishing. For that I was thinking of getting the Abu Seven multiplier, would it be ok with a multiplier? Or maybe I should go back to my original plan of a decent fixed spool reel with two spools.

I'm travelling with John Bailey on an organised trip so sadly no sea fishing. However, I'm very keen to try the Himalayas so I'm sure I will be back and may try and get some sea fishing on that trip.

Couldn't find much about your fluff chucking exploits, only one very short post. What flies did you see being taken but fail to hook up on?

Thanks

John

Pilk does indeed equal pirk. It's just a bit of Euro English because the rod is designed for the German market. It is a heavy spinner and it is definatly rung for fixed spool use so perhaps it's not the best choice if you're after a multi rod. If the lures that you're chucking are only 60g, you don't really need that sort of power. Just go with your TFG.

Have you looked at the Abu conolon travel boat/uptider rods ? They might be a good choice if you're happy casting a multiplier.
Personally, I wouldn't use a multi as a travel reel given the choice. Drop it in the mud or have a sand filled wave wash over it and it needs a full strip down or it wont cast right and it sounds like a coffee grinder. Do the same with a fixed spool and it's good to go after a quick rince. Also, as you point out, if you get a big fish that drag 60m of line through rocks and shred it, with a FS, it's just a change of spool and you can re-load the original spool in camp when it's to dark to fish. Do that with a multi and you have to strip the spool and re-load it with line and that wastes fishing time.

The flies that generated the takes were big 4 an 5" decievers fished on a WF sink tip and a flouro tippet. None of the deer hair surface patterns generated a strike, even at dusk. I did have a fast sinking line with me but never got the chance to fish it.
The fly rod will be going with me again in January so if you have any success, let me know what worked for you.

BTW, I know the rods arn't on the Fosters website but ring or e-mail them and I'm sure they will sort you out.

Owen could well be right. From our party I think only one fish was caught spinning but not many hours were spent on the method. The vast majority came to ragi with a few to chilwa and even less to crab.

I did get 3 small ones on a fly and if I went back again, which I would like to I would only take the uptide and fly rods, not bothering with spinning.

John