Yellow pole

[Pilar]

On sale at GI Joes $47.99. It was on the Sunday paper. Several new guys asked about a good starter rod at the TA meeting. The yellow Ugly Stik Tiger is it. Several line weights and configurations are available. One piece, two piece, Steel guides, ceramic guides and so on. Best buy for a general boat rod and very versatile. I prefer the 20 to 50#, 7' 2 piece with ceramic guides.

On my boat this rod has done everything from 11' oversize sturgeon, keeper sturgeon to albacore and even salmon and bottom fish.

Reg price is $59 to $79. Gi joes has a sale like this only a few times a year. Get em while they are hot.

[Chaps]

Thanks for the tip - will check them out.

[Fishplay]

Gotta second that Pilar. I have two also that have seen a nearly a ton of fish.

Great rod at an economy price.

[Threemuch]

Only shortcoming of the ugly stik tiger is no gimbal. Gimbals are nice for using a belt for BFB and silver bullets. I have three, one in each weight.

[SlabQuest]

Pilar, thanks for the tip.

I picked up the recommended rod at GI Joes today. I had been using a halibut rod which was a little overkill for tuna. But what I saw and got was a 1-piece 7' rod. Other than storage convienience is there a reason to go with the 2-piece?

It's funny. GI Joes calls them sturgeon rods, but there's a picture of a tuna on them.

[Myles]

Kurt, they make a gimbal rod with the same blank, it has an extra guide or two and some fancy wrapping and is black. "Ugly-butt" rod, I talked to the shakespere(?) guy at the sportsman show last year, I don't remember the number off hand. Stop and ask him, he'll give you the model number.
Myles

[Threemuch]

Yeah, I think those are tidewater series or ugly stick stand up. Shakespeare makes a bunch of different rods, but none of the Tiger series come with a gimbal. You could put one on if you really wanted to.

[Pilar]

For someone just getting into this deep sea stuff, cheap is good. Unlike the more expensive graphite rods, these fiberglass and graphite sticks are pretty tough. They will take a beating and come with a 5 yr warranty. By the time you kill this fishing pole you'll be past your guppy year on the salt and you'll have seen enough of the expensive tackle to know what you want.

Even the 8' Black ugly stick BWB2002 doesn't really have a gimbal, not for long anyway. They are plastic and I've busted two off now.

2 piece are just as strong in this rod as near as I can tell. It stores easier but there is no other reason to choose 2 piece over a 1 piece rod.

[Beer Waggin]

These rods were also on sale at the Sportsman show last year in the low 40's. So don't feel bad if you miss the boat on the sale, but $48 is a great price and these rods will last for a number of years f they're taken care of. Beside that, the few extra bucks is better than dragging a rod around at the show.

[WildHawg]

Pilar's right--great rod for the money. Ling's, 'but's, TUNA!, sturgeon--it kills 'em all!

[Magoo]

Originally posted by Pilar:

On my boat this rod has done everything from 11' oversize sturgeon, keeper sturgeon to albacore and even salmon and bottom fish.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Oh yea, those are the same rods I have paired with Pen 321 reals for sturgeon fishing......will that combo do for beginning TUNA??

[fishwhenican]

Magoo: Those combos will work for TUNA! Eventually the level wind may come off, but that's another story.

[BUGLEMAN]

I got a pair of the 20-50 lb shorties about 7 years ago. They have been a great investment as atested to above. I kind of wish I would have bought a long and a shorty but now I have an excuse to upgrade to a rod with a gimble. :grin:

[ 01-27-2004, 11:21 PM: Message edited by: BUGLEMAN ]

[SlabQuest]

OK, now I have the yellow pole...

Continuing with the theme of "most bang for the buck", what reel is recommended?

Right now I have mounted a Penn 113H 4/0 Senator on it.....just to try out the rod.