Beginner Egi Rod

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purple5ive
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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by purple5ive » Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:09 pm

You do get what you are paying for.

If your someone who doesn't care how you catch the squid and just cast and retrieve a jig with the usual jerk and let sink retrieve. Then any rod or even a hand line will do the job.

On the other hand, if you enjoy the concept of making the squid jig dart how you want it to by imparting specific actions on the rod, or want to feel what happening to the jig at the end of you line, aka touching bottom, a squid hitting it with it tentacle or grabbing the jig and swimming away etc then invest in a rod that will let you feel all those actions and more.


A properly made squid rod will let you have a bit more fun especially on the bigger squid and YES theres a big difference in technique specific fishing for squid and the traditional method of squidding (jerk and let sink style)
Both catch squid ofcourse and there is no so called better way to fish for squid, just personal preference..

So with that in mind, pick something that suits your style.

You may find that squidding isnt for you, or you may find yourself upgrading gear before you know it because you enjoy it a lot.
All comes down to personal preference...

ronan
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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by ronan » Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:38 pm

Seb85 wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:07 pm
ronan wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:49 am
What reel would you chuck on the solpara, don’t really know where to start, thanks for responding
What's your budget for the reel?
For squiding, the rod matters the most I'd say. And the reel, the lighter the better, but also means more expensive.
around 100-200

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mazman
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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by mazman » Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:55 pm

saph wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:32 am
mazman wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:21 am
I've had the opportunity to muck around with quite a few egi rods and so far I am yet to find something that performs like the solpara at the price point.

A lot of the cheaper combos/rods that have been suggested here are just longer graphite rods with a slightly slower action and don't assist in casting and working the jigs the way an egi rod does. It really depends on what you want the rod to do, as has been established before just about any rod can work a jig for squid but the difference between just any old graphite rod and an egi rod for working jigs and fighting squid is enormous.

If you are just casting out jigs and throwing the rod in a holder just about anything will get the job done but from my experience you will catch less squid doing this than actively working the jig (literally never had a trip where the drifting jig has outfished the actively worked one).

For getting into it if you want the rod to be a dedicated squid outfit I would save up and grab the solpara, the other thing I will add is that the regular weight spec (code ends in an e) from majorcraft is still quite comfortable working 3.5 and 3.5d squid jigs like you would use at portsea/sorrento but can still use 2.5 and 3.0 while the heavy ones (eh) struggle a bit working the smaller jigs imo
Im not sure why you would post up to get a 150 dollar rod for someone just starting.


Also ive casted out my rovex rod on 4.0 jigs fine and its not had issues, when i mentioned rod holders its for bait fishing i was looking at the other combos on anaconda that are also at 59 dollars. Also ive looked at the solpara's and those are only upto 3.5 that cuts out all 4.0 jigs and baited spikes where as the rovex can do 4.0.
Couple of points here, I understand money is different for everyone but for the performance of this rod 150 is a very reasonable price (especially considering it's the full rrp). Two as stated above it is the cheapest rod that has the action and sensitivity of an egi rod for imparting action on the jig and assisting in landing squid (makes a big difference on the larger squid), I didn't just jump in and recommend the top of the line model, which ranges from 500-1000+ depending on brand.

As for the casting and working thing the e model from majorcraft can definitely do 4s (same weight as 3.5d in the jigs I use) just slow down the casting action a touch to let more of the rod load up, you just lose the ability for super aggressive retrieves.

I would really recommend grabbing a decent egi rod and having a fish with it to see what the difference is for yourself as it is substantial
Youtube channel:Hawkesy Fishing

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mazman
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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by mazman » Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:00 pm

ronan wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:38 pm
Seb85 wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:07 pm
ronan wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:49 am
What reel would you chuck on the solpara, don’t really know where to start, thanks for responding
What's your budget for the reel?
For squiding, the rod matters the most I'd say. And the reel, the lighter the better, but also means more expensive.
around 100-200
In that price bracket I would recommend looking at the daiwa exceller lt or if shimano is more your thing the nasci. In either one the 2500 would be the pick of the sizes
Youtube channel:Hawkesy Fishing

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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by frozenpod » Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:12 pm

bowl wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 10:55 am
Seb85 wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:39 am
bowl wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:16 am
Rovex for the price is a good all around boat rod squid ,kgw ,plastics.

Solpara is not worth the money....

If ya going to spend big get a decent ,$

300 rod.
D
Wish I could spend $400 on AGS Emeraldas. The $120 Solpara is good enough for me, already much better than squid fishing with $25 kmart rod.
Each to their own I guess.
Bingo everybody likes different things, major upgrade over the Kmart rod ..happy squidding..
I can afford a expensive ego combo , Im just happy with the rovex /Daiwa exceller combo ATM.
It is a Kmart rod........

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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by Sebb » Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:15 pm

mazman wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:00 pm
ronan wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:38 pm
Seb85 wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:07 pm
ronan wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:49 am
What reel would you chuck on the solpara, don’t really know where to start, thanks for responding
What's your budget for the reel?
For squiding, the rod matters the most I'd say. And the reel, the lighter the better, but also means more expensive.
around 100-200
In that price bracket I would recommend looking at the daiwa exceller lt or if shimano is more your thing the nasci. In either one the 2500 would be the pick of the sizes
I was gonna say the exceller lt 2500. I got one in the 4000 size, its a nice reel and light.
------------------------------
A fish is a fish :ft:
No fish is worth a life, stay safe

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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by ronan » Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:33 pm

purple5ive wrote:
Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:09 pm
You do get what you are paying for.

If your someone who doesn't care how you catch the squid and just cast and retrieve a jig with the usual jerk and let sink retrieve. Then any rod or even a hand line will do the job.

On the other hand, if you enjoy the concept of making the squid jig dart how you want it to by imparting specific actions on the rod, or want to feel what happening to the jig at the end of you line, aka touching bottom, a squid hitting it with it tentacle or grabbing the jig and swimming away etc then invest in a rod that will let you feel all those actions and more.


A properly made squid rod will let you have a bit more fun especially on the bigger squid and YES theres a big difference in technique specific fishing for squid and the traditional method of squidding (jerk and let sink style)
Both catch squid ofcourse and there is no so called better way to fish for squid, just personal preference..

So with that in mind, pick something that suits your style.

You may find that squidding isnt for you, or you may find yourself upgrading gear before you know it because you enjoy it a lot.
All comes down to personal preference...
Yeah i like doing a jap eisuke retrieve, a decent rod + reel would def help too

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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by Andrews » Tue Nov 26, 2019 4:25 pm

Sharing my experience as someone who's also into land based squid fishing along the Bellarine and heads out daily to the pier.

My experience has been that a specialized EGI rod which is light, nicely balanced and paired with a lighter reel makes all the difference. A size 2500 reel should be more than plenty for land-based squid fishing. A length of 7'5"+ is ideal, length is a personal preference.
Braid is recommended, but not necessary. I use 10lb braid with a 10lb clear mono leader. Braid will mean you're able to feel more but has less stretch than mono. Mono leaders are used as they're resistant against abrasions when moving through weed or kelp. Depending of where you're fishing, you will occasionally get a snag, it happens to best of us and sometimes you'll lose jigs. Most squid will be above to be reeled in without any worries, while a large squid may require some rod movement to prevent the line breaking.

If you're fishing over grassy/reef with a high snag potential a smaller jig 2.5,3.0 works well, but don't be afraid to use 3.5 if you're a fan of a colour that doesn't come in those smaller sizes. You'll get big squid on small jigs and small squid on big jigs.

Technique is all personal preference, I use my take on Eisuke Kawakami's retrieve. I do two mid-speed rises, the first darts the squid jig while the second 'pops' it like a prawn before allowing it to sink before reeling in the slack. This has worked effectively for me in my area, feel free to try different techniques to see what works best in your area.

I have personally been using the Shimano Sienna Quickfire MK2 EGI 7'6" 2500 Spinning Combo 7 ft 6 in as already recommended and I've found this rod/reel combo to be successful. The rod long enough to give you distance (helps reach places other potentially couldn't) and the lightness makes it enjoyable to use. The reel is smooth and after using this for a few months I've never regretted using the combo.

Some added unrelated advice for land-based squid fishing, when you're fishing for squid, you'll occasionally barely hook them by a single candle which means if you're lifting them onto the pier you'll drop the squid and lose it. Hang around a pier long enough and you'll see this happen time and time again. What a lot of people use is an EGI Gaff, it's a long telescopic pole with a big squid jig spike on the end. You extend the pole and hook the squid which helps take the weight and prevent the drop offs. They're relatively inexpensive on eBay, like $40 - $50 and if you're actively fishing for squid it is a worthwhile investment. I use a 4.5m telescopic one as my local pier is a between 4m - 3.7m to the water depending on tide.
It's also nice helping other people land their squid if they're barely hooked.

That's all the advice I have from my experience land based squid fishing in my area, happy to answer any questions.

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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by ronan » Mon Dec 02, 2019 7:45 pm

Gday everyone, thanks for your advice on the rod. Settled with an Emeraldas MX 2508PE double handle and a Sephia BB S809M. Got the Sephia for 198 bucks and the MX for 290 in the CA Sale. Thought about the solpara and legalis, but for the price the sephia and mx were, couldn’t resist. Heading towards the great ocean road in a week, can’t wait to give it a spin.

Thanks Ronan

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Re: Beginner Egi Rod

Post by yepi'mon » Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:41 pm

ronan wrote:
Mon Dec 02, 2019 7:45 pm
Gday everyone, thanks for your advice on the rod. Settled with an Emeraldas MX 2508PE double handle and a Sephia BB S809M. Got the Sephia for 198 bucks and the MX for 290 in the CA Sale. Thought about the solpara and legalis, but for the price the sephia and mx were, couldn’t resist. Heading towards the great ocean road in a week, can’t wait to give it a spin.

Thanks Ronan
I’ve got the Sephia mate and love it. Enjoy the fishing!!

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