heavier spinning rods

[blacklab99]

Been looking at a few spinning rods, capable of handling a 14000 Saragosa that I suddenly found I had, is spooled up with 50lb braid, and unused in the box. I remember buying the 10000 and the 14000, maybe 10 years back, have used the 10000 on a few occasions, but the 14k remains new in the box.
So I was looking at giving it a decent spurt at the Fads we have up here, which hold mahi mahi and some decent kings..
Was in a few shops up here looking and feeling all the offerings, the thing is, every graphite rod I've ever owned, Yep, gets broken !! either my stupidity, or deckies not knowing what there doing. So Yes, there's some awesome offerings available, as the sales men was showing me.... Then I grabbed another off the rack, it felt good, looked at the branding, an ugly stick, gold series, 7ft 2 piece, 10-20kg !!!!.
Now, I'm not being a tight ar$e here, or maybe I am , but I do have a few gold series ugly sticks of various sizes and I have to say, they have performed brilliantly, have been given an absolute flogging at times and they have stood up to some serious fishing.
Has anyone used this off shore spin rod before ?? or what's everyone's experience with uglies ??
I'm happy to throw some coin at a decent rod, but wouldn't mind trying out the 14k Saragosa. and even the 10K first before I part with the well earned on a 4-500 specimen....
Thoughts ???????

[ben475]

i reckon if your happy with it, it will do ok. im sure it won't impress some guys. i have a few uglystik gold's, all have been good.
i have a couple of 6ft 10-15kg's, both overheads but i run a finnor lethal 80 spin reel on one, use it very occasionally jigging for kings, tuna trolling and bait fishing.


i went on a charter in darwin harbour, and you could tell their uglystik gold's (10-15kg for memory) had copped an abosolute flogging but they were still holding up well, matched with tld 15s and charter specials, obviously durable but affordable gear.

[smokin_reels]

Great for livebaiting, but not for sustained responsive lure work

[blacklab99]

Great for livebaiting, but not for sustained responsive lure work

I was mainly going to use it for casting large slugs or poppers out wide for the larger species, I have smaller spinning set ups for lure type work.
Wanted to match something that could handle the 14K Saragosa..

[blacklab99]

Just thought I'd report on the ugly stik rod.
Pulled the trigger on the last one in the shop, 7ft 10-20kg gold series.
Went out yesterday doing a bit of trolling, marlin are in close at the minute, but the swell and wind didn't play ball.
Matched the Ugly stick up to a Saragosa 14 K F, running 50lb braid with a 60lb mono leader ( 3 meters ). Chased up some action before heading home out wide near one of the FADS,, was very impressed with the distance I was able to cast, with stick baits and poppers of various weights from 30 to 70 grammes. Managed to latch on to some Rat kingies, not much of a serious challenge for the reel, or the rod for that matter, but was a bit of fun before getting back in to beat the weather.
I will report back once weather plays ball and I can put some serious hurt into the ugly stick, but on all accounts, quite impressed with how it casts and performs for basically a $100 rod.

[ben475]

that's great to hear!
imo they are a quality rod that are built to last. obviously they aren't a high performance graphite rod but i like them.