OutdoorHub
OHUB Review: Ten-30-Nine Casting Rod
As an avid saltwater and freshwater angler, I often come to a point where I have to decide whether or not to use certain rods to “cross over” into species that certain rods weren’t exactly designed to be used for.
On my latest fishing trip, I did just that. I was fishing the marsh for speckled trout. The trout were in a jerkbait kinda mood all week so we were throwing Zoom Fluke Jr’s on a weightless hook. This is a light-weight technique so I decided to leave the typical saltwater rods at home and opt for a rod that I primarily target crappie with. My Ten-30-Nine Casting Rod got the nod and I headed out to the Southeast Louisiana marsh to use it to catch speckled trout.
Now, this rod has certainly proven itself in the world of crappie fishing. Its lightweight and comfortable feel is very forgiving, especially on extended days on the water. So I didn’t hesitate to bring it out into the saltwater to fish finesse plastics.
First, let’s focus on the build of this rod. It’s a well-made rod with stainless steel micro guides which is a plus. The smaller line guides reduce line-whip and that’s beneficial especially when casting small, light lures. I was able to whip my Fluke Jr. to all of my targets with my max cast reaching about 40 yards.
The rod has a Medium/Heavy action with a fast tip which allowed me to work the plastic on the surface without feeling like I was holding a broomstick. My hooksets were perfectly timed and the action seemed to fit this style of fishing perfectly. The rod weighs 4.64 oz. which at certain times is almost like an ultralight setup. This rod was really fun to use!
The hook-up rate was excellent as well. I was able to connect on seven of nine strikes landing all seven specks so the rod delivered in terms of getting the trout in the boat (and in my freezer).
As the years go by I’m learning that technique-specific setups are producing more fish than trying to force a certain rod to catch various types of fish. After my latest trip to the marsh, I can honestly say that the Ten-30-Nine 7-foot Casting Rod will be my go-to rod when fishing weightless top-water plastics for speckled trout. Ten-30-Nine Rods are available online at their website and they offer other two other rods like their 10-foot jigging pole and 16-foot vertical jigging pole. If you are a finess plastic fisherman, I highly recommend the 7-foot casting Rod for your next trip. Its lightweight and sensitive feel allows you to feel everything, which is important when fishing with lures under 1/4 oz.
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