With the excitement of the new rods, we couldn't wait to hit the water and give them an introduction to our local species. It was an exercise in accessing the suitability of the rods for local conditions and fishing styles. We also got a chance to pit them against the best Japanese rods in the market, incidentally from our stable of brands as well.
We headed straight for the top, choosing the unmistakable 'Champion Extreme' series which are the flagships of the Dobyns brand. Not wasting time, it was off to the brackish estuarine domains of the Jacks and the Barras. These fish are tackle breakers and represent the extremes of local lure casting. If the tackle can stand up in these conditions we can proudly confirm that they will excel in other less harsh applications. Along for the trip were the usual rods, from Evergreen Kaleido, Tactics and Temujins to Megabass Orochis and Destroyers to the great value for money Majorcraft Volkeys, Bassparas and Go Emotions.
The stage was set, it was to be a definitive test for the new kid on the block. But no one said anything about the weather. The local monsoon season was in full-swing and it shut the bite right down, we fished hard both day and night and were lucky to come away with a few bites. Never the less, being on the water sure beats any day at work. Here are some pictures...
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| The metallic hues of the Dobyns Champion Extreme glistens in the morning sun as we head out. The weight of this rod belies its looks. It is one light rod! |
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| The Jackall Bros Squirrel diver gets us on the board with this Black Spotted Estuary Cod... |
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| A welcome surprise on a hardbody - the Fingermark Snapper was easy work for the powerful rod... |
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| The slowly twitched IMA Ligid 70 found this guy in a nice ambush point... |
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| Gold Spot Estuary Cods are one of the more widespread species in most estuarine systems, but it doesn't stop them from being the most sought after for the table... |
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| This one liked the slow cranked Imakatsu Crank... |
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| Archerfish are opportunistic feeders and do not hesitate belting lures as they land within their vicinity. This OSP Blitz crank was taken as such... |
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| Deep cranks always find Estuary Cods. Just like this Evergreen Combat Crank did... |
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| This fish was hooked from a rock bar and provided a few tense moments but the Dobyns handled it well with its strong butt power... |
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| Deep crank and Cod again. IMA Beast Hunter is one of the best! |
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| Night hunt and a feisty Yellowtail Barracuda which put up a spirited effort... |
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| The Dobyns is great for jerking, and one of the best jerkbaits is the DUO Realis Jerkbait 120SP... |
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| It also handles big cranks well, due to its strong tip. This little Cod couldn't resist the intruding Evergreen Combat Crank... |
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| We found one Barramundi at last, from a little creek. It was a consolation for the slow fishing... |
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| The Jackall Bros Squirrel has nice catches under its belt and is gaining popularity amongst the salt brigade... |
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| The new IMA Sasuke 130 couldn't find us a big Barra on this night but the Estuary Cods are ever-willing to put on a show. The Evergreen Kaleido is a useful tool to haul these guys from the rocks... |
The Dobyns Champion Extremes performed beyond expectations and were a delight to use. The casting is phenomenal with the added length and the weight makes it truly comfortable for all-day casting. Power is never lacking and that is most important for us in the tropics who face tough underwater adversaries!
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