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Posted

Hi guys. In the position to buy a 10kg spin stick for Kings off montague and for fishing off the rocks for the same, except with the inclusion of stingrays.

I have found an original 7'6" Uglystick 10kg one piece BWS spin rod. But, in another store i spied the Shimano T-Curve, also spin and also 10kg. What would you go for? I don't know too much about the T-Curve, so i thought id better ask the pros here. Thanks

Guest BBM Rick
Posted

No question about it for me, T-Curve.

Posted

I have many Ugly Sticks and for Bait fishing they are awesome rods. We have a T-Curve also, 24kg stick and it is amazing for the money.

I would probably go the Shimano as ity would heaps better for trawling and Jigging (if its that style of rod)

Posted

No question about it, for me it would be the T-Curve.

The Ugly sticks were brilliant in their day, but now compared to current stuff they feel clumsey and heavy.

They are still one of the toughest rods out there though.

Posted (edited)

it depends what you want from your rods

If you are after good allround performance combined with rugged reliability that will last a life time

go the ugly stick. If you are after a modern light fast response fighting rod that will in all likelyhood last only a few yrs decent use then the T curve is your go. BTW Id put my money on the ugly for distance over the T curve also. ulgies have always cast like demons Its just their fighting abilities on pelagics that can ocasionally let them down as they are a bit to slow to recover on the drop.

Edited by allen glover
Posted

Thats a big call on the T-Curve only lasting a couple of years!

Additionally the casting is a bit difficult to judge without knowing the models involved too!!!

Posted

Hiya Kevin; bought the T-Curve 5-10kg late last year to take with me on a surfari to some atolls east of Tahiti. There it was given a pretty good test, comboed with a 4000 sized threadline filled with 10kg braid and casting lures _ poppers, metals and bucktail jigs.

It was also used by other surfers onboard and, well lets just say it was a good test of a rod as these guys surely weren't fishos too; lots of high sticking, winding fish in without pumping, casts that always seemed to see the tip come in contact with a bit of the boat etc etc!!!!!!!!.

Took fish to 5-7kgs and all fights were brutal affairs as any fish only needed to swim about a metre to get to the coral.

The atolls are also about the saltiest place I've ever been to as the nearest river or fresh water is about 500 kays away (lures' hooks left outside, but undercover and washed and dried after use, were rusting after just five or six days!!) and the T Curve showed no signs of rust anywhere.

I reckon it's a softish 10kg rod, though it's action is deceptive and despite a lightish tip (though still with enough poke to move a popper properly) there's a fair wack of power in the butt.

Hey Allen why the call on the T Curve only lasting a short time? They are made, are they not, from what Shimano at least calls high density graphite so they are supposed to be damn tough _ they are not a thin walled super high modulous rod _ and I can attest to their toughness after it survived the other surfers' abuse. The T Curves also sport top line Fuji hardware, excellent bindings, and quality cork is used in the grips. So why would it not last as long as an Ugly _ as tough as they are.

cheers Bombie

Posted (edited)

Thats a big call on the T-Curve only lasting a couple of years!

Additionally the casting is a bit difficult to judge without knowing the models involved too!!!

Putting the whole graphite/glass arguement and shimano hype aside.

Its not that tough a call when you look at the history of all the other rod ranges shimano have ever produced.

Under even moderate use THE VAST MAJORITY of shimano rods especially their supposed high performance rods last on average 3-5 yrs at best. I and a whole lot of other anglers have ugly stick originals that are 20 plus yrs old.

There are only one or two 10kg ugly original casting sticks so its not that difficult to judge either.

Finally, knowing rods is my business and Im not offering biased opinion on either product as they both have good and bad points such as those I've put up in my original post .

A

P.S. Anyway the word I'm getting is that (as expected) some of the T curve range are snapping already :05:

Edited by allen glover
Posted (edited)

many thanks for the input gents, great feedback. Since the rod will be used for hard hitters using mainly dead and live baits, i think ill go the original ugly. Sensitivity shouldn't really be an issue i spose. I have a few originals already, one which is 15 years old and my old man dead lifts 2kg tailor off the rocks with it (without even a groan from the blank!)

Since i know no better really, what are the pros and cons of the original ugly? with the slow recovery mentioned, is that regarding the down stroke when working the rod on a big fish?

Edited by kevin B
Posted

B)-->

QUOTE(kevin B @ Feb 28 2006, 07:15 PM) 88545[/snapback]

Since i know no better really, what are the pros and cons of the original ugly? with the slow recovery mentioned, is that regarding the down stroke when working the rod on a big fish?

Exactly. All solid tipped howell rods like uglies and silstars are more prone to slack line moments on the wind stoke if dropped too quickly. BTW Im talking exclusively about the original solid tipped uglies not the spin off variants like the poor quality graphite or composite custom's, 2000's, Tigers etc

Comparing the original ugly to a high mod graphite rod is swings and roundabouts really. What you lose in weight you make up for in robustness and longevity.

The very same soft tip that makes them a demon caster also makes them a little sloppy on the high speed retrieve. they are also heavier and more cumbersome to work for long periods of time compared to graphite but this isnt a huge deterent to there use unless youve spent a long period of time using full graphite.

If you are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of either (any) rod and fish to suit them

you wont be dissapointed with your choice.

Posted (edited)

thanks for your time allen, im going to pay extra attention now when winding in large fish, and take it a bit slower on the down stroke. The rod i have in mind says 'handcrafted in Australia', has the fluro XHD fuji guides etc. Thats an original one, im quite sure.

I do heaps of rock fishing, and no matter how careful you are, sooner or later your gear gets dropped, hit, banged etc. Ill buy an composite for that reason alone i reckon (and to put the brakes on a groper with heavy line)

thanks fellas :beersmile:

Edited by kevin B
Posted

B)-->

QUOTE(kevin B @ Feb 28 2006, 09:12 PM) 88575[/snapback]

thanks for your time allen, im going to pay extra attention now when winding in large fish, and take it a bit slower on the down stroke. The rod i have in mind says 'handcrafted in Australia', has the fluro XHD fuji guides etc. Thats an original one, im quite sure.

I do heaps of rock fishing, and no matter how careful you are, sooner or later your gear gets dropped, hit, banged etc. Ill buy an composite for that reason alone i reckon.

thanks :beersmile:

If it is from shakespeare, has a clear tip and an "ugly stik" sticker on it then you'll be right

Posted

If it is from shakespeare, has a clear tip and an "ugly stik" sticker on it then you'll be right

sure does mate, and it is $120 or so more than a ugly platinum of similar size. Money well spent id say

Posted (edited)

P.S. Anyway the word I'm getting is that (as expected) some of the T curve range are snapping already :05:

There are that many T-Curves out there, offcourse some will snap. Especially light bream/bass rods in inexperienced hands. I've seen Loomis rods snap and i've seen Silstar Powertips snap :1yikes: All rods, in particular Graphite, will snap if treated with no respect!

The mighty T-Curves are awesome value for money rods. I'm a huge fan and have a stack of them, from Baitcasters, Jig rods, Heavy Bluewater Spin rods and Game rods. The best value high quality rod EVER, with quality components straight off the rack!

Happy to report no breakages at this stage, and some of my sticks copped a flogging day and night up at the Ribbon Reefs.

Ugly sticks were tops in their day and still have their place. It all depends on your budget and performance expectations. I'm totally impressed with T-Curve, however my one and only gripe is the butts could be a bit longer on the Bream/Bass rods in order to fit in rod holders properly.

Cheers

Red

p.s. you are not the first and won't be the last rod builder to whinge about the popularity of Shimano's T-Curve......from bream rod to 130lb Chair rods. Can you imagine the quality of factory rods in the future?

Edited by Red
Posted

hi fisherpeople. Don't know how but i ended up with a 7' Saltiga. Had to order it sight unseen, so not sure what to expect. Will give a laymans opinion once its used. Cheers :beersmile:

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