new boat rod - advice please

[kieran]

Hi all

Finally biting the bullet and accepting a loaned rod is never returning ...

Debating whether to go for Sonik SK3 WXTR uptider (€99 to my door) and 10 foot long (which I use for congers and wrasse off rocks, extra reach is handy) or for a Daiwa Kenzaki 12-20 lb 3 piece (€122 to my door) which is c. 7.6 foot long but comes with an enviable reputation..

is it worth paying double over an Ugly Stik equivalent given I'm not going to using it all that often?

Cheers

Kieran

[Tanglerat]

Tricky question. There was a time when I'd have solved the conundrum by eventually buying all three...

Generally speaking, because I don't know the Sonik at all, and I don't buy much Diawa gear - I've never faulted the Shakespear range of rods for being what they are - a pretty good affordable tool that's not lacking in quality either.

[jellybait]

I can high;y recommend the ugly stick for being a nice rod and takes a good bit of abuse - I use sonik rods for my pike and coarse fishing and they are a lovely rod but alot more fragile than the like of the shakesphere , cant comment on the diawa im afraid
I use a diawa uptider for uptiding but have found it great for off piers and rocks for bigger species and you can get a cast with it

[kieran]

I can high;y recommend the ugly stick for being a nice rod and takes a good bit of abuse - I use sonik rods for my pike and coarse fishing and they are a lovely rod but alot more fragile than the like of the shakesphere , cant comment on the diawa im afraid
I use a diawa uptider for uptiding but have found it great for off piers and rocks for bigger species and you can get a cast with it

Thanks everyone.

Jellybait, what's the uptider called? I like Daiwa rods, always good built and the blanks are usually excellent...

[ste c]

To be honest you wont be a kenzaki but the ugly stick gx2s are about €50 alot of rod for the money to be fair

[jellybait]

the uptider is an old one i have called Vulcan X , I really like this rod , but im not sure you can get it anymore , i aslo use a penn progression uptider ,but it doesnt have the backbone of the vulcan x , I havent lookked at any of the uptiders on the market at the minute , Im sure there are some nice ones ,mmmmmm Thats got me thinking