Rod: Custom Oceanside Jigmaster 300gram
Reel: Daiwa Saltiga Blast 4500
Line: Sufix Matrix Pro 50 lb
Jig: Smith Jackknife R 350g

Rod handled itself very well =)

Yeah, round 15 kg I'd guess, enough to put up a nice fight on the gear I was using (maybe the video will tell). Pretty much maxed out the drag on the Saltiga blast, and the rod still had a bit more to give =)

The rod I used was the 300g model, the heavier model will be better suited to jigging samsonfish specifically, as the stiffer tip would allow better hook-setting in their tough mouths and more lifting power.

Having said that, this 300g/50lb combination would be best suited for decent pinkies and skippy, and anything else, including sambos, around the 10-15 kg range.

Also of note, was the range of Jigging Master products brought out, and kindly lent to me to try/test by Andrew, the rep. Anyone who can jig vigorously for more than 1 hr with the 500 g MONSTER version, with the 600 gram jig, truly is a jigging master. ;) ;) Not many fish are worthy enough in size to put a bend in that rod, and not many jiggers fit enough to jig all day with it =)

JM rods should be out for retail via Bluewater stores in a month or so.

Pump iron to drop iron!

You will like the video footage KC, except the part where you get a little excited after the fish is still on after being tangled in 4-5 lines. I've got it taking the initial run, you doing the hot shoe shuffle, everyone else hooking into skippy, lines going everywhere, Matty getting his skippy, Andrew getting his mulloway, Shizz doing whatever it is that Shizz does and you finally landing the fish. Its all captured :) I will edit it up either tomorrow arvo or on Wednesday.

haha hey i landed a good sambo after 1 lost jig and 1 bent assist hook adam, lets not forget that now :p 1 out of 3 isnt bad.

Did you get to play with the mustard coloured 4.10 KC, I used it with a Stella 20,000 and 80 lb braid , and it performed flawlessly 300 g jig was no trouble , could hardly feel it actually, that is one rod on my wish list , nothing will kill that rod ( except a mac truck running over it ).

The Jigging master and Van Stall rods are as close to custom as you can get without getting it custom made, I look forward to seeing some of Ryans custom jig sticks in action this season .

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Strap yourself in , and feel the GGGGG's

The lying scumbag that I am .

Hi mav, are you refering to the beautifully constructed yellow 400g?
No I didn't.. did play with both versions of the 500g though. I will next time, as I wanted to feel the 500s first, as people didnt rate them as high as the 400, which i didnt understand then. Now I do.

Ah but Mav, if I do go along the lines of JM, I WILL get them all custom built, hopefully including some of the beautiful butt wraps that Andrew has on his rods (which are not available off the shelf). One overhead (for the Ocea Jigger 4000P), and one spinning (for the stella 20000 SW), one definately in black and crimson red, and the other... either mustard yellow or purple. Funky ;)

Either JM, or the extreme anglers, which Al has a sticker of on North Star 2, but very little information is available. Something else I will have to scout out when I'm doing my trips around SE Asia.

You should have a look at my lists for Xmas (when I'll be either in KL or SG).
maybe santa could bring you some goodies from up North? =)
hide all my jigs in hand carriage, and pretend my stuffed-full-of-jigs-30-kg-bakpack is under the 5kg allowed for handluggage?!

Pump iron to drop iron!

What did you think of the Saltiga Blast, Kasey? I'm still in two minds as to whether I'll get a saltiga overhead or a spinner for bottom bouncing. How much drag does it have?
I can't help but think the Z40 would be a bit of an overkill for what I'd be using it for up north. Sure it'd get used for a bit of jigging work but we don't jig up 30kg+ sambos like you guys do down south.
It'd be great to have that bit of extra security with the Z40 but then again I rarely hook things that a good amount of 30-50lb braid on a spinner can't handle... ah decisions, decisions...

Like you said, it's best suited for decent pinkies and skippy which is similar to what I'd be using it for around Dampier, trout and emperor - NOT XOS Sambos or anything.
Sure we get the odd Cobia and stuff like that but after seeing how it performed on a 15kg Sambo I'm sure it would handle a decent cobia.

You could say buying the Z40 it could double as a trolling reel but I've got a TLD25 for that purpose and hence 99% of it's use would be for bottom fishing in water less than 50m.

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Jay Burgess

hmm.. hard decision.

Overhead definately for bottom bouncing. Blast has about 8 kg drag, not much, I was palming the reel a fair bit. Note the sambo was pretty small, good fun, but tiny, not worthy of 80lb gear. Was only using 50lb.

if you plan on some good ol' paternosters with big ol snapper leads, overheads with lots of cranking power is the way to go.

Would still recommend the z40 over a blast, anytime. that way you could even use it to jig tuna, amberjacks and mackies up north, should you feel like it.

The blast has its limitations, the z40 is much more flexible.

tackle yoda honsu should give you more insight

Yeah ok thank you very much Kasey for the reply it's much appreciated... you've sort of swayed me towards to Z40 now... arghh, I'll see what yoda Honsu has to say.

Thank you again.

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Jay Burgess

Carn' Honsu, where are ya :p

I also forgot to mention that the Blast would be a bit more versatile for me in the fact that I could use it off the shore up north because it has the added castability being a threadline.

"Would still recommend the z40 over a blast, anytime"

Obviously the Z40 is the better reel, I'm just trying to figure out which would be the best for what I'll be using it for.

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Jay Burgess

Hey hey boys......the blast is an awesome reel but 50lb is pushing its limits abit. More a 30lb reel hence why its half the price of a Z4500 which isnt that much better but maybe more durable.

Jay in your situation go an overhead. Z40 or SA30T are more suited to your needs. 50lb is not overkill up your way. The fish up that way fight alot harder than our southern breathens......so you may need that little bit extra drag for get them away from bommies and ledges. Cant go wrong with your choices there.

PS: Im delegation the blast to slightly lighter application and will be upgrading to Stella 8000 or VS100/150

**Oceanside = Van Staal, Shimano, Penn, Jigmaster rods, etc... **

Oceanside Tackle and Marine
364 South Street,
O'Connor, Perth WA
Ph# 9337 5682
Fishing/Boating/Dive/Marine
** OPEN 7 DAYS **

Thanks honsu, I'm almost there... a couple more weeks and I'll have enough money saved up. Gee working part time sucks! Hopefully my hard work pays off :/

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Jay Burgess

I'm probably going to get the Z30, still has the sealed gearbox and same drag as the Z40, smaller line capacity but much lighter.

Thanks for everyones help.

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Jay Burgess