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12K views 32 replies 9 participants last post by  arthur1 
#1 ·
As we all know MA striper fever is as strong as ever lol. I had planned this year to buy a Ron Arra rod and was told not to b/c issues with the rods breaking! Is this true, being a common problem? The next step up I was looking at was the Lamiglass super surf its not too much more but like for a lot of people money is tight! I've been using lesser quality of rods for the last I don't know how many years and wanted to step it up a bit. Any info is greatly appreciated.
 
#3 ·
It's always a tough proposition recommending gear to people. Everyone is different - fishes differently and has different needs -limitations - body frames - longer arms - shorter legs - strong as hell - weak and sickly -yada Yada yada.
Assumming your looking for a surf spinning rod - lamiglas is quality and carries a lifetime guarantee. Enough said. If it breaks send it back in a pvc case and $20 bucks. Some people like the super surfs, some dont. Me personally i dont.
Doesnt matter what i like - you may love it. St Croix is quality as well. Some St, Croix rods - mainly their surf line only carry a 5 year warranty. Check before buying, you want a lifetime warranty if possible.
The gsb lamiglas line is great IMO.
It's the terminal end presentation that catches the fish - what gets it out there and back is a matter of preference, trial and error.
 
#4 ·
Hi Arthur i have an arra 1322 Spinning. I love it I know people that hate the rod. Pay attention to the recommendations from Lami on lure wt. I have heard of people breaking their rod on the cast just because they over loaded it. I didn't break mine last year. It looks like hell but it didn't break
 
#5 ·
  1. Here's the deal, any high modulus graphite rod is going to be more fragile then a lower modulus rod. For example, the Arra and the Super Surf are going to be more fragile then a Lami Surf and Jetty (GSB) series.
That being said, both the Arra and SS can take some abuse. So long as you don't subject them to deep scratches or try to throw them hard with an overload you should be fine. I have an Arra that's been through the war and is still going strong - but I'm extremely careful with it when I'm on a jetty. It has some surface scuffs but nothing deep enough to compromise its strength.

As for choosing between a SuperSurf or Arra, I watched two guys snap their SS's on the cast last year, I've never seen anyone snap an Arra on the cast.

Not to throw a monkey wrench into it but you might also want to take a look at the St Croix Mojo and the Seeker Baby Ulua (sp?) Both are excellent all around plugging choices.
 
#6 ·
Lol thank you Sudds. Really thank you all for your input. All have good points presentation is key of course and getting it out there..I give it a lot and to snap a rod that costs what they do I would be extremely disappointed if one broke on the cast. I have been fishing the canal for the last 4 yrs(?) trying to learn it and will continue to. I'm just looking to upgrade from what I have now but still to use what I have also. This particular rod will probably be a fast action spinning rod able to throw things that are light, up to a few ounces. It drives me crazy seeing the stripers hitting small baitfish in the canal just out of casting distance with what I have on hand now. I'll probably use a braid with a 20 lb break strength, not 100 percent sure though that this will be the particular set up but am leaning in that direction. I don't plan on throwing the rod around on the rocks or anything just a particular shop owner was telling me not to get an arra unless it is acquired for a very low price (ya right) b/c of breakage issues. I won't get into the shimano reel he was dissing either saragosa (cough) that was planned for the rod.
 
#7 ·
For the canal you should be going heavy! Heavy! if they are on small stuff Try a jig head (set up to the current up to 5 ozes at times in there) and gulp jerk shads or a buck tail. Those should cast like crazy! Lami is sending out new stuff soon so you might be able to find Arras for less money. I saw Them this weekend at the MSBA show for as low as 160:whistle:
 
#8 ·
Jack I know all too well about the heavy lol. Right now the rod I'm using I don't like pushing more than 4 ounces at a time b/c I know that's about all "she" can take. Ron Zs the large shads etc. If I could have two rods on hand one for the "heavy" and then one for when the time calls I'll be fairly happy. That is partially why I'm not sure on if this will be a lighter action rod or if I'll step it up a bit for throwing top water and use the other rod for jigging. So many choices. I ultra light fish with 4 lb test in fresh and yes salt also as far as fresh goes there are times I wish for having a heavier rod for jigging off the bottom. As far as the canal goes I like fishing it and find the fish most times but it is a different animal, a learning curb that will take many years! Arras for 160..sign me up lol. If I could just find them for that price...
 
#9 ·
If you were at the expo in NJ an Arra could have been had for about $180 to $185 cash(maybe abit less) I paid under $200 for my Surf Jetty out the door

I still feel that maube I should have got the Mojo. That is why I may just get one anyway

Some how I missed a few posts(the last one from Sudsy) I would have bought the Seeker Baby ULUA but I could not get one on the spot. I could have ordered a blank and then waited to have built(5+ weeks). I have only heard good things about the Seeker. I'm going to see about a factory one if available. Here is copy and paste from a different user
What it is?
This is in a nut shell a lighter version of the Super Seeker C-ULUA93H which is a all S-glass rod and built heavy for Pacific style fishing. This blanks taper is better suited for plugging East Coast! The new blank which was made by request of Grumpys Tackle in Seaside N.J. is a composite blank simialar to a SS in that it's a Graphite butt and S-glass top section. S-glass is stronger then E-glass by at least 30% and has compression strength that graphite alone can't and prolly never will match.

Hows it's action?
WOW! It surprised the Hell out of me! I thought it was going to be a thick stick with a floppy tip. Wrong!! The tip is soft, But! It has a ton of power and it comes on strong. It seems that it would load easy and then just take off. I still would rate the action as a Med. blank, although! It recovers quite fast and it bends deep and gets in to what I call "Powerband Mode" and it seems to take off!! We all know a blank can act different after built so we'll see! Put it this way I can't wait to cast some weight and fight a good fish on this

It ain't no joke!! I haven't built this blank yet but I did mess a bit with a built up proto of a heavier version. These composite Seekers and Super Seekers all have this Balls to the Wall strength and most aren't much different acting then what you would see in Billy's pictures. Bull Strong!! I wish I had thought of this blank and it's concept.

Thank you turning me onto this rod Sudsy

I apologize as this was supposed to go on the lami thread, that is why I did not see some of the posts-different thread
 
#10 ·
I snapped my 11ft arra last year. I will never go 2 piece again. Go with a 1 piece and don't have the factory build it. I also have a SS which is a 1pc I love the rod but it was also factory and not well built. I have that one in the shop getting fixed after 1 season with it. The cork tape they use is JUNK.
 
#13 ·
I bought the 9 footer 1-4 oz spinning 1084 maybe. I bought it last weekend at RISSA for 159. :a_goodjob: I couldn't let it go.
 
#15 ·
own and regularly fish a factory 1322-2. nice rod but, will probably never buy one again. at least not factory built. spline is a bit off and after a half season of hard fishing problems arose in the eye wraps. holes appeared in the epoxy which actually honeycombed through. sent emails to lami, never got a response, finally spoke to them on the phone. they try the stonewall tactic. a friend has also had problems with their cs
 
#16 ·
My 1322 needs two new guides after a season of use also. One the ceramic chipped the other the ceramic just came out of it. C'est la vie. I will probably strip and have it rewrapped next winter unless I can get something else in that range this spring for a decent deal.
 
#17 ·
I had the the 9' ron arra xra108-4, one piece. I used it for one week and then 'snap!' I'm sort of strong, and like to throw with authority . . . I won't do that again with those ron arra's.

No need to throw hard with them; find a better casting reel. The guys here have convinced me to try and learn conventional, which should typically outcast spinning, thus reducing my percieved need to throw hard.

The good news, is that I got a new blank! Lamiglas honored their warranty even though it probably was due to my meat headed-ness.

Don't overload it, use the # line it's rated for, don't try to break any casting distance records, and avoid bashing it around rocks, or shutting the car door on it.

Superb rod though! Super light, feels amazing.

edit: Thread continued on Van Staal vs ZeeBass reel discussion
 
#18 ·
You guys are killin me lol. Making me rethink the arras and heading a different direction. One thing is whichever rod I get I will use the correct line class and lure weight but I do cast like I'm going for a record. If you pay a couple hundred dollars and up for a rod and it is made to cast a lure it shouldn't be breaking or having quality problems, maybe its just me lol. I'd rather put money into a better spinning reel and buy a a less pricey rod that will still do what its made to do.
 
#19 ·
Art take a look at the St Croix Mojo 10'. It is a 2 piece but the joint does not effect the action as it is about 6" above handle. I think it will cast better than the Lami's due to the slick micro guides on it. I talked to a guy who said he added about 30 yards or more with the Mojo. He worked for Fishermans Supply and it was not due to wanting to sell me one as he was out of them. The only think is that the warranty is 5 years as opposed to Lami's lifetime. A 10' Mojo should run you about $220 to $230 unless you know someone. I know one place I think I can get around $200 even. Right now the only have 1 10' spin but have 2 10'6" spins. Not trying to confuse you but you should cover your bases and I feel this rod is worthy of your time. I also feel it should have better stopping power then many of the Lami's

Sorry if I'm confusing things but there are a few more rods I think you should look at if you have the chance:
CTS Enterprises
Seeker Baby ALUA
Tommy Farmer Surf Pro
and of course the AFAW but they are about impossible to get one these days
One rod not to be overlooked is a Star Stellar Lite Surf. They are cheaper rods but with great action and tremendous strength. One thing is the 10' has a joint smack in the middle of the rod but the 9 and 11 is more towards the handle. Ask Zim he has one and I should have one shortly also
 
#20 ·
You're not confusing me at all lol. I like having options believe me! I actually went to Red Top Sporting Goods less than 10 minutes away and looked at the Mojo rods. They had a few 10 footers and one 10' 6'' model both of which I liked very much. The weight of the rod isn't bad at all and has that stiff "look" to it but is actually faster than it seems. I will look for the other rods also. The Mojo I'll use for top water and jigging in the canal.The eyes on the Mojo are geared more towards braid use correct? I'll still be looking for a fast action lighter rod though as I first started off in my search lol. Oh I have looked at those Star Rods and will probably acquire one as the light fast action rod I've been looking for. When I first picked one up a couple months ago I was very surprised at the price point.
 
#21 ·
Well heck I'm confusing myself. LOL The Farmer, CTS and Seeker are rods that would need to be custom built. The CTS is amazingly light, the 10' 1-4 oz blank weighs 4 oz. and a big 13' heaver(bait) weighs only about 2 to 3 oz. for the blank. Super action on it but I would like to know someone else that actually owns one as I don't want to be the guinea pig. It is worth taking a look at though. There should start to be some stuff posted in the near future as I saw them taking orders at the NJ expo.
Yeah many folks look at me funny when I mention the Star and how much I like it, because when they hear the price they just think it's another cheap rod. I missed out at the expo as I did not realize they had a booth. They had a bunch of show rods they sold for 50% to 60% off. What I also like is the lifetime warranty

Do you use braid or mainly mono. I asked because I was wondering if you ever tried Finz mono. They have a shock Absorbing braid that has 10% stretch, it is made of Dynema(sp?) and something else allowing it to sstretch. They must have sold a thousand plus spools at the expo, I wanted to grab some but forgot as I was tired from working the show.

I did pickup a Lami XS 101ms (Jetty Surf)which I like very much from the limited amount I have used it.
 
#22 ·
Jersey, I looked for the rods and made the assumption that they had to be custom made lol. I won't be able to afford to have one built this year but rather than buying a production rod for x amount of money I'd rather have someone I trust build it for obvious reasons. I'll be picking up the Mojo hopefully today as long as it is still there lol. It is funny if people give you a look b/c the price point is not up to that of some other rods. There is a saying I remember as a kid, it's a poor man that blames his work on his tools. If the rod does what it is supposed to do its up to the angler to do his/her part in finding and catching the fish. I won't tell you the two rods I've been using in the Cape Cod canal but they are cheap and everyone says that they're too small and I had to retire one last year after a few seasons lol. I still have it I had zip ties, and glue holding parts of it together lol and I still caught plenty of fish with it till a striper just a couple pounds shy of a 40 did it in, actually the handle lol I was holding it together with a bear grip while wrestling it in. An expensive rod does not guarantee anyone will catch more fish. I also ultra light fish and have used many rods over the last 16yrs (omg I'm getting old lol) the one I have now is maybe a 70 dollar 5'3'' rod and the one I miss till breaking it accidentally was a 30 dollar rod from years ago. And yes I will most likely be buying a star rod this year and using it in the canal. I use both braid and mono. For braid I've been using powerpro but will be giving strens braid a shot this year. I will look for the Finz and give it a shot as I plan on having a back up spool. So many choices lol
 
#23 ·
I picked up the Mojo 10'6'' rod today and like the feel very much! Now the reel lol. I was stuck on the shimano Saragosa but have been told that the daiwa Emblem Pro is the way to go as far as distance is concerned. I understand very well the dynamics of the over sized shallow spool design but will it be a night and day difference as far as casting distance goes between the two reels with this rod? And yes braid will be in use :)
 
#24 ·
Well I will try this one more time. For some reason it keeps locking up on me.
I was torn between the lami xs101ms(jetty surf) and the Mojo. I got the Lami for my Shimano TwinPower SW. Well then I got a ZeeBaas ZX25 which wnet on the lami. I will get the Mojo in the next day or so. What 10'6" did you get as they make 2 w/ diff lure ratings.

I love the Twinpower SW 6000. It has the 5000 body w/ 6000 spool, 29 lbs drag and weighs 14.5 oz. My is a Japanese domestic reel as it is not sold in the US but is easy to get. Parts can be ordered through Plat in Japan as they ship out all the time. The Twin is similar to the Diawa Saltiga Z but with a smoother drag. I will explain more about that later.
The Twin is very similar to the stella except has different gears and almost all parts can be swapped.
 

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#25 ·
Re: Lamiglass-Diawa drag

Don't get this post wrong-This is one awesome reel and one of the best for several years. Well about till the release of the New Stella.
at high drag settings (over about 35#), Saltiga's drag had a felt starting inertia, that in some cases led to breakages of the stem of the smaller models, and in at least one documented case a breakage of the bail arm on a large model.
Starting inertia in a nutshell could be explained as follows: Newton says that a static body tends to stay static, and a moving body tends to keep moving. So, a static spool set at 40# of drag will not move at 40# of pull, but it will need a starting pull of anything between 45-55# to start moving, then once mobile it will start giving line at the original 40# until it stops and starts again. The difference between the drag setting and the initial pull required to start it is what makes a good drag and a bad one. Obviously, in the Saltiga a considerably big pull is required to start it moving at those very high settings, which results in a felt jerk. When the braid is too strong and the drag is very high, a breakage could result from this phenomena as illustrated in the photo above. The Stella FA/TwinPower SW did not have this jerk because it had bigger drag washers on the bottom of the spool as well as on top of it, thus achieving the same braking power at much less stress than in the Saltiga.

Looking at the entire package, and with Saltiga's single weak point exclusive to phenomenal drag pressures and even easily fixed with a cheap set of Carbontex washers.

Another Diawa worthy of a look is a Saltist. I think the mid level Diawas may be a step above many of the Shimanos. For Shimano I would also look at the Stradic and Sustain. If you go with a Diawa go may want to consider changing the dragwashers, this can also be said for the lower Shimano reels without the SW-Hyper Disk Drag. Although the Shimano Dartainium Drag is no slouch and you may not want to change them

Some of the above was copied from a testing report

One other thing is that both Shimano and Diawa both make about a dozen or more great reels that are not sold in the USA. Check out Shimano's site and slect South Asia(in English) and check out some of the reels. They have a whole Surf line not sold in the US http://fish.shimano.com.sg/
 

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#27 ·
Jersey not at all. I checked out some of the reels from over seas and was asking myself why aren't they here? The biggest problem this year is financial reasons I can't really spend more than say about $250. My business is just breaking even and I'm starting to look for a night job and will actually be going to college in the Fall. All the information that you've given as well as everyone else I appreciate very much and it helps keep more options open as some people think this is the best or this is the best when I know things clearly aren't. Maybe the best for that individual for multiple reasons or a specific situation, you know. Oh the model of the 10'6'' Mojo is...MSS106MM2. The lighter spinning version of the two. I took it out for a few casts yesterday casting a plug then a 3 oz crippled herring. Casts very nice, love the action and don't have to put all I got into each cast to get it out there. I'll take it out to a football field sometime soon and see what the range I'm getting compared to my old rod is, which I know will be significant! I'm happy to have gotten the Mojo over the Ron Arra and don't think I will regret it for one moment at all.
 
#28 ·
Jersey not at all. I checked out some of the reels from over seas and was asking myself why aren't they here? The biggest problem this year is financial reasons I can't really spend more than say about $250. My business is just breaking even and I'm starting to look for a night job and will actually be going to college in the Fall. All the information that you've given as well as everyone else I appreciate very much and it helps keep more options open as some people think this is the best or this is the best when I know things clearly aren't. Maybe the best for that individual for multiple reasons or a specific situation, you know. Oh the model of the 10'6'' Mojo is...MSS106MM2. The lighter spinning version of the two. I took it out for a few casts yesterday casting a plug then a 3 oz crippled herring. Casts very nice, love the action and don't have to put all I got into each cast to get it out there. I'll take it out to a football field sometime soon and see what the range I'm getting compared to my old rod is, which I know will be significant! I'm happy to have gotten the Mojo over the Ron Arra and don't think I will regret it for one moment at all.
I have been asking that same question for a few years now. Why not in the US. Maybe they think we cant handle the choices. One reason they don't sell the Twinpower is they don't want it to take away from the Stella sales. But they leave to big of a gap in between reels. I think you will also not regret getting the Mojo. I had a friend with the Arra 1204 which I told him to sell elsewhere, plus trying to get was becomeing a pain. I will get a Mojo tomorrow. I looked at it on Tuesday and made up my mind to get it. Not sure if I will get the 10' or 10'6" though. To be honest I think the Mojo is a better rod to fight big fish. But like said everyone has there own preferance. For the reel also check out the Diawa Saltist as it is right in your price range an it's a nice reel.
 
#29 ·
I was thinking about adding the mojo to the arsenal as well for the upcoming year. That 10'6" MSS106MM2 is a nice moderately priced rod I like the idea of a 10'6 rod in that 1-4 range.
 
#31 ·
I was thinking about adding the mojo to the arsenal as well for the upcoming year. That 10'6" MSS106MM2 is a nice moderately priced rod I like the idea of a 10'6 rod in that 1-4 range.
I picked up the 10' due to putting a very light reel on it. I had tried both and liked the way the 10 felt better. I had a chance also to throw a few different plugs and even just weight. Man I love this thing and it feels about 1/2 the weight of my xs101ms. Oh and with the micro guides this thing casts a mile. These are the same guides that the Legend has on it

It's a great rod for the money
 
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