The Essence of Fishing

Introduction 
Not long ago I have posted two parts article about surf casting techniques in which described the Pendulum surf casting technique. So, it felt like a good karma when a friend brought me one of the new Hookset Global surf rods series called Pendulum Surf for a brief testing.

The one I got to test was a telescopic rod, 4.5 meters length with 4 sub-parts with quite impressive casting weight, 100g - 250g. There are 6 high quality guides which two of them float on the last part and one, rather uniquely, on the third part. This rod, I have to admit, is beautiful, with very thin body and you can notice the quality carbon patterns all over.

Real world test 
I paired the rod with my Tica Spinfocus 4500 reel. Although functions to my satisfaction, it felt a bit small and under qualify for this rod. A perfect match would be a long casting reels such as Okuma Axeon or Shimano Ultegra. These kind of reels would definitely help you reach 200 meters casting distance. The rig included 120g weight with a single size 4 hook attached under it. The bait was strips of fresh calamari which leveled up my expectation for serious fish fights.

Casting
Casting with the this rod is easy and rather enjoyable. Actually, as far as my experience go, this is the best rod to practice surf casting techniques and especially the Pendulum surf casting. Although far from being expert, I was able to reach 100 meters casting distance quite easy. The length of the rod together with its low weight help significantly doing the job both for distance casting and accurate targeting. Expert surf anglers can, without much effort, cast beyond 200 meters distance.
One thing though, should you consider to hook the rod with heavy long distance reel and along with 150g weight, expect to have your arms and shoulders to work quite a bit. So practice your Pendulum surf casting technique to reduce unnecessary stress.

Sensitivity
This rod was not designed for small fish. During the 2 hours test the wind was strong with aggressive currents so I reeled my rig back often to check whether the bait is still on. However, while doing so, I have managed to land 3 nice size Sea-Bream and it felt like I am pooling back nothing but the weight with only slight vibration on the rod tip. The fish were released back to gain some weight until the next time, hopefully to put better fight to this rod.

Summary
Many people believe top surf rods should have 2 or 3 pieces however, the Pendulum Tele-Surf proves this theory wrong. This rod offers both the advantages of telescopic rods (easy transportation, low weight and sensitivity) and ”pieces” rods (powerful and high casting weights). Hookset Global has aimed quite high with this rod and I believe this series will deliver its promise.
So, if you are a surf fishing freak and fighting big fish is what makes your adrenaline rush, this rod is for you. You can find Hookset Global tackle products at www.thebesttackle.com .

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Introduction: I’ve long wanted to sample the Hookset-Global ProSpin series of rods and when they introduced a GLX model to this lineup that was all needed to pull the trigger. Question was could this new ProSpin GLX rod really deliver that rare combination of a sensitive, light action tip, with that strong, unrelenting backbone needed to overpower hard fighting fish? Sit back as I take you on a journey with the ProSpin GLX from Hookset-Global. Leveraging the success of their popular AllSpin series rods, this ProSpin GLX stick features the lightweight Hookset-Global guides. These guides are coveted not for their appearance, but for their apparent lighter weight. The remainder of the rod features Hookset’s conventional if not conservative look including a full cork fore and rear grip and Hookset-Global reel seat.

Real World Test: I paired this rod with both my Okuma Epixor 30 and my Shimano Stradic 4000. Each of these two reels have a very different feel characteristics primarily to their respective weights, yet each compliment the rod very well. This speaks to the rod’s overall good balance before even mounting a reel in its reel seat.

• Casting: While I did not make any big “heave it as far as I can” casts, I was able to pick, choose, and hit my targets. This was especially true using this rod in and around the docks of Sea Of Galilee, Israel. The guides handled both copolymer (PowerPro Spectra) and fluorocarbon (Sufix XL) lines well although there was a noticeable noise factor associated with casting the stiffer fluorocarbon lines.
• Sensitivity: One area where Hookset-Global often excels is in the sensitivity department. That “light and crisp” feel you get with this rod when you pull it out of the rod rack translates very well on the water to a responsive and sensitive product. The minimalist appearance of the guides is carried throughout the length of the rod with its matte finished blank and modest rod wraps. This all helps with the rod’s weight and ability to transmit even the subtlest of hits into your hands. 
• Power: Where this rod truly shines is the second you whip your wrist back to set hook on those fish. The communication from the end of your line through the rod and into your hands of that fish shaking its head underwater is undeniable, and the nice, smooth bend of this rod, while a little forgiving, is at the same time, powerful and confidence inspiring. Anyone who has ever caught or targeted spotted bass know one thing - these fish are mean and absolutely crazy and any size fish three is an absolute thrill to catch.

Conclusion: When battling crazy fighting fish like spotted bass and pikes, it pays to have a rod with the unique characteristics of a light, sensitive, forgiving tip, yet a solid, unrelenting backbone. Hookset-Global delivers this combination and more with their ProSpin GLX. On pure performance this rod is a lot of fun to fish and on that characteristic alone, this rod is worthy of my Editor’s Choice!

The Nomad by Hookset Global; a rod designed especially for kayak anglers.

In recent years we have seen a huge growth in kayak fishing. Today there is a rod for almost every style an angler can think of, and as kayak fishing grows there will be rods made for this group. Hookset Global, while not the first, has introduced kayak specific rods that are designed for kayak anglers with specifications to meet their needs on the water.

The main reason I bought my Kayak not long ago was fishing. After I took my kayak few times for paddling exercises I felt ready to try fishing. Couple of weeks ago I have purchased a new Hookset Global rod aimed specifically towards kayak anglers. The Nomad rod has a length of 2.1 meter. At that length, anglers can operate the rod efficiently from casting to fighting around the kayak. Should the fish decide to run around to the other side of the kayak; the angler can easily swing the line around the bow or stern.

Another very useful design feature is a soft and durable tip. There is nothing annoying more than hearing the tip breaks while trying to land a big fish. At Hookset Global took it under consideration and they have equipped the Nomad with a soft tip. The soft tip makes it easy to keep the fish on the surface of the water without worry from rod snapping in crucial moments.

The weather and sea conditions have forced me to keep my new Hookset Global Nomad rod in the closet. However, I promise to write my first fishing report using the Nomad as soon as possible including performance details and, hopefully, some fish pictures.