cheap sabiki rod found - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

nmbrinkman · 07-06-2006, 12:18 PM

So I have this old abu garcia level wind laying around. Was my old samon fishing reel from when I was younger. I decided to turn it into my sabiki reel but didn't have a short, stout rod to put it on for a bait catchin setup....I went to walmart to pickup sabiki's cheap (black belts, 15# line, size 6 hooks..$1.50), and a headlamp for early bait makin saturday. I came across a penn mariner, 10-25 # line class in a 5'6" rod...PERFECT...and it was only $20!....I know walmart is the devil :twisted: (I buy spendy items @ local stores) But for a deal like this and cheap sabikis, I couldn't pass it up...Just for those of you out there tired of the PVC or don't wanna use your bait or jig stick...GL

TP · 07-06-2006, 03:39 PM

good score. wally world has some damn good deals. i admit it, i manage a bait shop and i still go there sometimes.

ops: hard to pass up a pack of hooks for a price cheaper than my dealer cost.

my shop just got in the ahi sabiki rods. a little heavy but the seller is the fact that every time you reel up the sabiki is stored inside the rod vs. throwin away or wrapping the rig when you're done. the cool thing is, when you put the reel in free spool, the sabiki comes out untangled every time.

the only thing that'll be a bitch is storin the sabiki when you're paddlin from point A to B. all those hooks will be all over the place. lemme know how it works out. i hate the feel of the ahi or PVC rods, but they're damn near the closest to perfect for the technique ive found.

see you on the water!

nmbrinkman · 07-06-2006, 03:52 PM

when I'm done makin bait, I hook the hooks together.

.
The length is perfect for the 5'6" length of the rod....

FISHIONADO · 07-06-2006, 06:47 PM

I need a 7' rod to be able to easily move the rod from one side of the kayak to the other (prowler 15). I get sabikis sometimes from Big 5 for $.89, the red and yellow yarn seems to attrack more greenbacks than others, YMMV. Big 5 has also had Penn Sabre Stroker rods on sale for $39 and the Pro Sabre for $49, I think it is still going on, some WON advertising deal.

nmbrinkman · 07-07-2006, 08:26 AM

I find that with a long rod, I make a bigger mess on the deck of my yak with all the line and such..... a shorter rod seems easier to me to manuever....I usually drag the sabiki with the drift, keeping the sabiki angled away with the drift, therefor, not having to switch from side to side(not having the sabiki under the yak)....that's just my experience though....it's not for everybody....

TP · 07-07-2006, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nmbrinkman

I find that with a long rod, I make a bigger mess on the deck of my yak with all the line and such..... a shorter rod seems easier to me to manuever....I usually fish the drag the sabiki with the drift, keeping the sabiki angled away with the drift, therefor, not having to switch from side to side....that's just my experience though....it's not for everybody....

yeah thats what i do. thanks for the picture. i guess it was common sense, but thats a trick i can see payin off for me. just started making my way out from bay fishin so any advice on the outside is appreciated.

nmbrinkman · 07-07-2006, 09:44 AM

another tip that I found works well is to cut line off the top and the bottom....you only need enough line on the top and bottom so that the top and bottom hooks don't get caught in the swivels....I tend keep away from the six hook sabikis, 4 or 5 hooks keep it short and it's plenty enough to make bait...Also, bigger hooks make it easier to remove the fish cause you can guide your fingers down the line and grab the hook, turn it upside down so the fish will slide off, smaller hooks are harder to find and grab when attached to a mackerel....crimping the barb will help as well, but you may lose more hookups..

T-Rex · 07-07-2006, 06:07 PM

I got an Ahi sabiki rod a few weeks ago and really like the way it works. Casts and handles alot better than the 6' pvc rod I was using and stores 6 hook sabikis cleanly with no tangles. Only drawbacks are the heaviness and 8'3" length. Another nice feature is that it breaks down into 3 sections for easy storage. I also heard ahi may come out with a shorter sabiki rod for kayaks.

madscientist · 07-07-2006, 07:59 PM

Sooner or later you'll hook a good fish while making bait. That's why I use a quality rod and reel for my bait setup. I cut 6 hook sabikis in half, use a jig as a sinker, and have a dedicated rod so I can probe bait balls anytime. Having a rod with exposed sabiki hooks hasn't really been a problem. Those ahi rods are cute, but I found them to be too stiff (though much better than a PVC rod).

T-Rex · 07-08-2006, 11:50 AM

Hopefully sooner or later I'll hook a good fish while fishing!! :lol: Gotta agree that the ahi rod is too stiff and kinda heavy.

steveooo · 07-08-2006, 09:45 PM

I kinda liked the ahi sabiki rods til last friday when I was out and did hook a big one on it at LJ with the swim bait I was using as the weight. Fought him for about 3 minutes on the 25 lb spectra when the rod broke right in the middle. Kept the fish on for about 10 seconds before the jagged edge cut the line. Im with Brad, dedicate a rod, save trouble, catch more fish.

TP · 07-09-2006, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveooo

I kinda liked the ahi sabiki rods til last friday when I was out and did hook a big one on it at LJ with the swim bait I was using as the weight. Fought him for about 3 minutes on the 25 lb spectra when the rod broke right in the middle. Kept the fish on for about 10 seconds before the jagged edge cut the line. Im with Brad, dedicate a rod, save trouble, catch more fish.

you broke the ahi rod?

fill me in. i sell them at my shop. if you snapped the beast in half id like to know.

steveooo · 07-10-2006, 04:54 PM

Yeah i broke it right at the middle connection after I hooked into something nice. It splintered pretty good too. Half is in the drink, I still have the other half, luckily i have the half with my reel. I was pretty happy with it until It got destroyed. Not many rods can withstand the pull of a 60lb yellowtail. :shock: :roll:

Grego · 07-17-2006, 03:54 PM

Another option for a Sabiki Rod. Why? I couldn't see/want to tell my merciless yak buddies I spent $$$ on a rod to catch sardines.

I thought the PVC rod concept was a good idea, except I noted that there was no action at the tip. I seen them catch small macs, but up here sometimes all we get (and sometimes what's working) are little sardines, smelt, and other small bait fish and I needed to feel that little 'tap' 'tap'. Over several years I also noted that almost all my tangles I get while traveling on the water with it are from the bait rods 'Guides' and 'Main Line' feeding through the guides. I don't get it caught on other rods or gear, so I saw no purpose in having it crawl up into anything, so I just needed a 6ft rod.

What I wanted was a 6ft rod with no guides, no main line showing, action at the tip, some castability, some fishability, and not cost me anymore $$$ than those expensive owner/hayabusa sabikis. So, I grabbed that 6ft rod that everyone has in the garage that you can't remember where you got from and cut the fook'n guides off, cut the fook'n tip off, glued a bead to the tip so i don't poke my fook'n eye out, drilled a fook'n hole in the base, smoothed all the right places with fine grit sand paper, fed the 17lb p-line through the rod, tied a fook'n swivel to the end so it don't retract and I just gotta snap the sabiki on, and now I got me one of those $150 eyeless fishing rods that breaks down into two pieces for my sabiki rod. If you guys like it, I can do a step by step write up.

NOW, the other tangles I get are from 6 fook'n pissed off macs getting all squirly on me, and ain't no rod out there gonna help that mess from happening.

Aaron&Julie · 07-17-2006, 04:17 PM

Fook'n A, that's a great concept Grego. We will have to try it sometime with one them trashy type rods you're talking about.
It looks like you could even use a very large bead at the end that may allow the sabiki hooks to be reeled into the rod itself (a la PVC setups), leaving only the sinker at the tip. We used to have those sabiki hooks tangling with our other pre-rigged outfits, which is why we now remove the sabiki after making bait.

07-06-2006, 12:18 PM	#1
nmbrinkman Work Sucks! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 559	cheap sabiki rod found So I have this old abu garcia level wind laying around. Was my old samon fishing reel from when I was younger. I decided to turn it into my sabiki reel but didn't have a short, stout rod to put it on for a bait catchin setup....I went to walmart to pickup sabiki's cheap (black belts, 15# line, size 6 hooks..$1.50), and a headlamp for early bait makin saturday. I came across a penn mariner, 10-25 # line class in a 5'6" rod...PERFECT...and it was only $20!....I know walmart is the devil :twisted: (I buy spendy items @ local stores) But for a deal like this and cheap sabikis, I couldn't pass it up...Just for those of you out there tired of the PVC or don't wanna use your bait or jig stick...GL

07-07-2006, 07:59 PM	#9
madscientist Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,906	Sooner or later you'll hook a good fish while making bait. That's why I use a quality rod and reel for my bait setup. I cut 6 hook sabikis in half, use a jig as a sinker, and have a dedicated rod so I can probe bait balls anytime. Having a rod with exposed sabiki hooks hasn't really been a problem. Those ahi rods are cute, but I found them to be too stiff (though much better than a PVC rod). __________________

07-17-2006, 04:17 PM	#15
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Fook'n A, that's a great concept Grego. We will have to try it sometime with one them trashy type rods you're talking about. It looks like you could even use a very large bead at the end that may allow the sabiki hooks to be reeled into the rod itself (a la PVC setups), leaving only the sinker at the tip. We used to have those sabiki hooks tangling with our other pre-rigged outfits, which is why we now remove the sabiki after making bait. __________________ "Never say die"

07-06-2006, 03:39 PM	#2
TP KREATURE Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 4	good score. wally world has some damn good deals. i admit it, i manage a bait shop and i still go there sometimes. ops: hard to pass up a pack of hooks for a price cheaper than my dealer cost. my shop just got in the ahi sabiki rods. a little heavy but the seller is the fact that every time you reel up the sabiki is stored inside the rod vs. throwin away or wrapping the rig when you're done. the cool thing is, when you put the reel in free spool, the sabiki comes out untangled every time. the only thing that'll be a bitch is storin the sabiki when you're paddlin from point A to B. all those hooks will be all over the place. lemme know how it works out. i hate the feel of the ahi or PVC rods, but they're damn near the closest to perfect for the technique ive found. see you on the water!

07-06-2006, 03:52 PM	#3
nmbrinkman Work Sucks! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 559	when I'm done makin bait, I hook the hooks together. . The length is perfect for the 5'6" length of the rod....

07-06-2006, 06:47 PM	#4
FISHIONADO Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 698	I need a 7' rod to be able to easily move the rod from one side of the kayak to the other (prowler 15). I get sabikis sometimes from Big 5 for $.89, the red and yellow yarn seems to attrack more greenbacks than others, YMMV. Big 5 has also had Penn Sabre Stroker rods on sale for $39 and the Pro Sabre for $49, I think it is still going on, some WON advertising deal.

07-07-2006, 08:26 AM	#5
nmbrinkman Work Sucks! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 559	I find that with a long rod, I make a bigger mess on the deck of my yak with all the line and such..... a shorter rod seems easier to me to manuever....I usually drag the sabiki with the drift, keeping the sabiki angled away with the drift, therefor, not having to switch from side to side(not having the sabiki under the yak)....that's just my experience though....it's not for everybody....

07-07-2006, 09:44 AM	#7
nmbrinkman Work Sucks! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 559	another tip that I found works well is to cut line off the top and the bottom....you only need enough line on the top and bottom so that the top and bottom hooks don't get caught in the swivels....I tend keep away from the six hook sabikis, 4 or 5 hooks keep it short and it's plenty enough to make bait...Also, bigger hooks make it easier to remove the fish cause you can guide your fingers down the line and grab the hook, turn it upside down so the fish will slide off, smaller hooks are harder to find and grab when attached to a mackerel....crimping the barb will help as well, but you may lose more hookups..

07-07-2006, 06:07 PM	#8
T-Rex Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 770	I got an Ahi sabiki rod a few weeks ago and really like the way it works. Casts and handles alot better than the 6' pvc rod I was using and stores 6 hook sabikis cleanly with no tangles. Only drawbacks are the heaviness and 8'3" length. Another nice feature is that it breaks down into 3 sections for easy storage. I also heard ahi may come out with a shorter sabiki rod for kayaks.

07-08-2006, 11:50 AM	#10
T-Rex Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 770	Hopefully sooner or later I'll hook a good fish while fishing!! :lol: Gotta agree that the ahi rod is too stiff and kinda heavy.

07-08-2006, 09:45 PM	#11
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	I kinda liked the ahi sabiki rods til last friday when I was out and did hook a big one on it at LJ with the swim bait I was using as the weight. Fought him for about 3 minutes on the 25 lb spectra when the rod broke right in the middle. Kept the fish on for about 10 seconds before the jagged edge cut the line. Im with Brad, dedicate a rod, save trouble, catch more fish.

07-10-2006, 04:54 PM	#13
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Yeah i broke it right at the middle connection after I hooked into something nice. It splintered pretty good too. Half is in the drink, I still have the other half, luckily i have the half with my reel. I was pretty happy with it until It got destroyed. Not many rods can withstand the pull of a 60lb yellowtail. :shock: :roll:

07-17-2006, 03:54 PM	#14
Grego Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 445	Another option for a Sabiki Rod. Why? I couldn't see/want to tell my merciless yak buddies I spent $$$ on a rod to catch sardines. I thought the PVC rod concept was a good idea, except I noted that there was no action at the tip. I seen them catch small macs, but up here sometimes all we get (and sometimes what's working) are little sardines, smelt, and other small bait fish and I needed to feel that little 'tap' 'tap'. Over several years I also noted that almost all my tangles I get while traveling on the water with it are from the bait rods 'Guides' and 'Main Line' feeding through the guides. I don't get it caught on other rods or gear, so I saw no purpose in having it crawl up into anything, so I just needed a 6ft rod. What I wanted was a 6ft rod with no guides, no main line showing, action at the tip, some castability, some fishability, and not cost me anymore $$$ than those expensive owner/hayabusa sabikis. So, I grabbed that 6ft rod that everyone has in the garage that you can't remember where you got from and cut the fook'n guides off, cut the fook'n tip off, glued a bead to the tip so i don't poke my fook'n eye out, drilled a fook'n hole in the base, smoothed all the right places with fine grit sand paper, fed the 17lb p-line through the rod, tied a fook'n swivel to the end so it don't retract and I just gotta snap the sabiki on, and now I got me one of those $150 eyeless fishing rods that breaks down into two pieces for my sabiki rod. If you guys like it, I can do a step by step write up. NOW, the other tangles I get are from 6 fook'n pissed off macs getting all squirly on me, and ain't no rod out there gonna help that mess from happening.