Starlo Stix are good value for money. Starlo is a high profile angler and wouldn't put his name to anything that was utter sh*t, just like Ian Miller. Ian Miller has had a large impact and has put a lot of input into most of the Shimano range, hence why Shimano rods are now great quality, even the cheap ones are all right.

Well

Haven't really looked @ the Starlo Stix's so have no views on them.

I do however look @ one thing with these rods bearing the names of well known fishermen.

If the rods are sold in places like K-Mart , Woolly's etc they cant be to crash hot simply because those places buy for price not for quality



Dont agree with that comment @ all & dont be fooled by clever marketing when choosing a rod, Shimano sell some real crap as well as their better ones

The starlo stix aren't found in Kmart or sh*t like that. You'll find them in real tackle shops and are built on graphite blanks, cork grips ect ect. I have one of the jig sticks they released and it's very nice for the money I paid for it. There is also a Starlo Stix Pro range which is very very nice and great value. Unfortunately the range of the Pros isn't as large as the normal SS's.

By "cheap" from the Shimano range I was talking about the catanas and rods like that. I don't get fooled by marketting and when I want a rod I know exactly what I'm looking for in terms of rating, components, taper ect ect. For around $80 the catana comes with fuji components, cork grips and a graphite blank, well capable of chucking light lures around. Howver there are some sh*t rods like the technium plus' and eclipses but they are crap, like I said b4, by cheap I meant the catanas which can be bought around the $80 (I think).

I see you've been fooled by the catana's

I have one & they're a cheap rod & not of any quality

Big deal that they have Fuji Guides or should I say the lack of them.

The overhead sticks have line touch all the way through the guide spacings the one I have has hyperlon grips but I doubt very much the ones with cork grips are cork.

Technology has allowed cork to be ground down then bonded together over a hyperlon grip , now this cork dust is only a couple of millimeters thick & very easy to detect.

Because its ground down B4 being bonded it has a very smooth appearance & you wont see any glued joins on it @ all.

For $80 what did you expect ??????????????????

My comment to rod brands was put as a joke but see that you want to talk brands lets see.

Are you 100% certain that Shimano MAKE their own rods???
Not design them but physically make them including the blanks.
I say no way.
So Starlo designs the rod and Shimano gets someone else to manufacture them. Shimano markets them and Starlo gets something for his troubles.
If you were to look you will find a different brand with the same rod with minor differences for half to 2/3rds of the price if an Australian importer wanted that style of rod to sell.
SHIMANO does have some very nice gear but some of it is over priced because of the marketing budget and company overheads.

My fav rod is a loaded rod

At the moment its been a pfluger PTSP 4766 1m 6'6''1 piece graphite, medium action, 3-6kg line
Matched with a Penn Applause 4000
Loaded with 6lb braid and I change the leader to suit the style of fishing.

This is my all time favourite rod and reel combo. It is a handy 4ft long and really powerful. The reel is ultra modern, with one of them star dragging thingies on it. It is very versatile and I use it to fish for yellowtail, bream, flathead and of course, big snapper. I haven't caught anything on it yet, but I think that soon I will. I have a stainless steel #4/0 hook and 50lb line on the reel. You can just flick a lever and the 1lb lead will just race down to the bottom, or you can wind backwards and just lower it down. The rod is real strong and can lift the anchor. It is a beaut. It might be for sale if the right person comes along with the dollars.

Ill give you a goat for it!

I'd ask for change Tom

Thats one of kk's better outfits as well

Well I have to admit when I plan on taking the boat out into salt water
My first choice of weopens is always my 6'6" Sylstar Crystal tip and
Penn 6500 reel filled with 20 lb fireline.
2nd choice is smaller and finer sylstar power tip with shimano 3500 bait runner
and 14 lb fireline, or is that spider line ?.
If I am venturing to the sweet water, first choice is my custom graphite with 2500 daiwa
capricorn and 2nd is a shimano something combo I bought for $ 100 some years ago
loaded with 4 lb line.
Other then these rods and reels there is a great veriety of weopons to choose from which
will all catch fish.
Beach fishing is a 13' hollow glass blank I made up 30 years ago. ( due for overhall now )
OH and Tom, sterlo will put his name to anything that will get him some dollars.

And that Jarvis Walker and Alvey deck winch, would have seen some duty, have similar outfits myself, but they rarely see daylight these days.

Frank

This post has been edited by nimrod: Mar 10 2008, 07:30 PM

Frank, i think you have got me and catch and release confused...
i learnt that with a rod that one of the more famous anglers had put there name to a few years back...
forget which one now though.

Did he speak like a Rabbit Tom ??

Yiperty Yapperta

Quite possibly...

The catanas are good for $80. Compared to what else is out there for $80 the catana is right up there (the light spin sticks). The grips ARE cork. I saw one with a split grip (why it split I dunno, but it looked used so probably the anglers fault) and there was no evidence of hyperlon grips and the guides ARE fuji (again talking about the light spin sticks). I have used the catanas before, even though I haven't owned one, and i would definitely buy it if my budget was around $80. Another contender would be the Berkley Dropshots.

You had no idea they even mixed cork ove hypolon till I told you so doubt very much you'd know the difference.

Cork is not a cheap material but the catana's are a cheap rod so logic tells me it's not cork all the way through.

But next time I'm in a tackle shop I'll have a look.

Personally I wouldn't waste my money on a Cantana the rods are built to budget not quality

i bought a catana about 12 years ago and it is still as good as the day i bought it ,and it has caught some bloody big fish

Im recently converted to graphites, however my heavy boat sticks are ugly's and silstars cause i dont think a graphite would last to well...

Fav Rod, ive got to many now and cant even decide which one to take out so i take 10

Wow looks like you got into this topic a little late. And now that you have posted I know why.

It takes you a little while to think of a reply.

Or you might not have been near a computer. Are your ears hot?

:o

KKW from reading Jumpy's rod building tips you need to shorten the butt by 6". At 3'6" it will be a big advantage because when you put it in your backpack, you can put an orange flag on it when you ride your scooter to your secret fishing spot. No one will guess you are fushin just think you are a dork being safety conscious.

BTW I very jealous, if I had a goat I'd swap you for it.

This post has been edited by It'l Do: Mar 12 2008, 02:56 AM

Was stuck in sydney christos, browsing over some local tackle, was VERY impressed with the quality of the graphite blanks i picked up a few new ones!