TackleTour's 2008 Holiday Gift Guide (Part 1)
 

Saltwater Casting Rod: (Shimano Tescata) Give the gift of a new fishing technique this holiday season with the Shimano Tescata designed around Shimano's Lucanus jigging system. The new rods have been created with very specific tapers and powers to accommodate the complete range of Lucanus jig weights.

Like fishing for rockfish? The Shimano Tescata rods pair up with Lucanus jigs to make it more fun

The Tescata rods are a lot lighter than the Ugly Stiks and back bounce rods that many anglers traditionally employ for rockfishing, but with many anglers now making use of bass rods to target rockfish for sheer entertainment value the Tescata feels right at home somewhere in the middle of the two extremes.

The Tescata rods make use of TC4 graphite

The Tescata's tip has plenty of give to allow fish to really take the Lucanus jigs in but also has ample of muscle to load up and handle even big Lings when it comes time to wind them in. The Tescata is a enjoyable rod to fish, and while it truly is the most application specific saltwater rod we have tested to date it is designed with purpose and delivers in that application brilliantly, but what we like most about this rod and technique is that it simply makes rockfishing more fun, and transforms what used to be simply "meat fishing" into what feels much more like "sport fishing."

The rods are created with specific tapers and powers for the different Lucanus jigs

Freshwater Spinning Rod: (G.loomis Pro-Blue) Looking for a reel for that Van Staal Gold reel? Try the beautifully crafted yet reasonably priced G.Loomis Pro-Blue rods. Designed to pick up exactly where the flats and bay end is the new G.Loomis Pro-Blue family of serious stand up saltwater rods. These new rods are specifically designed to offer a lightweight yet powerful solution for anglers that enjoy taking on big fish with a graphite based rod.

The G.Loomis Pro Blue rods are a perfect companion for that Van Staal gold reel

The series offers more accuracy, sensitivity, and lighter weight than fiberglass and hybrid rods, but most impressive of all, they do not ask you to make all the sacrifices when it comes to concerns about lack of power and durability. The bottom line…when everyone else is either simply winching up fish on a dead feeling glass rod, or find themselves pinned to the rail with an outclassed inshore stick, the Pro-Blue rods will have you savoring the fight as you reel in the biggest of fish without even breaking a sweat. This rod is available at the G.Loomis Superstore at Monster Tackle.

The Pro-Blue rods offer a nice blend of sensitivity and power when it counts

Next Section: Lures for the season