Versatile use – is one of big keywords these days.
At the previous article I introduced you Seabass rods for versatile use, and some recommendation.
Now let’s dig deeper about one another game fishing rod – squid eging rods.
Use Eging Rods for Everything
Against seabass game fishing rods already described in the past article, eging rods are often made for lighter but more sensitive styles.
Blanks are so thin and light, especially tip is very delicate and sensitive for long time hard jerking, and to catch tiny sign of bites from squids.
Blank type is mainly fast taper but sometimes set to as extra fast for some models, because of how to action your egi lures.
Egi lures are designed to move side by side when jerking solid and sharp, looks more like shrimps and prawns are jumping to escape from predators.
But if the egi does not have enough initial speed of action, then it turns to very non-attractive, boring move that doesn’t really move to side but just slowly come forward, not even wobble or roll, very unnatural move.
So butt needs to be solid by fast taper, to give solid initial speed for your egi.
Often you might feel eging rods wouldn’t have enough power to fight against fish because of those. But if you target for up to 50-60cm fisheaters? Then would have no problems.
Of course you may need to check your drag setting, but if your target fish is small to medium fisheaters like trevally, bluefish (tailor), flathead or flounders, eging rods have quite enough power to drag them out from the water.
And of course, those eging rods are for egi lure casting use, you can cast variety of lures with those.
If you wish to use eging rods for versatile use, check the egi capacity. Weights of egi is like this: #2.5 – 10g, #3.0 – 15g, #3.5 – 20g, #4.0 – 25g. So depends on what type of lures you think to cast but basic use for versatile the egi capacity could be #2.5-3.5 or #3.0 – #4.0. If you can find like #2.5 – #4.0 in the list of the model you like, that would be the best.
You can use soft plastics with jig heads to light metal jigs around 20g.
But I would not recommend solid tip models or extra fast taper models, because they are often harder to control, especially for casting. If you don’t really think and just cast heavier lures with those, your rod might be easily teared apart.
Solid tip models are basically made by jointing tubular blank and solid tip at top section, therefore butt – middle section and tip section blanks have different characters. So the joint area to solid tip section could get stronger pressure when casting, which can cause of damaging your rods when casting.
Extra fast taper rods can be the same, the bending point is set to very end of tip side therefore faster taper rods have less cast weight capacity. And especially for other lure / jig type of fishing, extra fast taper would not really be needed.
Conclusions to chose eging rods for versatile use –
- Length: 8’0″ – 8’6″ for on shore fishing, 7’0″ to 8’0″ for boaties
- Blank power: egi capacity #2.5 – #4.0
- Taper: fast – regular-fast
Recommended Eging Rods
Here are some eging rods recommendation for versatile use.
Great Made in Japan blank rod from Yamaga Blanks. Smooth and supple blanks are designed as regular – fast taper, one of most recommended rods for versatile game fishing.
Yamaga Blanks Calista TZ Nano
Price: from 45,000 yen
Recommended models: 82M / 86M
Yamaga Blanks high end eging rods. Nanoalloy® technology blanks are light but tough and strong, with 2 foot titanium frame torzite / SiC ring guides, highly recommended if you have enough budget.
Major eging rods from Palms Shore Gun EVOLV is one of most loved rods from Japanese anglers. EG – eging models are very light and suitable length 8’6″ for versatile use, and M power blanks can even pull up middle size fish well.
Premium quality but affordable eging rod from Tailwalk. Thinner and lighter blanks with titanium frame / torzite ring guides enhances sensitivity and easy-to-use, even against windy condition.
Like Tailwalk’s other products, this eging rods are also thought for versatile use as the rod spec data sheet has lure weight information as well.
DAIWA Emeraldas MX
Price: from 28,900 yen
Recommended models: 83M•E / 86M%bull;E / 89M%bull;E / 86MH%bull;E
This is DAIWA’s middle range eging rods released in 2017. Just under 30,000 yen but X45 and HVF Nanoplus technologies are featured, therefore so light and tough.
Just be careful all the models with “-S” are solid tip, which is not really suitable for versatile use. I would recommend to select M•E models.
DAIWA’s high end eging rod Emeraldas AIR AGS is the newly produced in July, 2020.
HVF Nanoplus + X45 is the same as 17 Emeraldas MX but 20 Emeraldas blanks are higher quality, with AGS Carbon Guide Frame.
All models are under 100g, even 75MLM is just 76g! So light but strong, very useful and highly recommended rod.
This is the middle range eging rod from SHIMANO, renewed in 2019.
Hi-Power X and Spiral-X core blanks reduces power loss and enahnce strength and durability. Very light but strong enough to fight against medium size fish.
This SHIMANO 20 Sephia XTune is the renewed up-middle range eging rod, releasing in July 2020. Soft, smooth but tough and strong blanks are well bending but well releasing, which can absorb fighting stresses well.
This is really a good option for versatile lure fishing use.
MajorCraft Crostage 3rd Eging
Price: from 10,800 yen
Recommended models: CRX-832E / CRX-862E / CRX-892E / CRX-862EH
This eging rod is affordable, but high spec Major Craft Crostage 3rd Edition.
Just over 10,000 yen but light and strong with Micropitch Cross Force.
Guide is Fuji K-Frame auto tangle-releasing shape guide frames with alconite ring.
E is equal to M power so E or EH models are good for versatile use.
Conclusions: which is better for versatile use?
The answer from me is, eging rods are better for versatile use, if you are mainly squid seeker or just started lure fishing.
You won’t be tired much as they are very light weight, could be even under 100g, but still strong enough to fight with fish up to middle size. Easy to handle, easy to cast.
If you make combination with lighter reels, that would be even more like these below:
And once you get used to lure fishing and would become to have another one, you may be able to pick one from seabass rods.
But for some people, I would not really recommend eging rods – for mainly lure anglers, especially for open area such as surf or rock shore fishing. Or, especially you are after bigger fisheaters, or if your area can have bigger ones with middle size fish.
Eging rods have smaller diameter guide rings with shorter guide frames, which can reduce cast distance than seabass rods. Length are not as long as seabass rods usually, which can be one another reason to reduce your cast distance.
And as eging rods are designed for lighter use, if you hook up with bigger species like cods, grouper, amberjack, kingfish or giant trevally etc. eging rods would not have enough power.
In this case, seabass rods would be your better choise.
But in either way, should just select your rods by thinking what you are after mainly, what lures you cast, and the area where you mainly fish, and pick one first.
And enjoy fishing 🙂
