Komodo for the win!

We live in some really interesting, and informative times. Back in my day (yea I know, here we go again boomer) fishing information wasn't as easy to get. We bought and devoured fishing magazines and books by the dozen, diligently watched Rex Hunt on the box once a week as well as listening to Friday night’s 3AW radio show if we could get reception. Every so often there’d be a show put on by a local business, or a travelling journo’ like Rod Harrison.

The trouble with this style of information, is that although usually given in good faith, it is not always immediately substantiated. And we fisho’s can be a suspicious bunch at times. Rex Hunt’s divers were apparently notorious for tying fish to the end of his line for him to catch on camera. Spare me……

Nek minit…..

Nek minit, along comes this thing called the Internet, what we boomers used to call the World Wide Web. Suddenly the fishing world is literally your oyster (make mine Kilpatrick and 12 at a time if you please). After a couple of decades of refinement, if you can't find the answer to every question you ask on the 'net you’re just not having a crack. The plethora of fishing information available to absorb from Youtube alone, is simply mind boggling. Fishos head out with a decent Gopro camera, add some dialogue and after uploading it's instant gratification for the information seeking couch fisho, bliss! Some do it better than others and that’s fine. I tip my hat to anyone who undertakes the task of putting up something for public viewing, and of course encourage the critics to put up their own offering for critique…….. What’s that? Insert crickets noise here……

Youtuber….

One such Youtuber of some note, is South Australian (we won’t hold that against him, much) Lubin Pfeiffer. I first met Lubin on the banks of the Murray at Mildura one warm evening, when he was fishing and camping with ripper blokes Rod McKenzie and Gus Storer. I essentially gate crashed their campsite, drank their beer and chewed on their ears for a couple of hours on all things cod fishing, it was a great end to the day. Poor Lubin didn’t know what he’d struck with darky I’m sure. Macca and Gus and I have been mates for years and whilst we don’t catch up very often, when we do it’s always a boisterous time. Just add beer……

I’ve followed Lubin ever since, initially in his writings but more recently on his Youtube channel “The Full Scale - Fishing Adventures”. I’ll say it again, but for a very average angler like darky to have access to such a wealth of quality information such as Lubin provides is astounding. And boy, does he get some fish! My passion is Murray cod fishing so they’re the clips I tend to seek mostly. Lubin gets metereys like darky gets cupcakes, frequently and multiples!

On the line….

An online request for information recently got my attention. A fisho had put up a post on a Facebook site asking for information and opinion on the Okuma Komodo rods and their performance in Murray cod fishing circles. One respondent essentially said to discount

anything provided by Lubin, he obviously has an association with Okuma and to stick to the “big two” being Daiwa and Shimano. The respondent no doubt provided this reply in good faith, but is it opinion, factual, somewhere in the middle or even useful? Let’s have a closer look then shall we….

Firstly, let me say that “associations” between writers and fishing tackle companies have been around forever. Trust me when I also say that in this field at least the fishing professions are very much a “lifestyle job”, the monetary rewards are nowhere near what you may imagine and there are very few who can make a full time gig of it. An association with a company whilst not directly putting food on the table, offsets the fishing expenditure that needs to be outlayed at least a little. Swings n roundabouts! Does the association mean that the product being presented is in any way sub standard? No way! I think most fishing presenters these days are too smart to be associated with dud products, why would you!

Komodo

The Okuma Komodo range of fishing rods are very, very good. How would you know darky I hear you ask. Well it’s simple, after watching Lubin land cod after cod on the Komodos, I decided I needed to look into them. And when I did, I was very impressed. How impressed? I currently have four in the arsenal and they’re all bloody good! And the price is very good. It was one of those situations for me where one day I was tossing up between two different models (MH and H) and in the end I just said stuff it, I’ll take both! No regrets…. Lets’s have a look at the Okuma Komodo product then.

Better build…

From the outset, it can be seen that the Komodos are a very well finished rod. That’s the first thing I look at. The bindings are neat, the clear over the top is well, clear. The grips look and feel good in the hand (very important) and the line guides are all lining up (as they should!). The blank is an attractive grey color and is clear coated at the bottom, and satin through the tip. Some people prefer more a matte finish, darky likes shiney things, this has both! A fishing expert grabbed the tip so I could put a “working curve” into the rod, this immediately allowed me to gauge the power of the rod, within its weight class at least. You can’t expect a 1 to 3kg to perform like a 7 to 10kg.

A little research suggests the blanks are “30 ton toray carbon” or such like, what the hell? Yea I’m not sure either but from this user, they are both strong and light. However, with all modern blanks, misuse (or accidents) will end in tears. They do not have the loopy characteristics of the old full fibreglass Jarvis Walker Black Queen, proudly made in Australia. You could allegedly touch the tip to butt of those. Confused? Ask your closest boomer. Suffice to say today’s rods of any brand are not as forgiving.

The reel seat is an Okumo in house design and build. It feels good in the hand, locks the reel securely to the rod and is an attractive, high class finish. It really doesn't have to do any more than that. The grips are EVA, not cork and that suits me as they remain relatively clean and good looking. That said, if you must have cork grips (and there are fishos out there who must) you're going to be a little disappointed with the Komodo.

The runners are Seaguide Hero hi grade light weights. They look strong but light and suit the blanks nicely. Seaguide may not have the name or wide following of the Fuji components, however a little research showed they are a reputable company manufacturing quality products, with a huge following particularly in the United States! There’s plenty of them (runners, not Yanks) on the Komodo blanks, which is important on baitcaster rods, you want to try to avoid the line touching the blank when its loaded up. Having used my rods extensively already I have no doubt the Seaguide guides are as good as any, and who doesn’t love the “hero” brand name!

Sometimes it's the little things (careful)..... As a well known Micko will attest, a huge feature for me in buying a rod, is a rod bag. The Okumo one is a cracker, woven nylon that provides some definite cushioning in the event of an “incident”. I use rod bags always when in transit, you buy good stuff, look after it and it lasts. That said, stick it in a ceiling fan or ute tail gate and you’re on your own. A bag can only do so much!

The proof’s in the fishing however, and I’ve given my Komodos (the H one particularly) a solid workout whilst cod fishing. I’ve teamed it up with a couple of different baitcaster reels including a Daiwa Tatula 200HD, Abu Garcia Beast and 13fishing Concept A2, all very solid “workhorse” reels. To be honest they all made a nice balanced outfit. It’s no secret I’m a big trolling fan and the Komodo is a great trolling rod for the medium to larger (think #2 and #1 Stumpys) Murray cod lures whilst also doing double duty as a very effective lure caster. It has already landed both cod and yellas and I'm super impressed. I hesitate to use the “all rounder” title in rod circles, but the Komodo in heavy truly does do a few things really well.

Finally

So there you have it, a mini review on the Okuma Komodo rods. At around about the $140.00 mark and with a great range of baitcast models to choose from, there’ll be one to suit your needs. A couple of take home messages if you will….

The information out there on fishing, particularly on Youtube is almost endless. Get on it, watch and learn. Or be entertained at least, on those days when you can’t fish. Secondly, don’t be frightened of fishing gear that is not from one of the “big two” (Daiwa and Shimano). Their gear is good no doubt, but it’s not the only good gear out there. Do your research and try something like an Okuma Komodo rod, you won’t be disappointed.

As usual drop in and have a chat to the friendly and knowledgeable McCreddens Fishing and Outdoors staff, they’ll see you right for your Okuma Komodo rod needs. If you ask Micko, he'll even find you a bag…..

darky out……

Footnote. All rods noted and pictured in this piece were paid for with my hard earned, either that or placed on Mrs darky’s credit card for discovery at a later date……