St Croix Rods' Mojo Goes Catfishing

St Croix rods have long been a golden standard by which other factory built rods are compared. For the serious catfish anglers, originally the glass muskie rods provided the tool for the job. Then back in the latter part of the 90s, we were introduced to the St Croix Classic Cat series of rods. These rods were class leading in terms of construction and function. Unfortunately during the 2000s they were discontinued. Much of this stemmed from sales, as many anglers weren't ready to pony up the money for the higher price tag of these rods. Sales typically went to lesser rods. However those of us who have been cattin' for a long time have witnessed the explosion in the catfishing industry. No longer a backwoods sport looked down upon by other sportfishing anglers, today we have a large industry catering to the catfish guys with media, gear, and professional tournaments. The demand for dedicated catfish rods capable of handling trophy sized fish and built with premium components has been mounting steadily with many anglers calling for their beloved St Croixs to come back. Finally St Croix stepped up to the plate introducing a new line. This new rod is the Mojo Cat series. Following the success of the earlier Mojo lines, the Mojo Cat should prove no exception.
When I heard the initial rumors of a new catfish line I was elated to say the least, and after it was confirmed I had to get my hands on one. Luckily I was able to use my contacts at St Croix and get my name on the list for one of the first ones off the production line for review. When it finally arrived I was blown away by this amazingly light rod and could hardly contain the excitement to get it on the water. As I currently write this review the rods have now been in the market for several months, so why so long for review? We all know that when a new product hits the market, people rush to review them and be the first to write about it. And while some do have prior field testing to the release, often times that isn’t the case, and the people only use a product a few times before reviewing it. I’ve postponed my own review for the simple fact I want to tell you what it’s like living with this rod on the boat for several months, not just a trip or two. Often those first few trips always result in stellar reviews and opinions, however as time goes on, we may see changes in performance or even faults and failures. I feel completely confident at this time however, in giving you the most honest facts about this rod and how it performs.

Before I dive into the details of the new line I want to also point out the stiff competition in the market today to help you better understand the quality and value you really get with the Mojo Cat line. For serious anglers, spending $100 or even more for a catfish rod isn’t as much of a shock as it use to be, especially for tournament guys where money is on the line. We have numerous companies making rods that are basically factory custom rods, built on many types of blanks from glass to graphite/glass combinations with other high quality components. And many of these rods have been shutting down the competition due to superior components and quality. So its not hard to see why this St Croix will turn heads when you get one in your hands.
The Mojo Cat family currently has seven models available in the lineup. Five casting models ranging from 7ft medium action to 8ft extra heavy provide a rod for any need if you choose baitcasting. If spinning is more your style, they offer both a 7ft and 8ft medium action model. The base of any good rod build is always the blank, and St Croix knocked this one out of the park with the Mojo Cat. The Mojo Cats blanks are blend of premium-quality SCII graphite and their super premium 100% linear S-glass. This means a blank that is extremely light in weight but with tremendous lifting power and shock resistance. The blank is an attractive silver coloration and features purple/gray wraps complements of its Mojo line namesake. It also features a double coating of Flex Coat which is a slow cured coating. Line guides are a topic of debate in the catfish circle and often the majority of anglers seem to prefer one piece stainless, however St Croix chose to outfit the Mojo Cat with Kigan Master Hand 3D guides featuring slim, strong aluminum-oxide rings with black frames. To secure your reel to the blank, the casting models features Fuji® ECS reel seat with black hood and for the spinning models,
Fuji® DPS reel seat with black hoods. The Mojo Cat line also features Kigan hook keepers. Now what really sets this Mojo apart from the rest of its family is the handle. We’re all use to the Mojo lineup offering split grip handles, however the Mojo Cat boasts a full cork grip made with premium cork. This is an incredibly important change from the split grip and I’ll talk more about it later on. As with the rest of the Mojo family of rods the Mojo Cat is designed in Park Falls, WI and assembled in Fresnillo, Mexico. The Mojo Cat also features a 5-year warranty to seal the deal.
For my review I naturally chose the big daddy of the Mojo Cat family, the MCC80XHF. This 8ft extra heavy beast features a one piece fast tip blank that carries a whopping lure rating of 8 - 32oz. It is rated for 50-100lb line and an unbelievable weight of only 11.8oz. When you pick this rod up the weight is mindblowing compared to what you typically expect holding a catfish rod. It weighs in less than some of my muskie rods. When casting and fighting fish, trust me you won’t be fighting your rod. With this lightweight however, don’t mistake the Mojo Cat as being fragile. Mine has taken a few good knocks and drops around the boat as one should expect to happen catfishing. It’s a sport that can be very rough on gear and the Mojo Cat simiply shrugs it off. Fishing the Tennessee River system and using large bait this model is a natural and I have no doubts that this model could easily muscle in a new record. For a reel I chose to pair the Mojo up with what could be considered by many as the greatest traditional baitcaster on the market, the Truth Reels SG model. The Truth SG with its compact size and reasonable weight makes for a superbly balanced combination that is dripping with brute strength. Spooled with 80lb HiSeas braid I’ve used this combo for several fishing styles ranging from livebaiting flatheads to drifting and dragging for bluecats. It performs admirably in all tasks and I’ve even exceeded the lure rating. Just to see how it handled I’ve had the rod baited up with almost 40oz worth of bait/sinker before and the rod handled it well as you could expect. You won’t win a casting distance contest but it will get the job done and then be ready to handle the fish that can eat a 40oz bait. When using these light rods especially at around 8ft in length you will notice how much easier it is to fight a large fish. A 50lb fish will feel more like a 30lber due to the leverage and weight. This being my only sample I didn’t want to break the rod, however I would love to see a deadlift with it. I have no doubt this rod could deadlift a smaller adult with the strength of its blank and after seeing similarly constructed blanks doing deadlifts. The Mojo Cat, for all its power, still offers a tip subtle enough to work superbly with circle hooks. It loads smoothly down until it reaches around the sixth and seventh guide from the tip. After loading up to that point you get into the true backbone of the rod from there down. This attribute will be very important for the angler targeting blue catfish especially with the numerous techniques involved. On one single day we may go from anchored sets to control drifting in a few hours, and even dragging before the day is done. I use reel clamps just for extra protection but the Mojo Cats factory reel seats seem to be quite sufficient, although I’d like to see an additional locking ring in the future or possibly even a rear locking seat. The rear locking seat would reduce stress on the locking mechanism during a fight with a large fish. As for the handle, I mentioned the importance of the full cork grip earlier. When placed in a rod holder just a large catfish takedown can easily crush the cork where it rests in the holder. If you use a split grip style you run the risk of an impact from a fish actually damaging the blank and crushing it in the holder. By offering the full cork on this Mojo Cat rod, you don’t have that worry as the cork cushions and protects the blank when in a holder. The hook keeper is also of adequate size to hang large 8/0-12/0 hooks and is placed on the bottom of the blank. This means whatever weight is fastened to it won’t be banging up your rod blank as much as if it were mounted on the top or side. For the line guides, I tried both 50lb Ande mono and the 80lb HiSeas braid with good success. I’ve noticed no loose inserts or damage in the months I’ve used the rod and they work well with either line. I do prefer one piece stainless myself however for simplicity and piece of mind and would like to see them in the future. The finish on the blank and the cork also exhibit no excessive wear after use aside from skipjack slime and blood.
After becoming familiar with this rod on the water I will say it’s probably the best catfish rod St Croix has produced, and certainly one of the best on the market. For anglers willing to pay for quality, this rod won’t disappoint and will handle any situation thrown its way. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to review one of these great rods and put some hours on the water with it. If you are in the market for a rod of this caliber I highly recommend you check out the Mojo Cat line. With the models offered they will cover everything from chasing bullheads in a pond to tangling with river giants.

Slip Bobber Catfishing by Zakk Royce

Catfishing with Slip Bobbers
I think I speak for us all when I say, we all have a tendency to get into habits when it comes to fishing. We get use to doing something one way and just don't even think of doing it another way. Then there are some of us that want to try something new, and just don't know how to do it. Well, I'm going to do my best to explain what I feel is one of the most successful methods to target Catfish, particularly during the summer months.
#1 - What exactly is a Slip Bobber Rig?:
A Slip Bobber Rig is used to target fish that are suspended. I'm sure we all know about the regular bobber rigs, most commonly used for Bream, and other similar fish. Well, imagine this, the water you're fishing in is mostly 20 or more feet deep. Yet, the fish are concentrated in a certain depth range, and they are not on the bottom. Lets say they are 10ft down, in 20ft of water, imagine using a regular bobber, the kind that clips on to your line, you would have to slide it up 10ft from your hook, obviously that is near impossible to cast. So here's the beauty of the slip bobber rig, you are basically casting it just as you would with a regular bottom rig. You attach a bobber stop (I prefer the rubber stoppers that slide onto the line and easily adjustable) as far up from your hook as you want your bait to be, when you cast out the bobber stop will hit the top of your slip bobber and your bait will be however deep you set it to be.
#2 - Supplies needed to use a Slip Bobber Rig
1- A Slip Bobber of some sort. They can be purchased at nearly any tackle shop, and also many other places that carry fishing equipment. I prefer a very large Slip Bobber for Catfishing, a good size Catfish has no trouble at all pulling down a huge bobber.
2- Slip Sinkers work best with Slip Bobbers, what size you need depends on your fishing scenario, if you're fishing with a small bobber you will most likely need a small weight, again though, I really recommend a large bobber for catfish. With a large bobber normally you can use a 2 or 3 ounce sinker. A lot of it also depends on the current where you are fishing, a lot of current will of course require a larger weight, while with a slow or moderate current the size of the weight will not make much of a difference.
3- Leader material of some sort. It can be Fluorocarbon, or Monofilament, but it needs to be thick, meaning at least 40lb test in my opinion. I recommend 50lb-60lb.
4- Hooks, you need hooks no matter what kind of rig you're using. I personally use large 8/0 to 10/0 circle hooks mostly, but the choice is up to you, use whatever you are most comfortable with, or have the most success with.
5- Swivels, you need good strong swivels no matter what kind of rig you're using in my opinion. For the slip bobber rig, One-Way swivels are best. They don't have to be fancy at all, as long as they are good quality swivels, and not cheap snap swivels or something of that nature you should be fine.
6- If you are slip bobber fishing at night I recommend buying some sort of glow sticks to attach to the bobber so you can see what is going on. I usually get a tube of 100 glow sticks for only 10 dollars.
7- This is what makes the whole idea of the slip bobber work, The BOBBER STOP. You need something to tie to your line that will control how deep your bait goes. As I mentioned previously I prefer the rubber bobber stoppers due to the fact that they just slide on the line and you can adjust them easily to whatever depth you need to. Make sure you purchase the the right size stoppers that are rated for the pound test line you are using.
#3- How to rig a Slip Bobber.
1- Get the end of your fishing line, that comes off your rod and reel.
2- Put line through the hole on top of slip bobber and guide it through until it comes out of the bottom of the bobber. This can be just a little tricky sometimes, and may require some turning of the bobber while you're pushing the line thru, which helps the line get thru without bending up inside the bobber.
3- Slide Sinker on to your line, it should be under the slip bobber.
4- Tie Swivel to your line which should also contain your leader with hook attached.
5- And again, here is what makes it all come together at the end, decide how deep you want your bait to be, and attach whatever you're using as a bobber stop on to your line at that spot. Here is one way to do this if you're on the bank or at home, let out your line making the slip bobber rig lay on the ground, then let out approximately how ever much line is going to make your bobber the depth you want it, meaning, if you want your bobber to be 5ft deep, let out 5 feet of line. Then just attach your bobber stop on to that part of your line, if you want to get it at an exact depth, you can use a tape measure or something of that nature to measure it out.
#4 -Fishing the Thermocline
Here is where the Slip bobbers have come in handy most for me. I mostly fish a large Reservoir, in the summer it's not unusual for the surface water temperature to reach near 90 degrees. The fish get very suspended when this happens, usually concentrating around the Thermocline. Those of you that don't know what a Thermocline is, simply put it is a layer/depth of the water that has the most oxygen and cooler water. The fish can be so concentrated to that layer of the water that you can't even get a bite on the bottom, I say this because I have experienced it mysel. For me here in Northeastern, North Carolina, it has always started around early June and lasted all the way through late August, or early September. The Reservoir that I fish is mostly deep (30 or more feet, with the max depth around 90ft) and it is very large, and has many creeks that feed into it. I set my bobbers anywhere from 5 to 15ft deep, and will fish in anywhere from 10 to 75ft when bobber fishing generally. I have good success doing this. While at the same time I can fish with bottom rigs in the same spots and often not even get a bite from a decent fish when the thermocline is present.
#5 - Anchoring and fishing with Slip Bobbers
If you are anchoring up and fishing with slip bobbers there are a couple things you need to be aware of. If you're fishing in current, you need to position your boat to where the bobbers are going straight out from where you are setting your pole down, this will prevent them from getting tangled. If there is a wind, you need to try to anchor where your bobbers are going out with the direction of the wind, this also helps prevent tangles, and helps stop your bobbers from floating right up against your boat. Sometimes things can get tricky. When that happens you just have to use your head and figure out something different to do that works for the situation.
#6- Drift Fishing with Slip Bobbers
This is by far one of the most productive methods I have used so far. As I said previously, I mainly fish a large Reservoir, that means there is a lot of water out there to cover, the fish have a lot of different places to hang out, and a lot of times they will spread out also. Of course for Drifting you really need a trolling motor, some wind, or good current. A drift sock is a very good investment to make if drifting with wind or current, it will help you catch more fish drift fishing by controlling speed and helping keep the boat straight. Get your boat positioned to the wind the way you want it to drift. The way we do it is we face the boat sideways to the wind and we put a drift sock off the back and one off of the front, the two drift socks keep the boat straight and can help make a slower drift which seems to do best for us.
#7- Slip Bobber fishing from the Bank
Slip Bobbers can also work great from the bank of course if you have the right situation for them. Whether it be fishing a Dam from the bank, or Floating a bobber over submerged timber or other structure. A couple of ways Slip Bobbers can come in handy while Bank fishing are,
1- At a dam, you can float your bait out into a area of slack current (such as an eddie) where catfish will usually hold. I have done very good for Blue Cats using this technique.
2- You can stand directly upstream from a good spot downstream, like Submerged Timber, a deep hole, etc. And float your bobber down right over the spot, this can be an extremely effective tactic as well.
I believe that covers most of the basics of slip bobber fishing, I hope it helps some of you out. For me it has always been one of my favorite ways of fishing overall. I'm attaching a video below that also shows how I rig my slip bobbers up from start to finish.
Thank you and tight lines,
Zakk Royce,
Blues Brothers Charters (252-398-7192)

WINTER WARMTH: STORMR TYPHOON JACKET

STORMR TYPHOON JACKET
by Matt Lynch
Winter time tends to often show you the worst in your gear. The faults and shortcomings are exacerbated in the wintery chill that follows our often snowfilled season. One area many anglers struggle with in this frigid environment is their clothing. It can prove rather difficult to find proper clothing that does the advertised job when the temperatures drop, and often usually requires we stretch our pockets abit deeper to do so. I used my older hunting gear for years and years winter fishing to some success. I found though that after about 4-5 hours I was still freezing and it took sometime to recover after a long run down the lake as it did little to block the wind. This time of year I usually was active and moving while still hunting, however the requirements of warmth when setting in a boat with little movement proved more than the clothing was capable of.
This winter, Stormr USA came through and brought with it an end to the shivering cold when on the water. I had been reading forums and reviews for a couple months in search of some new winter gear, when I stumbled upon a very nice deal on a Stormr Typhoon jacket. Aware of their reputation, I jumped on the deal and ordered one. This model jacket was first introduced in 2011 and uses neoprene as its primary means of fending off the cold. If you have ever used neoprene gloves while fishing you can appreciate the effect a larger coverage of it can do for your core warmth. The best part is that it is extremely thin. So thin in fact you'll wonder how it can even keep you warm when the weather drops below freezing. When it arrived, it was about 65 degrees in the Fall and I tried it on. I found myself sweating almost immediately due to the effectiveness of the design. Along with the neoprene shell it has an AQ6 microfleece inner lining which provides outstanding comfort. They also use glue-blind stitch/thermal tape at the seams and splash proof zippers to repel the cold and water. From experience it does just that. The cuffs do an excellent job of sealing out the elements and to make sure your core remains warm it has a drawstring system at the bottom. To me the worst feeling in the world in winter is feeling the cold creep in around my kidney area on my back and I have yet to experience that feeling since using the Stormr jacket. Two large fleece lined pockets provide a great place for your phone, etc but also a windproof location for your hands when running down the lake or just needing to warm them up. One of the other downsides to running down the lake in winter is your face being frozen. The hood of the Typhoon features the same construction as the rest of the jacket and provides an elongated neck area. Combined with the draw string closure on the hood and you can cinch it down exposing only a small portion of your face from which to be able to see. Toss in some sunglasses or goggles and your face is very well protected and warm.
Perhaps the single best feature of the entire jacket is the fact that not only is it waterpoof, but it is also windproof. There is zero windchill for me running down the lake. None! The impervious nature of this jacet to wind is enough to ensure I continue to be a patron of this company. I really can't say enough how big of a deal a windproof jacket is for winter fishing. If you do not have this feature, by the time you get to your fishing spot often times you're ready to turn around and go back home already. And with the hood features I mentioned, I find my head is warmer when traveling down the lake than when wearing my Mad Bomber rabbit fur trapper hat. Of course when fishing you can't keep it cinched down as tight and when stopped I then rely on alternate head coverings unless it is raining/snowing heavily. In near freezing temps, I typically will wear a moisture wicking t-shirt of some kind topped off by one of my Army issued Polartec waffle suits that Uncle Sam was kind enough to let me keep. From here if moderately cold I can use my Stormr Typhoon alone, or if temperatures will be below freezing all day I'll usually throw on a warm hoody followed by the Stormr. the Stormr is so warm though that I often have to remove it after running down the lake even when temps are in the low-30s. I'm one of those crazy people that also night fish in the winter and this jacket shines especially on those cold nights where no sunshine exists to share its warmth. Marc and I on an early trip with freezing temps decided to night fish. After setting out lines and engaging our clickers, I layed down in the floor of my SeaArk and was quite snug for the night with my layering unlike my poor friend who despite numerous layers of insulating clothing found it no match for the cold. At this point besides catfish slime coating its exterior, I have had no failures of any seams or materials and the coat functions perfectly as it did on day one.
Stormr not only makes fine jackets but also bibs, gloves, UV protection, and several lines of their gear. And they have some newer products out now for 2016. I can definately say I'll be looking more at their gear for future purchases as I need it and I'd highly recommend you guys check them out at StormrUSA.com.
[caption id="attachment_1355" align="alignnone" width="490"] Don't fall victim to the elements.[/caption][caption id="attachment_1356" align="alignnone" width="1137"] drawstring located on the waist helps keep your core warm[/caption][caption id="attachment_1357" align="alignnone" width="1137"] a look at the hood. cinched up it provides exceptional warmth traveling down the lake at speed.[/caption]

The most important thing in choosing catfishing tackle? By Chuck.

Confidence
In a recent conversation with one of the other writers here, Joe Shaw, he mentioned something that had me thinking for the better part of an afternoon. He was looking for a new reel to add to his flathead fishing arsenal. Of course we talked about the usual suspects. He later decided on the Shimano Tekota. Joe has used these reels for years without any problems. They are his favorite reels for the type of fishing he does.
As I was thinking about this it hit me. It wasn't the specs of the Tek. How much drag it has, or how it looks, or anything else we talk about about that led Joe to pick the Tek from the many options available today, it was confidence. Using these reels for years without any type of failure is what has made them a favorite for Joe. They reliably do everything he needs them to.

Joe knows no matter the situation, whatever he needs to do, he can count on the Tek to come through. That's what having confidence in a piece of tackle is. I have several friends who are frequently visiting manufacturer and tackle shop websites. When a new rod or reel comes out they go to the forums and/or Facebook and start conversations about the new piece of gear. Sometimes I think they do this because they want to be the one that introduced the catfishing world to the next big thing.
Regardless of their intentions, this brand new piece of gear is untested by the general public. Sure it's been tested by the pre-release product testers, but that's it. Racing to try out this new shiny toy can often times lead to disappointment. Just because it's new, doesn't necessarily make it better.
Another thing we run into on the forums and on Facebook is the unsolicited recommendations of alternate products. Someone will post a picture of their new piece of gear, or ask about a certain product. Then people come out of the woodwork to put that product down, most times without even a shred of evidence. They will then go on to spam the thread with links to their favorite product. Talking about how it's the best, again without any evidence. This type of thing is of no help. Then we have the people going around recommending products they have never even used. Why? Because they read about them. The product is the "It" piece of gear right now. Another trap that you might want to avoid.
If on the other hand, you don't have gear that performs like you want, don't just go out and buy what everyone else is buying. Do your research. Think about what your current gear doesn't do well. Then look for products that are might be better suited to your needs. Don't get hung up on things like how much drag a reels has. For most situations almost any reel on the market has plenty of drag to land big fish. Only when fishing near cover do you need to concern yourself with drag numbers. Look for solid dependable gear that will perform the way you need it to.
Don't fall into the trap of having to have the next big thing. The "It" piece of gear. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks about your gear. It really doesn't matter if someone else thinks your reel is a piece of crap. It doesn't matter if someone else thinks all reels that don't say Shimano on them are junk. It really doesn't matter what the trolls think.
Do you have a piece of gear that instills confidence? A piece of gear that does everything you want without exception and has never failed you? Then maybe like Joe, you should stick to what works for you.

Chuck.

Okuma Makaira MK-ST-801MH by Chuck

This review has been a long time coming. I purchased two of these rods late last October. I only had a chance to fish with them one time before calling it a season. That night produced my biggest flathead of the year. The Mak rod and reel combo handled the angry flathead perfectly.

Fast forward to this season. I've put the Mak rods to work in just about every type of catfishing situation imaginable, and they have performed admirably in every one. Whether it's casting live bait from shore, precision casting to within inches of structure, or fishing vertically directly above it, the Okuma Makaira MK-ST-801MH excelled at it.

As a matter of fact, these rods have become my favorite rods when I need a versatile rod that can handle anything. A recent trip the the Ohio River proved extremely challenging. The fish we suffering from lockjaw. We tried every conceivable location and presentation I could think of to pick up a couple fish. The Makaira rods handled these changes with ease. Fishing vertical with 8 ozs of lead and really big pieces of cut bait, or precisely casting 3 ozs and a small bait right next to cover, it didn't matter the situation. The Makaira rods performed flawlessly.

Another recent trip changed some of my thoughts on catfishing rods. The Okuma Makaira MK-ST-801MH showed me a rod can have incredible power, while still possessing a lighter tip section. That night I hooked into a viscous flathead right over some very dense cover. An epic battle ensued with the fish attempting to get back to the bottom and into the cover numerous times, and trying to go under the boat to the other side a couple times. The Mak rod was bent back about half way to the handle with a perfect bend. The mid section of this rod is very strong, put flexes well under heavy pressure. The backbone is also great. Almost perfect. I wish I had a picture of the bend in the rod during this fight. It would be an amazing picture, and show the power of this rod much better than I can describe it with words. The fight ended with the 50+" flathead posing for a couple quick photos with me, before returning to his home at the bottom of the river.

If you can't tell by now, I'm very taken with these Makaira rods. I normally won't use a rod longer that 7' 6", and I prefer shorter than that. But the extra length of these rods makes them so much more versatile than a shorter rod. The bend of these rods under heavy pressure leaves you with a fighting section that is more like a 4' rod than an 8' rod. Basically bending over the top 4' from the tip. Now don't misunderstand me, I don't mean to say they are weak in the midsection. It's actually quite the opposite. They have just the right power in the midsection, only bending over under heavy pressure, but providing just enough strength for casting heavy baits and weight. But the tip is light. If you take these rods out for some channel cat action, you won't miss a nibble. If you are drifting for blues, they flex just right. Casting massive live bait for flatheads, no problem. This is as close to a do it all rod I have ever encountered.

Now for the particulars. The Okuma Makaira MK-ST-801MH is an 8' rod designed for sturgeon fishing, thus the light tip. The blank is a high end carbon composite, and the guides are the top of the line Alps guides with Zirconium inserts, deep pressed into stainless steel frames. The reel seat is an top of the line Alps aluminum. The x-flock grips are my favorite of all the rods I have ever used. Simply the best components money can buy for this type of application. These components are what I have had installed on several of my custom rods. That leads me to one of the reason for the extended time involved to write this review. At this point, I see almost no reason to spend the extra money to have custom catfishing rods built. The only reasons I can see is if you want a certain blank that isn't available anywhere else, or if you want some sort of custom design touch only available by having a custom rod built. Otherwise you can have a custom quality rod with the absolute best components available for less than half the price of those components on a custom rod. That's right, these components on a decent blank would cost you double the $150 price tag of these Makaira rods. Trust me, I have paid the price for these components several times, and $250 is the least I have ever had to pay.

With several friends who wrap custom rods, I have struggled trying to write this review. I simply refuse to lie in a product review, or leave something this huge unsaid. A couple different times over the last few months I decided to put this review on the back burner. Not wanting to hurt my friends chances of getting orders for custom rods to provide for their families. But after serious soul searching I can't continue to be silent about these amazing rods from Okuma. The Makaira MK-ST-801MH is an amazing rod built with the best components money can buy, and capable of handling any catfishing situation. Use this rod locked down in the rod holder with circle hooks for big blues or dime sized cut bait for eater channels, or j or kahle hooks with braided line and massive live bait for flatheads, it doesn't matter. This brilliant rod from Okuma will shine.

Chuck.

A DEFINITIVE ANSWER TO A JET PROPELLED QUESTION (Yamaha's F40/30 jet drive)

Often times we may look at an angler and his craft as if on an aquatic canvas, wafting with the wind and waves as he seeks out his prey. Too often we forget that on this canvas, the angler is an artist. He comes to practice his craft and test his resolution against this natatory foe which swims beneath a blank canvas. As if to substantiate he is the master of this domain, and truly worthy to drift atop it, he begins to paint this this canvas in with details and facts as he traverses its surface. To be able to accomplish this monumental task, he relies often times the most, on one particular tool. A tool that if stripped from the hands of the late Bob Ross, would have resulted in a world with fewer "happy little trees". This tool I speak of in the hands of the artist is his brush. And his brush is a Yamaha Jet Drive. For he seeks out this formidable prey in waters strewn with imperilment, laced with shallow rocks, logs, and shoals barely allowing themselves to fall to immersion by the waters. These treacherous waterscapes can make or break the reputation of even the most stalwart manufacturer.
The old aphorism, "You can never have too much power." rarely fails to stand true in the world of jet outboards and my story proved no acception to the rule. I was becoming more and more frustrated with my old jet outboards wavering fortitude with propelling my boat where I required it to travel. Although this jet drive of another exalted manufacturer had proven itself very economical and reliable it always made me feel as it I was asking more than it could deliver with its questionable output and always seemed to be straining itself for anything above idle speed. One of the last straws was finally having my family with me and muskie gear and finding it unable to get on plane, instead plowing through the water like a D10 Caterpillar. I began my search almost immediately after with no real bias of brands. I wasn't interested in all the pushy glamour touted by so many professional tournament anglers. I needed this new tool to excel at its trade and to do so for many troublefree years to come. It is so often we get captivated by the latest greatest motors that this professional and that professional says we need, that we may overlook important details. It's one thing to talk about the grandeur of a motor and its reliability when one is fishing a large televised tournament and technicians and a quick tow are simply a quick phone call away. But instead I wanted to look from the perspective of those who choose their motor carefully knowing that a quick tow isn't always a phone call away. I looked to the answer of the man who treks many miles into uncharted or rarely traveled water knowing that if his tools fail him, it may mean more than a late night getting home. It may mean he never does come home. I also looked to what dominates the boats of many guides who have to pay their own way often when repowering a boat and who must rely on their procurement to help put food on the table. That is why after much deliberation I chose a new Yamaha F40 Jet Drive to repower my boat. It just has to work, and has to work everytime with punctuality.
It's no wonder why we see so many Yamahas on the back of boats today. Everything from the little jon boat of the weekend warrior, to the man running miles from help and civilization in the wilds of Alaska, Yamaha covers the bill with tenacity unrivaled by another manufacturer. And I gotta say, the F40 does so while looking very sexy. Don't let the 45.6 cubic inch powerhead hidden beneath its steamy and tantalizing cowling fool you. This beauty queen has all the fight of a disgruntled wolverine trapped in a burlap sac and delivers it with little more than a subtle purr at idle. Even at wide open throttle the attenuate growl it offers up verily betrays its inner monster. With a SOHC cam fourstoke inline 3 cylinder powerplant it spins the impeller of its jet pump to produce a 30 horsepower output at the nozzle. To some this may seem insignificant but if you are use to outboard jets and see the performance in person it will humble the competition. One of my best friends and fellow operator of the Tennessee Valley Muskie Authority, Cory Allen, hopped aboard for the break-in ceremony and being very accustomed to the seat of your pants rocket that is the Yamaha F70 which powers his Tuffy I didn't expect him to be overcome with any excitement. However before we even reached the full throttle period of the break-in the look on his face said it all. The man was impressed, as was I. He too, knew well the former tenant of my transom's worrisome performance and this was a whole new animal. At 227lbs this girl is curvy and can certainly hold her own once her electric start tells her its time to wake up.
Admittedly Yamaha offers another reason why I just couldn't say no. Yamaha offers what is in my opinion the finest and most ergonomic tiller handle mankind has ever laid his hand upon. When engine trolling, it's all about control, and the late great Buck Perry teaches us greatly the importance of this factor when trying to decipher the puzzle of consistantly catching fish on any body of water. When you place your hand on the Yamaha Multi-Function Tiller Handle, you truly are in control and know this girl will play nice. To say I was elated the first time I turned the key would be a massive understatement. One thing you will quickly notice is the massive can't miss shifter atop the handle within easy reach. No more leaning back over the transom to change direction, one barely has to move his hand away from the comfortable rubber coated twist throttle to do so. The coating on this twist throttle is really a coup de grace to an already smooth transition of power from hand to RPM. It provides a positive grip in all conditions and certainly warms up to your touch faster on those frigid mornings. On the F40, Yamaha was kind enough to include LED warning lights on the Multi-Function Tiller Handle to warn, in the unlikely event, of low oil pressure or an overheating condition to help safeguard this steamy gray vixen of the water. For the person who likes to engine troll, which at the TVMA, we certainly do, there is one final way this Siren calls us in and seduces the angler. The song of this Siren is called Variable Trolling Speed(VTS). What this does is allow the angler to adjust RPM in 50-RPM increments to better match his trolling speed to the conditions and presentation required. Two simple adjoining buttons allow this operation and you need not move your hand very far to do so from the loving embrase of your throttle.
To sum all the details and decisions up that lead me to the F40 is a long undertaking and I've barely brushed the surface but I do know that with the service and reputation Yamaha offers, I made the right choice.
[caption id="attachment_1245" align="alignnone" width="150"] Yamaha's excellent multi-function tiller handle at its finest[/caption][caption id="attachment_1246" align="alignnone" width="640"] the medium pump on the F40 provides tremendous thrust for its displacement[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1248" align="alignnone" width="640"] My son having a blast on the Tennessee River.[/caption]

Contemplating My Existence As A Beginner Flathead Fisherman

When I first began this journey a year and half ago, I was not aware of the emotional and psychological roller coaster I was about to ride called “Reservoir Flatheads”. With the World Wide Web at my fingertips I engulfed myself in every video and piece of literature I could find. I also reached out to anyone and everyone that I could find and picked their brain regarding these muddy bottom monsters. After all of my reading and speaking with multiple people there was a problem. Everyone had different strategies, different gear and different views of the predatory habits of these fish. It was my job to go through all of this information and find the constants that lie underneath each individual’s acquired style. I found what I thought to be the constants and last May, I loaded up the car with all my gear and headed to the lake with the dream and the confidence that tonight would be the night I would land a 50lb fish. The night came and went with out even a nibble on my lines. On the drive home I thought to myself its ok, it was only your first trip. I proceeded to go weekend after weekend with the same results. Most people would give up at this point and time. It takes a certain amount of fortitude or insanity to continue pushing yourself to go out. The month was now September and flatheads were starting to move into deeper water and gorge themselves on food preparing for the long winter ahead. That night was like all of the others I had witnessed for the last 4 months, silent. That morning I proceeded to clean my fishing area up while thinking in my head “Why do I keep doing this to myself”. As I am just about to take my rods out of the water I hear that magical sound every flathead fisherman urns to hear CLICK…….CLICK…….CLICK. I reached down and turned the clicker off, brought the rod up to waste level and engaged the real. I let the fish take all of the slack out of my line and pull the rod out away from my body. With all of my strength I set the hook like a finishing move from Mortal Combat. Feeling the connection of steel to flesh and seeing the bend in my rod for the first time is something I will never forget. Once I got the fish netted, I was overcome with joy and accomplishment. The fish weighed in at 26lbs, not a trophy to most but to me it was a state record. That was the last opportunity I had that year. I spent all winter doing more reading and scouting in the hopes that next year would be my year. It felt like years had passed but finally the ice had melted and the water was warm enough for the sluggish giants to start moving again. I started out my first 4 trips of the season with the combination of missed hook sets and equipment malfunctions. This would upset most veteran guys, but not me. This meant that I finally started fishing the right locations with results and I knew it was just a matter of time before I met Mr. Lowjaw. It is now the first week of July and the fish were on the verge of spawning. The spot I picked was an old stump field where I knew the fish would be. The night was filled with Hoot Owls and coyotes howling at the moon but no movement on my lines. I’m laying in my cot half asleep when I hear my clicker start to go off. I get out and grab my rod, engage the reel and set the hook. Upon setting the hook I thought I fowl hooked a stump because the rod stayed doubled over. Luckily I was wrong and at this point I knew I was hooked into sizable fish. After numerous drag screaming runs I got the giant netted. I could not <a believe my eyes when the scales showed 42 lbs!! All of my hard work and determination had finally come together in this one moment of triumph. I wanted to write this article in the hopes that someone reading it is considering the sport or is feeling the way I did last year. This sport will test you as a person and as an outdoorsman. I can promise you that there will be times where you want to throw your rods away because you can not stomach another night without out a fish. I can also promise this, when that time comes and it will when you land your first fish or your first big fish you will feel like you are on the top of the world. You will look back at all of those nights leading up this point and time and laugh knowing that this moment made it all worth EVERYTHING !