Brooksy's Picks #1

Brooksy's Picks

I've decided to take on something new here at Fishing With Brooksy. I'm going to start doing a product review segment weekly called "Brooksy's Picks" to help show you guys some of my favorite products on the market today from companies large and small within (and perhaps at times outside) the fishing industry. I'll show you everything from my favorite rods, reels, worms, jigs, jerk baits .. everything! I will keep it sweet and simple at two products per week!

This week, I will be showing you some of my favorite sticks, the Shimano Compre, and the product I use to protect my weapons... The Rod Glove!

SHIMANO COMPRE

The first pick this week for Brooksy's Picks is the rod that I most often use in my fishing, the Compre by Shimano. I own more of these rods than any other model within the brand. 

I truly believe that the Compre is the best value for money in the $100 range. It is available in both casting (trigger) and spinning configurations to ensure there is a rod (or in this case several rods) to choose from to meet you needs on the water. Last year, Shimano decided to make the Compre rods technique specific, meaning each rod is engineered to do one task, and do it well. You may know by know that I love Largemouth fishing and my favorite technique is Flippin' & Pitchin'. I love my technique specific Flippin' Stick more than anything!  For you muskie anglers out there, Compre is also available in in four different models for you! 

When I first started using the Compre rods, I had just turned 17 and Dave Mercer of Fact's of Fishing autographed one for me for my birthday. I have used it a couple of times, but it mostly hangs up where it can't get broken. I fell in love with the Compre line after receiving the one from Dave, and quickly went and bought two more... two which I still have to this day. When Shimano made the rods technique specific, they did away with cork handles and fore grips. The reel seat is now EVA foam, and an up-locking design which does away with the threads between the reel seat and the blank. It's a great new design promoting greater sensitivity from the rod. Also, the handle is now a split grip design reducing the weight of the rod, and for guys like me using that Flippin' Stick 90% of the time, the long, exposed section of graphite is great to hold for sensitivity when they're biting light. 

Here is the difference in real seat and grip designs between the classic Compre and the new technique specific model. On the classic (top) you see the cork handle and fore grips and threads which have been eliminated on the new models (below.)

If you guys are in the market for some new sticks this season, and want an amazing product for an amazing price, check out the Compre. For $100-$130 you get a phenomenal rod, and should you find a way to break it you get a lifetime warranty. You break it and send it back. Shimano has incredible customer service, and they will do everything in their power to get you a new one ASAP! I will include a link below to the Shimano website for you to check these out!

www.fish.shimano.com

The Rod Glove

A couple of my Rod Gloves from Frostbite Tackle and Dixie Tackle Shop. (Please Note: the Shimano gloves are not products of The Rod Glove company. They came on my sticks when I bought the rods. I prefer to purchase The Rod Glove, I find they stay together better, and I met Jim at a GHBA meeting and support his business!)

The second product I will feature this week is one that I rely on to protect my Compre rods, The Rod Glove. I give huge credit to Jim Van Ryn, the creator of Rod Glove, because not only do they look awesome on my sticks, but they've saved me countless times from having my rods chipped and scratched. 

Let me run you through three of the reasons why The Rod Glove is awesome. 

First, like I mentioned they look great and they protect your blanks from little nicks and chips that will weaken your weapon and cause it to shatter when you set a hook. Trust me, there's nothing worse than reeling in a big bucket on half of a rod. 

Secondly, they virtually eliminate the tangled mess that occurs in the truck and rod locker when all of your rods seem to exchange line and tie up each others guides. It's a huge waste of time on the water when you're trying to sort out which line belongs to which rod, and it doesn't take too much to break off a guide, or worse yet a tip when sorting this mess out. With the rod glove, that 20 minute headache is eliminated giving you 20 more minutes to fish and hopefully bring in that big guy!

Thirdly, with several colors available, you can color co-ordinate your rods, reels, lines, ect in any way you like. For example, your technique specific Compre Crank-bait rods could wear red Rod Gloves, your Shaky Head sticks could wear orange Gloves and your Flippin' Sticks with braid can wear green (flipping into vegetation, naturally) and heavy fluorocarbon Flippin' Sticks can wear yellow! The possibilities are endless. For all you college sports fans, you can even get select colleges names on your Rod Gloves! Mine personally have Frostbite Tackle and Dixie Tackle Shop on them! (Caution: Be careful not to let your treble hooks on Cranks and Jerks get caught in the Glove, they get in there pretty good and, as with everything else, treble hooks aren't exactly fun to extract!)

Caution: Keep those trebles clear of the Glove, the last thing you want is a snag! Notice I keep my LiveTarget perch hooked on my reel to avoid tangles. 

The Rod Glove is a fantastic product, and I'll definitely be on my way soon to buy a few more, as I have 5 new rods and they all need a Glove! Trust me guys, for $5 to $8 dollars you can protect your rods that you have invested in, eliminate huge tangle ups and consequently the headaches that come with them, and organize your gear so you know which rod to grab for a specific job! Who know's, maybe I can even get a few with "Fishing With Brooksy" on them!  Please see the link I included below to check out The Rod Glove's website! Happy shopping!

www.vrxfishing.com

I hope you guys enjoy the new Brooksy's Picks segment on the blog! I'll do two products per week, and maybe even have a few future contests once we have a good following and give away some of the products I review on my Facebook page and my Twitter Page to some readers! 

Thanks for stopping by Fishing with Brooksy! Until next time,

Tight Lines! 

Affordable Sticks and Reels That Anyone Can Use

As a new fishing season draws near, it's time to meticulously study the finest details of the newest products on the market. I have to be completely honest here, doing this entertains me nearly as much as actually USING these products on the water! As I flip through catalogs and websites, I list out the products I need for this coming season. Everything from rods and reels, to lures, hooks and bobbers. The price I come up with at the end is enough to send a man into cardiac arrest! But then I got to thinking... "Could seeing these prices drive somebody away from fishing?" The answer is definitely "yes."

Lets take a second and think about that. Does the average weekend angler really need to have the finest Shimano Cumara rod with a Shimano Sustain reel? No, of course they don't. That got me thinking a little bit on how affordable this great sport can be for recreational anglers to participate in. Lets face it, for around $150 dollars you can get a high quality rod and reel that will serve all your needs, put a huge smile on your face and a lunker in your live-well. Some folks may see the $250 Cumara and $300+ G. Loomis and never believe that a stick under $100 could be any good. I'll be the first to tell you, they are!

My first recommendation is for the angler who gets out quite often (lets say 2 or more days per week) is the Shimano Clarus family of rods. These are technique specific rods, both in casting and spinning configurations. They are lightweight, sensitive and comfortable to fish with all day long. I personally own one, with plans to add another to my arsenal of fish hunting weapons. The best part is, new for this year, they feature Shimano's seamless reel seat. It is an up-locking design from the bottom, which eliminates the need to have threads and a lock above the reel on the blank, giving YOU more sensitivity. The retail price on the Clarus family is $69.99. Take my word for it, you won't find a better quality, tough as nails fishing rod for $70 anywhere. Until you fish with me you have no idea how much abuse my sticks take, and these rods suck it up like champs! Below is a photo of the Clarus, and I will include a link to Shimano's webpage at the bottom of the blog.

The next rod I will recommend to the budget minded angler is a classic that I'm positive every fisherman has owned in their lifetime... the Shakespeare Ugly Stick. This is a fantastic rod for someone who only fishes for a couple of hours each week. When I was in my pre-teen years going on weekend bicycle trips to fish with my friends I had 2 of these sticks and loved them! In fact I kept one of them until I was 18 and guiding on Lake of the Woods! There are 10 different rod configurations to choose from in the Ugly Stick line from a 4'8 Ultra Light to a 9' Medium power! That being said, there is an Ugly Stick for you whether you enjoy pan fishing with a float and a minnow, or like chasing trophy sized toothy gators! These really are a bullet proof rod. As a guide I brought one in the boat for my guests as a spinning jerk bait rod for trophy sized pike on Lake of the Woods and it held up flawlessly! Despite being so strong and bullet proof, they still manage to retain their sensitivity with the blank-through-handle design! I still haven't told you the best part... the Ugly Stick from Shakespeare ranges from $29 to $39!  

The third and final rod I will recommend in this article will be the St. Croix Triumph family of rods. The Triumph spinning rods come in 11 different sizes, powers and actions, so there is bound to be one that best suits your angling needs. I have had the privilege of fishing the 7' Medium power rod in a tournament with a weightless Texas-Rig Senko on the end. This is one of the most insanely sensitive rods I have ever used! I felt every bite single bite and the hook-up to strike ratio was through the roof! These rods go for $79, and believe me it is well worth it!  Included here is a link to the St. Croix Triumph website for you to explore! 

Now, none of these three fine sticks are any good without one crucial element... a reel! All three rods I recommended are spinning models, simply due to their ease of use and their versatility. When it comes to reels, I have only one recommendation for the budget minded angler, and that is the Shimano Sahara 2500FE. The Sahara is a wonderful spinning reel that anybody can use comfortably with simplicity. I own two of these reels now and, not shockingly, plan to purchase another in the next couple of months. Here is a breakdown of features:

• Graphite frame, side plate and rotor for reduced weight
• 3 stainless steel bearings, 1 roller bearing
• Shimano's Super Stopper Anti-Reverse
• 6.2:1 Gear Ratio giving you 35'' of line retrieve per handle turn
• Propulsion Line Management allowing you to cast farther

The best part is the cost at only $79 for a high quality, indestructible Shimano reel! Check out Shimano's webpage to check out the Sahara and other fine products proven to help you make the most of your time on the water.

There you have it guys! Those are my recommendations for rods and reels for those of you who enjoy fishing like I do, and are looking for affordable, excellent quality fishing equipment to chase the big ones! I truly believe that these products will help you enjoy the little time you get to spend on the water, and take your fishing experience to the next level!  For the record guys, I am not sponsored by Shimano and have no business affiliation with them. My recommendations of their products are purely from personal use. I use Shimano products almost exclusively now because the quality is amazing, they look and feel phenomenal and the customer service I receive when I do manage to break them is second to none! 

Keep an eye in the next couple of days for a couple of product reviews coming your way! Until then...

Tight Lines!