If you like what you see, visit www.amazon.com/shop/ishwithfish for ALL the gear I use, review, and approve. These affiliate links directly support future content. Gratitude! 🙏
Nice!! this is the 5th positive review of this rod that Iv'e seen- I purchased a couple of 4 pc rods for my upcoming Aruba trip And after stumbling on the first video review of the kastking, had me second guessing my original selection- afew more reviews later and being your review is a long term, I'm convinced these will serve me better- quicker set up = more fish time..... Thanks for posting
+Lenny Kibbs in my experience, one manu private labels this rod to multiple brands. i have the kastking that i feature in my vids, my cousin has the sougayilang version i linked (kastking is out of this size on Amazon, im guessing i helped with that, 35k+ combined views!). i just got another Chinese off brand on eBay. all 3 are the exact same rod. the huge difference is kastking has channels in place to support a warranty - better chance they'll replace or refund if you have a problem. i know because they've covered me a few times, A+ service so far.
Kool- even though the cost is way low- (compared to the St. Croix) I like the idea of warranty- unfortunately kastking's website is backordered on the 2 sizes I want- so I went with the Amazon brand, which I'm sure will be fine- Anyway thanks for the replies- Happy hunting
You earned my sub for this video! Super helpful, thanks! I just purchased the long 3.6m and the 2.1m Sougayliang versions for an upcoming trip. I’m happy to know that they’re the same blanks as the Kast King which I’d been trying to find. I’ll definitely add the weights, and maybe the grip tape if I have time.
ty! have had this rod for 2 years now and still holding up. one of the guide rings popped out when i hit a rock but I just super glued it in, np. i caught a big bat ray on the same rod in one of my recent vids, it's actually the biggest thing i've ever caught, check it out and see that rod in heavy action:)
Excellent review. Things must have changed. The Kastking has 8 eyes and the link to Sougayilang has 5 eyes. The Sougayilang has holes in the seat area, the kastking doesn't. Excellent review!
A little advice.. When retracting your rod don't slam each section into the next one below by force. It's very bad and I used to do that before when I didn't know.. It will weaken the glued sections and the rings will come off.. Instead just twist gently each piece until it, 'unscrews'. Use rubber gloves if you have to, to get better grip.. Be gentle with this rod :)
Ish With Fish 👍, on a different topic.. :) .. Have you tried new KastKing Mela II spinning reel? They are amazing, 'smooth like butter I heard :) the price is really good too
I just got this in the mail today and the only thing I think is weak on this unit is the plastic nut that tightens the reel. What do yo think? I also agree with the mods for the grip. Thanks, great review and mods!
@@ishwithfish little expensive I mean got plenty nice rods U could toss in trailer ugly stick light 7.5 nice would survive. Backpacking though found $15 to $20 tele got plenty old shimanos put on
Bought 2 of the shorter rods before finding this video. I haven't used them yet, but the hook holder / crown design seemed pretty clever to me. I like the weight and grip mods though. I may end up doing that myself. There isn't much room left in the smaller handles for weights though. Thanks.
right on. yeah that hook keeper thing had to go, super annoying, especially if you're fighting a good fish and looking for the foregrip. i just use the bail or lowest guide as a keeper. tight lines and have fun with the mods, worth it imo😁
MagicYaker thx man, guess that means you gotta travel more! dollar for dollar, hard to find a better or more versatile pack rod imo. 8' 10" works great will all 4 (count em, 4!) featured reels in this vid.
I got a Kastking Ranger and took it out yesterday. Very similar to the Blackhawk and has the same problems. The reel seat might be even worse. The rod itself is very good medium heavy action similar to an Ugly Stik. It is not a toy this is a real usable rod with some backbone. The balance point on the reel needs to be forward about three inches and the reel seat is an uncomfortable mess. It is all metal and chews up metal reel seats. I had to wrap the reel stem ends with tape to stop the grinding. I don't know what they were thinking with that stupid hard metal ball spinning thing. All they needed to do was stick a cheap plastic eva foam reel seat with a bit of a foregrip and it would have been perfect. Now I have to do surgery on it.
+Rob Sommerville yup same thoughts here. that's why i chose the Blackhawk, less stuff to fix:) They have a real market opportunity here if they correct these obvious issues; my modded bh rod is a legit setup now and holds up to good Cali surf action, def not a toy! Check out the companion rod-mod vid, I show how I made my improvements. Hope it helps!
Paul De La Mora don't go over 1 oz for lures, otherwise that lure will feel dead, not enough pop in the tip. ive caught surf stripers on 3/4 spros with this rod, that's the max lure rating for the 8 10, it's accurate.
you can, but not super far. at 12' it'll be pretty noodley. i mean you totally can cast a 3 oz weight, but def not as far as a 12' 2 pc or even a shorter length. i use my 9' model for surf perch fishing, max i'll throw is 2 oz, and the bites are numbed down considerably because of the multiple rod segments. i can feel them, but not very well, so i imagine the 12' is even less sensitive. hope this helps.
Greetings from new england! I was wondering if I should get this rod. I only saltwater fish and I travel a lot on my bike to go fishing! I love the way it looks.
hi! this rod def has value as a travel bait rod, very similar action to the 9' ugly stik gx2 mh salmon rod. hunting strippah's? welp, this rod isn't ideal for lures fyi, can handle 1 oz bucktails just ok (barely), but has proven to be a very durable bait rod that's easy to pack. worth the $25-30 imo. gl!
I am traveling to Indonesia and looking for a travel fishing rod. I will be fishing mostly from a sea wall that protects a shopping mall. While my wife shops at the mall, I get to go fishing. Do you think this rod is strong enough, and what size of rod size do you suggest? I plan to do your mods.
hi, so this rod blank is like $10 on ebay nowadays (maybe under different name), and imo totally worth it. great for casting bait, terrible for lures tho. i like the 8'10" model and have caught fish 0.5 - 35 lbs with it😁👍solid option if you have limited space and tight budget.
no, they abandoned this blank and went for the lighter freshwater market with the blackhawk ii. good news is sougayilang and many other e-brands still sell the same exact original blackhawk rod blank on amazon and ebay.
hey ish, what did you use for the foot shim? put a 4000 fierce 2 on my blackhawk and man was there hella wobble. looking for a better solution than using electrical tape. yeah, that spinning crown hooker keeper thingamabob had to go immediately on mine too loooool.
+Jaiofspam i used pieces of bicycle tubing to shim the reel foot tight👍 i have a whole video dedicated to what you can do with an old bicycle tube for fishing gear, check it out.
+ziaudeen mahomed sayid personally, no. i see no reason why you couldn't if you're chunking bait, but i wouldn't recommend it for throwing lures. my theory: the rotational stress of repeated casts would cause the sections to rotate out of alignment, no matter how tight you set them.
@ishwithfish is the Kastling rod you have the same as the Sougayilang brand that populates on he amazon link? Just want to make sure I buy the rod you’re reviewing and not the knock off. Thanks in advanced
hi, yup, this rod is a popular blank that many brands just stamp their logo on. i've also purchased the soug version as gifts, and it's exactly the same as my kastking version. thx for checking in!
Nice review! I ordered one from ebay after seeing this video. but I ordered the 3.6m (long) one. I haven't seen a video/review of it but I'm hoping it's still as good as the one you're using (the 8'5ft you're using). My plan is to make it my "travel Surf rod" and maybe "travel Pier rod" too (but it's way too long tho lol)
Off subject have you used the Mako by Kastking? I understand they don't make them any longer. Just last week I purchased a 2500 series mako. It's built like a tank I got about 20 hours on it I'm wondering why they stop making it. Keep up the great work!
thx man! never tried the Mako, always curious about them though. super wide reels are supposed to cast better and retrieve faster. personally though i like smaller form factor reels that are compact and light.
I’m so confused . Is this the kastking Blackhawk or the sougayilang rod? Why does it say kastking On your rod. Though you’re selling a sougayilang rod through your amazon link ? Help!!
its all the same rod😁 one chinese company makes these and many different companies stamp their name on it. i linked the soug link because kastking stopped distributing their version.
contact their cs dept for separate spare part orders. personally i've never done this, but in my experience they've always been great about sending replacement parts within the warranty period.
Great vid, thanks. Amazed I'm just now learning about KastKing. Seems like they're even better than Okuma in terms of quality and price. Have you tried the Fortis braid?
thx for the comment. KastKing pushes their e-presence very hard, so if you cruise amazon and eBay you'll def see them, just not in any retail stores, at least on the west. i'm new to their reels so still feeling those out, but have had great experience with their braids and Fluorokote copolymer. haven't tried their Fortis, but funny enough, i have a review of their other 3 4-8 strand braids with some clips of catches, check it out. might be the no. 1 non-KastKing affiliated line overview vid on RUclips.
+kennys223 it's perfect for perch. it could be my daily if i didn't already have a lamiglas x11. i have a few vids where all i target and catch are surfperch with this rod, all over California. I've also caught shaker stripers with it using sand crabs, handled them well.
Great to know! I'm gonna be up there next week and was hoping to put this rod through more rounds, specifically for stripers. Were you using the standard fish finder rig? And what size sinker(s), hooks(s) and lb test were you fishing with? I tried the rod out (paired with a Sedona 4000) for the first time with all the mods except removing the largest guide... interestingly, it didn't really bug me and I didn't notice issues with extra vibration on the retrieve. Missed a couple nice bites on surf perch at Newport Beach - fishing was slow. My leader was probably too long and prob not heavy enough oz weight either
Some products look the same because they are, some products look the same but are completely different. Materials and quality control used could be completely different on two products that look exactly the same.
Great breakdown. Finally glad to see the mods you made to your Blackhawk! I've been really happy with my 7'10" model that I picked up per your initial review and I think the grip & added weight mods in particular would match well with what I've got so I think I'll have to give it a go in the near future. Do you find yourself using it to primarily whip lures? Jigging? Or throwing bait out there? I've had mixed success with lures because the lure rating is so tiny for something like surf fishing, but tossing out a carolina or hi/lo with 1oz disc weight has been eazy peezy. Nice to see you pair it with the Kodiak 5000! I have that on my 10ft ugly stik and it's my default surf fishing setup at the moment, and my No. 2 crabbing reel after my Penn Battle II. It gets a lot of abuse.
P great feedback! yeah i go light with this. i misquoted the lure rating, its actually 3/4 oz max, and its accurate. so i throw 1 oz or less spros and kastmasters, never swimbaits, the action is too slow to impart good enough action. I've caught small stripers with those bucktails with this rod. otherwise yup, most of the time im working hi-lo or Carolina depending on current, or 3 oz ff dunk when I'm lazy. cool man, I'm new to the Kodiak, I've been pushing mine and will be doing a review shortly.
+RabbitBully different brands printed on the same rod. some no-name manu makes the same rod for a lot of companies, 100% sane rod. KastKing no longer private labels this model, but Sougayilang does.
for sure. it casts 2-3 oz ok and you could bounce this all day for smaller fish. prob not enough backbone for a hard hookset in bigger fish though, but i plan on using this for lingcod at 250' soon just for fun.
Hi Ish! what do you think of the new kastking blackhawk 2?? and how does it compare to this one .. and which would you recommend for me .. I fish the surf/beach lure and bait thank you
the blackhawk 2 is completely different from the 1. the 1 was a generic blank that many other brands put their name on, and featured double footed guides and i think thicker segments. the 2 is purpose built for freshwater, much lighter actions and single footed guides (but a better reel seat and fore grip. if you're looking for a cheap but sturdy surf bait rod, the 1 is the way to go ... you can even find these for $10 new with free ship on ebay! it'll have some random chinese writing on it but it's the same. fyi these are all terrible lure rods, strictly bait.
Ish With Fish damn ... I purposely wanted to get a telescopic rod for lure fishing .. I already have a 12 ft telescopic beachcaster 4-8 oz .. but I now need another telescopic or travel rod for lure fishing .. that carries lighter weight ... what do you recommend a travel/telescopic beach/surf lure rod? thank you so much
in that case you should give the kastking 2 baitcaster a shot, it's still relatively cheap. just expect more moderate action than you're used to since it's multiple segments and not a 1 or 2 pc (think crankbait action). i know daiwa and shimano make some excellent jdm travel rods, they're pricey tho. for some reason, high end telescopic rods aren't as popular in the US as they are internationally, so you'll have to look abroad for the good stuff.
Ish With Fish Honestly I don't use anything bigger than 1 oz, because of the way I surf fish. I use zman shrimps, zman trout trick worms, kastmaster spoons, leuhr jensen crocodile spoons, 3/8 oz bucktails, and zara spooks. I think the 3/8 oz is the sweet spot for casting distance. I let the waves pull the zara spook super far (100 yards) before I start walking it back too. Im in Tucson, so its mostly trout, catfish, and carp. I surf fish once a year. Last year it was like 3 trips, but thats rare. This is my carp and catfish rods outside of surf fishing. I've caught big cats and carp on this rod. It was easy too. Im using maybe 1/2 oz lead weight to a Snell hook and it casts a mile.
The Sonoran Desert Grower ah, yup def different than our style for these length rods. here we just crank out heavy weights and hope the poor sand crabs stick to the hook 20 minutes at a time. glad to hear your rod is holding up!
Ish With Fish I got 2 and their both holding up well. I have them paired up with the Kastking sharky baitrunner for carps and cats. Their has been plenty of times where I thought they were going to break from carp fishing. For a travel rod, I think its the best option for the money.
Great review/follow up and excellent mods! Just ordered a Plussino telescoping. Hopefully the same build quality. If not I'll check out KastKing. #Bikefishing
Rod/reel combo with fishing kit as an emergency setup ruclips.net/user/postUgkxntWMOZsO1Zfv-pdn_XuffEtNkTYAYu4Z recommend but started to use this every day. The rod is thick and seems durable. I keep it neatly tucked into a regular backpack all the time with my fishing gear, and can grab it anytime, put it on my back and go anywhere. I just read in another review that the rod length below the reel is adjustable as well, so I will try that too for even more portability. Probably the best setup I've ever owned. I lost the cap for the eyelets, but no big deal since I still have the black cloth sheath that came for the pole and I use that. Very portable and high quality.
rod lasted a couple years! caught many fish, even a 30+lb bat ray. i broke it recently casting a 4 oz weight into the surf. overall good value for $10-15.
Hi, I am researching telescopic rods and I have a few questions. In your research did you come across any high quality telescopic rods? im wiling to spend up to $200ish and I want the best bang for my buck in the 9foot range for surf fishing. thank you so much.. also how much does this rod weigh withouth the added leads? also how does this one differ from the kastking ranger telescopic rod??
Mondo Nando hi, thx for asking. i don't really know of any high end telescopic rods. high end manu's seem to prefer 3 or 4 pc. i heard good things about gloomis 4 pc. i don't know exact weight, but it's just as light as my 8 6 lamiglas. the biggest difference is that the Blackhawk has double footed guides and a better reel seat. the ranger seems better suited for freshwater.
Awesome reviews... Getting one for Christmas (through your link of course)! I'm also looking at the KastKing Sharky iii... One complaint I keep reading about the reels is that the shaft/support arm is flimsy. Is there a way to reinforce the shaft on a reel? What would you recommend?
i don't think so, the tolerances in reels are pretty tight, so there's no room for support parts. if you're concerned, just go with a name brand, fierce ii / daiwa bg or better🤙
i use mine for light tackle bait and wait mostly, but have caught little surf stripers and reef fish with 3/4 and 1 oz spoon/carolina setups. hope this helps.
I picked one of these up because of this video and it's an absolute hunk of horrible shit. Get the Blackhawk II, it's actually phenomenal. This thing is fucking trash
I broke my kastking king rod after my first day of fishing with it . Don't be silly folks , for that little money you get what you deserve. Good review otherwise.
well, the basics of a good rod are there, i just made it better. if they or another manu agree and roll out similar improvements and can keep price point under 40 shipped, they'll meet an unmet demand imo and match market tastes. for 30 plus 5 bucks in materials and 30 minutes of shop time, dollar-for-dollar, tough to find a comparable travel rod.
if you say so... i watch this video and gather that the rod you purchased for 30 is an unbalanced. overdressed rod with crappy guides that cause line issues and a reel seat that doesnt work, and the only way to make it work well is to make the modifications or you are stuck with a cruddy rod with hella issues.... Assuming people have dremels and heat guns laying around and you actually said the cost for shrink tube was $10 now you tell me its $5 not including the shim or 1oz weights... I appreciate the video and your mods are great, but I see that this rod for what you get upon ordering is not good.... have a great day friend! fish on...
you're right, outta the box the rod is a bit over-complicated, it'll catch fish no problem tho, but i show how to compensate for some shortcomings to suite my style of fishing. this vid assumes you bought a cheap rod and want to make it better at little cost with gear and tools you might already have. if you fish often enough you start modding everything, cheap through high end stuff. i appreciate your feedback, tight lines~
Wow just seeing this out of the box ruclips.net/user/postUgkxQr1yd4Zc6qJF-scTB6Zb9dQbVpviuRxB recommend I have yet to fish with this set up, but based on the first hands on appeal, I can tell this is going to change the way i pack and carry to a whole new level. If you fish like i do, you know the smaller and less stuff the better. I’ve added a photo of just some of my gear so you can see how serious i am about fishing.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
If you like what you see, visit www.amazon.com/shop/ishwithfish for ALL the gear I use, review, and approve. These affiliate links directly support future content. Gratitude! 🙏
I guess I'm kinda off topic but does anybody know a good website to stream newly released tv shows online ?
@Alexis Ernesto try Flixzone. Just search on google for it =)
@Izaiah Brayden yup, I have been using flixzone for years myself :D
@Izaiah Brayden Thank you, I signed up and it seems to work :) I appreciate it !
@Alexis Ernesto happy to help =)
Now this is a great review! One of the best I've seen. Very specific, detailed and clear. I'm thinking of getting one now.
+OrangeKou right on, can't go wrong. try to do my best to help viewers make informed purchase decisions.
Mate I’m 48 years old and this is the best review I have seen in my life time sir you have a new subscriber 👍
haha thx so much!
Good video i did the balance mod you showed with a 2/3oz torpedo lead and it works a treat lovely balanced rod
now instead of very tip heavy.
Nice!! this is the 5th positive review of this rod that Iv'e seen- I purchased a couple of 4 pc rods for my upcoming Aruba trip And after stumbling on the first video review of the kastking, had me second guessing my original selection- afew more reviews later and being your review is a long term, I'm convinced these will serve me better- quicker set up = more fish time..... Thanks for posting
+Lenny Kibbs right on man. it's not a 3 or 4 pc st croix, but if you value something cheap but sturdy and compact, hard to beat this setup.
Agreed- Hey do you know if the suogayan or gotgo or pisfun brand from amazon the same rod?
+Lenny Kibbs in my experience, one manu private labels this rod to multiple brands. i have the kastking that i feature in my vids, my cousin has the sougayilang version i linked (kastking is out of this size on Amazon, im guessing i helped with that, 35k+ combined views!). i just got another Chinese off brand on eBay. all 3 are the exact same rod. the huge difference is kastking has channels in place to support a warranty - better chance they'll replace or refund if you have a problem. i know because they've covered me a few times, A+ service so far.
Kool- even though the cost is way low- (compared to the St. Croix) I like the idea of warranty- unfortunately kastking's website is backordered on the 2 sizes I want- so I went with the Amazon brand, which I'm sure will be fine- Anyway thanks for the replies- Happy hunting
You earned my sub for this video! Super helpful, thanks! I just purchased the long 3.6m and the 2.1m Sougayliang versions for an upcoming trip. I’m happy to know that they’re the same blanks as the Kast King which I’d been trying to find.
I’ll definitely add the weights, and maybe the grip tape if I have time.
ty! have had this rod for 2 years now and still holding up. one of the guide rings popped out when i hit a rock but I just super glued it in, np. i caught a big bat ray on the same rod in one of my recent vids, it's actually the biggest thing i've ever caught, check it out and see that rod in heavy action:)
Ish With Fish that’s awesome, I’ll check out the ray video!
They’ve change the product going through the link , it’s not the black hawk rod , but a cheap Sougayilang rod now !
Ish with fish ur the man. Great review, I'm going to buy one for sure.
Excellent review.
Things must have changed.
The Kastking has 8 eyes and the link to Sougayilang has 5 eyes.
The Sougayilang has holes in the seat area, the kastking doesn't.
Excellent review!
thx! yup this vid is a few years old, kastking came out with the new version that is a completely different design, more freshwater tuned id say.
A little advice..
When retracting your rod don't slam each section into the next one below by force. It's very bad and I used to do that before when I didn't know.. It will weaken the glued sections and the rings will come off..
Instead just twist gently each piece until it, 'unscrews'. Use rubber gloves if you have to, to get better grip..
Be gentle with this rod :)
Chris Cristian right on bro, i agree, i usually hold each section by the middle and tap the butt end till it collapses, reeling as i go.
Ish With Fish 👍,
on a different topic.. :)
.. Have you tried new KastKing Mela II spinning reel? They are amazing, 'smooth like butter I heard :) the price is really good too
+Chris Cristian not yet! would be fun too, I've heard only good things about them. wonder if they can handle salt.
Ish With Fish yes they do. They are saltwater resistant
I just got this in the mail today and the only thing I think is weak on this unit is the plastic nut that tightens the reel. What do yo think? I also agree with the mods for the grip. Thanks, great review and mods!
Just ordered the 8'10" kastking and have a penn battle 4000. Taking it to Hawaii . Thanks for the mod tips!
+calibomber209 awesome dude, good luck and have fun🤙
I want long fishing pole telescoping put backpack. I'm pro fisherman though and will not settle short rod. Is there 8 footer?
yes this comes in up to 4 or even 5 meters I think! check the blackgawk ii tho, it's much better👌
@@ishwithfish little expensive I mean got plenty nice rods U could toss in trailer ugly stick light 7.5 nice would survive. Backpacking though found $15 to $20 tele got plenty old shimanos put on
Bought 2 of the shorter rods before finding this video. I haven't used them yet, but the hook holder / crown design seemed pretty clever to me. I like the weight and grip mods though. I may end up doing that myself. There isn't much room left in the smaller handles for weights though. Thanks.
right on. yeah that hook keeper thing had to go, super annoying, especially if you're fighting a good fish and looking for the foregrip. i just use the bail or lowest guide as a keeper. tight lines and have fun with the mods, worth it imo😁
Yeah, if they end up annoying me and I can't return it on Amazon, I'll know exactly what to do.
dope review.
Des anyone know who the manufacturer is for all these telescopic rods?
Great video Ish!
+Wendell Sakagawa thx bro!
can it handle striped bass on shores piers saltwater bluefish maybe??
it can! gotta be really careful not to high stick or it'll shatter👍
Great review bruh
Too bad I dont travel more or I would get one! Great stuff Ish.
MagicYaker thx man, guess that means you gotta travel more! dollar for dollar, hard to find a better or more versatile pack rod imo. 8' 10" works great will all 4 (count em, 4!) featured reels in this vid.
I got a Kastking Ranger and took it out yesterday. Very similar to the Blackhawk and has the same problems. The reel seat might be even worse. The rod itself is very good medium heavy action similar to an Ugly Stik. It is not a toy this is a real usable rod with some backbone. The balance point on the reel needs to be forward about three inches and the reel seat is an uncomfortable mess. It is all metal and chews up metal reel seats. I had to wrap the reel stem ends with tape to stop the grinding. I don't know what they were thinking with that stupid hard metal ball spinning thing. All they needed to do was stick a cheap plastic eva foam reel seat with a bit of a foregrip and it would have been perfect. Now I have to do surgery on it.
+Rob Sommerville yup same thoughts here. that's why i chose the Blackhawk, less stuff to fix:) They have a real market opportunity here if they correct these obvious issues; my modded bh rod is a legit setup now and holds up to good Cali surf action, def not a toy! Check out the companion rod-mod vid, I show how I made my improvements. Hope it helps!
Which do u recommend for casting 2-3 oz lures?
i use surf rods specifically rated for 1-3 or 1-6oz if i'm throwing lures. i'm liking the Phenix Trifecta series.
You think it'll throw Hair razors in the surf 1oz.-1-1/2oz?
Paul De La Mora don't go over 1 oz for lures, otherwise that lure will feel dead, not enough pop in the tip. ive caught surf stripers on 3/4 spros with this rod, that's the max lure rating for the 8 10, it's accurate.
Are the spinning rods any different from the baitcasting ones? Can you mount both kinds of reel on either?
The BlackHawk I is a spinning rod (heavier duty too). The Blackhawk II comes in both a spinning and baitcaster model i think (lighter duty).
in your opinion Is 3.6M/11.81FT can able to cast 3oz sinker and good for surf perch fishing ?😀
you can, but not super far. at 12' it'll be pretty noodley. i mean you totally can cast a 3 oz weight, but def not as far as a 12' 2 pc or even a shorter length. i use my 9' model for surf perch fishing, max i'll throw is 2 oz, and the bites are numbed down considerably because of the multiple rod segments. i can feel them, but not very well, so i imagine the 12' is even less sensitive. hope this helps.
Appreciate 👍👍,,
Greetings from new england! I was wondering if I should get this rod. I only saltwater fish and I travel a lot on my bike to go fishing! I love the way it looks.
hi! this rod def has value as a travel bait rod, very similar action to the 9' ugly stik gx2 mh salmon rod. hunting strippah's? welp, this rod isn't ideal for lures fyi, can handle 1 oz bucktails just ok (barely), but has proven to be a very durable bait rod that's easy to pack. worth the $25-30 imo. gl!
Ish With Fish thanks appreciate it! I bottom fish most of the time so this seems ideal
I am traveling to Indonesia and looking for a travel fishing rod. I will be fishing mostly from a sea wall that protects a shopping mall. While my wife shops at the mall, I get to go fishing. Do you think this rod is strong enough, and what size of rod size do you suggest? I plan to do your mods.
hi, so this rod blank is like $10 on ebay nowadays (maybe under different name), and imo totally worth it. great for casting bait, terrible for lures tho. i like the 8'10" model and have caught fish 0.5 - 35 lbs with it😁👍solid option if you have limited space and tight budget.
Does Kastking even sell this rod anymore? None of the sites I find the Blackhawks on have the original model, only the newer Blackhawk II.
no, they abandoned this blank and went for the lighter freshwater market with the blackhawk ii. good news is sougayilang and many other e-brands still sell the same exact original blackhawk rod blank on amazon and ebay.
hey ish, what did you use for the foot shim? put a 4000 fierce 2 on my blackhawk and man was there hella wobble. looking for a better solution than using electrical tape. yeah, that spinning crown hooker keeper thingamabob had to go immediately on mine too loooool.
+Jaiofspam i used pieces of bicycle tubing to shim the reel foot tight👍 i have a whole video dedicated to what you can do with an old bicycle tube for fishing gear, check it out.
Great review thanks
have you tested this rod on a bait caster or multiplier?
+ziaudeen mahomed sayid personally, no. i see no reason why you couldn't if you're chunking bait, but i wouldn't recommend it for throwing lures. my theory: the rotational stress of repeated casts would cause the sections to rotate out of alignment, no matter how tight you set them.
@ishwithfish is the Kastling rod you have the same as the Sougayilang brand that populates on he amazon link? Just want to make sure I buy the rod you’re reviewing and not the knock off. Thanks in advanced
hi, yup, this rod is a popular blank that many brands just stamp their logo on. i've also purchased the soug version as gifts, and it's exactly the same as my kastking version. thx for checking in!
Solid review
Nice review! I ordered one from ebay after seeing this video. but I ordered the 3.6m (long) one. I haven't seen a video/review of it but I'm hoping it's still as good as the one you're using (the 8'5ft you're using). My plan is to make it my "travel Surf rod" and maybe "travel Pier rod" too (but it's way too long tho lol)
btw you got a new subscriber. tight lines my friend!
+Crime Lords Bullseye thx bro! Yeah 8 10 is a great all around salt length, have fun with your big one:)
What size heatshrink was it you use please
i think i put exact sizing in the description👍🏼
How well does an ambassador reel fit on this rod
Off subject have you used the Mako by Kastking? I understand they don't make them any longer. Just last week I purchased a 2500 series mako. It's built like a tank I got about 20 hours on it I'm wondering why they stop making it. Keep up the great work!
thx man! never tried the Mako, always curious about them though. super wide reels are supposed to cast better and retrieve faster. personally though i like smaller form factor reels that are compact and light.
I’m so confused . Is this the kastking Blackhawk or the sougayilang rod? Why does it say kastking On your rod. Though you’re selling a sougayilang rod through your amazon link ? Help!!
its all the same rod😁 one chinese company makes these and many different companies stamp their name on it. i linked the soug link because kastking stopped distributing their version.
Ish With Fish ahh okay got it ... this is an older Blackhawk . Would you recommend the newer blackhawk 2?
Great video!
+Donald Bradner thx man, hope you got some good info out of it👍
would i be able to get spares for kastking products like the sharkey 2
contact their cs dept for separate spare part orders. personally i've never done this, but in my experience they've always been great about sending replacement parts within the warranty period.
Great vid, thanks. Amazed I'm just now learning about KastKing. Seems like they're even better than Okuma in terms of quality and price. Have you tried the Fortis braid?
thx for the comment. KastKing pushes their e-presence very hard, so if you cruise amazon and eBay you'll def see them, just not in any retail stores, at least on the west. i'm new to their reels so still feeling those out, but have had great experience with their braids and Fluorokote copolymer. haven't tried their Fortis, but funny enough, i have a review of their other 3 4-8 strand braids with some clips of catches, check it out. might be the no. 1 non-KastKing affiliated line overview vid on RUclips.
Ish With Fish h
Do you still have the rod? If so, how's it holding up?
i actually broke the middle segment last weekend casting a 4oz pyramid😞 RIP, it was a fun rod, put many fish on it.
Ish With Fish that’s unfortunate. Thanks for taking the time to reply
Congrats on 1,000 subs! :D
CaliCo Outdoors thanks man! you'll be there soon too!
I would like to know what is the difference between this one and the Blackhawk 2
Blackhawk I is like a moderate action spinning salmon rod. Blackhawk II is like a large mouth baitcasting rod.
You think this will work for top water poppers
unfortunately no. not enough backbone to impart any action on any popper. maybe just spoons, that's it. a better bait rod.
How is this for surf fishing for perch and the occasional striped bass?
+kennys223 it's perfect for perch. it could be my daily if i didn't already have a lamiglas x11. i have a few vids where all i target and catch are surfperch with this rod, all over California. I've also caught shaker stripers with it using sand crabs, handled them well.
Ish With Fish Awesome thanks. Funny, I just bought a Lamiglass LX 86MHS X11. Ha. Moving back to CA and looking forward to fishing the coastline.
Great to know! I'm gonna be up there next week and was hoping to put this rod through more rounds, specifically for stripers. Were you using the standard fish finder rig? And what size sinker(s), hooks(s) and lb test were you fishing with?
I tried the rod out (paired with a Sedona 4000) for the first time with all the mods except removing the largest guide... interestingly, it didn't really bug me and I didn't notice issues with extra vibration on the retrieve. Missed a couple nice bites on surf perch at Newport Beach - fishing was slow. My leader was probably too long and prob not heavy enough oz weight either
Some products look the same because they are, some products look the same but are completely different. Materials and quality control used could be completely different on two products that look exactly the same.
Great breakdown. Finally glad to see the mods you made to your Blackhawk! I've been really happy with my 7'10" model that I picked up per your initial review and I think the grip & added weight mods in particular would match well with what I've got so I think I'll have to give it a go in the near future. Do you find yourself using it to primarily whip lures? Jigging? Or throwing bait out there? I've had mixed success with lures because the lure rating is so tiny for something like surf fishing, but tossing out a carolina or hi/lo with 1oz disc weight has been eazy peezy.
Nice to see you pair it with the Kodiak 5000! I have that on my 10ft ugly stik and it's my default surf fishing setup at the moment, and my No. 2 crabbing reel after my Penn Battle II. It gets a lot of abuse.
P great feedback! yeah i go light with this. i misquoted the lure rating, its actually 3/4 oz max, and its accurate. so i throw 1 oz or less spros and kastmasters, never swimbaits, the action is too slow to impart good enough action. I've caught small stripers with those bucktails with this rod. otherwise yup, most of the time im working hi-lo or Carolina depending on current, or 3 oz ff dunk when I'm lazy. cool man, I'm new to the Kodiak, I've been pushing mine and will be doing a review shortly.
Is that seaport in Redwood City? It looks really familiar
+Pedro Guillen yup, good eye. im a local🤙
Is the Kastking and the Sougayilang the same rod? Same brand?
+RabbitBully different brands printed on the same rod. some no-name manu makes the same rod for a lot of companies, 100% sane rod. KastKing no longer private labels this model, but Sougayilang does.
Thanks buddy for the info........Tight lines!!
would I get away with using a 2-3 ounce sinker for bottom rig? I like to fish for porgy.
nevermind
for sure. it casts 2-3 oz ok and you could bounce this all day for smaller fish. prob not enough backbone for a hard hookset in bigger fish though, but i plan on using this for lingcod at 250' soon just for fun.
Ish With Fish wow lingcod :o that's nice! Mine will be coming tomorrow. good luck!
Hi Ish! what do you think of the new kastking blackhawk 2?? and how does it compare to this one .. and which would you recommend for me .. I fish the surf/beach lure and bait
thank you
the blackhawk 2 is completely different from the 1. the 1 was a generic blank that many other brands put their name on, and featured double footed guides and i think thicker segments. the 2 is purpose built for freshwater, much lighter actions and single footed guides (but a better reel seat and fore grip. if you're looking for a cheap but sturdy surf bait rod, the 1 is the way to go ... you can even find these for $10 new with free ship on ebay! it'll have some random chinese writing on it but it's the same. fyi these are all terrible lure rods, strictly bait.
Ish With Fish damn ... I purposely wanted to get a telescopic rod for lure fishing .. I already have a 12 ft telescopic beachcaster 4-8 oz ..
but I now need another telescopic or travel rod for lure fishing .. that carries lighter weight ...
what do you recommend a travel/telescopic beach/surf lure rod?
thank you so much
in that case you should give the kastking 2 baitcaster a shot, it's still relatively cheap. just expect more moderate action than you're used to since it's multiple segments and not a 1 or 2 pc (think crankbait action). i know daiwa and shimano make some excellent jdm travel rods, they're pricey tho. for some reason, high end telescopic rods aren't as popular in the US as they are internationally, so you'll have to look abroad for the good stuff.
What kind of reel do you have on it
KastKing Kodiak 5000
What is the reel in the thumbnail
KastKing Kodiak 5000 i believe👍🏼
is there a bait cast version ?
no, only spinning👍
I have the 13 ft rod for surf fishing
+The Sonoran Desert Grower how do you like that length for throwing weight? I can't go over 4 oz with my 8 10.
Ish With Fish Honestly I don't use anything bigger than 1 oz, because of the way I surf fish. I use zman shrimps, zman trout trick worms, kastmaster spoons, leuhr jensen crocodile spoons, 3/8 oz bucktails, and zara spooks. I think the 3/8 oz is the sweet spot for casting distance. I let the waves pull the zara spook super far (100 yards) before I start walking it back too. Im in Tucson, so its mostly trout, catfish, and carp. I surf fish once a year. Last year it was like 3 trips, but thats rare. This is my carp and catfish rods outside of surf fishing. I've caught big cats and carp on this rod. It was easy too. Im using maybe 1/2 oz lead weight to a Snell hook and it casts a mile.
The Sonoran Desert Grower ah, yup def different than our style for these length rods. here we just crank out heavy weights and hope the poor sand crabs stick to the hook 20 minutes at a time. glad to hear your rod is holding up!
Ish With Fish I got 2 and their both holding up well. I have them paired up with the Kastking sharky baitrunner for carps and cats. Their has been plenty of times where I thought they were going to break from carp fishing. For a travel rod, I think its the best option for the money.
I saw the line weight range is 8-15 LB it's normal ? Can I put more 20-30 LB ?
totally. i run 20lb on mine, but you can probably go up to 40 without worrying about the rod breaking. very durable so far.
Thanks, What's the best the blackhawk or the blackhawk 2 ?
they're completely different rods. i think the 1 is more fiberglass/ utility, while the 2 is baitcaster/ large mouth specific.
How long is your rod?
the one featured is the 8'10" model.
Thanks! Going to buy this after Christmas. Can’t wait!!
right on man, enjoy!
Great review/follow up and excellent mods! Just ordered a Plussino telescoping. Hopefully the same build quality. If not I'll check out KastKing. #Bikefishing
+Steve E ty! have fun and tl🤙
Rod/reel combo with fishing kit as an emergency setup ruclips.net/user/postUgkxntWMOZsO1Zfv-pdn_XuffEtNkTYAYu4Z recommend but started to use this every day. The rod is thick and seems durable. I keep it neatly tucked into a regular backpack all the time with my fishing gear, and can grab it anytime, put it on my back and go anywhere. I just read in another review that the rod length below the reel is adjustable as well, so I will try that too for even more portability. Probably the best setup I've ever owned. I lost the cap for the eyelets, but no big deal since I still have the black cloth sheath that came for the pole and I use that. Very portable and high quality.
I want Rod full details.
rod lasted a couple years! caught many fish, even a 30+lb bat ray. i broke it recently casting a 4 oz weight into the surf. overall good value for $10-15.
@@ishwithfish I want website link
@@ishwithfish casting better, spinning better, What good
Check with outdoor chef life RUclipsr , he’s got the newer black hawk 2, they also bump up the price , and made some new changes
yeah, its a freshwater rod, single foot and thinner blanks. nice rod though!
Hey ish have you tried the black hawk 2 by kastking? If not could you do a review thanks 🙏
not yet but if I do I'll def post one!
Hi, I am researching telescopic rods and I have a few questions. In your research did you come across any high quality telescopic rods? im wiling to spend up to $200ish and I want the best bang for my buck in the 9foot range for surf fishing. thank you so much.. also how much does this rod weigh withouth the added leads? also how does this one differ from the kastking ranger telescopic rod??
Mondo Nando hi, thx for asking. i don't really know of any high end telescopic rods. high end manu's seem to prefer 3 or 4 pc. i heard good things about gloomis 4 pc. i don't know exact weight, but it's just as light as my 8 6 lamiglas. the biggest difference is that the Blackhawk has double footed guides and a better reel seat. the ranger seems better suited for freshwater.
Awesome reviews... Getting one for Christmas (through your link of course)! I'm also looking at the KastKing Sharky iii... One complaint I keep reading about the reels is that the shaft/support arm is flimsy. Is there a way to reinforce the shaft on a reel? What would you recommend?
i don't think so, the tolerances in reels are pretty tight, so there's no room for support parts. if you're concerned, just go with a name brand, fierce ii / daiwa bg or better🤙
Wondering if its possible to use it for light shore jigging,if someone has been using it for reply to my comment.
i use mine for light tackle bait and wait mostly, but have caught little surf stripers and reef fish with 3/4 and 1 oz spoon/carolina setups. hope this helps.
I stopped using mine since the butt end is too short
wath size u rod?
1000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+fishing with ethan woooooooo!!!
365 only 1000 casts... i do 1000 for 1 day :D
vladimir warga ha, i feel you! this is my backup/travel rod, so took awhile to break 1k.
1000 cast is nothing my friend. I do that in only one fishing day.
Is the sougay similar or they the same?
yup, exactly the same. if you ever see this rod with gold accents and weird black foregrip thingy, might have multiple brands but it's the same model.
what about the plussino im thinking of getting that one are they the same?
I had the plussino 7' and tbh I didn't like it, it was flimsy. tube walls much thinner than the sougayilang/kastking.
sweet i guess ill go with a sougay then
Aku mau dung jorannya ...
what is with the elevator music louder than you
+Cam Packer lol good question. on mobile devices (75% of plays), music plays low, vocals high. i mix the background track high to compensate.
hope i won it
My tip broke catching a porcupine fish. Won't recommend
yikes, thanks for the feedback
I picked one of these up because of this video and it's an absolute hunk of horrible shit. Get the Blackhawk II, it's actually phenomenal. This thing is fucking trash
sorry man, yup this vid is pretty old now, the blackhawk ii solved all these problems👍
hope i win it
Had one of thes and they are JUNK. Broke casting a 1/8 jig in the first dozen cast. THEY ARE JUNK.
Is it still working? Lol
I broke my kastking king rod after my first day of fishing with it .
Don't be silly folks , for that little money you get what you deserve.
Good review otherwise.
so basically its not a KastKing anymore and thats why its good LOL if you didn't do the mods, the rod would suck... got it!
well, the basics of a good rod are there, i just made it better. if they or another manu agree and roll out similar improvements and can keep price point under 40 shipped, they'll meet an unmet demand imo and match market tastes. for 30 plus 5 bucks in materials and 30 minutes of shop time, dollar-for-dollar, tough to find a comparable travel rod.
if you say so... i watch this video and gather that the rod you purchased for 30 is an unbalanced. overdressed rod with crappy guides that cause line issues and a reel seat that doesnt work, and the only way to make it work well is to make the modifications or you are stuck with a cruddy rod with hella issues.... Assuming people have dremels and heat guns laying around and you actually said the cost for shrink tube was $10 now you tell me its $5 not including the shim or 1oz weights... I appreciate the video and your mods are great, but I see that this rod for what you get upon ordering is not good.... have a great day friend! fish on...
you're right, outta the box the rod is a bit over-complicated, it'll catch fish no problem tho, but i show how to compensate for some shortcomings to suite my style of fishing. this vid assumes you bought a cheap rod and want to make it better at little cost with gear and tools you might already have. if you fish often enough you start modding everything, cheap through high end stuff. i appreciate your feedback, tight lines~
Wow just seeing this out of the box ruclips.net/user/postUgkxQr1yd4Zc6qJF-scTB6Zb9dQbVpviuRxB recommend I have yet to fish with this set up, but based on the first hands on appeal, I can tell this is going to change the way i pack and carry to a whole new level. If you fish like i do, you know the smaller and less stuff the better. I’ve added a photo of just some of my gear so you can see how serious i am about fishing.