Inshore Arsenal Q & A
Fishing fanatic Liam Williams, explains what a good value offshore fishing rod looks like.What style of fishing do you do?
I enjoy a wide variety of fishing styles from both fresh and saltwater, although being offshore is what really gets my ticker going. What I enjoy most is targeting snapper on soft plastics! If I’m not snapper fishing the shallow inshore reefs, you’ll often find me out deeper chasing some tasty reef fish using the slow pitch jigs. I also target a few Spanish mackerel when they are around at certain times of the year.
How do you choose a rod for offshore fishing?
Firstly, I look for a rod with quality components to withstand the harsh saltwater environment. As snapper is my main target, a long cast is important, so finding a rod with a nice long butt section so I can really ‘give it some’ goes a long way. I also like a rod with full rear grip so when I place it in the rod holder the blank doesn’t get marked or break when a fish hits.
What were your initial impressions when you first laid eyes on the new PENN Regiment Black Ops II?
Upon receiving the new Regiment, the first thing I noticed was the addition of a soft neoprene rod strap holding my two-piece model together, it’s only a small thing, but what a nice touch! After assembling the rod, I gave the rod a little bend and really liked how well the blank wanted to recover with a snappy rebound in the graphite.
Knowing the updated range of Regiment rods had new size additions added, with some lighter models in the range, I was excited knowing I had a few older rods that needed replacing. With these rods being so affordable, I knew right away the time had come for a freshen up in my rod department!
What is it about the Regiment Black Ops II range that ticks the boxes for you?
They are a great value for money rod! They’re a rod that feels high-end, but you don’t have to sell a kidney to buy. The Regiment range now consist of 16 spin and 5 overhead models and have everything from light 2-4kg models for chasing bream in the wash to heavier models perfect for snapper, kingfish and mackerel, so I’m set!
What is your best catch so far with the new range?
My best catch using the new Regiment is an 80cm snapper which I caught using the 721ML 4-8 kg paired with the new 2500 PENN Slammer IV – my new favourite combo for big snapper on plastics!
