The fishing Paper
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First Impressions: RRP on reel $149.99 RRP on rod $199.99 By Daryl Crimp
I put the Nanomatrix and Trio 6 – 10kg combo to the test over three separate occasions in late summer and autumn, targeting snapper, albacore tuna and other species. Here are my first impressions: I liked the feel and lightweight design of the Nanomatrix rod, which incorporates Nano Technology (Not sure what that is), and found it effortless to use for long periods without undue wrist fatigue. The rod breaks in two for ease of transport and storage and I particularly liked the innovative split grip system at the butt. Because it is so light, it can be used as a conventional spin set using wrist action, but for little kids or when battling a big fish, you can tuck the butt under the armpit or use two hands for leverage. The Trio Hybrid 30 reel is ergonomically designed, nicely balanced, smooth to operate and robust; the componentry is sturdy and made from quality materials that sees a mix of aluminium for strength and graphite for looks and to keep the weight down. It conveys really nice lines in terms of shape and looks very smart. The Trio 30 is capable of taking braid or nylon; mine had braid and cast sweetly as set up. The drag is smooth, featuring multi-disc felt washers, and the drag controls large and easy to operate, with a very positive range of adjustment so you can tighten or back off with minimal control movement. The spool stroke when you retrieve is really fluid and it glides effortlessly, which indicates quality gearing. It really is a nice unit.
Ezra Breingan happy to land this beauty.
The combination of rod and reel is nicely balanced and the sensitive rod tip imparts a good range of actions into a range of softbaits, but probably better suited to light to mid range lures. Okuma do an 8 – 12kg rod that would be better suited to our winter fishing conditions where you have to contend with big snapper and kingfish in strong currents, and for example, when using the 2oz plus ball jig heads.
Okuma Nanomatrix Softbait Rod (7ft) and Trio 30 Spin Reel
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The Nanomatrix has a soft tip, which is good for casting and gives great sensitivity when detecting strikes or getting a feel for the lure action, but it is firm through the bottom two-thirds, which means it loads up quickly. This is not a negative, but there are two camps out there: some prefer soft rods that bend smoothly in the middle (parabolic or C-curve) and supposedly tire the fish quicker and allow greater line retrieval and others like J-curve because of the aforementioned qualities – what you gain on one you lose on the other. I liked the action of the Nanomatrix because its light, smooth and it felt strong. Daniel just loved it and had a hoot playing big kahawai with it. His comment at the end was an unsolicited, “Dad, can I keep this rod and reel!” That is good testimony.
Daniel Crimp puts the rod to the test.
I couldn’t find any obvious negatives in the time I used it; the inlaid guides seemed firm and robust, except for the tip guide, which was a bit soft. Mind you, this was a demo model that had been shunted around the country, so it probably had stood up to some rough handling before I got it. I did land an 8kg albacore on it, so that indicates it has some pedigree. I see this as a great top of the middle range with other applications, including straylining, freshwater and canal fishing. At its price point it represents excellent value for money.
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