Gear Review - Shimano Scimitar

The Best Rod This Side of Washington

Unless you like having a small car to take your 6 ft + rod in.

Shimano Scimitar 

All right so some background on this magnificent piece of fishing hardware. It comes in three sizes that will indeed inconvenience you if you don't have a giant boat or a truck to throw it into the back of, a 6 foot, a 6 ft 6 inch model and lastly a 7 ft model. Now to remind you that this rod is a single piece of graphite sex appeal. Now I will be reviewing the 6ft 6 inch model in a medium heavy sensitivity. 

The Rods Structure

4 out of 5 Stars

I have had this rod for about 5 years now if my memory serves true, I bought it on a clearance for $60. Let me tell you that it was not a mistake, It is as strong as nails. Now do not get me wrong, I treat this rod like a child (ask Tim), but I wouldn't take my parenting skills into account from my the condition of my fishing hardware. Although I have not been nicest to the rod, I have hiked, kayaked and fished this rod for close to 300 hours and it looks as good as new. My last rod, bless its soul, did not get to see the 30 hour mark after it decided to make a brake for it and got smashed in my door. This rod is durable, it is a tank with many hours left in its metaphorical engine. The one and only thing I wish could have been different about this particular rod is it being a two-piece.

Sensitivity

5 out of 5 stars

Alright, so this pole is very sensitive for being medium heavy, I can feel all the rocks on the bottom as I am gently working my Senko. You are able to feel all the little nibbles as well as bites. It is sturdy enough to not really rock with the boat on a windy lake but with a little nibble it will bend enough to alert you. It is the best rod i have ever owned for the sensitivity department.

Weight 

3 out of 5 stars

Okay so for 5 years ago this thing is light, but for now days standards with G-loomis and similar brands making the rods so light it is almost just air, I had to mark this down. It is an okay weight, light none the less.

The Final Tally 

4 out of 5 stars

So this rod is about as good as it gets for a lower budget rod, for the price of $40. I feel this is a good all around rod for all ages. Light, strong and sensitive. 

Gear Review - Rhino Baitcaster

I have waited long enough for people to respond to me with permission about reviewing the gear they produce. Time to get the reviews started.

Rhino RBC300 

Do you like birds? If you answered yes, then you will love making their nests with every cast.

So this particular baitcaster usually comes in a combo with a 6ft "indestructible" rod. The rod is not by any means an expensive rod, just like this is not an expensive reel. Anyways back to the reel, I have noticed that quality is comparable to price in the baitcaisting world, and this is at the lower end of each. 

Specification

4 out of 5 stars

Now be warned, these all sound like great additions to a cool looking reel, and who knows they might be. I sure had issues with making this work for me however. 

3-Bearing drive
Machine-cut solid brass gears
Right-hand retrieve
Continuous Anti-Reverse
Star-adjustable Rhino drag
Low-profile design
DynaMag cast control

Quality

1 out of 5 stars

Okay, so the quality of this is lacking, it looks like it would just feel like a quality reel, with all the contrasting colors. I was in love with it when I first saw it 6 years ago at Wal-mart. That should have been my first warning not to get in that boat. To be honest this ruined everything about wanting to have a baitcaster, Using this reel I became fluent in the language of the sailor. The tension knob fell off my second time using this reel, the instructions on how to use this reel are lacking severely. Although I was able to create many nests for surrounding birds, i think they were happier then I was. 

Final 

2 1/2 stars out of 5 

Okay, so I really didn't know what else to say about this reel, if you are on a budget and are just aching to get a new reel, you could get this one with a rod for about $40 I believe. I would however just wait, buy something that has quality to it. The rod, is a nice rod however (worth probably 30 of the 40 dollars.) All-in-all just save your money and get a baitcaster that has been proven.  It only received the score it did because it has the makings of a good reel but very very poor execution.

Side note: Next review will be better, with a more positive attitude throughout.

  

Lake Review (Fly fishing edition) - Amber Lake, Washington

So here is the second lake I am going to review, considering we just received like 8 inches of snow we will not be able to go out and start catching fish.

Amber Lake 

Spokane County, Washington

Latitude - (47.3471095)

Longitude -  (-117.713543)

So once again this lake is only about an hour from Spokane, WA and is actually 15 min. from Badger lake. The primary fish here is trout, big trout, this is not an anything goes lake either. Special rules do apply here. What does that mean you ask, well I will tell you. No scented bait, no treble hooks, no combustion engines, no barbed hooks. So this is basically a float tube and kayak lake. YOU CAN NOT LAUNCH YOUR BIG BOATS HERE, they  have barricaded the boat launch so this is literally a carry lake you can drive right to the water though. Watch out for snakes however they are aplenty. There is an ideal lake for fly fishing. If you are thinking this lake must be packed with people during the season, you would be 100% wrong. This picture although not mine but the W.D.F.W. shows about how many people will be on the lake with you. The most people I have ever witnessed there is the grand total of 2 people not including myself and my acquaintance.  Also an F.Y.I. all the land but the little parking area and launch are Private land, so no trespassing please.

How to catch them

Well the fish here run somewhat deep, now I have no idea how deep this lake is but being like badger it has a deep trench right off where the boat launch is about 30 feet. You are going to want to drop a Wooley Bugger fly down there with sinking fly line, Work the magic make it look like a leech would pulse....pulse pulsepulse..stop..sink..repeat. Now this information is coming second hand to me. (Fishing story time) When I was about 10 I was fishing there and had this crappy little rubber pink worm I got from a local sporting goods store for like a nickle. Well I dropped it to the bottom of the trench and was jigging it around not paying attention to anything in the world. Then my dads Ugly Stick bend in half I am not messing around here, from straight up to touching the water listing the boat. Sadly it did get away but I go back every year to try and remedy that situation with the same lure. Sadly my secret lure will not be shown here because A no one is reading this and B if I show you my secret lure you may catch my fish. Paddling along at a slow pace trailing a chironomid behind you will get some good hits, this is all along the one side in front of the  boat launch I have never had any luck anywhere else on this lake.

Chironomid

Wolley bugger

The Final Tally 

 The sad thing is there isn't alot to go on here, So I will do the best I can.

Trout Fishing 3 out of 5 stars

The  fishing here is hard, I know people who go out regularly and catch 4-5 pound trout out there like I have conveyed about. It is a lake you would go to in order to just relax and if a fish bites then you will have a good day

The lake itself- 5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely gorgeous lake, it is usually pretty windy, but by Poseiden beard it is a relaxing place to float tube or kayak. It is however a smaller lake, so if you are expecting a lot of variety there is but not as much as one of the neighboring lakes.   

The final Score 4 out of 5 stars

Need a relaxing day with the possibility of catching some monster fish, come here. Paddle around with a friend, enjoy the views and wildlife. If you are going for money back guarantee of fish, then, you may be disappointed. I am never upset that I waste a day here because we need to look at the smaller things and appreciate them. 

Let's Talk Powerbait

In my trout fishing escapades, nothing has brought me more joy than trying out a new flavor of Powerbait. To be more specific, Powerbait's "Trout Dough." But I'll just keep calling it Powerbait here because that's what I've always called it and typing Trout Dough over and over again would feel weird.

My Basic Lake Rig

But digressions aside, I really appreciate Powerbait for the versatility it offers. You see, Powerbait floats. So, when used in conjunction with other baits (or even on its own), one can use the Powerbait as a float for a lake rig. Doing this gives you a seemingly free-floating bit of tantalizingly smelly fish food. And the rig will catch you anything from trout to bluegill.

Over the years I have tried quite a few different flavors (or scents, whatever you prefer to say). All of them have gotten me a fish, and all of them have gotten me fish worth keeping. But, like with all things, I have developed a favorite. 

My personal favorite Powerbait is the Rainbow Turbo Dough. Just in case you didn't know, Turbo Dough is smelly, which means a little goes a long way as far as getting the scent of the bait into the water. In addition, the rainbow color performs consistently across a wide range of weather patterns. There's enough varied coloration that the fish seem to be able to see it regardless of weather conditions. 

That's not to say that I'm pulling in fish every five minutes (and not to say I haven't) but this specific Powerbait gets me a couple of bites throughout the day. Period. And my chances go up significantly if I'm running the tried and true coupling of nightcrawler and Powerbait. 

This ability to perform in various conditions is what makes me appreciate the Rainbow colored Turbo Dough so much, and has turned me into a fan. So, if you're looking for a bait, this is the one.

Jesse's Thoughts:

Well my general set up is the same, and let me tell you, that rainbow dough has shown some significant results in our fish-capades. However, this is not my special color, my special little friend is a little green guy called Extra-Strength Trout Dough. This has been my go to Powerbait since I can remember. I have caught bass, perch, bluegill and of course trout on this stuff. It is powerful and if you want to to throw a little bit of worm on there with it, you will not be disappointed. Now I really should have more to say about this but, Tim has basically said everything that needs to be said. So I have thrown my two pence in. Choose what you will but if you ask Tim, I always have at least two jars of this stuff in my tackle box.   

EXTRA-STRENGTH TROUT DOUGH