Henrymski Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 I'm seeking the opinions of my fellow Jersey anglers: are Tsunami rods any good and what higher priced rods would you compare them to? I have to replace my good old Ugly Sticks that we use for flounder fishing in the bay. Bay fishing for us has always been about kicking around and either having fun with kids or getting out on the water when time is limited so I don't look to spend high dollars on my bay kit. For as long as I can remember we've used Ugly Sticks because they are cheap but really get the job done, and stand up to serious abuse and misuse. The current crop is 10+ years old and need to be sidelined. I was just going to go with the same thing, but Tackle Direct has these Tsunami inshore rods on sale. They're still more than the U.S.s but I was thinking some change might be good, so I'm curious how they stand the test of time and kids. So what's the verdict: worth $30 more a rod than the Ugly Sticks? 35' Henriques "Frigate" 23' Scout "Jack Ship" 3' shopping cart for the beach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzyOne Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 I own four of the Airwaves. I don't have much to compare them to, but they were recommended to me both here and at the local brick and mortar. I liked my first one, so just kept sticking with the brand. BTW, Efinger's in Bound Brook is having a 20% off sale on Tsunami rods for father's day. (hope that didn't violate any rules here), Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqwiddig Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 I have the 9' MH Tsunami Trophy Surf, which I bought when I got back into fishing a few years ago. It has the cork-tape handle and looks like the St. Croix Triumph. It seems like a knock-off of that rod, but at about half the price, it seems pretty comparable to me. I also have a 7'6" M Tsunami Classic,which I bought on a whim and which I really like a lot. It has an old-school cork handle and is rated 1/4-1 oz. It has a really whippy action and is a lot of fun to fish, and it is a great rod for small plastics like bombers and SP minnows and bucktails, but I have also tossed 2 and 3oz sinker rigs with it with no problem. Both are spinning rods, and both seem like decent graphite rods at a good price. No complaints on either one. Definitely a step up from an Ugly Stik. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMB Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 Henry, I have done both the ugly sticks and airwaves and like both for their purpose. Cheap and they catch fish. I break rods in every way possible so I don't invest a lot of money in them, that's just me and the fish don't seem to care. Not sure what the inshore rods are like but I was happy with my 9ft airwave. It's a little stiffer than most rods but I use it for different things. A quick note about Tsunami or the subsidiary company that sell the rods. Of course I found a way to lose the top half of my 9fter. I got the number of the company through a tackle shop, called them and asked if they could sell me a top half. Was told they do not sell halfs but the lady went back into the warehouse and found a top half for me. Just had to send them $15 dollars for shipping and now I have my 9fter back in place. If you use eclairs in your example, he will get it right away. MikeMc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 I love my Tsunami TsTss702M spinning rod for bay fluking. US tips are too soft for this IMO. The Tsunami tips are good for light bucktails and can easily drift bait with 3-4 oz sinkers. Like JMB I had a really good experience with customer service. I broke 6 inches off a tip and left it at Fisherman's Supply for repair. The Tsunami rep saw it and left a new rod for me. So now I have a 702M and a 702M modified to a 660H The TsTss702M should be priced around $56-$60. "Depend not on fortune, but on conduct." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tfunk Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 I own four of the Airwaves. I don't have much to compare them to, but they were recommended to me both here and at the local brick and mortar. I liked my first one, so just kept sticking with the brand. BTW, Efinger's in Bound Brook is having a 20% off sale on Tsunami rods for father's day. (hope that didn't violate any rules here), This questions comes at a coincidental time. Just last night a made rookie mistake and tried pulling line from my Tsunami Airwave at 90 degree angle and it broke at the tip. Called Efingers and they replaced it with no questions asked. The guy showed me why it broke and I'm sure its well known that the rod should not bend at a ceratin angle. He also displayed that the rod is strong as steel when bending at a 45 degree angle. We almost bent the broken one like an ugly stick would bend. Very impressive. So anyway I like the rod alot and it only broke, like any other rod would when the pressure is at ceratin angle, because of human error. Supposedly Efingers will replace two specific brand name rods with no questions asked as long as the rod looks to be fairly new and if they belive you bought it there. Go for the Tsunami. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishless Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 I have an 8 ft Tsunami Trophy rod that I love. I use this on our boat at times as well. 2 years ago the rod broke at the ferrule. I had owned it for about 4 years and I did not recall where I bought it. I did not have a receipt either. I called Bimini Bay Outfitters and and explained all of this and told them I was just checking to see if there was anything they could do for me. Without any hesitation they told me to package the rod up, include a check for $15 and send it in. Inside of a week I had a replacement rod waiting at my door when I got home from work. I consider that very strong customer service. "I was a waste of time dumbasses" Sevenxseventy1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrymski Posted June 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 Thanks for all the input! Mike, I agree the US rods are a bit soft at the tip, and it sounds like the customer service a great. Looks I'll give 'em a try. Thanks again, all. 35' Henriques "Frigate" 23' Scout "Jack Ship" 3' shopping cart for the beach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrymski Posted June 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2013 Hmmm....the website of the company mentioned several times in this thread shows zero fishing rods of any type. Oh well. Back to TD. They do have a certain ZB spinning reel on sale, though. FYI. 35' Henriques "Frigate" 23' Scout "Jack Ship" 3' shopping cart for the beach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dscott Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 I have two 8 ft airwaves and consider them to be pretty good, however - I sent the company an email weeks ago with a question about buying replacement guides and have not heard back. Bad customer service drives me nuts, so I won't buy another tsunami. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dscott Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 Make that one rod - I just returned from the beach with one of my airwaves snapped while I was casting a bucktail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 dscott -- take it to a shop that sells Tsunami rods and don't be surprised if it gets replaced for you. "Depend not on fortune, but on conduct." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dscott Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 Thanks Mike - I will give that a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrymski Posted June 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 How on earth did it snap while casting a bucktail? 35' Henriques "Frigate" 23' Scout "Jack Ship" 3' shopping cart for the beach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcarmano Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I own a 9'3" airwave medium heavy I believe. It's a solid rod, I wish I bought one a bit lighter, but it has held up for me so far, casts well, and works poppers nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to register here in order to participate.
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now