EatMyTackle Sabiki Bait Fishing Rod

I was looking for a replacement Sabiki rod for the one I broke. I bought the 8’ version of this rod so that the standard size Sabiki rigs would go all the way in the tube. I use larger size flies, 10 &12. I used size 10 flies today for mackerel and the rod works perfectly. I though the 8’ rod might be too long but found the longer length worked great because you can lift and lower a full string of mackerel in the boat easily. The tip of the rod allowed for the flies to reel up into the tube with out any problem. This is the best Sabiki rod I have used.

If this thing actually does catch bait it is well worth the money. I have not tried to catch anything yet but the following may be helpful. Take my measurements with a grain of salt.The rod supposedly has a 7/16 inch hole. Sabiki hook sizes in the 22 pack assortment I ordered from Amazon, ranged in size and number of packets from two packs of fairly large, for Sabiki rigs, labeled 1/0. The other hooks, from larger to smaller, were 16, 12, 10, and 8. The assortment came with 8 number 16 and 8 number 8's,the smallest hook. The largest, 1/0, will efinitely NOT fit this pole if the hole size given is 7/16". The number 16 hooks seem to actually be 7/16 but my guess is they might not fit. The number 12 will probably fit. The 10 and the 8 most definitely will.It seems like I read about a number 14 and this might be the largest that will fit well though I may actually eventually test the 16s.Loading the things seemed to be a pain in the but but I found a fairly effective method. I got a long bamboo skewer like they sell to make shish kabobs for grilling with and, after mounting the reel on the disassembled rod, I scotch taped the end of the line to the end of the skewer and forced it through the hole. After pulling it through the handle part, I put it in the main part of the rod and just tapped it gently on the floor so that the skewer fell through dragging the line with it.As I understand it, this rod should basically be used by dropping it down and jigging it up and down. I will try casting it but I see no real reason I would want to in the ocean or bay. You might want to in a pond or stream I guess but your tangles will probably be a treat with so many hooks to snag the bottom. I mounted a fairly high grade push button reel on it and see no reason it should not cast. I will attempt a cast by letting most of the hooks out so they will not snag inside the rod. This may be the problem if you just try to cast with just the sinker sticking out. At any rate, I am too vision impaired to untangle bird nests in casting reels. I used to be an ace at this but now I'm 70 and more of an ass.As for baiting the individual hooks, I think it will be easier just to ladle down some chum or even lower a chicken leg down on a string. I have caught bait fish in crab traps on a piece of raw chicken.I don't think Amazon lets you write follow up reviews so I will take people's words that these catch fish. They should. I have seen small fish in ponds attach Styrofoam flakes. Crushed up eggshells also attrack fish.CAST TEST WITH BUTTON REEL: The morning, I enlisted the aid of my stepson and we went out into the street to test cast the Sabiki rod with a spincasting, push button reel. I used him to lift the sinker up when I reeled it back in to keep from dragging the hooks on the asphalt.The reel I used was a Daiwa Silvercast spincast reel. The sinker was one ounce. I let a fair number of the hooks out of the rod's inner tube and cast it. The thing went a truly impressive distance. My stepson had to run two house down to pick the sinker up before I reeled him in so a spincast reel works just fine though trolling all those hooks in real water on the bottom might NOT work just fine. I plan to jig it up and down from a pier or bridge.I would use a decent quality reel on the thing since some of those kiddy level button reels aren't worth doodle bug to begin with Good luck fishing.

Rods arrived on-time and safely. Had one small issue and a few questions, but the seller responded asap and resolved everything 100% . These rods work so well vs. battling the 5-6 sabiki hooks swinging around my boat like normal. Definitely better to use a conventional reel on these vs. a spinning reel. Huge time saver by not having to monkey around with sabiki's hooking everything they aren't intended for.

I will be hauling this in an 8’ rod carrier, with the addition of the weight at the end of the sabiki rig, it would fit too tight in my rod carrier, so i heated up the end, and cut it back an inch from the buttstock. wrapped some electric tape around the fiberglass and put the fittings back on. Now it will fit with the addition of the weight in my rod locker.have not taken it out in the water but i have inspected it for defects as noted in other reviews here and I don’t see any problem.If I do not update this review you may assume I had no further issues down the line. -Sept 5, 2020

Awesome rod. I put a baitcasting reel on it with a cheap sabiki rig (bought on Amazon also) and used it pier fishing about 4 times before I needed to put a new rig on. When I'm done catching for the night just reel the line in, hooks fit nicely in rod and don't have to worry about getting caught with them in the car.Just make sure you have a weight on end of rig so that it blocks rig from getting reeled too far in rod and then you can easily cast out next time.I'll take this everywhere I go fishing from now on.My son wants one so off to shopping I go.

I bought this rod to use for bait fishing, as designed. The rod arrived timely, is beautiful, and arrived packaged well and in great shape. However, I have two minor complaints about the rod and the included free rig.First, I didn't realize that this rod is designed for use with a conventional reel. I bought a spinning reel and found out that it doesn't work with it well at all. The bait rods for use with a spinning reel have an eyelet between where the line comes out of the pole and the reel. This one does not, and, therefore, is designed for use with a conventional reel.Second, the free rig that comes with the rod is awesome, however, it is too long. I tied a small swivel with a clip to the end of my line and then attached the rig to it. When I reeled the rig inside the pole, as designed, the rig is about 4 inches too long. The rig sticks out the top of the pole about 3 1/2 inches and, therefore, doesn't work as designed.Again, the pole itself is great, but I want all buyers to be aware of these two minor issues.

I love these. So much easier to manage Sabiki rigs. If you want something for catching bait fish. This really is the way to go.

After fishing sabiki's on a regular rod for many years, this has changed my world. I had the same rigs for the entire second half of the season after I bought this rod because it never got tangled on me. It works well, lightweight, holds the rigs easy. Keep in mind that if you don't buy short rigs with a few less hooks they may be so long that they can't be reeled all the way into the pole. Also the initial threading of your line through the pole is a bit of a hassle but not bad, that's why the pole is a two piece or it would be impossible.I highly recommended this, I bought another shortly after the first so I always have two on board.