I really appreciate reasonably priced fishing gear. Not long ago as a penny-pinching collegiate angler, I was constantly searching for quality gear that wouldn’t cost me a fortune. I’m a firm believer that, contrary to popular belief, bass fishing doesn’t have to be expensive.
In today’s economy, price has certainly become a driving purchasing factor for many avid anglers. I’ve been testing out the 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod lately and have found it to be a perfect balance of outstanding performance and affordability.
Very well-balanced
A poorly balanced fishing rod will definitely hinder your fishing success. Whether you’re a flipper, a cranker or a finesse angler, a well-balanced fishing rod will reduce fatigue and increase your efficiency on the water.
When you put the 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod in your hands it’s—for lack of a better term—just plain sexy. You can balance it easily on one finger and when paired with a Lew’s BB-1 Pro Series Speed Spool Casting Reel, it acts as one cohesive unit.
The butt section doesn’t lift your rod tip upward when flipping and pitching, allowing you to use a soft grip while making very small, subtle movements to your soft plastic baits. In my opinion, a soft grip allows me to be much more “in-tune” with the blank, allowing for increased sensitivity.
I keep my rods in my office and my friends constantly tinker with them when they visit. Every single person that has picked up the 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod has been blown away by its weightlessness and balance. I just had a buddy try to buy it from me today, but it’s definitely not for sale.
Feel exactly what’s happening down there
I’ve been using the 7-foot, 1-inch medium-heavy 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod to pitch and flip soft plastics and have been extremely impressed by its incredible sensitivity.
Even with a light Texas rig, I’ve been able to feel everything my bait is doing. I’m able to feel small transitions in bottom composition, root systems from nearby trees and submerged vegetation I didn’t even know was there. The reel seat provides direct access to the blank, which is instrumental in getting the most sensitivity out of a rod.
The fishing has been a little off here recently, so my flipping bites have been very light. A lot of my bites have come while yo-yoing my bait over laydowns and I’ve been able to feel every single one. Even the bass that “tick” the bait have ended up in the boat. I’m really looking forward to brush pile season on my home lakes because this rod is going to be outstanding for throwing a shaky head in them.
Powerful
I have a lot of lightweight fishing rods, but a lot of them lack the power I’m looking for when flipping and pitching. The 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod has all the power you could ever need in a medium-heavy rod.
The tip is fast, but the blank is a flat-out mule on hooksets and while fighting bass. If you get a bite in shallow water from a 2-pounder, you better watch out—I’ve been sending them to the other side of my boat on the hookset.
This rod’s power has also come in handy when fishing heavy cover. Like I said, I’ve been getting most of my bites in the middle of laydowns and the 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod snatches them right out with no problem at all.
Durable and quiet
“Quiet” is a strange term to describe a fishing rod, but if you’ve used rods that snap, crackle and pop when under a load, you know what I’m talking about.
There is no flex or movement in any part of this rod. When you set the hook, you won’t hear any creaking or any other ominous sounds—it’s a really solid piece of equipment that’s very well-built.
I’m very particular about the guides on a rod. If a rod component is going to fail, more times than not it will be one of the line guides. The guides on the 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod are very resistant to bending and are attached very firmly to the bank. If you keep a bunch of rods on your front deck, you’re bound to step on and bend a few guides, but these guides hold up very well to all kinds of abuse.
This rod also features Zirconia inserts that are extremely smooth and stay in-place well. I’ve been putting this rod through the wringer and I haven’t had any of the inserts pop out.
Attention to detail
This is my first experience with a 13 Fishing product and I’m very impressed by their attention to detail when designing this rod.
The hook keeper is located directly above the reel seat on the top side of the blank and is very low-profile. Regardless of the situation, you won’t have to worry about getting your line caught up in it. It’s easy to insert your hook into, but it doesn’t get in the way. I’ve shattered a few rods on the hookset when my line has gotten caught in the hook keeper, so I’m pretty excited about this design.
The butt section of the 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod is not made of cork like the handle is. Instead, it’s made of EVA foam. That may not seem like a big deal, but if you’re like me and like to wear light-colored shirts on hot days, this totally eliminates any of those stubborn cork stains on the sides of your clothes.
Finally, this rod looks awesome. A good looking rod won’t catch more fish, but it definitely looks good on the front deck of a boat. It has a 30-ton carbon fiber blank, but the cool carbon fiber look is carried throughout the entire rod.
If you’re looking for an affordable, but high-quality casting rod, I totally suggest checking out this 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod. It starts at $99.99 and performs better than many more expensive rod models I’ve used in the past.
The 13 Fishing Omen Black Casting Rod is available at TackleWarehouse.com.
