got my first tica - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

blue oyster · 05-25-2008, 08:03 PM

i won an 8' tica , graphite , med. action fast tip rod at the last m.s.b.a. meeting and this thing feels sweet , i am going to load it with a cabo 40 and and it is just crying for a bigfish pencil popper , can't wait to try it hopefully mon. or tue with the dropping tide

Frankiesurf · 05-26-2008, 10:03 AM

I just picked up my first one yesterday also. I got the 9' Dolphin surf with Medium action and fast tip and got a great deal on a Boca 50 that I couldn't pass up. I went out when I got home and it throws like a champ, is comfortable and super light to hold. It is rated for 3/4 - 3 oz and I think the sweet spot is 1 1/2 - 2 oz but it still throws heavier with no problem. Great rods for the price.

This was my Economic Stimulus present to myself, so for the first time in 8 years I thanked George Bush for something.

basswipe · 05-26-2008, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankiesurf

I just picked up my first one yesterday also. I got the 9' Dolphin surf with Medium action and fast tip and got a great deal on a Boca 50 that I couldn't pass up. I went out when I got home and it throws like a champ, is comfortable and super light to hold. It is rated for 3/4 - 3 oz and I think the sweet spot is 1 1/2 - 2 oz but it still throws heavier with no problem. Great rods for the price.

This was my Economic Stimulus present to myself, so for the first time in 8 years I thanked George Bush for something.

My first true surf setup was an 8' Tica when they first came on the market and a Spheros 8000.At that time the total price was under $150.I got several years out of that setup.My two biggest on that setup were a 20# and 24# bass.Sold the rod just recently and still have the reel as a backup.

I may very well buy one of the newer Dolphin series rods for that reel just to have something in a 2pc setup that I can toss in the vehicle for those quick trips.

Frankiesurf · 05-26-2008, 10:54 AM

The nine footer is a two piece. I would have to stick it out of the sunroof in my VW if it wasn't. The website Ticaglobal.com says they have a two piece 8' but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

Clammer · 05-26-2008, 11:16 AM

I got a Tica ;; on a recommended from Don @ King Cove.. I,m really pleased with the setup & I think its been three seasons & I havn,t broken it >> yet // so I,m a satisfied customer ;;

basswipe · 05-26-2008, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankiesurf

The nine footer is a two piece. I would have to stick it out of the sunroof in my VW if it wasn't. The website Ticaglobal.com says they have a two piece 8' but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

I would probably go with the M 9'er anyway just for the versatility factor.

Bass Babe · 05-26-2008, 05:03 PM

My 2-piece 9' Tica has since been retired, but it was a great first conventional setup. I'd get another if they came in pink or purple.

2-piece rods are the best invention EVER. I'm sick of sitting in the car, being bashed by rod tips during sharp turns or feeling guilty when I don't grab them to cushion every bump. Every rod made from now until the end of time should be 2-piece.

Sgt_Nutz · 05-26-2008, 06:17 PM

I liked my first 8' Tica mounted w/ a Stradic 5000 so much I picked up a 9' and 10' for the beach and then another 8'.

WadingWill · 05-27-2008, 07:00 AM

I have a 2 piece 10' tica that I use for heavier plugs and have no complaints about it, great rod for the price range for sure.

surfflyfish · 05-29-2008, 10:15 AM

i bough one and i love it. 8ft one piece,when is time to set the hook you can feel the power on the rod.
for the price ? heeeyyyyaaaa. i'll take them any time.

ragfly · 05-30-2008, 10:33 AM

I have had and used a 9ft and 11ft Tica rod the past 5 years and have great lcuk with these rods.... especially whenit comes to cost.

Sgt_Nutz · 05-30-2008, 02:46 PM

Broke my first TICA!!!!!!!!!

I was bending over the side of the boat releasing a fish with the rod in front of me when my feet slipped. Snapped the rod between me and edge.
Sooooooooooo :

MikeCC, do you have a TICA Dolphin 1/2-2 ounce mod-fast action 8' spinning 1 piece????? If so I may be down soon. Might have to work a little extra first though $$$$$$$$$$

Rockport24 · 05-30-2008, 03:28 PM

I had a 9 foot 2-piece tica as my first "real" surfcasting set up, all but one of the guides broke on it after one season of hard use, ticaglobal never responded to me even though the rod was under warrentee, that's when I decided the custom rod route was the way to go, get a quality blank and you can replace guides, rewrap it, whatever you want. It was going to cost more than the rod itself to replace the guides that broke on the tica. I know I should take better care, but I would rinse the guides down with freshwater. last season I got a new custom rod with good quality guides, fished it hard all last season the guides still look new.

that said, the new dolphin ones look a lot better and I also still have the 8 footer which has performed really well, but hasn't seen the intesne use the other one did, so the jury is out on it. It's going to be my main kayak rod this year, so we'll see how it holds up.

Frankiesurf · 05-31-2008, 07:35 PM

Just took the 9' out last night. It handled the blues and bass very well. I was used to a heavier action rod and the first blue surprised me but the rod had a nice hook set and pulled them in nicely. Even had enough power to horse it from going between the guys legs next to me in full shallow water frenzy.

kenyee · 05-31-2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockport24

I had a 9 foot 2-piece tica as my first "real" surfcasting set up, all but one of the guides broke on it after one season of hard use, ticaglobal never responded to me even though the rod was under warrentee

If you bought it from M&D's in wareham, did you ask Mike about it?

Rockport24 · 05-31-2008, 10:09 PM

no, I got in on the internet (or as Clammer calls it, "the interblab")
I forget where I bought it now.
either way, the botton line is tica never responded

Green Light · 06-01-2008, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockport24

....the bottom line is tica never responded

Not impressive. Customer service is big for me.

Three seasons ago I snapped not one, but two surf rods via Pendulum casting. I learned the hard way how much strain the pendulum cast puts on a rod (4 oz singer with bait). In any case, a custom was too much green to lay down on the counter at "my" bait shop back then. So I went with a St. Croix for around $135'ish. Second time out, we are driving trough the narrow streets of Orleans MA when a low hanging tree branch rudely grabbed the tip of my rod and flung the top piece up an over the beach buggy. We search and search...it was now where to be found. One year latter, I call up St. Croix...they shipped me a new rod section at a very, very, reasonable rate. (In fact, the St. Croix rep. was ready to shipped me a whole new rod for half the price if she could not locate me the rod section for my particular model.) I was impressed.

I now have two St. Croix's and most likely will pick up a third.
Why? Great rods. Great customer service.

I say "most likely" because I am looking for 9' 2pc (I second Bass Babe) rod that can handle 1 to 3 oz plugs. I then be be in the 1.5 to 2.75 range most of the time; I am also hoping to have this rod pull double duty and sling eels as well. If anyone one has any suggestions, I welcome PMs.

I know there are other "Great Rods. Great Customer Service" rod companies out there...does anyone else have any stories?

But alas, I am digressing and nearly off topic.