ABU GRACIA Eradicator 'Slow Taper Special' | Super Ultralight Rod Review

Remember that I did not repeat things Randy already discussed in his video - like specifications, casting performance, on the water impressions.. Please check his video if you are interested in this rod to get the full picture.
Randy's video: • Abu Garcia Eradicator ...
Link to my MajorCraft Truzer review: • MAJOR CRAFT Truzer Meb...
Link to Shimano Vanford models: fishing.shimano...
Daiwa Presso review: • Daiwa PRESSO | The Bes...
Please check my favorite fishing tackle at my Amazon page: www.amazon.com...
contact email: [e-mail]

[@AlinJapan]

This is quite a joy to watch--it's good of you to give a shout out for Randy's website. You probably already know this but, in Japan, the Vanford will be offered in 14 different sizes--I'm waiting for the C2000S without the HG ratio. Here's their page with the stats: fishing.shimano.co.jp/product/reel/6165

[@ifishcatfish]

Thats the size im getting too. Thats the perfect mate for this rod

[@AlinJapan]

@@ifishcatfish Sounds like an excellent combo. If I used it for trout fishing (stocked lakes and ponds), what do you think would be the upper limit on the size/weight of the trout?

[@ifishcatfish]

this is the perfect trout rod. There is no limit for occasional monster - u just have to take your time and fight it like a pro. It is the line that will be the limit anyway, as there is no way u can use it with more than 2 lb line with these guides. But i boat flipped some crappie and yellow bass (although I shouldnt) and it was just fine.

[@AlinJapan]

@@ifishcatfish Thanks, that is very helpful!

[@2musiclover534]

I just looked up the Vanford C2000s. It has 13.7mm stroke. Supposedly this is a long stroke spool right? I just measure my Daiwa 1003 spool and the stroke is 15mm. What gives? Am I not understanding something about the stroke length of the new Vanfords which I think is the same as the Stella and the 2019 Vanquish? I'd love to have some insight.... Thanks.

[@troutmagnetman]

Thanks very much Victor for the shout out. Very much appreciated and very kind of you to do so. That reel looks good on that rod. I plan on getting Vanford as soon as they come out with a bearing tuning kit for it. The TAF blanks are in my opinion what makes this rod so special. Looking forward to seeing you fish with the rod.

[@ifishcatfish]

Now i know why u were so excited. I had a fun session with some yellow bass and this rod made the fishing absolute blast. Angry bluegill are so much fun. The blank is no doubt incredible and to get so much flex from a carbon blank just defies physics. Also those micro guides i think have contact with the line the whole time and transmit vibrations very well. And u were right, somehow this rod casts pretty good despite the micoscopic guides. I think the blank loads up very well even with 1 gram jig and helps u sling it

[@raymondjohnson6496]

Hey Vic I saw your other video you said you bought another Abu Garcia Eradicator is it the same one that you already have or is it a different size I like to find the first one you had already where did you get it from

[@ifishcatfish]

I got the second one from a subscriber who is a walleye angler and didn't like it. It was too soft for him. Gave me a good deal and i bought it from him so i have a spare. The first one i got from ebay. They were available in several places before this video came out, and I got mine for $280 shipped. But they got bought out and its hard to find any right now. Places in japan still have them, but they don't ship to US.. It's tough..

[@billwolfram412]

lol I watched Randy's Video and say "I wish i_fish would review this rod !!! Many Thanks !!!!

[@billwolfram412]

Did you see that Daiwa has new ultralight KAGE ULTRALIGHT RODS ?? Many Thanks !!

[@ifishcatfish]

I tested those in the fishing expo. I did not like them. The true power is LIGHT. Also, very stiff mid section. Also not that pretty. That rod is better for white or yellow bass.. something bigger than crappie but smaller than largemouth bass. Or if u fish in the South with some giant crappie - then its OK as ultralight

[@ifishcatfish]

Folks, remember, i didnt repeat stuff that Randy already discussed. If u are interested in this rod or high end Ultralight tackle go give him a sub

[@greenpea9412]

Awesome video Victor. I have watched Randy before and you are right. That fellow has a serious collection and knows his stuff. Holly smokes those guides were tiny on that rod.

[@ifishcatfish]

You would appreciate this rod for trout. I know its hard to jump for it, but if u want to treat yourself - this rod is something else indeed. Casting is surprisingly good, like Randy pointed. I wouldn't call it a champ but definitely casts as far as i need without much hassle

[@XaltLures]

Shimano’ Poison Adrena rods also do have small eyes and it casts fantastic with light lures and a Stradic C14.reel.

[@ifishcatfish]

i have been looking at that rod but seems a little stiff for the fish of size i catch.. But its been on my radar..

[@lurelovepodcast3065]

Is it 4x better than a Daiwa Presso? I’m sure it’s great quality but that’s a lot of money for a rod, in my opinion.

[@ifishcatfish]

Daiwa Presso can do everything this rod can do, and it casts 4x easier. Sensitivity is definitely no the same though. Sensitivity during the bite, and sensitivity during the fight. But the daiwa presso can be transported a lot easier than this and is still a very thin and sensitive rod. When it comes to value, Daiwa Presso is the single best value in Ultralight fishing, in my opinion, i can't believe Daiwa made such a rod for $60. This is for when u have 5-6 ultralight rods already, and u just want to try the extreme sensation.

[@daytoncarmel6303]

@@ifishcatfish Thanks!

[@2musiclover534]

@@ifishcatfish One can easily just rebuild the Daiwa with Torzites micros like the JDM and take the performance up a notch. The guides alone would cost more than the whole rod...but there will be gains. That said, the type of guides on the Daiwa is as light as the Torzites of the same size. You can get the same type of Daiwa guides that is micro size also and they are very cheap. Then you can just rebuild it for greater sensitivity. The Presso blanks are actually very impressive as they are cheaper carbon fiber, BUT they maximize the performance of the components. In short, Presso OPTIMIZES the material they have to work with to hit a $ point. One thing that Presso does not do is that they do not sand down the blank so that the strength to weight ratio is higher than equivalent sanded blanks. Though many like the look, sanding really does drop the power with minimal weight savings. They then get the one of the lightest guide design for in the market that is also one of the cheapest. It's a great optimized budget design.

[@ifishcatfish]

@@2musiclover534 im not rebuilding my presso

[@2musiclover534]

@@ifishcatfish Of course. Did not expect you to. I was actually replying to Tim Bete, the original poster....:) Thanks my friend.

[@victorsimonsen921]

how do you like the handle with the hump style does it force you to hold it in one position or is it 0k?

[@ifishcatfish]

victor simonsen not my favorite for comfort, but sensitivity is really amazing. If thats the price im fine with it

[@hustonwitt9425]

Thank you my friend for your awsome secondary review on different subjects. Awsome ultra light rod. Stay safe

[@ifishcatfish]

thanks mr Huston1

[@JustJigit]

I always appreciate your honest reviews. Thank you!

[@ifishcatfish]

i always appreciate people who take the time to drop a line. I see people watch it to the end but they exit with no Like, no Comment..

[@leewgh45]

Thanks great video i've been eyeballing this rod since Randy's video.

[@ifishcatfish]

You should! This thing provides steroids to ultralight fishing

[@jessemedinajr1485]

Wow really enjoy this review thanks for putting all that work into it. Really like how you set up the rods to compare the parabolic bends. In your opinion from the rods you have which is the rod and it's specs that you would recommend for jigging? Thanks in advance Victor aka i_fish 🎣👍🏼

[@ifishcatfish]

Thanks Jessee! That depends or your budget and how careful you can be. These rods are pretty fragile. I think for most folks Shimano Sensilite is good enough.

[@jessemedinajr1485]

@@ifishcatfish Thanks so much Victor. I really like the Fenwick HMX but looking for another jigging rod. TY so much 👍🏼

[@jkfishingextreme2766]

Joran keren... Beli nya dimana teman?

[@ifishcatfish]

I don't speak turkish.

[@5wisher5weet]

0.1 wow

[@2musiclover534]

I know I ask you a ton of questions. I happen to really find your style of fishing of particular interest to me. Have you thought about getting other Eradicators in different length? If you could have just one length of UL rod to fish with, what length would you choose? And why? Liked this video too.

[@ifishcatfish]

Yes, inreally want a second eradicator, but absolutely blew my budget for this year. Also there would be no benefit for my channel as i have already reviewd it. Usually i justify these purchases with a review, as reviews are my main source of traffic. Around 6 feet is perfect for jigging. For float fishing i use a 8’ presso. Sometimes even 9’ presso. I dont like slip bobbers so i need a long rod for float fishing.. But i am not that sensitive to length. If the rod has the right balance and action.. i dont mind a little shorter or longer.

[@2musiclover534]

@@ifishcatfish Well, they make another one about the same length that is even less power. That will help your yellow bass feel like yellow fin tuna.....:) :) :) More huge beeeeeendo in your rod. Probably show the curve with just 3 oz weight. Come'on, come'on, you know you want it. All you need is to sell a couple of your reels and now you have another super super ultralight.....LOL!! Don't catch bigger fish. Find a rod that make the fish feel even bigger! Just having some fun with you my friend.

[@ifishcatfish]

@@2musiclover534 i actually want to try their UL

[@BillaBong1]

Where can u purchase this rod?

[@ifishcatfish]

that was 2 years ago. They all out of stock now

[@israelgoodlookingangler]

Good review 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽

[@ifishcatfish]

I appreciate it

[@emmanuel4902]

Excellent video 👌

[@ifishcatfish]

Thank you 👍

[@quanloikid1]

I looked at your reviews of the carabus, eradicator and the The Major Craft Truzer mebaru. If you had one rod to pick which one would it be?

[@ifishcatfish]

Eradicator, but i think most people would pick the Carabus or the Truzer. Depends on your preference for feel of the rod. I don't need the rod to be so sharp like the Carabus, or so perfectly balanced like the Truzer

[@MAX99999]

You wouldn’t have in your knowledge base an ultralight rod spec for saltwater? Saltwater guilds and cork. My freshwater gear are falling apart.. the nasci is holding up well but it has sand in it now ... big wave took it

[@ifishcatfish]

nothing under 100$. Any kind of steel guides will fail, even if it says stainless steel. Inserts are actually saltproof, even cheap ones like aluminum oxide, but the frames will rust. Titanium frame guides will not rust. Honestly, i am speculating. Don't have any experience with saltwater.

[@TojiZenin3956]

You hate micro guides. Send if back. I like your review more.

[@ifishcatfish]

I do wish the guides were a little bigger, since it doesnt have the magic feel anyway. Whats the point.

[@davidnewton3064]

I'm glad I found your channel. You do a lot of the same lite fishing that I like to do. I really do wanna find this rod but it looks like it's hard to get a hold of. Please do let me know if you have a good source for it. And you hit the nail on the head in one of your other videos. No warranty, no taking it back to the store, no safety net. If I do end up getting one I will certainly apply a very thin layer of clear lacquer or polyurethane or something on that bare joint end. No sense in even letting it wear down.

[@ifishcatfish]

I see you found an old video about the 'durability' of high end tackle. Yeah, that's not an advertising point of high end tackle. The rod is still available in several shops in Japan, but they don't ship to USA. If you have a friend in Japan, he can buy it for you, and mail it. The price is actually very reasonable in Japan.. I asked somebody to do that for me for another rod that I bought that the store didn't want to ship to Japan

[@felixliao5801]

Great review. I purchased a Daiwa presso 8 footer off your amazon page last night. Always happy to support you!

[@ifishcatfish]

Awesome! Thank you! Also, i am surprised you found it! It has been out of stock for a while. That is the best float fishing rod i have seen in my life.

[@VincentKearney1967]

Love the video but not the rod ! The guides just tiny and you are forced too use very light line , I like to have many options on my rod ! Thank for the video Victor as always doing an excellent job in information .

[@ifishcatfish]

i have the same sentiment in general. Hate small guides. But this rod seems to somehow cast just fine. I think because it is so soft, the blank loads really well on the cast , even with a tiny jig.

[@walden6272]

This rod is exactly what I want in an ultralight. I bet it's amazing fighting small size fish with. The handle could be better design. However, it's like looking at a Ferrari. Way out of my price range. And I'm not the most careful guy so I'll very likely break something this fragile.

[@ifishcatfish]

i will most likely break it too, sadly enough i think these are the odds. In reality it looks even thinner. I am zoomed as close as i can so u guys can see it, but this thing is thin. But i am not exaggerating for the fun during fighting fish - this thing is a blast

[@tomassnorkuss1983]

Hi thankyou I was considering this rod for some time now I decided to pull triger just coment in regards of power slow taper special is more sub group in eradicator lineup than a particular model

[@ifishcatfish]

i think so.. I thought so even when i made the video but didn't want to get deep into that because i am showing the actual taper so people can see it and the label is not so important. And u will love this thing. I was quite skeptical when i opened the box, but everything changed when u got the first bite. IT IS AMAZING

[@fjin1]

Where did u order this rod, thx

[@ifishcatfish]

ebay. But after the video that seller jacked the price from 280 to 360..

[@fjin1]

@@ifishcatfish any good place you would recommend to buy it now? I saw a video there is a new model coming out in 2021called Prototype, any news about that ?

[@ifishcatfish]

@@fjin1 no, i havent looked for it recently

[@alvinphua4093]

the rod already stated slow taper special, means it's a softer rod -sure it will wobble. this eradicator are meant to be saltwater ultralight rod .

[@ifishcatfish]

why are you sure? Is everything that manufacturers say true? Did I say anything negative about the taper or the wobble? I just want people to KNOW how exactly the blank behaves, because when u buy this 300$ rod you won't be able to return it. And i don't agree that this blank behaves exactly as expected. Nobody expects a $300 blank that is 99.9% carbon to be that soft, so i think it is very important to point that out to people. As for the 'Slow Taper' label, that's just misleading, as the action falls in the FAST category. I have at least 10 rods with slower taper than this, and all of them are classified as FAST. Daiwa Presso, St. Croix LEP, Shakespeare Micro, ACC Crappie Stix - all of these have slower taper that this 'Slow Taper'. But my point is that I am just reporting direct observations, not saying they are good or bad, because that depends on your fishing and your preferences.

[@anderson8869]

Great video! What is the full model number of this Abu Garcia rod?

[@ifishcatfish]

typing on my phone... but i am pretty sure you can see it in the very beginning of the video.

[@albertconradaberde2339]

Good day sir, do you have a review on Shimano lurematic ul 7f?

[@ifishcatfish]

no. I have only 3 high end rods.

[@p4pfisherman]

try Gamakatsu Luxxe Hana 6'9 feather lite rod. Crazy sensitive and light!

[@ifishcatfish]

do you have that rod?

[@p4pfisherman]

@@ifishcatfish yes, its my yellow bass rod

[@ifishcatfish]

How about mailing it to me for a week for review?

[@p4pfisherman]

@@ifishcatfish I would, but its broken 4" off the tip just recently. My fault though. Now to find replacement, won't be cheap lol

[@ifishcatfish]

OUCH! That is gona hurt. How did u break it? Solid tips dont break that easy..

[@tailslapexplore6887]

I might be 2 year late on this vlog but there's no more 6' 7" available anymore even on ebay ( 09/02/2022 ) still saw it last week selling at au$ 899.00 on ebay so please take good care of your rod THANKS buddy 🙏✌

[@ifishcatfish]

i bought a second one, a year ago : ) Definitely a rod that will be with me forever.

[@tailslapexplore6887]

@@ifishcatfish That is great, I recall I saw it few year ago at this shop and give them a call two day ago and they have the last three and I bought them all ( 6' 7" ) at au$ 350.00 each after discount and a 6' 10" solid tips from ebay, I'm a very happy man 😀tight line bruh.

[@cheapcopy1]

Like I said before, I really like your technical thought, in the 5th minute you talked about a topic I have not yet encountered in any video that talks about the connection of the spinning fishing rods, I noticed in some of my rods that the connection wears out very quickly, it did not happen in my opinion from the assembly and disassembly of the rod, it happens while fishing because of my casting style. I personally take advantage of the bend curve of the rod in casts and this whipping causes pressure at the connection point and requires me to straighten guids from time to time, I have recently started with all my rods rubbing the connection point with candle wax, I find in this a great solution both to prevent wear and also it creates a stronger vacuum between the parts.

[@ifishcatfish]

i once destroyed a rod because i put grease on the connection. The vacuum was so strong that i had to use tools to disconnect it and broke the blank. Be careful

[@cheapcopy1]

@@ifishcatfish It never happened to me that it was too strong to disassemble, I do not think wax can cause it because of the relatively thick layer that remains a buffer between the parts is always easy to remove and on the other hand also keeps the blank from wear and less slippery during casts.

[@Hogwylderr]

Great video & info! I watched both yours & Randy's videos on this rod. One of Randy's comments asked him if he would use it for trout. He said he would. Do you think it's strong enough for trout? I wonder how it would perform drop shotting. I drop shot with an ultralight for trout from the bank. Do you think you could drop shot with it?

[@ifishcatfish]

i drop shot with it. watch my perch videos. You can do anything with any rod, but this rod is not good for dropshotting in my opinion. The tip is too soft and flexes during the jigging. I cannot jig it exactly the way i want it and the way i do it with my stiffer rods. The problem is that when u dropshot you usually use heavier weights. This tip will flex if u try to jig more than 2 grams. In reality it doesn't matter and i got hundreds of perch dropshotting with it, but with a stiffer rod i definitely play the lure better. I still like it because the blank is so flexy that i enjoy pulling perch, while the stiffer rods can play the lure better but don't flex much from a perch. As for strong enough for trout - it definitely is. I think it is strong enough even for pike. Trout and pike dont fight very much, unless you are in current. If you are in current, definitely use a different rod, but the fish itself is not a problem. This rod is not really good from performance angle. I have much better rods for jigging and dropshotting and everything else. The reason i love this rod and use it more than any other rod is the fun factor when u catch a fish. U enjoy playing any fish in the water, any size

[@Hogwylderr]

@@ifishcatfish Thanks again for the info. It was a huge spend but I decided to get one. Like Randy says, as I get older, I just want to have fun. I'll more than likely put a Vanford 2000 on it and hope the roughness isn't very bad with it. I'm just as nitpicky as you about stuff like that, including the drag sounds 😂. I've seen one video of you fishing with but will definitely look for the others. Also, the TM jigheads do blow goats out of the pack (like almost all hooks) but they sharpen up easily & quickly. I sharpen every hook to 4,000 grit, like an EU carp fisherman would. Would you be willing to make me a couple of UL rod recommendations to look at for drop shotting? Thanks again my man for the info, video & time...🙏😍👍

[@ifishcatfish]

Most of Randy's rods are good for drop-shotting. Only his latest Abu rods are too soft for dropshot, but everything he has from before then looks good for dropshotting to me. I have only a few high end rods and they are all soft. My best dropshot rods are some cheaper rods, actually, the fenwick HMX and a discontinued MajorCraft that you can see in many videos

[@Hogwylderr]

@@ifishcatfish When I drop shot, I can't really jig it completely back very often. The place I fish is really snaggy, so I jig a couple of feet & reel back in & start the whole process over again. It is, what it is. 😂 I have 3 ultralight rods, 2 are Temple Fork Outfitters & the other is this one. I just really sucked at catching larger fish but since getting an ultralight, it doesn't bother me at all anymore 🤣. I would like to have a JDM Trout rod but I'm in no hurry at all. The season is almost over here, so I might get one for next season but I need to do a lot more research before I settle on one.

[@mandogfish7418]

where do you buy this Abu rod?

[@ifishcatfish]

i bought it on ebay 2 years ago. But they got bought out very soon after the video. Now there are some singles left here and there at stupid prices. I got this rod under 300$ shipped

[@MAX99999]

Hi. Pick up some cheap led lights. Shoot side and back. Should be no shadows. Details such as cork will show up in video more clearly. 😀

[@ifishcatfish]

i definitely need better lighting, but my table is already so crowded... i don't know how to do it without lights gettin in the way. But i need to think of something because shadows bother me too

[@MAX99999]

i_fish ryobi led light. Two part. And you can use it for other projects. Don’t forget to diffuse it with a clear white diffuser so the chrome won’t blind your viewers

[@ifishcatfish]

i dont want that around me : ). I will get something on stands, away from my table.

[@amifishing]

Nice rod, but probably there is an OEM version of it in aliexpress for 1/3 of the price.

[@ifishcatfish]

NO. Absolutely not possible. OEM will not be available and also no name copies of this rod are not possible either. Just the guides on this rod cost 100 , OEM price. How can u put these guides on a rod and then sell the rod for less than what u paid for the guides? I have half a dozen chinese rods and will make a review on those, but they are all bottom of the barrel components, wrapped in chrome to make them shiny

[@amifishing]

@@ifishcatfish You can say hundred times NO, but the truth is that pure-fishing has more OEM fishing products than any other supplier. Maybe it won't be with Fuji TZ guides, but I am pretty sure this blank would be available at much lower price point. For this kinda money I would've bought yamaga blanks blue current tz which is actually made in japan.

[@ifishcatfish]

I can say NO and until you show me one example i will be right. I hear this a lot and i ask people to show me these rods so i buy one of them for review. SHOW ME. As for the yamaga blanks, i will buy one of them one day, but they are on average $100 more than this, and dont have such a blank. Their bank may be even better, but they are different. This is really an exotic product

[@eugenejohnson8635]

How much are theses rods plus do they come in casting rods

[@ifishcatfish]

It was only 270 shipped. Thats really not bad. Jdm stuff can be a lot more. I dont know about casting but they have many spinning models.