b"TestedTica Tempest A heavy fish grabbed the softbait and put a good bend in the Tica Kazumi 8ft rod.BY MATHEW HEWETSON TICA TEMPESTTT2500Tica have been releasing plenty of new spin reels over the past 18 months, and we have managed to get our hands on several to test out on the water.T heir latest flagshipwaterproof aluminium mainsuited for casting lures in thewhere Craig had done well in reel is the Tempest,body, cover, rotor, and forged15g to 55g range, with linethe past.available in a smallaluminium alloy spool.Therating up to 8kg (PE1). Upon leaving the beach 2500 size, ideal formain shaft is made fromI liked how light the combowe saw diving gannets in either freshwaterhardened stainless steel forfelt in hand, the rod is a bitthe distance and headed to (spinning) orstrength, and then encased inlonger than the 7ft softbaitinginvestigate what was under saltwater (softbaiting or8- sealed precision stainlessrods I am used to fishingthem.We both hooked up jigging) and larger 8000rust resistant ball bearingswith, but it would enable aon stroppy kahawai and model suited for targeting(RRB).With an instant anti- longer cast which I was eagerthe little reel got a good kingfish (jigging or topwater). reverse roller bearing in theto test out on the local Farworkout on a couple of fish, We collected the TT2500rotor, anti-twist line roller andNorth fish. we soon figured out there from Kilwell to take up to thelarge waterproof carbon drag. was no snapper under the Far North on a fishing tripThe small 2500 sized reel hasRANGIPUTA TEST feeding schools.to test it softbaiting arounda good 5.2:1 retrieve ratioI had driven from Tauranga inWe headed further along Doubtless Bay.Our test reelthat retrieves 72cm of line permid-June and met Coopersto some rocks that had good was matched with Ticas latesthandle crank.Beach resident and client,swell stirring up the water Kazumi Spin 8' 2-piece rod,The Tica Kazumi 8ft (2.4m)Craig Jenkins from Zeropakas the rough sea conditions which is designed for thenano-technology blank is builtto head out in his new boat. dropped and there was little Japanese slow jigging andlight and strong, for thoseAfter a good blow over thewind.Craig positioned the softbaiting market. big days on the water andpast week stirring things up, Iboat and we drifted slowly The Tempest TT2500 has acasting constantly. It has thewas expecting hungry fish tointo a quiet bay, the depth maximum drag capacity of 5kgsensitivity to feel the lightestcast lures too and we decidedranged from 13m to 5m and and is designed for use withtake and power to subdueto launch from Rangiputawith plenty of kelp and sand, braid or mono.It features afish. This slimline blank is bestand head along the coastit looked promising.72FISHING IN GODZONE JUL/AUG 2021"