Hot for the 2012 season are Bimini Bay Outfitter’s new Tsunami Airwave Elite surf, spinning and conventional boat rods. What makes them so unique is that their design concept, blank actions, guides and 100% graphite construction were all blended from the get-go to achieve maximum performance using superbraid fishing lines.
Bimini Bay Outfitters, located in New Jersey, knows a thing or two about bringing quality fishing tackle to coastal anglers at an affordable price. The entire selection of Bimini Bay fishing tackle is based on filling the needs of anglers with rods, reels, lures, rigs and accessories that are high value-for-dollar and high performance products. I have been using some of their jigging and spinning rods for the past few years with great success, and it seems that they are right on the money, providing high-performance products with a lot of bang-for-the-buck. The Airwave six-foot stand-up rod that I bought early last year from a local tackle shop on Long Island has already notched at least a half-dozen makos, a few hammerheads, dozens of football tuna, tilefish from the deep and a few yellowfins and albies trolling at the edge. I paid $100 for it and it’s still going strong. For my business as a traveling guide, where the tackle I bring aboard a customer’s boat has to perform many duties (jigging, trolling, chunking, bottom dropping, casting, etc.) based on what the ocean presents on that particular day, my Airwave SU601-20 is a multi-mission tool that’s really tough to beat.
The new Airwave Elite series of rods takes this proven performer one step further down the evolutionary path, with rods that are designed to be lighter, stronger and more powerful due to their high fiber density graphite blank construction. The 100% graphite composition of the blank also offers increased sensitivity and super fast shock recovery for improved casting, which is further helped by employing Fuji Concept "K" series Alconite “tangle free” guides. This breakthrough guide design uses a titanium frame and a “braid proof” Silicon Carbide ring for longevity and durability out on the briny and virtually eliminates those dreaded wind knots when casting superbraid line. A Fuji graphite and stainless steel reel seat is added to the mix with tough and durable diamond-textured shrink vinyl grips to complete the package.
As of this writing, the Airwave Elite series of saltwater fishing rods includes a trio of subgroups. The “Surf Spin” collection offers three two-piece models (932XH, 1002XH and 1142XH) that as you might guess from their description, are nine-foot, three inches; ten feet; and 11-foot, four inches in length respectively. The two members of the “Blue Water Spin” family are also two-piece sticks and both measure eight feet, six inches in length, with the distinction being that one stick is rated for 40- to 80-pound line and the other for 50- to 100-pound line. The Braid Select group consists of five rods (three casting and two spinning) one-piece saltwater rods ranging from six feet, six inches to seven feet in length, with a combination of the power factor and the overall length being the distinctive difference among them.
I was able to get a pair of Airwave Elite field test samples from the good folks at Bimini Bay Outfitters to evaluate for this product review, specifically the model TSAWEBC-661XHJ, which is a six-foot, six-inch heavy jigging rod rated for 50- to 130-pound braid line and lures from two- to eight-ounce, and the TSAWEBS-701MH, which is a seven-foot spin stick rated for 20- to 40-pound braid and lures from ¾- to four-ounce. I matched up a Penn FTH-25N narrow spool Fathom jigging reel to the 661-XJH stick and a Penn Captiva CV-6000 spinner to the 701MH rod, which in both cases, were totally harmonic and balanced marriages of machine to fishing rod. In fact, the spinner was a “perfect match”…and how do you determine this? By mounting the fully loaded reel to the rod and then placing your finger just in front of the forward reel seat lug. If your outfit balances perfectly like a see-saw, you are in business and good to go. If the rod topples either forward or aft during this simple field test, your outfit is “out of balance” and will fatigue your casting wrist in a short time when on the water tossing plugs or lures with for any protracted length of time.
I was able to take the spinning combo up to one of my fave spots near my house near the Centerport Harbor bridge and was able to convince some small bay blues and schoolie stripers to come out and play for a while. To check out the jigging combo, I took it aboard one of my recent “away” charters and had some fun on one of the south shore artificial reefs nailing sea bass and fluke while drifting and working a small jig. I would rate each stick as strong, sensitive, lightweight and with just the right action to take care of business. Since these are both 100% graphite blanks, you do not want to “high stick” these, which is a sure recipe for disaster. You’ll find that these give you all the power you need from the 8 o’clock to the 10 o’clock positions, lessening the chance of snapping off one of the tips on a large gamefish (remember, these are braid rods and superbraid line doesn’t stretch). With an MSRP of $159.99 and a street price that’s usually a bit less, you just can’t go wrong.
All Airwave Elite rods are backed by a one-year warranty.
