Japanese Tackle--a Linguistic Tour de Force!

[Uncle Russ]

OK, so I know that after reading this, someone is going to say: "Well, that's 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back". (The last time someone said that, I replied: "Yeah, it took me 2 minutes to write it." Anyway, what the hell--things are slow and I can't go fishing until July...

I got to reading Sea Crappie's post about trading his Zenaq and did not want to hijack the thread. He mentions his new Souls rod and it got me to thinking how much I just love the names the Japanese give their tackle. Right now, I am reading the pamphlet that comes with the Tackle House Shibuki Minnow--it carefully explains in several languages how the internal construction has been changed over the previous versions of the lure, (even giving two different numbers for the processes.) It describes the stabilization methodology that permits the lure to be trolled or retrieved at 12 knots, and it even diagrams the inside of the bait and explains how internal forces are compensated and shock-absorbed and how the body materials and I don't know what-all. Mercy! All I can say is that if Dell or MicroSoft documented their products as well as this lure is written up, setting up your home system would be absolutely foolproof.

And what is more, when you buy one of the damned things, you don't know whether to feel like an idiot for paying all that money or to feel really cool that you dropped $40 dollars for one lure that a 2 foot 'cuda could make off with in half a heart beat. To top it off, when you open the box, only then do you figure out that their salesmanship was good enough to make you buy the thing and have the privilege of putting about $5.00 worth of hooks on it on your own dime!

It's kind of like the old James Thurber cartoon in which a guy is sitting at a table in superb high-dollar restaurant. He's staring at a filthy, steaming tennis shoe on his plate. The head waiter is saying: "Oui Monsieur, that ees correct. We gave eet a fancy French name, and you ordered it!"

But there is nothing--and I mean nothing--cooler than owning a "Souls Saltwater Finalist Tuna Casting True Excaliber XXHS." I mean it just sounds like a badass rod that you could use to crank in a cow like it was a perch!

Hell, I bought one, knowing that I didn't really need it and certain that it was too long for me and I probably couldn't cast it worth a damn, but figured that it would be at least cool to have something that looked like an ordinary surf rod but that was loaded with massive steroids. And when people ask me "oohra oohra, is that your rod?" I can tell them "Yes, son, that is a "Souls Saltwater Finalist Tuna Casting True Excaliber XXHS!" Be careful because it can hurt you."

When I whip that sucker out, I may not be able to cast it but I guarantee you that I'll feel like John Holmes at a Eunichs' convention!

When you own this rod, and see some poor slob with a dog like an OTI, a Calstar or, (dare I say it?) a Super Seeker, you can just look down your nose at him like you are drinking champagne and he just found a week-old turd in his punch glass.

Smith's and Carpenters are pretty cool but have nothing like the panache of the "Souls Saltwater Finalist Tuna Casting True Excaliber XXHS!"

OK, so there may be one or two options out there that are almost that cool--the "Zenaq Monster Buster for Ironman" comes pretty close--close, but no cigar. The only possible competition would have to be the Seven Seas "Atomic Sword." I think I need one of those too--and maybe a Carpenter's "Wild Violence" while I am at it.

They may be better fishermen than I am, but until mcgolfer, and Ksong and gman and gunsmoke and MrBill and all the rest of you can convince me you too have such a weapon at your disposal, then Podnuh, to old Uncle Russ, you ain't $hit!

Russ

[ono87]

Hi Kev,
If you are interested in GT fishing in Oman, bring your heavy sticks. They recommend 100 lbs spectra, 200 lbs leader. The boat rods they use are Smith 80/35's with shimano 20000. I used the Halco Rooster 195mm they provided, but the best lures of the trip were Orion Big Jim popper and Big Foot stickbaits. These are pelagic GT's very tough, along with the fast current makes them tough beasts to land. And questions, feel free to ask

ED

PS Oceanactive.com

Originally Posted by Fishhead56

Thanks for the reply.
Let us know about your
plans and trip.
Hope you don't mind a PM question or 2
I will be very close to there again next year Jan - July
on a project at the Port of Korfforkan
maybe 50 miles from there..
Good Luck
Kev

[hatidua]

When I whip that sucker out, I may not be able to cast it but I guarantee you that I'll feel like John Holmes at a Eunichs' convention!

Definitely a good buy then