KastKing Blackhawk II Telescopic Fishing Rods, Graphite Rod Blanks, Durable Glass Tip, Floating Guides, 1pc Performance, EVA Handle

I picked up this rod and paired it with a KastKing Megatron spinning reel for a coastal trip along the Gulf of America.The rod performed wonderfully. I was able to collapse it down and keep it secured to my fishing bag for the whole trip.But I made the mistake of packing it horizontally on top of the bag for the trip home, and through shuffling of luggage, I ended up breaking the first two sections off. Tragedy!!!It was such a good rod.Easy to extend and easy to collapse, with awesome flex. The rod was very sensitive, allowing me to feel every poke and strike on the bait. But those pier fish sure know how to sneak away without touching the hook.Now I have to decide if I want to get this one again, or try a different KastKing rod. I' really liking their line of products.Thus far I've used this rod, the Megatron reel, and a scissor/fillet knife combo. They are all well made when used correctly.Just be careful to keep the protector on your rod when collapsed, or you could suffer the same poor luck I did.

I was a huge proponent for Kast King when they first hit the market. They had quality gear that held up at a great price point.They've clearly gone the route of the "tech bros" and cut costs in favor of profits.I know they've always been a Chinese manufactured product, but the reality is, there are great things that come out of China. There's also a lot of terrible things that are the result of lazy manufacturing and/or design.Telescopic rods are designed to be traveled with, so to my surprise when traveling with the rod I bought, the tip snapped off when it had the slightest of pressure on it while I was moving it and it rolled off the table onto a chair cushion, which was about 8 inches down.I get that it rolled off the table, but the fact that it broke that easily, before I was even able to use it, tells me it's a garbage product.It's clear that Kast King has given up on quality products in the name of profit, and after many years of being a fan and supporter of theirs, I'll be moving back to trusted and reliable brands that don't manufacture complete crap.

REVIEW: BLACKHAWK IISpec: 7'6” MH FAST CASTING RODRating: 10-20LB LINE // 3/4-1 OZ BAITSI was asked to test & review this rod but I can start with this:I already owned a 7'3” MH Blackhawk (spinning rod) that I bought for a trip to St. Thomas and I caught a TARPON on it from a jetty.I could really end the review there.But I will share my heartbreak because, after fighting it for a while, it made a run around a rocky corner into the marina and cut off my line. But the 30lb mono LINE gave out. The ROD fought it just fine and that's pretty amazing for a telescoping budget rod.Note: I also bought a PENN 'scoping rod for the same trip and the KastKing was, hands down, the superior of the two.Now read on for the full breakdown...LOOKS/BUILD: At first unboxing of this one I had the same reaction I recalled from the previous rod and it's not a word I often associate with fishing rods: Elegant.The matte black finish with (just enough) gold accents perfectly complements one of the baddest names for any fishing rod out there. With the black & cork butt and split grip (somewhat reminiscent of my much higher priced Okuma Guide Select swimbait rod) to firm EVA grips and solid guide wraps, it's just a good looking rod. A hook keeper, nice large finger grip and solid reel seat round out the physique. For a 7'6” rod it is light (14.5oz) and balances on a finger at around 5.5” above the hook keeper. It also comes with a hard plastic guide-protector cap with a rubber strap to secure it when it's fully collapsed so you can throw it in a backpack and go.ACTION: It has a nice soft (fast) tip through to guide 4 for long casts and visual sensitivity. Then the backbone kicks in and it's substantial. (DID I MENTION IT HANDLED A TARPON??)CONS?: The only negative I can mention is inherent to ANY telescoping rod (that I've used, at least):If you pick it up and put it down repeatedly and spend a bunch of time whipping it around in the air and turning at different angles while you fish, yes, the guides might shift. Periodically pulling them tight and realigning them is just part of the trade-off of the convenience and packability of a telescoping rod.I also can't speak to its long term durability since I haven't gotten to punish it like some of my other rods. But, as a freshwater (primarily bass) angler, I will be telling the tarpon story for years to come as the one that got away. But the rod wasn't to blame. And that was on the 7'3”.KastKing did it again. Solid rod. Sharp looking. Great price. And, maybe, a tarpon. (Just use braid). What's not to like?