Okuma Fishing Tackle Nomad Inshore Graphite Travel Rod- NTI-S-703ML-M, Blue/Black, 7-Feet

I bought this as a travel rod. It's a 3 piece rod, and I've always been leery about buying segmented rods. They usually break right at the point where the segments fit together. I had a guy from a fishing forum convince me to give the rod a shot. Boy am I glad he did. First of all, it's visually stunning. It's super light weight, but don't let that deter you. They used very high end materials when they made this rod. I bought the spinning version in a 7' model. I was surprised to find the rod came with 2 tips. 1 Med, and 1 Med/Heavy. I used it for an inshore trip when I went to Oregon this past summer. This pole was a BEAST! It held up to an all day flurry of rockfish species (from lingcod, to cabezon, to black and blue rockfish). some of these fish had my rod doubled over (or as we like to say in the fishing community "BENDO"). I have lots of one piece rods, some of which are custom wrapped on high end blanks (like Seeker). I know good rods- and this rod is GOOD!

UPDATE 7/7/2015: upgraded from 2 to 4 stars because Okuma promptly lived up to their warranty and shipped me a replacement (arrived today). Only reasons for 4 vs 5 stars is that it broke in the first place and due to TSA policies for inbound flights back to the US, I'm going to have to check it on the way home from any fishing trips outside the States.Bought the ML-M travel rod and 3 piece Okuma boat road for trip to Grand Cayman. The boat rod worked great for trolling from kayak and for surf casting. However, the center section and M tip section of the ML-M travel rod broke after the first thirty minutes of use - maybe 25 casts. The DOA shrimp I was using got hung up and the rod broke when I tried to free it (the DOA popped right out, but the rod broke in the process of trying to get it loose). The middle piece broke in a thick section just below the second eye (not at the ferrule). The tip section broke about 8 inches above the point where the middle section broke, right where the ferrule support ended. I've been fishing for thirty-plus years and a medium weight rod should not have broken under the pressure/technique I was using to free this lure. Okuma customer service was helpful when I called and they have asked me to ship it back for replacement under warranty. I plan to revisit this review if/when that process gets completed. Also, it is worth noting that when leaving the US, TSA and the airline both were ok with this rod going through security and into overhead storage. However, for the flight back into the US, I had to check it ($25 charge). Apparently TSA in Grand Cayman has a policy that disallows fishing gear in the cabin. My friend bought/brought the same 3-piece Nomad travel rod on the trip and he also had to check his on the flight home after bringing it to GC as a carry on bag.

Love, love, love these rods!! This has been our go to rod for light tackle casting while the heavy rods sit off the back of the boat. We've pulled in everything from small snapper to 3-4' black tips, large Kings, and Cobia. Light enough to still enjoy small snapper and can even feel a pin fish struggle. Strong enough to pull in anything that 30lb line can handle. Fits in a large suitcase but beware that the carrying case is soft so pack them wisely in the middle of clothes to prevent airline abuse. We paired these up with a 4000 size spinning reel loaded with 30lb braid and 20-40lb leader depending on our targets. Reel seats are solid and visual the rods look pretty sharp. Slight corrosion around the guides from sitting after salt water use but I blame that on my laziness. A quick rinsing after use would easily eliminate this.

To begin with these do not fit in your checked bag. I carried mine on the plane and they take up very little space in the overhead. I did a great deal of research on travel rods. I learned there may be more options somewhere like Japan but here in the U.S. we have little to choose from when it comes to a travel rod of quality. I finally narrowed it down to this rod and one at Bass Pro. I ordered two from Bass Pro and they lost one of them at the store. I needed another quickly and did not trust them to get the right product. I ordered this rod and am very happy I did. Roughly same price as Bass Pro but this rod is much higher quality. It actually comes with two different end sections. I have the option for Medium or Medium Light. I could feel no difference between this and a single piece rod. I caught a lot of fish with this in the bay at Corpus Christi but admittedly nothing really big yet on this rod. It handled 5 to 7 pound fish without issue. This is certainly a purchase I would do over.

This rod is easy to carry on the airplane and comes with two different strength tips so it has some flexibility to be used for lighter or heavier tackle depending on the need. Strong, quality build. The action is really nice and there doesnt seem to be any compromise associated with the travel design. I will use it at home as well. I cant believe I waited this long to purchase a travel rod.

Great for a travel rod. Caught a nice clown knife fish on it. Action is not like a one piece, but it is not a one piece. The reel clamp has to be tightened repeatedly to keep it tight. Also have to regularly make sure that all the sections stay tight. Rod is also a little heavy and tough to cast light lures even with the ML tip on. Overall though the rod fits its purpose. It’s a travel rod you can fly with as a carry on and have a dependable rod with you for travel trips. It fits the bill nicely.

Absolute piece of junk! I bought the rod for shore and kayak fishing in Costa Rica. On my second day there the middle section of the rod snapped in half while fishing from a kayak when I snagged bottom (12 lb test should break long before the rod), rendering the rod useless for the rest of the trip.Also, the case had a seam that was not sewn correctly and was already coming undone when the rod arrived at my house. By the end of the trip about 26 inches of fabric had come apart on the carrying case.

I already have the Medium Heavy Okuma Nomad which is strurdy enough to fight the biggest freshwater fish. As I am tired of my son taking it, I bought the Medium Light for his birth day. The rods feel like a one piece and I can't wait to use it in the Caribbean. I was in need of a rod to replace one I broke but figured to get one that is salt water rated and small enough to travel with.

Traveled to Nicaragua from Canada and used this rod paired with a pen 3500 battle and had an awesome time fishing inshore with this set up