Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

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chreim20
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Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by chreim20 » Tue Apr 02, 2019 2:38 pm

I just picked up this rod and was wondering what techniques people like to use with it?

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by chadhines81 » Wed Apr 03, 2019 5:31 am

It is a do it all rod. Jigs and worms to top water. I do not use it for crankbaits but that is about it.

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by hoohoorjoo » Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:19 am

chadhines81 wrote:It is a do it all rod. Jigs and worms to top water. I do not use it for crankbaits but that is about it.
In a pinch, I have actually used it for a 6XD. It actually worked well, even with a fish on. But chadhines81 is correct-the rod really is a do-it-all rod. It was primarily a pitching rod for me, and was a great spinnerbait/buzzbait/chatterbait rod, too. The sensitivity of that series is above-average, for sure. My one gripe with the rod was that the cork didnt stay nice for very long, even with U40 applied. Thats why most of my rods are EVA. On a side note, I really dont like the trend towards proprietary reel seats, especially the split seats. Assuming you have the T7 model, the ACS reel seat is polarizing-people either love it or hate it. I think that reel seat is great, along with the ECS seat. Guess I'm old-school.
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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by chreim20 » Wed Apr 03, 2019 7:15 am

I'm surprised it's a do it all rod, what about hollow body frogs in sparse cover or open water? It kind of feels like an old IMX 844c rod I use to own.

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by falcon » Wed Apr 03, 2019 5:30 pm

Awesome rod and really can do it all. Miss my falcons but their decision to outsource keeps me fromgoing back
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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by chreim20 » Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:47 pm

falcon wrote:Awesome rod and really can do it all. Miss my falcons but their decision to outsource keeps me fromgoing back
What do you mean outsource? Like have their rods made overseas?

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by okiefisher8 » Wed Apr 03, 2019 9:32 pm

chreim20 wrote:
falcon wrote:Awesome rod and really can do it all. Miss my falcons but their decision to outsource keeps me fromgoing back
What do you mean outsource? Like have their rods made overseas?
A few of their rods may be outsourced. I know the HD series is. I believe caras are still made in the US

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by ShimanoFan » Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:04 am

falcon wrote:Awesome rod and really can do it all. Miss my falcons but their decision to outsource keeps me from going back
Same here. I am a huge old Falcon rod fan, but ONLY of their American made rods.

What Falcon is doing is transferring production over to China in small bits and pieces, one rod series at a time. When the Buccoo left America, I left Falcon.
Why is there a concerted effort of hate? And why is it allowed?

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by falcon » Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:07 am

Every rod is now outsourced except the cara. Word is when they release the new cara line they will also be outsourced. I wish I could source the 6’10 rod blanks to build on.
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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by ShimanoFan » Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:33 am

falcon wrote:Every rod is now outsourced except the cara. Word is when they release the new cara line they will also be outsourced. I wish I could source the 6’10 rod blanks to build on.

You can. I source mine on ebay and craigslist all the time and every now and then I find them in pawn shops and I never pass up a good Falcon rod on which I also rebuild the guide system into a spiral wrap.


One thing about the used aftermarket for rods is in our favor big time. I've been buying and selling rods and reels for as long as I have been working on them for over 35 years.

And it has been my experience that when a rod is found intact inside a pawn shop, then more than likely it is a solid rod and here is why...

Most used rods that wind up in pawn shops or aftermarket have already been used and abused for years. If that rod blank were going to break, it would have already done so. So in general when a rod makes it into the used market, they passed the manufacturing flaws test and survived right on into my hands.

I actually prefer to buy them used because they have been tried and tested, and the price is nowhere near retail. I get them for average $20 each. And that Chinese sellout company Falcon does not get one red cent from that sale!

Works great all the way around!
Last edited by ShimanoFan on Thu Apr 04, 2019 2:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Why is there a concerted effort of hate? And why is it allowed?

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by chreim20 » Thu Apr 04, 2019 6:18 am

ShimanoFan wrote:
falcon wrote:Every rod is now outsourced except the cara. Word is when they release the new cara line they will also be outsourced. I wish I could source the 6’10 rod blanks to build on.

You can. I source mine on ebay and craigslist all the time and every now and then I find them in pawn shops and I never pass up a good Falcon rod on which I also rebuild the guide system into a spiral wrap.


One thing about the used aftermarket for rods is in our favor big time. I've been buying and selling rods and reels for as long as I have been working on them for over 35 years.

And it has been my experience that when a rod is found intact inside a pawn shop, then more than likely it is a solid rod and here is why...

Most used rods that wind up in pawn shops or aftermarket have already been used and abused for years. If that rod blank were going to break, it would have already done so. So in general when a rod makes it into the used market, they passed the manufacturing flaws test and survived right on into my hands.

I actually prefer to buy them used because they have been tried and tested, and the price is nowhere near retail. I get them for average $20 each. And that Chinese sellout company Falcon does not get one red cent from that sale!

Works great all the way around!
You got it all figured out, lol, and you make a very good point about used gear, especially rods. The two Cara Head Turners I bought are used, they both have different reel seats though. Says made in America with the American flag right on the handle. Makes me feel good using something made here by American hands.

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by ShimanoFan » Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:09 am

chreim20 wrote: Says made in America with the American flag right on the handle. Makes me feel good using something made here by American hands.
Yes sireee! It does feel good doesn't it!

FYI folks, writing has been my game for decades... so you know, I got words man and I use them. If this is too many words, don't read it. This is a word forum after all... the sharing of information for all of us to benefit from. Too bad some forums can't see above the mowed grass tops...

Everytime I go fishing the rod in my hands are more important to me than the reel. In fact, as I fish, my mind is drawn to the rod, not the reel. The reels fade into the mental background of just another ordinary machine even a $500 ordinary machine fades away as the rod comes to life, but the rods have soul. They have life poured into them by heaven above! Chinese rods come from below, from a darkness... of treason...Oh shyt now I'm going off on the colorful wordy crap again...

I want a magical rod that comes to life like lightning in my hands, not some lifeless dud made in China.

I am fortunate to have some of the finest rod makers in the world right here in the Confederate States Of sweeeeet Dixie!

Morgan McCain, Kistler, Bill Batson, Brett Chapman, Gary Loomis, and a few others really stand out from the crowd. I have never seen nor held any rod from China that is made like our Americans did. I am told China simply does not have the capacity for the rigid tight quality control we have here. They pump them out at huge volumes at a furious rate.

Our American craftsmen take their time and do each one by hand and test them very carefully. Just not the same from China. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

What a great day today is! Like a huge burden is off my soul! My mom always said fly with the eagles! Don't run with the turkeys! Well mom, I did and I regret it but it is over now and I'm free!

Dam caffeine kick... :sick:

***Added... What I wrote above about lifeless Chinese made rods versus high quality American made rods, is now happening to Falcon. It is as if the rods made here are being killed off by being sent over to China to be made there. The American Falcon rods have quality and life to them. Falcon is now taking that life from those rods, and from all of us, and handing us just another piece of cheap chinese junk for artificially inflated prices too; so the company can carve out higher profits with lower expenses and stay hush hush on the switch.

In my personal opinion, I think this move to China by Falcon is a bad signal across the tackle world... Could this be the canary in the mine? The last straw? Is Falcon setting itself up for a potential sellout? Are they hurting that badly making American made rods that the only way they can survive is to lower production costs moving to China? A bad signal indeed... and here is why I think that is happening people... I will post just 2 charts below to show the state of our economy and U.S. dollar buying power. You just look at where we are today and make your own predictions on what this means for all of us...

Some people here in America never set up shop here to build their rods. From day one they are selling us all out with cheap chinese junk all centered around some 10th rate semi-pro fisherman who got his name out there for 5 minutes and now using it to market entire lines of tackle to us at high prices with MADE IN CHINA right on the label. Walmart rods advertised and sold as high end. Unreal. Try selling a volkswagon with a porsche covering to a race car driver.
Last edited by ShimanoFan on Tue May 14, 2019 6:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Why is there a concerted effort of hate? And why is it allowed?

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by okiefisher8 » Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:09 pm

Disappointed to see they are outsourcing most everything now. Falcon’s home base is just a few miles from me. I’ve just been out of the game for awhile. Just from looking on their site the only rods may be the caras and the Jason Christie series of rods.

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by chreim20 » Thu Apr 04, 2019 4:36 pm

Hey ShimanoFan,

Really enjoyed your post and I think your spot on. I try to buy American when I can. I have two sons that play baseball, they are 5 and 7. They use Nokona baseball gloves, the only baseball gloves made in the USA in Nocona, Texas. Sure, they were $230 a piece when everyone else is using $50 gloves made overseas, but they are made with the finest materials and will probably be used by one of their kids eventually. Plus knowing an American put those gloves together puts a smile on my face every time they catch a ball :D

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Re: Falcon Cara Head Turner Casting Rod

Post by hoohoorjoo » Thu Apr 04, 2019 6:20 pm

So, this outsourcing has left a burning question in my mind.... is CUI going under? (Composites Unlimited) They are in OK and rolled all of Falcon's USA-made blanks, to my knowledge. I had a buddy who worked there at one time. I will ask him, though not sure if he would know, since he left them back in 2010.
Try not to let your mind wander. It is much too small to be outside unsupervised.

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