Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

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Houndfish
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Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by Houndfish » Mon May 13, 2019 3:12 pm

I am on a quest for a short rod to use primarily for hollow-body frogs in medium to heavy cover. Secondary uses would be 5-6" paddle tails up to like 1.5oz and wakebaits and glides up to about 2oz. Right now I am using and loving an MB Hyuga 72H for these baits but it's too long for a lot of the bushwhack fishing that I do and I would like a second, shorter rod for that.

Bone World has a couple of lines that have rods that I think will work but info on them is very scares. I have found some videos of the rods I am looking at but it's hard to get a sense of the tips on any of them.

From the Combat Beast line I am looking at these two rods:

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From the Black River line I am looking at these two rods:

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I have found an AU tackle shop that stocks the two travel rods and the 1-piece Combat Beast and will ship to the US. I assume I can find one to sell me the 1-piece Black River. The shipping isnt cheap in either case but obviously the multi-part ones will be a lot cheaper.

I am looking for any info anyone has on these rods. My preference is for the shorter single piece rods but the travel rods will be cheaper and I have been looking for a quality heavy travel rod for other stuff. If I can get a good feeling about either of the 1-piece rods I am fine with spending for them. My main concern is how any of them will handle 1/2oz frogs. The rods all clearly have the powers and tapers that will work, but all the videos I have found of them have them being used with large treble hooked lures and fighting fish far far larger then the modest bass and snakeheads I will be targeting.

Any info would be welcome as would be suggestions on other rods like these that might work. 13 fishing has a short-ish frog rod but it will be too weak for any of the other uses and at 6'5" is longer then my ideal. Getting the 1-piece Combat Beast shipped to me will cost me about $400, the mulit-part Black River will be around $300, so I would like to stick in that range. Thanks for any info anyone has.

domthewon
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by domthewon » Tue May 14, 2019 1:00 pm

I knew I seen them on here before. I don’t own any, but might know of someone who has.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=79662

poisonokie
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by poisonokie » Tue May 14, 2019 2:38 pm

Hold up. You can put Zillion gears in a Steez?? Does that mean you can put Steez gears in a Zillion??? Can I get a set of 8.1's for my Zillion SV 7.3???? And then put those 7.3's in the 6.3 I have on my TW rod??????????
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JWY
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by JWY » Tue May 14, 2019 7:06 pm

I was not impressed with these rods when I handled them at my local shop which pretty much had the entire range in stock at the time. To me, majority of this brand’s offerings were way too stiff.

I was also on the look out for a short and versatile travel rod for an upcoming trip and ended up getting the BRIST 510MXH from Fishman. Now it’s one of my favorites. Check it out and see if it suits your needs.

Houndfish
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by Houndfish » Wed May 15, 2019 5:42 am

JWY wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 7:06 pm
To me, majority of this brand’s offerings were way too stiff.
That’s my biggest concern with them, is that they’ll be too stiff to cast and work a frog. That’s what got me looking at their Black River line, as it’s described as having a softer tip for throwing lighter lures, which sounds like what I usually look for him a frog rod.

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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by ss30378 » Wed May 15, 2019 5:49 pm

poisonokie wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 2:38 pm
Hold up. You can put Zillion gears in a Steez?? Does that mean you can put Steez gears in a Zillion??? Can I get a set of 8.1's for my Zillion SV 7.3???? And then put those 7.3's in the 6.3 I have on my TW rod??????????
OG zillion/sv103 gears do fit the ss sv/steez platform but you need to use a zillion drag stack for it to work. The thailand made newer zillions are different though and the OG zillion gears only fit the 100 size housing steez reels, not the smaller 103 size.

poisonokie
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by poisonokie » Wed May 15, 2019 5:53 pm

Oh, I thought you could put any Zillion gears in any Zillion provided you also changed the drag stack.
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Jaqa
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by Jaqa » Wed May 15, 2019 7:35 pm

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category ... 961198813/

Just to add to your confusion :D I have handled The Wanderlust 655 in store but not fished with it. Build quality is very good, its extremely light and tip is softer than the Bone rods comparatively.

DanTheFireman
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by DanTheFireman » Thu May 16, 2019 9:01 am

I have seven of the Bone travel rods and really like them, have used the Combat Beast CBB664RXH on three Amazon trips in the last year and the other six Voyage rods in Brazil December and Colombia in March. I took two of the Voyage casting rods and one spinner to Australia last month, both checked bag and carry-on. I'm sitting here with an Expride 166M, Bone Voyage BVC654M and Voyage BVC664H. IMO either would be a good frog rod, the Medium Voyage is equal to a MH Expride and I find those two rods to have a very similar feel. The Combat Beast is a stiff rod, great for throwing 1 1/2 ounce wood chopper lures and 2 ounce swimbaits but not a frog unless you're in some serious slop to muscle out of. I haven't used any of the one piece rods as have way too many in all powers and actions. Scott raves about the Black River rods if you're not concerned with portability.
The Combat Beast has sic guides but the Voyage rods have the K tangle free tip which I much prefer. Scott Nelson in Bradenton, FL is a Bone rep and gives excellent service (Facebook Scott Soundwaves of Tampa as there are a few guys by the same name). He has all the Bone rods and lures, gear etc. I would also highly recommend some Focus 130 lures, they're badass and nabbed some nice payara and peacocks in Colombia, have done two trips with Scott and won't book with anyone else.
Hope that helps.
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by Houndfish » Thu May 16, 2019 10:10 am

Thanks for all the info guys, keep it comming!

I have a lot more stuff to look into now but it's nice to see that my general idea isn't too far off base.

DanTheFireman
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by DanTheFireman » Mon May 20, 2019 9:28 am

One other you were asking about was the Bone BFS travel rod. I have a Jackson Super Trickster STL 64L which is an awesome little rod, also have that Bone BFS. I love the Jackson but honestly the Bone is more accurate, a tad stiffer and not as parabolic, much more accurate casting plus it breaks down to two feet long. I would've thought you'd really feel the joints on a four piece BFS rod but you don't.
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Houndfish
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by Houndfish » Mon May 20, 2019 11:34 am

My work picked up again and I have yet to reach out to the US supplier, it’s on my list for this week.

I have also found an older Daiwa rod that might work.

It’s from the old Black Label Line, the LG 631 MHF-FR.

Daiwa Japan has this to say about it:

LG 631 MHF-FR
The LG 631MHFB-FR is a short-length model with excellent handling in rental boats and small locations in Ocappari. Designed with LG blanks, it is easy to put 1/4 oz. Of small frogs on the rod, cast control is possible with the slow swing which is the biggest feature, and it can be inserted in the soft presentation behind the overhang I can do it. The guide is equipped with a MNST top and LDB guide that are easy to come off even if the PE line is entangled, and a rubber cork is used for the grip end, so you can experience a stress-free frog game by reducing hooking even with hooking on the hook . We cope with single hooked rolls such as spinner bait and braided jig by strong bat power which hooks frog.

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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by Aquaftm45 » Mon May 20, 2019 12:14 pm

Houndfish wrote:
Mon May 20, 2019 11:34 am

It’s from the old Black Label Line, the LG 631 MHF-FR.
I had recommended this rod a while back to someone looking for a short rod, can't remember the situation.
Anyhoo..that entire lineup employs 2-peice via a grip joint, even the 6'3! Cool looking rod.

Houndfish
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by Houndfish » Mon May 20, 2019 5:41 pm

I had recommended this rod a while back to someone looking for a short rod, can't remember the situation.
Anyhoo..that entire lineup employs 2-peice via a grip joint, even the 6'3! Cool looking rod.
[/quote]

It’s good to know someone else has at least heard of it. I found a few for sale but with shipping I’m looking at about $400 to my door which is about what the Bone rods will run me if I get them shipped from Australia.

Someone on another forum showed me a Kuying snakehead rod that seems to have the power/taper I am looking for and is only 5’9”. It was like $90 delivered so I went ahead and ordered one to put my short frog rod theory to the test. If it ends up working out I’ll probably make the Kuying a kayak rod and keep hunting for a nicer one for general purpose use.

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/327346171 ... 45619763.0

domthewon
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Re: Anyone use the Bone Combat Beast or Black River rods?

Post by domthewon » Tue May 21, 2019 6:03 am

JWY wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 7:06 pm
I was not impressed with these rods when I handled them at my local shop which pretty much had the entire range in stock at the time. To me, majority of this brand’s offerings were way too stiff.

I was also on the look out for a short and versatile travel rod for an upcoming trip and ended up getting the BRIST 510MXH from Fishman. Now it’s one of my favorites. Check it out and see if it suits your needs.
Dude, after seeing your recommendation for the Brist 510mxh I went and watched some vids. Looks like a super impressive rod. I had to have one. Got one on the way.

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