New Tica Rods: Why Upgrade, Where to Fish and What You'll Catch

Five new Tica rods have just landed at Action Outdoors: three light, fast Black Eagle spin and softbait rods, and two Hybrid Impulse rods for the surf and the rocks. Leading the range is the new Hybrid Impulse 14′ surf rod with a higher casting weight of up to 250 g. Here is what each one does, why it is worth upgrading to, where to use it and what you can expect to catch.

Why upgrade your rod?

If your current rod is an older fibreglass or entry-level blank, these are the differences you will notice straight away:

• Feel every bite. All five rods are built on high-modulus carbon fibre. Carbon is stiffer and lighter than glass, so it carries the vibration of a bite up the blank to your hand. You strike at the touch instead of finding your bait gone.
• Better hook-ups. Fast actions load quickly and set the hook firmly, which matters most with softbaits and lures.
• Less fatigue. Lighter rods are easier to cast and hold all day. The Hybrid Impulse surf rod weighs just 400 g for a 14-foot rod.
• More accurate casting. A crisp blank puts your lure or sinker where the fish are holding, rather than roughly in that direction.
• Travel and storage. Multi-piece designs (2, 3 and 4 piece) fit in the car, the boat or a pack. Three of the five come with a protective tube.

The five new rods

★ New rod with a higher casting weight: up to 250 g

Tica Hybrid Impulse 1403 14′ 3pc Surf Rod (100–250 g): $480

14′ (approx. 4.3 m) · 3 piece · cast weight 100–250 g · rod weight 400 g · Fuji Alconite guides · spigot joints · reflective hybrid tip

Why upgrade: With a cast weight of 100–250 g it handles heavier sinkers and bigger baits, so you can punch further out past the breakers and hold bottom in a strong rip or sweep. At just 400 g it's still a genuinely light surf rod, which matters when you're casting and holding it for hours. The high-strength graphite hybrid tip adds power and accuracy, the ergonomic palm swell puts your hand in the same spot every cast, and spigot joints (usually found only on expensive rods) give a smooth, near-perfect bend with no flat spots. The reflective tip finish shows bites in your headlamp at night.

Where to use it: Open surf beaches: Ninety Mile Beach, Muriwai and the west coast, Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay beaches, Taranaki, and the long Canterbury shingle beaches.

What you'll catch: Snapper, gurnard, kahawai and trevally in the north; rig (spotted dogfish), elephant fish and kahawai further south.

View the Hybrid Impulse 1403 14′ 3pc Surf →

Tica Black Eagle Soft Bait 7′ 2pc Rod (8–40 g): $140

7′ (2.1 m) · 2 piece · lure weight 8–40 g · high-modulus carbon · full EVA rear grip

Why upgrade: Softbaiting lives and dies on feel. A high-modulus carbon blank transmits the tiny tick of a snapper mouthing your jig head, and the fast action drives the hook home the moment you strike. Light enough to cast and work a softbait all day without wrist fatigue.

Where to use it: Boat and kayak drifts in the Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Plenty and Northland harbours; working the edges of reefs and work-ups; casting from wharves and rock ledges.

What you'll catch: Snapper, kahawai and trevally (what it's designed for), plus gurnard on the sand.

View the Black Eagle Soft Bait 7′ 2pc →

Tica Black Eagle Spin 7′ 2pc Rod (5–25 g): $130

7′ (2.1 m) · 2 piece · lure weight 5–25 g · high-modulus carbon · full EVA rear grip

Why upgrade: A light, fast spin rod that casts small spinners and soft plastics accurately and lets you feel every bump. If you're still using a heavy all-rounder for light lures, this is the rod that makes lure fishing fun again.

Where to use it: Lake edges and river mouths (Rotorua lakes, Taupō, South Island rivers), estuaries, harbour wharves and sheltered beaches.

What you'll catch: Trout (rainbow and brown) and perch in fresh water; kahawai, small snapper and trevally in the salt.

View the Black Eagle Spin 7′ 2pc →

Tica Black Eagle Spin 7′ 4pc Travel Rod (5–25 g): $150

7′ (2.1 m) · 4 piece · lure weight 5–25 g · high-modulus carbon · supplied with a rod tube

Why upgrade: The same light spin action as the 2-piece, broken down into four sections and supplied in a tube. It fits in a pack, a car boot or a suitcase, so you can have a proper rod with you on every trip, not just the ones you planned.

Where to use it: Back-country tramps and hut trips, high-country lakes and streams, holidays and fly-in trips, a rod to keep in the ute or campervan.

What you'll catch: Trout and perch inland; kahawai and small snapper wherever the trip ends up at the coast.

View the Black Eagle Spin 7′ 4pc Travel →

Tica Hybrid Impulse 10′ 3pc Land-Based Rod: $380

10′ · 3 piece · cast weight 100–250 g · Fuji Alconite guides · spigot joints · reflective hybrid tip · supplied with a rod tube

Why upgrade: Built for long days on the rocks. It's shorter and more manageable than a surf rod but still has the power to lift a good fish clear of the kelp. The 3-piece blank packs into its tube for the scramble down the cliff, and the hybrid tip gives sharp bite detection, with a reflective finish for night sessions.

Where to use it: Rock ledges, breakwaters and points on both coasts; wharves; land-based spots where you need to steer fish away from the wash and weed.

What you'll catch: Snapper, kahawai and trevally, plus gurnard off the sand beside the rocks.

View the Hybrid Impulse 10′ 3pc Land-Based →

Which rod is right for you?

Set-up tips

• Black Eagle Soft Bait: pair with a 2500–3000 size spin reel and light braid with a fluorocarbon leader to get the most out of the sensitive blank.
• Black Eagle Spin (2 or 4 piece): a 1000–2500 size reel with light line keeps the outfit balanced for 5–25 g lures.
• Hybrid Impulse surf and land-based: match with a large surf spin reel, and stay within the rated cast weight to protect the blank.
• Spigot joints: the Hybrid Impulse sections are designed with a gap of about 10 mm when assembled. That is normal and lets the joint wear in over the life of the rod, so don't force the sections together.
• Rinse rods and reels in fresh water after every saltwater trip, and always check the current MPI rules for size and bag limits in your area.

See all Tica rods at Action Outdoors →

Prices correct at time of publication and subject to change. Stock is limited, so get in quick or contact us if a rod has sold out and we'll chase more for you.