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In Review:
Super Seeker 970SS
Photo of my actual rod The Super Seekers rods are more than just technology, superior strength and high grade material; they are designed with craftsmanship and a flare for detail, style, and balance.
Hungry Cuda had a snack on 45lb King
Pair of nice 10 &12lb ARS
9 Titanium Guides plus Tip, 6064 Reel Seat, EPDM Grips
The rod stayed like this, and at times bent over about 30% more, but really didn’t extend back much further toward the butt as it stiffened up nicely around the last third of the rod
Finally, the job is done in 40 minutes!
Close to 300lbs of fun!
Nice A-Pomp to round out the day!
A little more to the table fare! |
There is no doubt in my mind that with the Super Seeker Series, Seeker has substantially raised the technology bar to the highest level available (say that 5 times fast!). As new material becomes available, Seeker is quick to investigate and implement, and even reinvent to suit their needs, and that’s exactly what they did with the Super Seeker 970SS and the series. Despite the positive review that I gave on the Seeker Black Steel 6470h, which I had winning the gold medal, and still do for its class, I’ve found something even better, if that’s at all possible. I don’t want to confuse anyone when I say better, as I’m comparing apples to oranges in a since, seeing as the Seeker 6470h is a 40-60 pound class rod and the Super Seeker 970 is 20-30 pound class fishing rod. They are both designed differently and for different purposes, but sometimes your fishing rod is forced to battle beyond its means and when that happens and you land that big boy…well that gives you something to write home about! When it comes to selecting a fishing rod from any manufacturer it’s quite difficult to find a rod that fits you, even after sampling various rods. Likewise, in the Seeker lineup this holds equally true as well, but not because you won’t find a fishing rod to fit you, but simply because you’ll find too many fishing rods that fit you. They provide such a wide variety of fishing rods that it’ll make your head spin, and if all of them are as good as the handful that I am using, then you’ll never need to look anywhere else.
It seems that every fishing rod that I wet from Seeker impresses me to no end, but none more than the super seeker 970. Albeit, the Seeker Black Steek 6470h performed flawlessly, but as you’ll soon read, the SS970 performed well beyond expectations. Keep in mind that each rod has its place and is designed for a specific type of battle, but what happens when you get a monster grouper on a rod designed for the fast action of a top to mid level tuna? There’s quite a difference when you’re rod is bent over directly below versus extended out as with fighting many top to mid level species. Not only do you react differently, but depending on your rod design, is reacts differently as well.
Several weeks ago we ran yet another 50 mile offshore trip in search of three main species; red snapper, grouper and mahi mahi. Knowing that we may get into some big grouper I brought the Black Steel 6470h, the SS970 for the snapper, and a Seeker Blue Lightening Series 2 rod for the mahi mahi, which I’ll post a review for in the near future. Within minutes of anchoring we had a quadruple hook up and a ton of line tangle. Unfortunately it was a school of hungry sharks and cudas so we moved a few hundred yards away and re-anchored. The first two lines in the water quickly hooked up with a pair of 8 and 10 pound red snapper, followed by another 8 pounder, and a few more over the rail, so of course I broke out the SS970 as the red snapper bite was in full swing. Before I get into the battle that lay ahead, let me first take a moment and give you some insight into this rod.
The SS970-7 combines 120 carbon fiber and “Super” Glass with Seekers new EH04 epoxy resin system, effectively creating a rod with unbelievably fast recoil and plenty of brute strength. The blend allows the top of the rod to stretch more than the bottom can compress, resulting in a rod that is 3 times stronger than that of “E” glass. Lining the top this rod are 9 triple wrapped 100% titanium one piece guides (plus tip) with nanolite inserts that are virtually indestructible and 100% corrosion resistant. These guide blend beautifully into the lustrous finish that enhances a deep maroon color with a tangerine overlay. The rod features a 6061-T6 Aluminum black hard anodized reel seat with double ring fasteners, and the front and rear grips are a slice of heaven; made of a new material called E.P.D.M. This material is softer but more durable than the Hypalon grips found on the Black Steel 6470h, and I thought those couldn't be topped. Of course, the rod features that traditional hologram of the intended species for which the rod was made, and yes, it stands out like a neon-tongue. This rod is simply a true work of art that grabs your attention, and that’s before you ever get it wet. So now that you know what we are dealing with, let’s see what she can do! Seeing all the red snapper action I couldn't get my rod in the water fast enough, but within seconds I sent a pinfish down to 150 feet with thoughts of red snapper drowning in a sea of caper sauce. Waiting… Waiting… Waiting… “Okay guys what happened,” I asked? “The bite just shut down,” someone replied. We waited a few more minutes and pulled the anchor for a brief drift onto another ledge that was nearby. A minute or so into the drift I felt my line go tight, to the point that I slowed the boats drift. “I’m snagged on something,” I blurted out. I gave the rod a few yanks, a few words of encouragement, and then the rock decided to swim off! “Holy s**t fish on, big fish on,” I yelled! Someone called out the start time and the fight was on.
Remember in the beginning of the article when I said your rod is designed for a specific species and sometimes forced to battle beyond its means, well this rod was not designed for this fish, was going to be battling well beyond its means, and to spoil the ending I did indeed land it, hence the reason for writing home! This fish stuck to the bottom directly below the boat, forcing the rod to work extremely hard by taking the force with a nasty looking bend. Though I was putting about 70% resistive pull on the fish already, I was a bit apprehensive about putting more on the fish, as I was using 50 pound standing mono and 80 pound mono leader from 150 feet below. After 10 minutes of gaining a few feet and loosing it quickly I was beginning to get tired. The pull was constant with no let up and just when I thought the rod couldn’t bend anymore the fish put more load on. My opinion of 970 at that point was that it had incredible holding power and some serious recoil. This rod felt like the little train that could…and it did! I turned to my fellow anglers and told them that I was either going to land or lose this fish or break the rod trying, but I couldn’t continue in a Mexican standoff as my back was beginning to stress. I tightened down the drag to the max, cranked down and went to work. My first pull was at slow rise to 100% effort and nothing really happened so I held it for a stint. The rod began to rise about an inch or so every five seconds and after two minutes I was high sticking the rod and afraid to crank down for fear of losing the few feet I gained. Wouldn’t you know, almost simultaneously everyone told me to drop my tip before I break the rod. I turned and replied, “I’m not worried man, it’s S glass!” The comments were flying but I was gaining plenty of confidence in the rod, as I never felt any movement near the fore grip or any signs of this rod giving out. I continued giving the fish everything I had and a few times had to thumb the maxed out drag as the fish started spooling me. The rod appeared to have nothing left but when the fish turned angry it bent even more, suitably absorbing the lunges. This was getting ridiculous. My back was aching, sweat pouring, and it felt like a losing battle, yet I wasn’t about to give up. Nearly twenty minutes into the fight I began to gain some ground and really got to see the recoil do its thing. With my hands ahead of the rod, I held the handle skyward and watched the rod slowly pull the fish up, and as soon as the recoil slowed I cranked down and repeated. They say that when fighting a grouper the majority of the battle is the first few feet off the bottom, well this battle was the first 120 feet off the bottom and the rest was no cake walk either! Thirty minutes into the fight I finally got to see the monster that lurked beneath, well I heard about it anyway, as I couldn’t look down yet. I heard one person shout “stand fast for Moby,” and a slew of comments hinting that I pulled off something special. Indeed I did, a 300 pound Goliath Grouper on a 30 pound tuna stick, with a 50/80 setup on a 3/0 reel. I’m sure this job would have been a bit easier and less time consuming had I been pulling with the 6470h, but this just goes to show that you can’t predict what is going to hit your bait, so when the unexpected happens, you better have a rod that can step up to the plate. The Super Seeker 970-7 is an amazing rod that I will always enthusiastically recommend to anyone looking for a good 20-30 class rod. It is well balanced, light and has much more strength than the numbers indicate. This is a medium action rod that boasts a big boy recoil and brute strength once the tension moves about half way down the rod. It has a soft sensitive tip, making this an excellent snapper and small grouper rod—even though I initiated it into the 300 pound club! Nothing beats a great day of slaying the fish 50 miles offshore with a group of good friends, so get out, have fun, and don't forget your Super Seeker 970 SS! UPDATE: April 2018 After using this rod for 6 years for catching everything from a 300 grouper to delicate one and two pound snappers, I can easily say this is one of the best rods I have ever had. It is a must have on every trip, and a rod that will surely get a lot of use.
The tip didn't look like this at the end of last season, and now looks like it was dipped in acid! I don't know what happened, nor why the tip failed when the other guides are still in great shape, but 6 years of use and only a failed tip, I'll take that! The rest of the rod is in great shape, and the finish nearly still as deep and rich as the day I got it. Looks like it's time to pack up the seeker rods and call my rod guy. Unlike the Black Steel issues with all of the guides going bad, it appears this one will only set you back a rod tip. I'd certainly buy this rod again. |
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Just a little pesky!
The 9 titanium guides are still holding up perfectly after heavy use. However, after getting the rod ready for this season the tip finally gave out, and the eyelet just fell off as I handled it.