Okuma PCH Custom Kite Rod - First Look

Kite Rod for Giant Bluefin

The amount of giant bluefin tuna around the Southern California islands has been staggering over the past couple of years. There have been some live bait fish, Flat Fall style baits and then there is Kite Fishing. Having the right Kite Rod will make a huge difference in your chase.

Kite Fishing is in a complete class of its own. You attach a kite to a rod and reel then attach your bait to another rod and reel and go to work. This is an incredibly effective way to catch giants. This year, the giants seem to be keyed in on flying fish.

Having The Right Gear

Kite fishing is all about the right gear. You need a reel with some big capacity like the Makaira 30IISEa and mostly likely you are attaching it to a rail rod. Something like the Okuma PCH-C-741XXXH. This combo has accounted for a lot of Cows and Super Cows this past couple of seasons.

As far as the kite rig goes, most anglers have been attached their kite to an old 9/0 type reel on an old broomstick of a rod. Or now a days, hooking up a big electric reel. Well, its time to step that up.

Okuma PCh Custom Kite Rod — Okuma PCH Custom Kite Rod

The new PCH Kite Rod might be the perfect rod for this fishing style.

PCH Kite Rod

The new PCH Kite Rod might be the perfect rod for private boat kite fishing as his rod was designed with kite fisherman in mind and the components show that.

Starting at the bottom, this rod features an aluminum four way gimbal attached to a slick, carbon butt design. The gimbal allows the rod to lock into place in a rod holder and the slick carbon butt design allows for the rod to be moved from gunnel to gunnel, left or right without any pressure. When the kite is loaded up, there is a lot of pressure on the butt sections of these rods making them difficult to move from position to position. This slick butt eliminates that.

PCH Kite rod slick butt. — Slick Butt Design

Moving up the rod is an aluminum ALPS reel seat with a welded in rod leash attachment point which is a unique, but well thought out component. With all of that pressure from the kite, there have been many a set up who have blown off of the back of boats. Now you can attach your rod and reel combo right to the side of the boat as most electric reels don’t have a lug and plug type of system for attaching, so this eliminates that problem.

Continuing on up is the Double Barrel Rod Tip Design

Okuma PCH Kite Rod Double Barrel Rod Tip — Double Barrel Rod Tip

The problem with the kite gear is big heavy duty terminal tackle like giant swivels, and this rod tip is unique with its one piece design. Problem is, as the rods get wound in you end up popping out a lot of rod tip inserts. The PCH Kite Rod does not have this problem as this design allows you to wind right on in without the worry of insert loss.