Big Kingfish vs Ocean Assassin II Rods
BY SAM WILKINSON
When it comes to the toughest, hardest fighting fish in the ocean, yellowtail kingfish would have to be right up there towards the top of the list. Experienced New Zealand angler Sam Wilkinson knows this all too well, winning plenty of intense battles with ‘kingies’ over the years. The fights are aggressive, powerful, and ferocious, but Sam lives for it! Whether it’s casting big surface lures, jigging deeper water, or even sending out a live bait, the thrill of landing one of these yellow-tailed brutes is sure to get your adrenaline pumping!
Not only do they fight hard, kingfish also live around some of the most gnarly structure you’re likely to encounter. If you want any chance of landing one of these steam trains, your gear needs to be as tough as nails. If your tackle has any weak points, these fish will find it and destroy it! One of the main pieces of gear that must be reliable is your rod, and it’s hard to go past the strength, comfort, and versatility of the PENN Ocean Assassin II range of spinning rods! Sam agrees that the Ocean Assassin II is a world-class piece of tackle, and the perfect option for hard-fighting species like big New Zealand kingfish.
As well as the attractive design of the PENN Ocean Assassin II, Sam admired the lightweight feel of the rod as he tied on a stickbait. “That’s actually really important when you’re casting heavy lures all day; having a light rod that is comfortable in the hand and won’t leave you feeling tired after a few casts,” he said through his teeth while pulling his knot tight. The Ocean Assassin II spinning range is built with lightweight carbon fibre materials. Don’t be fooled though – the light, comfortable feel of the Ocean Assassin II range doesn’t mean they compromise on strength and power! These rods are made to stop the toughest fighting fish in New Zealand and Australian waters, which is why Sam loves them for battling huge, merciless fish like kingfish!
With a casual flick, the crispness of Sam’s PE 6-8 Ocean Assassin II helped to cast his 120-gram lure with ease. These spinning rods vary from 7’4” in the lighter models through to 8’2” in the heavier models, and this added length gives you the ability to cast longer distances. “Being able to cast further makes a big difference when the fish are being fussy – you can position the boat further back and use a stealthier approach,” Sam mentioned. The sensitive rod tip helped to get Sam’s heavy stickbait swimming like a dream as he swept his rod horizontally to the water. The baitfish in the distance flicked nervously on the surface, but Sam had his eyes glued to the lure as he worked it effortlessly, his hands firmly wrapped around the nicely shaped EVA grips of the Ocean Assassin II.
Cast after cast braid shot through the quality Fuji Alconite guides, before finally a solid kingy slurped Sam’s lure off the surface and his rod was buckled! Your rod needs some serious strength to withstand the aggressive fight of an angry kingfish, and to muscle it away from any structure. Sam was confident to lock up the drag and use the powerful backbone of his PENN Ocean Assassin II rod to make sure this kingfish couldn’t dictate the outcome of the fight. There were some heart-in-mouth moments as the yellow-tailed steam train dove hard for the structure, and this is where having trust in your gear is vital. You couldn’t wipe the smile off Sam’s face as a beautiful, big kingfish came aboard! “It goes to show, if you want to land the toughest fish you need the toughest gear,” Sam chuckled as he gestured towards his PENN Ocean Assassin II rod.
Sam mentioned that “although it’s hard to beat the adrenaline of a surface strike, vertical jigging can be a great way to put some good numbers of fish on board.” This is when the PENN Ocean Assassin II jigging spin rods come into their element, with a 6’0” PE 3-5 model, and a 5’9” PE 5-8 model. The lightweight design and conveniently shaped EVA grips on these rods means that jigging all day is a comfortable experience. The sensitive rod tip and fast-taper action which these rods possess makes it easy to give your jigs a tantalizing action as you work them. When an aggressive kingfish strikes though, all finesse must be put aside – it’s time to lock up and go hard! Sam stated that “You really need to pull these fish away from the gnarly structure, and if your rod isn’t up to the task you may as well just stay home.” Luckily, the PENN Ocean Assassin II jigging spin rods are more than capable of stopping the biggest and toughest of fish. It’s important to make sure your fishing experience is an enjoyable one, and when your gear has a premium feel about it, fishing becomes even more addicting!
Coming from someone who loves to target big kingfish, Sam agrees that the PENN Ocean Assassin II spinning rods are hard to beat when it comes to bang for your buck. He loves taking friends out to put them onto a few kingfish, and they have all been just as impressed with the Ocean Assassin II. If you want a rod that stands up to the task time after time, feels good to use, and doesn’t break the bank, look no further. The Ocean Assassin II range is extremely versatile, and the premium feeling that you’ll experience when you have one of these rods in your hand is matched with a superior level of usability. The strength, the crisp, fast-action of the blank, the ability to cast and work lures easily, as well as the sleek, stylish finish and quality Fuji components make the PENN Ocean Assassin II range of rods the perfect choice. Casting lures, jigging, bait fishing, and even trolling are all possible with these impressive rods – they’re a real masterpiece. Go pick up a PENN Ocean Assassin II spinning rod for yourself to see exactly what we’re talking about, you won’t regret it!
