Sasame are well known for producing an excellent range of hooks and terminal tackle so I was more than a tad excited to see what their new LRF range was like when it arrived in the warehouse. On first impressions the gear stood out as something a bit special and the Light Game range includes two new lure rods – The F-S01 Curiomax and the F-S02 Voltina. Both made from high grade carbon complete with Fuji Alconite guides they are designed for use with one of Sasame’s 4 new spinning reels, the F-R01 Metalica, F-R02 Musashi, F-R03 Voltina and the F-R05 BlackJack Baitcaster which vary in price to suit budgets and requirements with the aesthetic Red Metalica XR topping the range.
The 7-20g Curiomax Light Game coupled with the Metalica XR Red 3000 spinning reel makes a stunning little LRF set up and I put this through its paces over the weekend in some challenging conditions!
With a bitterly easterly wind stirring up some big seas I sought what cover I could on the North Cornish Coast and fished both off the rocks and off my Kayak. At just over 6ft in length the Curiomax is a foot or so shorter than I’m used to for shore fishing and you won’t be casting to the horizon with it. However coupled with the Metalica XR and 0.16mm diameter Sasame Dyneema braid I was having no trouble punching a plastic a good 60-70yds. I used a variety of lures throughout the day, including a 25g Black Minnnow which it handled but would be about the limit of the casting weight. The optimum weight I found to be around 10-15g which is the majority of small soft plastic lures when fished with sinkers or dropshot.
In true LRF terms this rod is on the heavier side with a casting weight of 7-20g but from my experience this is well suited for the types of lures needed to catch Wrasse, Pollock and other rock species. It also means you have a bit more grunt in reserve to extract them without sacrificing sensitivity in the tip.
The Curiomax blank is very thin and available in 3 weights, 5-20g, 7-20g and 8-30g all at 6ft in length. I found the 7-20g to be a good compromise for both LRF and Kayak fishing though in hindsight the 8-30g may have been better suited for the heavier lures I was using on the Kayak. That said, I found the rod came into its own when vertical jigging with plastics and small jigs and being so light the small Pollock and Wrasse that I was catching made a great account for themselves. I also liked the extended butt and one piece design of this rod and found the through action curve you get when playing fish so much fun!
The Metalica XR is a real credit to Sasame and features some impressive stats to match its awesome looks. Sasame have machined everywhere they can with this reel in order to reduce its mass and the sleek design of the aluminium Spool, Handle and bail arm mechanism have helped reduce the weight to only 252g. Now that’s very light considering the reel has a Stainless Steel main shaft and it needed to be light in order to be paired with the Curiomax.
The Metalica XR has 10 bearings and a super smooth drag system and is a very capable reel in the right hands. I used the 3000 size which suited the rod well though for an even lighter feel you could drop to the 2000. Along with Sasame’s hooks these reels are built in Japan and are set to make a big impact into the UK lure fishing scene.
