The Googan Squad Gold Series Finesse Spinning Rod, created in collaboration with Catch Co., lands more than just bass.
You may have heard of the Googan Squad, those enthusiastic bass fishing folks who have created an online bass fishing community that's unprecedented in recent history. You and I are able to watch, envy, and laugh at all their adventures and fishing exploits, and they've done a fantastic job of inspiring more and more avid anglers among their rabid following.
What you may not know is that these folks have come out with some new gear for bass fishing fanatics, and we've had the chance to fish with some of the Catch Co./Googan Squad rods and thought we'd share some thoughts.
Since we always want to stay in the know when it comes to the latest fishing gear, we have taken the opportunity to test out some notable gear when we get the chance.
Well, we've found another in a long line of great quality bass rods that are specialized, yet still versatile.
This is simply to say that, just because it says bass rod on the label, doesn't mean that we'll put it down after bass season is over. On the contrary, if it works as well as the Gold Series Finesse Rod I fished with, you'll be using it in multiple ways, depending on what you are targeting.
The Googan Squad Fishing Rods
In a nutshell the Googan Squad is a crew of famed YouTube anglers that have had a whole lot of success fishing and sharing their adventures on the venerable video site. As we pointed out back in the summer of 2020, "These young anglers-turned-YouTube-stars have made their mark on fishing as well as their wallets. According to Stat Smash, LunkersTV is worth about $1.2 million, and Alex Peric is worth somewhere between $1 million and $5 million dollars. It's fair to say that catching fish, recording it, and posting it online has become a very lucrative pastime for everyone in the group."
As you can see, they know what they're doing. To further move into the market, the Googan Squad is offering a series of fishing rods meant to handle several styles and methods of fishing.
Before these guys became a group of well-known anglers, they were everyday fishermen like you and me. They've shown how to fish on a budget, been honest in reviews and opinions, and share plenty of knowledge with the rest of us.
Now that they're sharing those ideas in gear form, it's those same everyday anglers that are seeing the benefits.
Googan Squad Gold Series Rods
As Karl's exclaims, several premium features and materials make the Gold Series Rods lightweight with exceptional balance and control. I'd probably say that's an understatement, since these rods not only perform as advertised, but they look sharp as well. Even though it may sound silly sometimes, we all love great-looking gear. I appreciate a cool design, even if the fish could care less.
These rods are equipped with trustworthy SeaGuides, top of the line ceramic insert guides for smooth handling of your choice of line, whatever it may be. The blanks are comprised of composite 30/40 carbon to ensure maximum sensitivity and minimal weight.
Maybe the best part is the pure cork grips; they have long lasting durability and a premium quality feel that's excellent one you get it in your hands. The Gold Series Rods come in six versions::
- Go-To 7' medium heavy fast action casting rod
- Reaction 7'2" medium moderate action casting rod
- Twitch 6'9" medium moderate action casting rod
- Muscle 7'5" heavy extra-fast action casting rod
- Finesse 7' medium fast action spinning rod
- Finesse Light 6'10" medium moderate action spinning rod
The one that I got a chance to test is the Finesse 7' medium fast action spinning rod, and it's a darn good piece of equipment.
Googan Squad Finesse 7' Medium Fast Spinning Rod
Craig Raleigh
The Gold Series Finesse Rod is meant to have an ultra-sensitive tip for sensitive twitches and soft plastic reaction baits. That's what I like for drop shot fishing and specifically using shaky heads, Bandito bugs, craw imitations, jerkbaits, and other similar stuff. Its name is well-earned since this rod is very sensitive for using these smaller baits.
Since this rod features a fast action tip and an especially sensitive rod blank, I can easily cast lightweight lures a good distance with consistent performance each time. It includes an advanced taper design and reel seat that keeps your favorite fishing reel locked in to help battle big fish with a new kind of efficiency.
The medium power rod is enough to handle some decent-sized fish, even if it means getting them out of the slop or from around a dock. Knowing that it comes with a three-year warranty takes the worry out of some scenarios you might encounter!
Using the Gold Series Finesse Rod
Since I'm famous for using gear in ways that it wasn't entirely meant for (and I'm not the only one), I've come to accept that it's an easy way to find out just what it's made of. In other words, taking a one-piece rod that's meant for fishing finesse bass baits and walking it through some brush-busting cover to reach some great early season steelhead territory might not be the best evaluation of its intended purpose.
As the video shows, that's how I fish this time of year.
I thing I really noted is that the Gold Series Finesse Rod is so light that it makes for some really easy carrying. I walked around two miles back on a lane, across a cut corn field, and through some very thick cover to reach a spot deep in the woods downstream of where I started to begin my search for lake-run rainbow trout.
This rod is so light to carry that I hardly knew it was in my hands, let alone that it is a one-piece rod. Sure, not everybody likes a rod that can't be broken down, but for a day of walking against the water flow you can't beat it.
It is very easy to cast, even against the wind, and the handling is great. Since I already brought up finesse baits, it's worth mentioning that a J-7 Rapala or a #2 Mepps aren't very large lures, but the Gold Series spinning rod made great use of them. And as seen in the video, this rod not only gave me great control around some gnarly cover, but can handle a big aggressive fish, even in the current.
The first couple of times that I used it, the threads on the reel seat loosened up a bit, but after I realized it was user error and tightened it better, it never happened again. The only real complaint that I had was the fact that the hook keeper between the reel seat and the butt of the rod kept digging into the thumb on my left hand while casting. It caused me to wrap it in some tape to avoid the snag, but it was a minor interference.
I have no doubt this rod would meet expectations in the bass waters across the United States, and fully intend on further testing once the season truly gets rolling in my neck of the woods. All signs point to more satisfaction.
Overall Thoughts
I've come to the conclusion the Gold Series Rods are well worth the value, and are not some hype-backed attempt to make a quick buck. Googan Squad followers would agree that they are an authentic bunch, and their gear is reiterating that fact.
The Green Series Rods start at $99 ($79 for Karl's Club Members) and the Gold Series Rods at $149 ($119 for Karl's Club Members). Those are competitive prices that could arguably be higher and still justifiable.
The Finesse rod was a great combo with my Shimano 4000 spinning reel and complimented the fishing lures that I used. These rods work well for nearly anything in your tackle box, like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs, swimbaits, topwater, or other squarebill hardbaits that operate at a variety of diving depths. Needless to say, it'd likely work great with the Googan Baits the team has been rolling out lately too.
Remember that these freshwater rods are meant more for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass fishing, but obviously work quite well for other styles of angling. Whatever is your pleasure on the water, you can certainly spend more for a rod, but these prices are reasonable to make any angler happy.
It would be easy to dismiss Googan Squad gear as a fad that simply followed some internet buzz, but it's simply not the case. Googan Squad rods have the potential to stick around for a long time.
You also have to keep in mind that these guys earned their reputation for a reason. These aren't just people who just took a clickbait approach on YouTube in an attempt to make quick cash, but rather a group of devoted anglers who made a name for themselves individually before teaming up. The name has brand value for a reason, and they have absolutely delivered in their quest to create high-quality fishing gear.
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NEXT: GEAR REVIEW: BRAND NEW LURES AND LINE FROM CATCH CO. BRANDS AND COLLABORATIONS
