Papa Joe Lure on Prototype Rig!
This Lure Was Sent To Me By Joe Olivas Of Kauai!
I needed to test out some prototype gear sent to me by Okuma. The 9'6" Shoreline Plugger was conceived by Jeff Robles as a multi-purpose plugging & jigging rod. Also the Rockaway 6K Surf Spinning Reel. First time ever that all these 3 pieces were ever assembled together! Since this joining the Plugger was made black & a 8K Rockaway Spinner was added.
The "Papa Joe" lure was a black Kaku Brand surface popper that was re-named the "Papa Joe" after Joe Olivas on Kauai who landed a +99lb GT by himself on a spinning rig using this lure on a Med spinning rig. Joe sent me this replica in his namesake for me to use. So i Christened 2 new Okuma products that needed field testing using the lure Joe so kindly gifted me with.
Since i made this intro video i've been asked many times by anglers what rod would i use when traveling? I suggested this rod to a group of CA anglers when they went down South for Roosterfish. Only half that group purchased the rod i recommended, the Okuma HSP-S-962MA. Those selected anglers had the best trip ever using this rod that my former employer Jeff Robles created with John Bretza of Okuma. Since that trip i heard the other 2 have since purchased them as well.
For years i've been recommending this rod to travelers who have thanked me & shore pluggers off The Big Island who've been landing fish due to this rod! Since then the word started to spread online that this was a great "multi-rod" for traveling anglers! So i just took it out of storage & plan on using it again. Even local anglers like Hansen Gardling has done extremely well using this rod off the rocks.
Over the years i've stored that rod for other reasons but i've used it enough for shoreline plugging & surf casting to know how good it really is. It's one of my favorites! But i need to keep using other gear though this one is probably my #1 favorite. The 6K reel is unusually inexpensive for such a dependable reel. I've also used it for plugging to surf casting with good results over the years. And now there's a 8K so my inside casting rig i use the 6K & my outside rig the 8K. The 8K would be great for plugging tuna off the buoys or just bottom jigging.
Finally i like the build of the "Papa Joe". Very thick galvanized trebles. Not a heavy lure which would limit your rod choices from the multi-medium rod i used. And the MSRP isn't high if you need to replace lures. I decided not to use my lures anymore as i was "gifted" them from Joe Olivas. Don't want to loose them. So in summation these items work well together. It's been years since i've used them all together as other projects arise.
https://youtu.be/5K8ZrnC69eI
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