Seeker BA66XH: Pick-up Stix
There are good stand-up rods, good trolling “boat” rods, and a few that effectively cross over between the two uses. A few, not many. Seeker’s BA66XH is one that makes the transition with ease.
The Seeker is on the short side of a trolling stick at 6’0”, which is also what makes it work well in stand-up gear. The tip’s stout enough to only flex partially when dragging a spreader bar, but it’s got enough give to pump fish from an upright position without getting slack into the line as you drop the tip. In short, Seeker found the right mix for a go-between rig.
The first and tip-top guides are Aftco rollers; the remainder are Fujis. The reel seat’s machined aluminum, and the grips are hypalon. Through different tests in the past year we’ve used the Seeker to catch yellowfin in the 40 to 60 pound class, chopper blues ranging from 10 to 20 pounds, and numerous mahi-mahi, bonito, and false albacore. The rod’s rated for 40 to 100-pound test, and we felt it matched up best with a Penn 30 International spooled with 50-pound test. We also found the short butt and overall length ideal when chunking. Sit this rod in a gunwale holder, slide open the lever drag, and the tip’s within an easy reach for stripping out line. When a fish hits and the drag’s engaged, there’s just enough give in the rod to get it out of the holder quickly without the butt jamming—and then it’s game on.
Price: About $200
The Highs: It makes the grade for trolling and stand-up fights.
The Lows: The foregrip in on the thin side. Some people will find this the most comfortable, but others won’t.
Who Wants It: Guys who do a lot of trolling, but always fight from a standing position.
Contact: www.seekerrods.com.
