Introducing the SLAM STICK: New Rod Review
- By: Sean Person
- on
- Found In: Fishing Tips, Weekly Newsletter: 10-6-24
Meet the newest addition to the Fish Strong Rod Lineup: The Slam Stick.
This is the rod so many people have been waiting for.
A fast-action, lightweight, powerful, and DURABLE rod designed specifically for the inshore saltwater angler casting artificial lures, for under $150
The Slam Stick has the quality and specs of rods in the $200-250 range, but our “direct-to-fishermen” tackle shop, plus membership discount, allows you to get it for an unbeatable price.
Check out the full review of the new Slam Stick rod below!
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR SLAM STICK ROD NOW
Quick Takeaways:
- High-quality rod blank that compares to rods in the $200-250 range
- Fast action for a quick hook set
- Perfectly positioned guides to maximize lure-casting
- Durability to let you fish and transport it with piece of mind (not a pure “performance” rod)
- Overall quality is in between the TFO Pro S and Slot Machine. The perfect intermediate-level rod.
- Fish Strong’s best rod warranty
- The Slam Rod and Reel Combo is so light, it FLOATS!
$199Just $149.25 for Salt Strong Members ($50 off!)
Is the Slam Stick Rod For You?
We wouldn’t tell you to buy a rod just to have it (although rod collecting is an addictive habit of mine).
The Slam Stick is for the angler who loves fishing with artificial lures, wants great feel and power, but also needs durability. It makes life easy for CASTING, CATCHING, and CARING.
Casting: For casting artificial lures, having a high-quality rod blank with PERFECTLY placed guides is a game-changer. A top-end rod blank lets you get maximum “load” on the rod while casting so your lure launches with just the flick of the wrist. The Slam Stick’s rod blank is similar in quality to rods of well over $200 and is tough enough to handle big lures as well. Also, the Slam Stick comes in the 7″6″ length which is our recommended length for maximizing your casting skills. You’ll notice the improvement in your casting distance and accuracy immediately from your lower end rods.
Catching: The Slam Stick really shows it’s value when the bite is on. Again, it comes back to having a great FAST-ACTION rod blank. Fast action means the rod first bends toward the tip of the rod. So when you go to set a hook, you don’t have to wait for the whole rod to bend and absorb the weight to pull the line. Think of it like a “quick-set” rod, just the twitch of the wrist is all it takes to drive the hook in. Then, after the hook set the weight of the fish is transferred into the strong backbone of the Slam Stick, allowing you to handle big bruising fish without worrying about your rod falling.
Carrying: The Slam Stick is built to use! This is a “go-to” rod, not just for breaking out on special occasions. It is built with sound quality from top to bottom and has high-end protective paint that lets you get a little rougher with it. Now, it won’t survive the trash compactor (or worse the grandkids) but it will do just fine hauling in and out of vehicles, through the garage, and bouncing around on the boat a little. This is the rod that gives you an extremely enjoyable fishing experience with artificial lures, while also providing the peace of mind that you don’t need to “baby” it. This is your EVERYDAY rod. We’re so confident in the quality of this rod that we’re giving it our best rod warranty yet (more on that below), making this a truly worry-free rod purchase.
How Does the Slam Stick Compare?
TFO PS PRO < Slam Stick < Slot Machine
The Slam Stick has higher-end components along with the custom guide train for fishermen looking for maximized casting distance compared to the TFO PS. Also, the Slam Stick has a coat of paint that helps it withstand some abuse and keep on catching fish. So for anyone who has the budget, we highly recommend upgrading to the Slam Stick.
The Slot Machine is a true performance-first rod. It can feel the fish almost before they bite, set the hook in a flash, and take control of big fish. But it needs to be handled with care. It’s designed to do one thing and one thing only, catch fish with artificial lures. It is not meant to be bent out of shape or scratched up bouncing around in vehicles. This is for the passionate fisherman who’s ready for the best rod experience and has the mind to take care of it. The Slam Stick has excellent performance as well, but is just the next step down from the Slot Machine. The added durability of the Slam Stick is the trade-off from being pure performance.
The Slam Stick Specs:
- High Modulus Carbon Fiber Construction
- Length: 7’6″ Spinning
- Weight: 5 oz
- Power: Medium+
- Action: Fast
- Line Rating: 8-15lb.
- Lure Rating: 1/8oz-3/4oz
- Butt Length: 8.5″ from bottom of reel seat to butt cap
- Seaguide guides spaced for max distance casting
- Ergonomic Reel Seat
- Premium Hook Keeper (Works Well with Weedless Lures)
- High-Grade Cork Grip
Recommended Reel Pairings: Slam Rod and Reel Combo (Save $85.49)
We’ve designed this rod to perfectly match up with our favorite inshore fishing reels. You will get optimal performance 2500-3000 sized reels with 8lb to 15lb braid.
You can save big, and be ready to fish with the Slam Rod and Reel Combo:
- New Slam Stick
- New 2023 Daiwa Fuego LT 2500
- 300 Yards Daiwa J-Braid (8lb or 10lb)
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR SLAM ROD AND REEL COMBO NOW
Here are the 2 other reels that we used extensively while testing this rod and that work great with the Slam Stick in order of performance:
Slam Stick Rod Warranty: Our Best Ever
On top of being an excellent fishing rod, it comes with an excellent 3 year warranty program in the unlikely event that your rod has any sort of issue (even if it was broken by an accidental encounter with a fan).
Read the Full Slam Stick Rod Warranty here: https://fishstrong.com/pages/slam-stick-spinning-rod-warranty
Who Is This Not For
It’s ok if you’re not ready for this rod just yet. Each rod fits a fisherman’s needs.
If you are a live-bait fisherman, or even fish live-bait half the time, (which there’s nothing wrong with that) this won’t be the best fit for you. This is designed to help the angler that loves hunting fish with lures and casting long distances or into tight spots.
If you’re looking for a cheap-o beater rod just to get started with to see if you like inshore fishing (again, nothing wrong with that, we’ve all been there) this isn’t for you. However, if you have a fishing background and you KNOW you’re going to love inshore fishing, then this could be a great first rod for you. I normally wouldn’t tell a beginner to go over $100 on their first rod but the Slam Stick is such a great value that you can’t go wrong, and it will be such an enjoyable fishing experience.
Fish Strong Rods Story:
Over the past few years, we’ve been working with multiple rod-building experts and learned that there’s no better way to dial-in the performance of a rod without first building one yourself.
We were surprised about how the mass-production rod manufacturers were overlooking some EXTREMELY important details in their rods designs that decreases the actual performance of the rod.
One of the biggest missed opportunities that most rod manufacturers seem to overlook is Guide Spacing and Reel Pairing. Having a guide layout that’s placed appropriately for your specific reel size will help optimize casting distance while also reducing the potential for wind knots.
After countless hours of field-testing multiple prototype rods, we are proud to say we’ve nailed in the Recipe for the Perfect Inshore Spinning that is designed to match perfectly with the majority of 2500 & 3000 sized Spinning Reels on the market today.
GET YOUR NEW SLAM STICK ROD HERE
If you’re not yet a Salt Strong Member, and want to get HUGE savings on this rod, join us in the Salt Strong Fishing Club today.
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
How do I renew my membership??
How does the Slam Stick compare to TFO Tactical Inshore Rods?
Nice rod will be ordering
Would this be a good rod for Striped Bass on swim baits?
Yes, this is an excellent rod for throwing 3 to 5 inch swimbaits. If you’ll be using larger ones though, then you’ll probably want to go with a Medium Heavy power rod that’s rating for up to 20+ lb line class.
Looks like an awesome rod and I plan on making it one of my next purchases, since I have started using artificial lures more than live bait. I used the slam shady paddle tail this past weekend and caught everything, specs, white trout, redfish , and flounder. Was an absolute blast. Thanks and Tight Lines! 🎣🎣🎣
Is this saying that the Daiwa Fuego reel can’t be submerged in salt water? Just curious because I don’t want to get the combo if that’s the case. Thanks!
It’s generally a bad idea to submerge any reel in salt water. Very few reels can consistently stay in good shape after getting dunked, but those are all much more expensive (often over $400).
Thanks for the info! How would you rate the sensitivity and feel of this rod?
I’d rate it as an 8 for sensitivity and a 9 for feel of strikes.
Sounds like an excellent rod, and will become part of my arsenal, once I get down yo the store and pick it up!!! Always appreciate the thoughtfulness applied to developing and present you new products!!
We’ll certainly have some at the store for you once you get there.
WORST HOOK KEEPERS EVER!!! got rid of all my rods that have this style. How many times have i put it in the rod holder then when you walk by if you accidentaly bump it or my life jacket catches the rod, and removes the tension, the bait falls out, and swings out into the boat, or when im loading rod in the back of the car i accidentaly touch the roof. Again bait falls out and into the car, Had to dig hooks out of interior more than a few times. Terrible design in my opinion, Thank god Loomis still uses the loops. When i take my weedless baits out of the loop takes almost 2 seconds to skin hook it again. I’d rather go back to the 1960’s when we just used the guide although ive had them fall out of there a few times as well, My opinion, Can i get it with a loop hook holder? I’ll take it
That’s something I never heard anyone complain about. Maybe you should be more careful.
Other than here, I’ve never heard someone complain about the other style hook keeper; certainly not making a big deal over it. These rods are built to what Luke likes just as he dislikes non-cork split grip handles. Fortunately, there are other rod builders that provide personal preference choices.
Just take your rods to a custom rod shop and have them change it to what you want. Might be $30 or so but you can have it your way.
This particular hook keeper is a diamond shape so you can thread your hook point through the loop of the keeper if you’d like a more secure hold.
Also, the keeper wire allows for slight adjustments, so you can push it closer to the rod so that its gap is slightly thinner than your hook which helps keep it in place if you use it the way that’s shown in this video.
Is it good for fresh water also?
Yes