OA Microwave Softbait Rod V2

It’s no fluke that the OA Microwave V2 remains the most effective and best value for money soft-bait rod available: designer Paul Senior, with input by Mark Kitteridge, are two of New Zealand’s best soft-baiters and they know exactly what is required.

Other features: 

• Measuring almost 8’ in length, the V2 casts further than shorter rods to cover more potential fish-holding territory, control the line better, and achieve more effective hook-up rates.
• The innovative Microwave first guide captures the spiralling line so less friction occurs afterwards, producing longer casts. Also, smaller, lighter guides can be used along the rod’s length afterwards, minimising overall weight.
• The great butt length enables powerful, double-handed casts.
• A decent-length fore-grip provides efficient leverage while fighting big fish.
• The super-comfy reel-seat allows a secure rod grip over long periods.
• The rod’s action enables all popular lead-head weights to be cast and worked nicely. Specs: Length, 2.38m; casting weights, 7-34g; suggested line weights, PE 1-1.5 (12-15lb).

Associated products: All saltwater Z-Man soft-plastic lures; Lightbulb lead-heads; Secret Sauce; Pink Ghost fluorocarbon; OA Rod-Butt Protector.

On-the-water tips:The keys to using great soft-bait rods like the Microwave and Megawave successfully include:

Casting good distances to cover more area so you encounter more fish. • Identifying good casting angles (which can be all around the boat, depending on how the tide and wind affect your boat’s drift and the descending lure) so your soft-plastic can reach the bottom whilst maintaining some line tension throughout the descent and while jiggling it back along the bottom to the boat.

The lighter the jig head chosen, the longer it can remain up off the bottom or out of the weeds, where it can be more easily seen, but depth, current and wind mean anglers often have to increase lure-head weight to overcome these natural hurdles. You’d be surprised how many snapper bite Z-Mans as they descend.

Watching your line at all times, as it tells you when something is biting the lure (generally well before the rod tip does), usually twitching, jolting, slackening, or zooming off. These signs are hard to detect if the line’s slack.

Having a good hook-up technique. Keep your rod tip low and pointing along the line so the wind doesn’t blow it around as much and you stay nice and direct to the lure. If the line behaves unusually in any way, a quick handle wind will either make the snapper hang on harder to the lure (it feels as if it’s trying to escape) or encourage it to bite the moving lure again. In both cases, your tip will be pulled downwards, signalling it’s time to firmly lift the rod and hook-up. When retrieving along the bottom, always return your rod back to its inline position as soon as possible after each rod-jiggling movement.