Nearly 2-ounce popper warrants a “step up” from typical inshore gear. Shown is a 7-foot-9 Quantum Myth rod in heavy power, with 5000-series Benchmark reel.
November 22, 2024
By Jeff Weakley
Quantum released two new series of saltwater spinning reels in summer 2024 and I had a nice chance to work with the gear in some Florida fisheries. The Strive and Benchmark are both equipped with carbon fiber drags, IPX6-equivalent water sealing, and solid components. Strive, the entry-priced reel ($99.95-$139.95), is jacketed in white; Benchmark—with upgraded gearing for pro use ($149.95-$189.95)—is dark gray.
The company also unveiled Myth series rods , a 10-rod series built on HSX30 high modulus graphite blanks, with SeaGuide stainless steel frame guides and Zirconia inserts, cork handles and durable Fuji DPS reel seats.
In doing some field testing, I was reminded of the utility of what I've come to refer to as "step-up" spinning rods.
By step-up, I mean a spinning outfit built around a more powerful rod and a reel with greater line capacity and drag than what I'm normally throwing for the day.
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If, for example, I'm fishing jigs or small topwaters for trout and snook on the flats and mangrove bays of the lower Florida peninsula, I'm likely using a 7- or 7-foot, 6-inch rod in moderate to fast action, rated for lures of ¼ to ¾ ounces. In this common situation I'll prioritize casting distance, and so gravitate toward 10- or 15-pound-test braid, of which about 240 yards is more than sufficient.
Spinning reels in the 2000 to 3000 class—as specified in lineups from Quantum and other brands—are where I generally land. Setups like these are my "daily drivers" when I'm fishing places like the Indian River Lagoon or the vast marshes of Florida's Big Bend Gulf Coast.
Quantum's Strive and Benchmark saltwater fishing reels. Now, if big tarpon, spawning-grade snook, cobia or other migratory fish enter the picture, I'll want something a bit heavier. I'll want a rod, reel and line combo suitable for delivering more appropriate baits or lures, applying extra fish-fighting pressure, and handling enough line to counter any to-the-horizon runs.
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Among the new Quantum gear, the Myth 7-foot, 9-inch rod in Heavy or Extra Heavy, with a 5000- or 6000-series reel spooled with 400 yards of 30- to 50-pound-test braid, is one of those "ready for anything" setups. Send a big swimbait to that wolfpack of cobia; cork a live mullet or herring in the travel lanes of migratory tarpon; airmail a big popping plug to a suspicious swirl or nervous school of bait—a setup like this is the answer.
This spawner snook is bigger than she looks—and deserves a quick turn-around. With the same rod as above, in extra heavy, with 6000-size Strive reel and 50-pound braid. Rods in this category are also excellent multi-purpose tools for offshore duty, ideal for snapper fishing, jigging for amberjack, slow-trolling live baits for dolphin. You name it, you can find a step-up spin outfit to tackle it.
If the step-up outfit is one you're likely to use on a frequent basis, pairing it with a select rod might make the most sense. Perhaps you prefer 7-foot rods for storage reasons (truck, hallway racks). Perhaps you like longer sticks for making longer casts, or fishing from shore around jetty rocks. Perhaps the fisheries and conditions in your area prioritize small, lightweight baits for magnum-size fish—live crabs for permit and tarpon, for instance. Buying a reel and a rod separately gives you the latitude to customize your step-up rig for what you’re mostly likely to use it for.
On the other hand, if you just need a step-up as a general backup, a combo—with a manufacturer- or shop-selected pairing of rod and reel—is an affordable alternative. Quantum, for instance, packages its Strive and Benchmark reels in combos with nice utility rods: Prices for a 5000 or 6000 series hover around the $150 mark in Strive, and $220 in Benchmark.
