# Diawa Beef Stick



## Tyler White (Jun 6, 2014)

I recently did some research on surf rods and just had to get my hands on the 12' Beef Stick from Daiwa after learning about is backbone and cheap price. I haven't taken it out yet but just playing with it I have to wonder what some people were talking about in the reviews on how the rod does not have much sensitivity and how hard it is to chunk bait over and over again. Now granted, I am a big guy and I have been chunking from peirs and jetties since I was as tall as most peir railings. The rod is not add sensitive as a trout rod obviously, but the last three feet have seemed responsive to tapping and shaking. I will know more when I take it out and use it in Rockport next week, but so far it at least seems like a best of an all-rounder. If anyone has first or second hand information on this rod (or just wants to be a poo and bash me with a pointy thread stick) go ahead and deep your two cents here.


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## PandaBearJeff (Aug 19, 2013)

okay. Mr Tyler White. I have been literally banged up the rear on this forum because i asked a question about the beefstick and my love for them. 

It was my first surf rod to own, and for 20 dollars? If you're just soaking bait its perfect, i mean who uses lures in the surf anyways. Its not a pond. And we don't have radar. 

It doesn't really have that bending and catapulting feeling, feel's more like a lob stick. Still it throws pretty far. 

I don't really care for sensitivity either, i fish in the chesapeake bay and we don't have "special" fish. Like pompano or tautog that need extra care to be caught. I fish at night, and even a dinky spot fish can make the bell jingle. Like how can it not, when its 12 ft long tapered object and you put the bell at the very tip. 

It bring in big cow nose rays just fine. I think it was like 60 lbs, about 4 ft across. It blew at the clinch knot to my hi/lo rig. I brought it all the way to the pier, but getting it to surface took a while. And we don't have a gaff or net, so i just put gloves on and started wrapping the line around my hand and pulling it up - and the knot gave way. The clinch knot doesn't work so well with such big fat mono. . . ( 50lb ( 0.028 diameter ))

I think its a nice heavy duty rod. When i made this same type of post a long time ago, there were a few beef stick supporters. They were bringing in 4-5 ft sharks in with it as well.


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## SPIZZ (Apr 21, 2013)

It is what you say it is. A $20-30 surf rod that has some backbone with less sensitivity than others. There are similar mixed reviews on 12 ugly sticks being too sensitive without much backbone but many use them. If it is not liked and you desire something else at least you are not tiring up too much cash in it. Worse case keep it as a back up rod. Good luck testing it out. Hope something gives you a chance at some good pullage.
SPIZZ


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## bstarling (Apr 24, 2005)

The big Beefstick is fiberglass so it will work differently than a graphite rod from the git go. That doesn't mean it's inherently bad, just different. I'd be willing to bet that most of the bashers here have never spent any time with one and would be certain the didn't grow up learning to fish with fiberglass casting rods. They will work, they are tough, and they will catch fish...oh and they will toss a lot of lead and bait. What's not to like. Don't forget, everything was state of the art at one time. Use it, catch fish with it, and don't pay any attention to the online know-it-alls. They're like toilet paper, only good for one thing .

Bill:fishing::fishing:


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

bstarling said:


> The big Beefstick is fiberglass so it will work differently than a graphite rod from the git go. That doesn't mean it's inherently bad, just different. I'd be willing to bet that most of the bashers here have never spent any time with one and would be certain the didn't grow up learning to fish with fiberglass casting rods. They will work, they are tough, and they will catch fish...oh and they will toss a lot of lead and bait. What's not to like. Don't forget, everything was state of the art at one time. Use it, catch fish with it, and don't pay any attention to the online know-it-alls. They're like toilet paper, only good for one thing .
> 
> Bill:fishing::fishing:


Bill you know only the latest and greatest will catch fish. 

Darin


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## OHMatt (May 8, 2014)

I seriously looked at the beefstick rods for my trip in a week. They are very highly reviewed on Amazon. I ended up with 2 different rods, but both also glass, and both likely to be frowned upon. Many fishing enthusiasts will diminish and poo on the beefstick and other glass rods due to the material's limitations. Compared to graphite, glass is heavier, has reduced sensitivity and typically casts a shorter distance. In return it is both more durable (_car door slam_) and harder to snap (_using the rod to free a snag the wrong way_). I could not manage to overload a glass rod when fishing down riggers in the St Lawrence River last year. Hard to overload will be a big plus when throwing lead. Glass rods typically have a slower parabolic action which I have come to enjoy, but they can be made faster with different tapers. Finally there is the fact that fiberglass blanks are a fraction the cost of graphite ones. Fancy components can still quickly raise the price of a glass rod, just like graphite. Diawa is not a fly by night brand; while the Beefstick is a low end rod, it is still a Diawa. Probably won't have Fuji guides or a Pac Bay seat, but the spine will be aligned and the wraps secure. I believe it will serve you well.

On my trip I will be chunking out bait and sitting, the weight of glass will not matter, sounds like you will be doing the same.. Some of the lost sensitivity from a glass rod can be offset with your line by using near zero stretch braid as opposed to mono. 

As Bill mentioned, I'm one of the folks who grew up casting fiberglass and can appreciate it. I'm glad glass is coming back strong in a big way for some applications. Many cottage industry types have been making specialty fiberglass fly rods for instance. Enough so in fact that Orvis, Cabela's, and even Thomas & Thomas are making high end glass rods.


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

All the surf spinning rods I own, 8 of them are Beefstick's. I'm old enough to remember & to have fished at a time before graphite rods. Every rod we used then was fiberglass, unless you had some really old steel or bamboo rods. I also own about 30 graphite rods of various types & it's a good material for rods, but not the only thing that can be used to catch a creature with a brain the size of a pea. OK, maybe a lima bean for some! 

I don't get to fish the surf very often, maybe a couple of days every few years, so have no reason to buy the best of the best for slinging some bait. I needed durable, which the Beefstick's certainly are, I needed something I could afford & several of the same type rod for other family members to use. I didn't really care much about sensitive. As long as i can feel a fish take the bait, that's all I need! For me, the Beefstick rods were a good choice. I have plenty of other rods to toss lures so that's not even a consideration. Although I've done it with one of the Beefstick's, an 8 footer, and although it's heavy (compared to some other rods I own) & not a rod I would want to spend a long day making cast after cast, it worked fine for the lures I was tossing. If you're too much of a wuss & can't handle the weight, use something lighter! There are worse issues in the world!

On some other forums I frequent, the issue of rod weight or rod & reel weight comes up often, and it seems everyone wants super light weight these days! Hell, I drive & unload freight from a tractor trailer for a living, 40000 to 50000 lbs a week, so the few extra ounces these rods might weigh compared to graphite rods are of little concern to me. I bought them to fish with, and they do just fine! I have no complaints at all about the Beefstick rods I own! 

Folks, what we buy & use is all relative to our personal situation & preferences. Get what suits you & let the next guy or gal do the same!


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## Vinnx (Nov 11, 2012)

Ain't nothing wrong with the Beef Stick. If you want a rod that can haul in a 6ft shark for less than $30, that's ur rod lol. I almost bought one couple months ago, but after considering the distances I wanted to cast, the fish I wanted to catch, the rigs I use and the fact that I like to fish with the rod in my hand, so I can feel every time the bait has been stolen to cast again, that I'd be fishing 2-3 times per month.. I wanted to go for something different.


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

Vinnx, IMO that's the whole point! For the price & type of rod that Beefstick's are, there's nothing wrong with them. On another site, a bass fishing site, the discussion was about "cheap" rods that turned out to be good rods, and a fellow mentioned he had a couple of Shimano FX spinning rods that he liked & had caught a lot of fish with them. I bought a couple of the same rods about 20 plus years ago for my kids to use. I think I paid about $20 each for them with reels. They're inexpensive, but for the use they were intended, they were money well spent! The reels have since been replaced, and my kids have all grown up & moved away but the rods I still have & would use. I have grand kids now who can use them! 

Price doesn't always have to dictate value when it comes to fishing tackle!


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## George Gravier (Oct 28, 1999)

who needs a 12ft+ rod to be sensitive that's what the reel clicker is for......


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## new2salt (Dec 28, 2000)

geo said:


> who needs a 12ft+ rod to be sensitive that's what the reel clicker is for......



Amen brother Amen


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## Fish'n Phil (Nov 11, 2002)

I've seen a 12' Beef Stick casted plenty of times this year on the pier and it does fine. 

By the way, doesn't Hickory Farms make a beef stick too?


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## jcallaham (Jan 1, 2009)

over the last 10 years I've spent around 3 grand on high end surf rods,CTS,century,CCP and I'm not done yet.
But when it comes to catching fish with a set rig that beef stick will outfish them all. since nobody has said anything negative here I will.
I hate all that colored thread and epoxy they gomp on there. To me it makes them look like a cheap piece of crap, and why call a fishing rod a beefstick?


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## js1172 (Jun 5, 2012)

I get to surf fish 1 week a year, I use a couple beef sticks, they beat a cane pole! I also have a custom surf rod is it better? probably getting to use it 1 week a year do I notice?
js


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## sirstreet (Dec 11, 2008)

My first 12 footer was a beefstick, fished with it for about 3 years. Caught some of everything on it and had no problem landing the big ones.best 20 bucks I ever spent . wish I never gave it away but oh well, when you get a chance to get something better pull the trigger


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## bloodworm (Jan 5, 2007)

Daiwa Beefstick is the Sheeeeittttt if you get it


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## boomer (Jul 1, 2009)

I have 2, I use them to shark fish with or if the rays and skates are the only thing biting because the rod has the backbone to get the skates up off the bottom.


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## ShoreFisher72 (Jul 13, 2005)

where are u guys buying these for $20?


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## OHMatt (May 8, 2014)

The 10' Beefstick is $22 on Amazon. Can't seem to find the 12' that cheap right now, perhaps that is due to all the folks on various internet forums singing their praises. 

Two other glass rods you can get 12' on the cheap; Bass Pro Power Plus surf ($32), and Okuma Tundra ($28 on Amazon). A lot of people on Amazon sing the praises of the 3 piece 15' Tundra on Amazon; but I don't like the fact it only has 5 guides across that massive length.


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## PandaBearJeff (Aug 19, 2013)

OHMatt said:


> The 10' Beefstick is $22 on Amazon. Can't seem to find the 12' that cheap right now, perhaps that is due to all the folks on various internet forums singing their praises.
> 
> Two other glass rods you can get 12' on the cheap; Bass Pro Power Plus surf ($32), and Okuma Tundra ($28 on Amazon). A lot of people on Amazon sing the praises of the 3 piece 15' Tundra on Amazon; but I don't like the fact it only has 5 guides across that massive length.


Daiwa Beef stick 12 ft at walmart, or sports authority. . . but most of the time wal marts won't have em. Unless you go to one near the water.


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