I had the opportunity to fish Okuma’s Cerros reel and Scott Martin Tournament Concept rod recently. Overall, I was very pleased with the combo. The reel was a Cerros CR-273V. It has nine bearings, one roller bearing and features a gear ratio of 7.3:1. The rod is a Scott Martin TCS-C661M+, Jerk/Crank rod. This is a very nice combo for anglers working with a $200 budget.
The reel:
The color scheme of the reel compliments the TCS rod well. I spooled it with 30-pound Tuf-Line Heavy Core braid, coupled with a length of 6-foot, 12-pound Bass Pro Shops fluorocarbon leader. It took some time to dial in the reel while adjusting the magnetic brakes and spool tension.
I prefer a spool tension knob that has click settings, but the missing feature was not a major drawback. The bearings in the reel are smooth and quiet, and gave no indication of being over-lubricated from the factory, although I confess that I didn't disassemble it.
The braking system is excellent, as was evidenced when I caught what must have been a 12- to 14-pound gar. When the fish pulled drag, the brakes were very smooth, with no jerkiness whatsoever. All in all, I was impressed with the reel.
Here's what the Okuma folks have to say about the Cerros Lowprofile reel.
“In the hand, Cerros takes a deep seat in the palm. The left side plate is 3mm narrower than any previous Okuma design, bringing the angler’s grip more in line with the rod and offering increased confidence overall. The machined aluminum frame serves as a powerful foundation for the hand while EVA knobs greet the cranking hand with cushioned comfort.
“Nine bearings plus Quick-Set anti-reverse bearing set free enhanced casting distance from the machined aluminum spool and ultra-smooth cranking while delivering authoritative hooksets. Anglers appreciate a full 24-point magnetic cast control and Cerros’ optional 6.6:1 or 7.3:1 gear ratios.”
Visit http://www.okumafishing.com and choose Cerros Lowprofile for additional information.
The rod:
To begin with, the Scott Martin Tournament Concept Rod offers a lot of eye candy. The upper two-thirds of the rod is a beautiful cobalt blue. The overall fit and finish is excellent. The reel seat has the knob in front of the reel, something I much prefer, plus the threads are never exposed to the elements. Two features I certainly prefer are the split grips, consisting of a combination of EVA with a cork trim, and a hook keeper that is located behind the reel.
The rod performed really well. I threw a variety of baits including light T-Rigs, to spinnerbaits, to Rattle-Traps. For a rod in its price range, it was surprisingly sensitive, and allowed me to detect and reel in a few of bass that subtlety inhaled the T-Rig. In addition, it had plenty enough backbone to easily handle that hard-fighting gar.
Visit http://www.okumafishing.com and choose Scott Martin’s Tournament Concept TCS Rods for additional information.
Simply put, I had a great day fishing with this combo. The rod and reel are perfectly matched for both performance and good looks. I have no hesitation recommending the Okuma combo to anyone with a budget in this price range.