PELAGO Tackle is an Australian-owned company and has designed the “Rod Lock”, an interesting concept that simplifies and replaces bulky gimbals with a compact and easy-to-use system.
Having used gimbals extensively for both game and sports fishing, I know how valuable they are. For me, if you are fighting a fish of a lifetime and your rod is digging into your groin unnecessarily, it is an unnecessary annoyance. If you are going away on a trip, you would hate to skip a few sessions because you were nursing a bruised inner thigh/lower abdomen. I was super interested in trying Pelago Tackle’s concept to see if it ticked all the boxes.
I wore the Rod Lock for 7 days straight in the tropical South Pacific. At times, I forgot that it was there. The magnetic clip fits tightly to your board shorts, and it is light enough that it doesn’t weigh you down, small enough not to get in the way. I didn’t get any chaffing or annoying indentations from attaching the Roc Lock. It is comfy for long-term use. The one downside to the magnetic clip is that it may not be as effective through multiple layers of clothing or thick clothing used in cooler temperatures. This could limit the use of the Rod Lock for anglers in cold and wet conditions who have rugged up for winter… Not really the target market in my opinion. The Rod Lock is rated to hold up to 10kg and isn’t designed to clip into overhead game tackle. It is purely for sports fishing, and much of that is in warm climates.
The 90mm base is designed to spread the load evenly when fighting a fish. Obviously, it isn’t going to be able to do this as much as a larger gimbal. However, if you are travelling, the Rod Lock takes up an insignificant amount of luggage space and isn’t a burden on the packing list.
Sometimes, if you are casting all day, the gimbal comes out when you hook a fish. The benefit of the Rod Lock is that it is already attached and you can use it at your discretion. I used it for small moments of a tussle with a decent dogtooth tuna. I didn’t completely rely on it… But it definitely held the rod in position under load.
I would recommend the Pelago tackle Rod Lock for travellers or older/impaired anglers who need back support. I found it useful for both spinning topwater and jigging outfits.
Pelago Tackle – Rod Lock RRP retail for $128.70 with bundles that help save. Check them out at www.pelagotackle.com.au/
