I looked hard at both the Temple Reef lines (Levitate $$$$, Gravitate $$), whilst at the Jersey Fishing Expo this past March. The matt purple "Flip-flop" iridescent finish on the Levitate series was especially eye-popping. For me, I was "like a moth to a flame." Stunning. Going in, I had fully intended to add one or the other to my fluke arsenal. Both series are beautifully crafted rods, but disappointingly, neither lineup had an action that would help me with my specific fishing style. In fact I thought they would work against my efforts, as the tip felt too soft to effectively move a 3-4oz bucktail in deep water the way I prefer. Both lines were much too soft for the "snap-type" or "popping-type" jigging that we most frequently utilize for fluke. Again, truly beautiful rods - just not for me. Depressing.
For the slow-pitch jigging style, yup, on the money, and based on my extensive "pre-Expo" research, possibly none better - but that is a completely different "jigging" technique, utilizing nearly the entire rod blank to evoke the "proper" action for that style of fishing. After spending a goodly amount of time doing the eval, and being quite disappointed, I went back to Kilsong's booth and purchased one of his Charter Special slow pitch rods. No where near as "fancy" as the Temple Reef rods, but more to my liking, action-wise. Much less delicate tip action - much better for the fluke jigging style that I employ. I did give my new Black Hole a good workout this past weekend with 3-4oz bucktails - and it performed perfectly, as I anticipated. Didn't get a keeper, but that was more my fault than the rod's. Indians - arrows, and all that. . .
Back to the subject though, In point of fact I think that even the Shimano Trevala S series is superior to the Temple Reef lines - for the way that most of us here jig fluke. At a fraction of the price.
George - specific to your expressed issues, you are right, you ARE missing bites - because with such a light, bendy blank you will need to swing much harder to move the bucktail with authority into the fish's mouth. Its simple physics, right? If TR would come out with a rod series with slightly more tip power, but the same overall "bend" to the blank, they would have a winner for our inshore fishing. That's my belief, anyways.
Gorgeously constructed and finished rods, though just not right for how I (and maybe you, George) fish.
