REVIEW: Daiwa Generation Black – Blackjack – Travel Rod
In my opinion a 2-4kg rod is the perfect fishing all rounder. Its light enough to target smaller species that inhabit our southern estuary and freshwater reaches like bream, flathead, trout and redfin, yet still has the power needed for when those larger species inevitably come along. A 3 piece version of this rod would be even more versatile again! That’s exactly what Daiwa have created with their 3 piece Generation Black: Blackjack (GB 703LFS). This great little rod features Daiwa’s HVF (high volume fiber) graphite and high quality componentry which is present on all of their Generation Black range.
| Specifications | |
| Model |
GB 703LFS Blackjack |
| Type |
Spin- Travel |
| Sections |
3 |
| Length |
213cm / 7′ |
| Action |
Light |
| Taper |
Fast |
| Cast Weight |
1-5g |
| Line Rating | 2-4kg |
FEATURES
- HVF
- Fuji Alconite Guides
- Daiwa Tournament Graphite reel seats
- Ultra tough EVA minimalist split grips
- Sling style shoulder bag
INTRODUCTIONS / IMPRESSIONS
My 3 piece Blackjack has done a lot of fishing with me now and has caught me a host of different species and handled them with ease. Its length and fast action makes it ideal for casting lures both accurately and long distances. This rod is always rigged up along side my 1 piece version (the Itchy Twitchy) when I am fishing bream comps.
The EVA grips are comfortable in the hand, and aesthetically tie in well with the matte black theme used throughout the rod series.
The included bag is a good idea and works well for storage, but is not very practical for the traveling angler, for which this rod is intended. It would be nice to see an included hard case with this rod which would offer much greater piece of mind.
All serious backpack fishermen should consider a 3 or 4 piece rod or a travel rod of some kind, whether it be for throwing in the backpack for those treks into remote wilderness, or jumping on a plane and heading interstate to visit relatives with a little bit of time for a flick. Their compact size makes them a breeze to transport.
CONSTRUCTION
With today’s technology multi piece rods perform nearly as well as their single piece equivalent. They are super strong and still exhibit great sensitivity. The Daiwa Generation Black Blackjack is no exception to this, its a very versatile rod to have in the arsenal, especially for the traveling angler.
I think for their features and components the Gen Black rods are some of the best value-for-money rods around. If your in the market for a mid range travel rod, this is definitely one to consider.
WHERE TO BUY
The Generation Black Rods be purchased from most good tackle stores. A list of Daiwa stockists can be found here.
Just curious , the specs given for the blackjack state that it is a 1kg to 3kg rod when the photo and daiwa web page indicate that it is a 2kg to 4kg rod , so is the 1 to 3 a perfect all rounder or a 2 to 4 , it’s a bit confusing that’s all .
Hi Vaughan, Yep sorry about the confusion. I had the wrong line weight in the table. The blackjack is a 2-4kg as you said, and that in my opinion is the ideal allrounder weight. A 1-3kg can be a little light if you decide to use it for some of our bigger estuary species or natives. Hope this helps. Cheers