Welcome to Assassin Fishing Rods and Gaffs! - Active Fishing Gear

This unique range of fishing equipment was designed by Barry Wareham who has now developed a range of products in the Rock and Surf Series.    

Barry has fished his whole life and represented his province and country many times as the captain of those teams.

This, combined with a lot of fishing abroad and a huge passion for angling, are the key to the success of these rods.

These rods are available custom built to your specifications as a consumer. Assassin products can be shipped to you anywhere in the world. 

Overview

The brand ‘Assassin' is synonymous with the leading technology and innovations in Rock and Surf fishing rods and blanks.  Every single innovation in rock and surf angling rods in the last fifteen years has come from the Assassin stable.  

• First equal length 3-piece, multiple-tip rock and surf rod in the market
• First high-modulus heavy multiplier type surf caster in the world
• First zero-flex base piece rod in the world (Blade technology)
• First trigger winches ever introduced to surf casters
• First hollow butts to prevent butt breakage
• First ever to use flip-guides on surf rods
• First translucent colours ever introduced to surf rods
• First multi-piece surf rods with no visible external reinforcing on joints
• The famous ‘Assassin Flash' just above the grip developed to counter the effects of ultra-violet fading
• The first to introduce larger ‘competition guides' to cater for heavy leaders
• The first to introduce the raw blank low-maintenance finish on surf rods

 

If you look at the above you will not find a single competitor who has not tried to emulate or follow in Assassin's footsteps.  In fact almost every rod that claims to compete is trying to ride the Assassin wave.

 

From the original locally manufactured classic range, Assassin has added to its stable the entry-level BeachMaster series of two rods to compete with the other low-price rods in the market and then a further range of imported high-modulus graphite rods, branded the Assassin Surf Series, to compete with the other cheaper high-modulus competitors.

 

High Modulus Graphite vs Standard Graphite

There is no doubt the higher the modulus of graphite, the stiffer the blank becomes and the lighter the feel of the blank.  This is fantastic as far as the feel of the rod goes, but it does have its limitations.  It is definitely a little more susceptible to impact and compression than lower modulus graphite.  It is incredibly strong from a rigidity point of view, but in faster tapers, it does not like to bend back on itself.  If there is one thing you can guarantee with high modulus it is the fact that if you try to pull the plug out of the ocean at your feet with the rod held at an angle of more than 45° to the horizontal, you are treading on thin ice.  The greater the angle and the harder the pull, the more assured you should be that the rod could break.  Something else that has recently come to the fore is that any foreign hard object, such as a grain of sand between the two walls of the male and female joints, is far more likely to cause a fracture in high modulus than standard graphite.  These types of fractures normally manifest themselves as a split that runs up invariably the male section of the joint.  The effect of the trigger on the winch being tied to the tip and mid-section in a bag is also another area that one needs to be very cautious with.  If the trigger is squashed into the other part of the blank (usually the mid-section just above the male joint) it can very easily cause a compression fracture at that point.

The bottom line is, the better the rod feels and the better it does the job that you want it to do, the more aware you have to be of its limitations and the easier it is to break in the hands of somebody who does not understand the limitations of this high modulus graphite.  An indestructible rod is indeed the easiest rod to build, but it is definitely going to be the worst rod to fish with.  The choice is up to you.

Quality Control

Assassin rods are thoroughly tested and checked in a rigid quality control process ensuring that you get an exceptional product.  Do take the time to read the Assassin Survival Kit supplied in a very useful pouch for important information on Safety, Guidelines, Care and Warranty.

Assassin Classic Series

The rods in the Classic Series are manufactured in South Africa using mandrels designed and used exclusively for Assassin rods.  These rods are all custom-built.  There are four rods in this series, all of which are available in standard graphite or High Modulus Graphite (HMG).  All Assassin rods are 3-piece rods.  The difference between standard graphite and High Modulus Graphite is that the HMG will throw a slightly heavier sinker than the standard.  The HMG rod is a touch lighter but substantially stiffer.  This material has revolutionised these rods by suddenly bringing to the fore a lighter and stiffer rod, thereby dramatically increasing casting distances and pulling power. The HMG rods come with only one High Modulus tip, as any others need only to be made out of standard graphite from a cost-effective point of view.  A number of tips are available for each standard graphite model in the range. Some Assassin Rods can be complemented with a composite tip, which was developed primarily to cater for those looking for a really fast soft tip or specifically for boat fishing. The Classic series come standard with a cloth bag, however travel tubes are an optional extra.

Available Tips for the Standard Graphite Rods

• Light tips have a slowish action
• Medium tips have a medium action
• Heavy tips have a medium to fast action
• Composite tips are very soft, but have a very fast action.

Assassin BeachMaster Series   

The Assassin BeachMaster is a great complement to the Assassin Range.  It has been specially designed to more than meet the needs of the serious but not necessarily competitive angler, who wants to fish with a graphite rod, but feels he cannot justify a high investment in state of the art equipment.  There are two rods in this range, namely the standard BeachMaster and the BeachMaster Lite.  Both rods are manufactured entirely in the East in order to keep the pricing at an acceptable level.  Both of the rods are also available in the form of a blank, which we can customise to a customer's specific requirement, such as a high-mount fixed spool application.  The BeachMaster comes standard with two tips, a cloth bag and a soft tube.  Each model in this range is offered either with a trigger winch or a standard winch.   

Models in the BeachMaster Series:

Assassin Surf Series

The Assassin Surf Series of rods have been designed to complement the BeachMaster range, but at the higher end, in HMG.  There are five rods in this series, namely Surf Lite, Surf Medium, Surf Special, Surf Heavy Competitor and Surf Blade.  All these rods are made out of high-modulus graphite (HMG), but manufactured in the East. The significantly lower cost of manufacture there has meant that these rods come into the market considerably lower than the locally manufactured Assassin Classic Series.  Blanks are also available for customised rods.  Customised rods are more expensive than the standard models, which come completely built up with Fuji Alconite Guides (braid compliant).  The butts also have a rubber end to stop the rod from slipping out of the bucket and to reduce the jarring effect on hard surfaces.  The Surf Series comes standard with a cloth bag and the standard models (not customised) come with their own travel tubes.  With the exception of the Surf Lite, all the other models in this series come with trigger winches, whereas the Surf Lite comes with a standard winch, which accommodates multipliers, fixed spools and centre pin type reels.  The surf series models are comparable in performance to the Assassin Classic Series in HMG, with the exception of the Surf Special, which fits between the Medium and the Heavy.  This Surf Special is fantastic for those anglers who feel that the Heavy is just a little too overpowering.  HMG rods come only with one tip.  As with all high-performance HMG rods, special care must be taken with this product.  Refer to the Assassin Care booklet for more information.

Models in the Surf Series Range:

Assassin Care

• Most breakages occur as a result of the rod being squashed during transport or storage. Various travel tubes and carryalls are available as accessories.
• Ensure that joints are clean before putting the rod together, especially from salt particles or grit.
• If the joint is tight, use any form of lubrication such as oil, or even very light grease. It is important to clean the joints regularly.
• After each usage, it is best to rinse the rod in fresh water and allow it to dry thoroughly before storage. Failure can result in rusty dis-colourations and even corrosion in extreme cases.
• Should the rod be left in a warm moist environment, the stainless steel on the reel seat and guides can become susceptible to corrosion.
• Rust on Components - All metal used on Assassin rods is the best stainless steel available for that component. Discolouration, which looks like rust, may occur on the legs of a guide. This can normally be removed with the blade of a penknife as it often forms underneath clear paint or high-build.
• How to loosen stuck joints:
  
  
  
  1. With your knees together, place the rod behind your knees with the joint in the middle. Holding each piece firmly with your hands on the side of your knees, using your legs, force your knees apart.
  2. Stand back-to-back with a partner, with the rod between your legs at knee-level. Keeping your legs straight, bend forward and grasp the rod with both hands against your knees. Once you have the rod firmly held in this position, go into the squat position. This will force the joint apart.
  3. This is the most effective, but rather risky option. With people at each end pulling hard, stand next to the rod holding the joint firmly in your hand. Push and pull the joint up and down. This will cause the male section to wriggle its way out of the female section. As soon as you feel the joint starting to come apart in your hand, stop the up and down action, as this is when you run the risk of cracking the female section.

Assassin Quality

Assassin Safety

Assassin Guidelines

• Due to the high-performance specifications of Assassin rods, it is best suited to experienced and competent anglers.
• Should you exceed the recommended sinker-weight, you will need to adjust your casting style to avoid a potential breakage.
• The angle of the tip to the base should never exceed 45 degrees. The smaller the angle, the harder one can pull. Dangling a fish in front of you with the rod in the vertical position will almost definitely result in a broken tip. Should you however have a need for a tip with this capability, contact your Assassin supplier for details on Composite tips.
• Whilst fighting a fish, be very careful about resting the rod on a hard surface such as the side of a boat, railing on a pier, rock, etc., as this will most probably lead to a fracture at that point.
• Smooth, powerful casts are not a problem for Assassin rods. Any jerky, erratic action on the tip during casting, could lead to failure.
• Before casting, ensure that your line is not around the tip guide. Failure to do so could result in a missing tip, broken line and massive over-wind.