A special 18gr!

I tested both the reel-seat and the lure version and both are very sharp, depending on your personal preference. The Quantum 2.10m Vapor Finesse Lure & Jig 5-18g from Quantum is no ordinary 18gr rod. It’s a pretty stiff rod that makes it possible to fish with light weights. Ideal therefore for big perch and the smaller zander.

The rod.

The rod has a nice tip action that also gives sport with smaller fish, but hook a bigger specimen and the rod really comes into its own. The blank gives me the feeling of constantly having power in reserve during the fight, yet this nice action still shows under hard knocks. Don’t be fooled by its 18gr rating — with this rod you can land your dream perch without any trouble. Also very pleasant for bank fishing with small lures for zander up to 70cm (more from a boat, of course).

Lures.

I tested the rod from 3 to 25gr and within that range I get clearly noticeable bottom contact. As a maximum weight, a Q-paddler 12cm (8gr) on a 14gr jighead (22gr combined) is still pleasant to fish. I also hung a 25gr blade/spinner lure on it and that was absolutely no problem due to the low resistance in the water. I wouldn’t recommend going heavier — after all, it’s a 5-18gr rod.

The bite.

The rod is so sensitive that with every bite you briefly think you’ve bumped into a rock. Setting the hook is an effortless action — the fish barely need to smell it and the hook already sticks thanks to its stiff character. What appeals to me so much about this rod: a stiff yet forgiving blank, its power, the short butt that never gets in the way, and its feather-light weight of 128gr.

Kristof Daisone