Impressions: "Performance Tuned" is all about taking something that is already great, and making it even better! The Cabo PT Inshore rods were built on the solid foundation of the freshwater PT series, and with some R&D, and a good deal of testing by Quantum's professional saltwater guides, the saltwater PT series was born.

Introducing the Cabo PT Inshore saltwater rods by Quantum

The rod's blue butt-wrap is very detailed and attractive, and does complements all of Quantum's contemporary Saltwater PT products. This 7ft rod utilizes 10 Fuji Alconite guides and Fuji's popular ECS reel seat with an exposed blank. The entire rod is extremely lightweight and features a comfortable ergonomic cork handle. The Cabo PT Inshore rods are available in both spinning and casting, 7 to 8ft, and running from medium-light all the way to heavy in power.

  
Field Tests: The Cabo PT Inshore rods are great for many saltwater species all over the world such as sea trout, drums, snook, bonefish, perch, bluefish, and much more.  In our tests we put the PT Saltwater rods in a set of tests for rockcod, perch, stripers, smelt, kingfish(croakers), and even small sized sturgeon.

The Cabo PT Inshore baitcast rod casts nicely and is very comfortable in the hands

 
Casting: At 7ft in length the CBIC70M casts both lures and bait nicely from shore, on the boat, or while wading in the flats. Having the extra length is extremely nice to have when you need to reach out further, especially in situations like when we encountered a school of stripers in a feeding frenzy. You cannot turn on the big motor and plow right into them, so you have to rely on the stealth of trolling motor, and however far you can cast. The action along with the length of the rod allowed us to reach those fish without ever spooking them, pulling more than 5 fish from the feeding school of stripers in a span of minutes.

When fishing out in the open ocean or bay, accuracy wasn't a primary concern, but we know that other anglers might fish in spots surrounded by cover and structure that require proficient targeting. Long rods are great in achieving distant casts, but there is a tradeoff and that's in accuracy. At 7ft the Cabo PT Inshore rod is still very manageable and has a controllable taper that sends your bait to the desired location.   When field testing, we fished with the saltwater PT rod for stripers around many weed patches that demanded accurate casting to position the lure in the right place without snagging weeds.

Chrome Plated Stainless Steel frames and Alconite guide rings make a great combo for a saltwater inshore rod

  
Sensitivity: In the past most light tackle saltwater rods were made of fiberglass, but with the development of better graphite material and fabrication, more graphite rods are showing up in the saltwater arena. The Cabo PT Inshore graphite rod has very good sensitivity and that proved to be true as we detected bites deep down when fishing for rockcod using braided line. Also, when targeting surf perch near some rock piles around Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay, it was nice to have a sensitive rod to detect those nibbles from smaller fish. The components used also help in this area. The CBIC70M uses 10 quality guides and an exposed blank reel seat where you can put your finger on the blank as you fish, does help in distinguishing a light tap from movements caused by the current.

A brilliant and colorful butt wrap that's powerful

  
Power: The saltwater PT rods come in a wide assortment of power ratings. The CBIC70M PT baitcast rod that we used is only rated as medium power, but offers plenty of power to fight larger fish.  We usually do not go light tackle for sturgeons, but in this one instance we did and were well prepared to throw the anchor over to chase down the fish.  During the day sturgeon fishing, the Cabo PT Inshore rod was well stressed from sturgeon ranging from 30 to 48" which really put the rod to the test. The attractive 6 color diamond design wrapped butt section is hand laid with precision, and gives the rod a hefty bottom section to handle the bigger fish when needed, and in our case, landing sturgeon felt like fighting a tank at the bottom of the Bay.

Durability: Durability is key to saltwater tackle, and saltwater contaminates are the worst enemy to metal components. The PT Inshore rods were used for quite a few times on the ocean. With a good rinsing each time, the guides and its chrome plated stainless steel frames showed no signs of corrosion, and the rest of the rod didn't display any wear from the harsh saltwater conditions thanks to the air-dried FlexCoat epoxy finish that Quantum employed on these rods. Since these rods are made of high-strain graphite, they do much better in the durability department and provide many additional benefits, but graphite rods are still not as hard-wearing as rods constructed from heavier fiberglass material. But for inshore fishing, I welcome graphite in my hands any day due to the improved comfort level and refinement.

The Cabo PT Inshore series include spinning rods that show the same performance as the casting model

Application: The Cabo PT Inshore series are made for light tackle anglers that are looking for a rod that's lightweight, durable, and a solid performer in saltwater environments. These rods can be used in many applications and great in all parts of the world such as Australia, coastal waters of the USA, tropical islands, fishing in the flats, jetties, and much more.  With the available range in both baitcasting and spinning rods, the opportunities are endless when hunting for your desired species.

The PT Inshore rod is perfect for areas with plenty of flats, and sight fisherman can benefit from a lighter more nimble saltwater stick

Warranty: All the PT series equipment come with nice coverage. The Quantum Cabo PT Inshore rods have a limited lifetime warranty against blank breakage. Anglers just have to ship (insured) the rod back to Quantum, with proof of purchase and $10.95 for US and Canada, and they will either repair or replace the rod at its option.
  
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Conclusion: When light tackle saltwater rods are needed, the Cabo PT Inshore rods get the job done. Quantum's new line of high-strain graphite baitcasting and spinning rods are quality products that any saltwater angler should definitely consider. These Performance Tuned rods cast excellent, have exceptional sensitivity to detect strikes, and are comfortable in your hands all day, whether you are tossing lures or dropping bait in pursuit of your favorite saltwater game fish. Our tests confirm that the Cabo PT Inshore series performed with terrific results and definitely belong in Quantum's ever growing Performance Tuned line of products.