13 Fishing might’ve started as a specialized ice fishing brand, but their expansion into salt and freshwater yields excellent results.
The 13 Fishing Omen green casting rod is more of a mid-tier product that skirts a lot of lines without really landing in one place, but that turns out to be an advantage.
By making it a point to use some of the higher-end materials for everything from the blank to the componentry, 13 Fishing put together an excellent value.
That said, the Omen baitcasting pole doesn’t really do anything new in terms of the design or build, which means all of the benefits come from the raw materials.
This works out well for someone who knows what they’re doing and understands what works and what doesn’t, but it may not be the best option for all fishermen.
That’s why this review breaks down the 13 Fishing Omen baitcasting fishing rods and examines who really benefits from this value, and who might need to keep looking.
Contents
Review
Material
This is why you pay a mid-tier price for the 13 Fishing Omen casting rod as its materials may not always be the absolute top-quality but are rarely far from it either.
From front to back, this baitcasting fishing pole uses extremely high-quality materials that far surpass its cost and ultimately make this rod a great value regardless of any other qualities.
or starters, this fishing rod features a blank composed entirely of graphite with a 30-ton stress that provides more sensitivity than most while still offering a bit more durability than most other entirely graphite blanks.
That said, it still doesn’t use any other reinforcing materials for the blank, so understand the additional durability still pales in comparison to fiberglass.
Outside of the blank, the componentry also meets the same level of high quality with the guides employing water-resistant 316 stainless steel and zirconia for the inserts.
To take it even a step further, even the cork used in the handle is specially sourced from Portugal to make sure every part justifies itself.
Action
This is a bit of a tricky spot for the 13 Fishing Omen fishing pole as the company seems to rate its poles differently than most of its competition.
his doesn’t actually make the rods themselves perform any better or worse for the given rating, but it does mean you need to understand the ratings to choose the right model.
For this fishing rod, the listed action is “fast,” but it actually performs more like a “moderate” rod in a lot of respects– from casting to sinking the lure.
This means that you might not want to use this rod for bottom fishing as the slower than expected action can create an unexpected delay and let the fish go.
That said, for a “fast” action rod that performs like a “moderate,” the 13 Fishing Omen does get the benefits of a moderate action rod as well.
While the reaction time might not be as quick as a fast action, you still get additional casting distance, and the special tip and micro guides account for the moderate action drop in accuracy.
Power
The 13 Fishing’s idiosyncratic rating system rears its head again with the power system as most other brands’ power ratings are relatively close to one another, but 13 Fishing’s distinctly stands aside on its own.
Just like with the unique action rating, this doesn’t mean that this rod’s power performs poorly or anything.
On the contrary, this fishing pole’s power is every bit as good as the rest of the pole, and experienced fishermen will recognize the difference the 30T graphite makes compared to the more common 20-something ton graphite generally used.
But there’s no getting around the fact that the odd rating can make it difficult to choose the right situation for this rod.
Still, because the blank is more flexible than you might expect, the power tends to feel a bit “softer” or “mushier”– though it’s no less effective.
That said, old fishermen might even feel a bit of nostalgia when using this rod as its power gives the way they used to rather than tensing up with the proliferation of fast action rods.
Weight
For anyone at all familiar with fishing rods, it should come as little surprise that the 13 Fishing Omen baitcasting pole is extremely lightweight.
With only graphite, cork, and small amounts of stainless steel and zirconia to weigh it down, this rod is lightweight even when compared to other lightweight rods.
Sensitivity
This is definitely one of the other areas where the 13 Fishing Omen pole not only succeeds but exceeds expectations thanks in a large part due to its construction.
For one, the complete graphite blank does nothing else if not offer some of the best sensitivity you can find, though that’s not exactly uncommon either– especially at the mid-tier level.
Still, this rod easily gets more sensitivity back than it gives up in terms of durability, and even further reinforces this choice with other features.
A good example of this is the Evolve Soft Touch Engage Reel Seat which further transfers the vibrations from even a little nibble through to your hands.
Taper
Based on the 13 Fishing Omen rod’s action, it should go without saying that the taper performs differently than expected as well.
In this instance, the taper begins further down the rod, though not quite as much as you might expect, were it a traditional “moderate” action, sitting somewhere between your standard fast and moderate action taper.
Thankfully, this has no meaningful impact on the rod when used properly, though it can make knowing what the rod’s limit is a bit more difficult if based on previous experience.
Rod Guides
As mentioned prior, the 13 Fishing Omen baitcasting fishing pole uses 316 stainless steel and zirconia for the different parts of the guide componentry.
This does, however, place some implications on how to use the rod that is important to note to prevent damage from misuse (which isn’t covered by the warranty).
The zirconia inserts are some of the sturdiest you can get and should hold up well, even when fighting with a fish for an extended time and being pulled in pretty much every direction.
Likewise, the rod guides composed of 316 saltwater stainless steel are extremely durable, though they are more prone to tangling the line during casting if you’re not already skilled at casting with baitcasting reels.
Handle (material, shape, etc)
This is another instance where an often overlooked aspect of a fishing rod gets a little bit more attention from 13 Fishing.
The 13 Fishing Omen casting rod uses 3A Portuguese cork for the handle which offers all of the benefits of standard cork with a smoother feel that molds better without losing give.
Uses (Who is this good for)
Given that the 13 Fishing Omen is so well-made and offers such a good value, the natural assumption would be that anyone can find a use for this rod.
While that may technically be true, the use of 30T graphite for the blank without further reinforcement means it may not be the best option for beginners.
If you don’t know how to properly disentangle the line from underwater vegetation and aren’t prepared to cut bait, you will need to be careful when and where you use this pole.
Otherwise, the blank is liable to snap under constant tugging– though the unexpectedly long taper and action provide a little bit of give in that department.
Instead, the 13 Fishing Omen is probably best set in the hands of someone with a little bit of experience, both for knowing how to avoid the problem and for getting out of it.
For a more experienced fisherman, however, this is a pole that you’ll take with you pretty much every time it can be used.
Warranty
The 13 Fishing Omen fishing rod comes with a 5-year warranty which is pretty good, though more than within the expectations of a mid-tier model.
However, the company is a bit more of a stickler than most when it comes to distinguishing between a manufacturer or material defect and improper use.
Length
The 13 Fishing Omen casting fishing rod only comes in two lengths 6’8” and 7’7”, though both of them come in either of the power settings.
Not much to say here except the 7’7” pole still only comes in one piece.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the 13 Fishing Omen casting rod is an excellent value that provides fine finishing touches to pretty much every part of the pole– including the componentry.
Granted, you definitely have to pay for that quality, as this mid-range baitcasting fishing pole is not exactly a cheap product.
Perhaps you’d want to review the best baitcasting rod buyers’ guide.
When you combine the mid-tier price with the fact that it uses a complete graphite blank, this is probably not an ideal rod to start a beginner on.
However, if you understand how to maneuver through vegetation and can get a snagged line free without breaking the rod in the process, this is an amazing value.
Aside from the high-quality materials used, this fishing pole also makes sure that the manufacturing processes are top-notch.
All combined, this makes the 13 Fishing Omen one of the better all-around values for long-term use over many years– in the hands of an, at least, moderately experienced fisherman.
