Duckett is an interesting company in that a quick glance might give you the impression that it’s a fly-by-night company given that it was founded less than a decade ago.
However, Duckett Fishing is the company started by world-renowned professional angler Boyd Duckett following his explosive appearance on the Major League Fishing tour.
On top of that, as a company making fishing poles for a professional fisherman, many other pros flock to Duckett Fishing as well.
Boyd’s professional experience provides a unique insight into what qualities and features are the most important for a fishing rod, and that insight informs the design and production of Duckett Fishing rods.
The Duckett Green Ghost is actually one of the company’s lower-end models, but the professional approach still shows up plenty.
This creates a great combination where you still get the lower price you’d expect from a newer company but the quality that you expect from a professional-grade company.
Contents
Review
Construction (craftsmanship, make quality)
Let’s go ahead and get one of the biggest knocks against the Duckett Green Ghost casting rod out of the way first: it’s not the most durable.
Granted, any halfway intelligent fisherman can look at the extremely reasonable cost of this fishing pole and put two and two together to realize that something has to be missing.
In this regard, it’s not so much that the Duckett Green Ghost is a weak or fragile rod, but its construction favors sensitivity over everything else.
While it accomplishes that goal with flying colors, Duckett may’ve taken a bit too far in that direction as the rods will break– especially in colder weather where the carbon fiber becomes more brittle.
Length
The Duckett Green Ghost rod may be solid all around, but it definitely sits in a bit of a niche with regard to the size of waters it’s designed for.
You can see this in the fact that this casting rod comes in sizes ranging from 6’9” to 7’ to 7’3”– a total difference of only half a foot.
Given that the Duckett Green Ghost fishing pole comes in three different sizes, you might think that the rod provides some wiggle room in terms of where you can fish.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case as these fishing poles all hover around the same size and are suited for average-sized waters.
Material
This is one of the areas where the Duckett Green Ghost casting pole really shines as all of the materials chosen are high-end and complement the other features perfectly.
In terms of the blank, which is generally the most important material consideration, you get a completely carbon fiber product.
Granted, the exclusive use of carbon fiber means that cold-weather fishing can be a bit trickier with the blank getting a touch brittle, but it offers the best sensitivity for its class.
Even better, this fishing pole also makes it a point to use carbon fiber for the reinforcing scrim, so you still don’t sacrifice sensitivity.
Beyond that, the handle uses EVA foam which is long-lasting and naturally water-resistant, though it’s not known to be the most comfortable.
The guides employ 316 stainless steel which makes them naturally water-resistant and more durable than other materials, though you will need to be more careful when casting to avoid tangles.
Action
The Duckett Green Ghost casting fishing rod only comes in one action and that’s fast, though the rod doesn’t cast like most “fast” action rods.
This is because this fishing pole uses a multi-modulus carbon fiber blank construction which varies the way the rod responds depending on the part of the blank.
This construction ultimately translates to a smoother action and quicker recovery of control.
Power
Though the Duckett Green Ghost comes in three different powers, do not let that mislead you into treating them like you would any other kind of rod.
Because of its completely carbon fiber blank, this baitcasting fishing rod will always be a little “weaker” than a comparable fishing pole that uses fiberglass somewhere in the blank’s construction.
Weight
If you’ve been paying attention, you should already be able to guess that the Duckett Green Ghost is a lightweight rod due in a large part to the carbon fiber blank construction.
However, Duckett Fishing doubles down on this and uses the Halo-Sanding process to reduce the weight further.
Sensitivity
Pretty much every feature of the Duckett Green Ghost is tuned to provide additional sensitivity which might make up for its less than stellar durability.
The Stay-True epoxy used for the scrim combined with the carbon fiber construction makes the Sensi-Touch blanks some of the most sensitive in their class.
Taper
For most casting rods, the taper is something that you make sure looks and works well and then move on.
However, the Duckett Green Ghost upends this approach by using multi-modulus carbon fiber that impacts the taper differently at different points on the rod– though it can be a bit tricky to notice.
Specifically, this is an effect that’s most notable on the rod’s recovery of control immediately following the cast.
This allows for a more accurate casting which will help fish better in smaller bodies of water, but it also just feels better when casting as you maintain control and sensitivity throughout.
Rod Guides
As mentioned prior, the 316 stainless steel guides are more durable than other types which could allow you to cast multiple lures– though the blank’s durability might limit that a bit. Still, the elevated double foot stripper and first running guide increase durability further and provide additional strength.
Handle (material, shape, etc)
As mentioned prior, the Duckett Green Ghost casting rod uses an EVA foam handle which is both durable and water-resistant.
However, EVA foam is not known for molding to the shape of your hand quite as well as cork, nor is it just generally as comfortable in the short term either.
However, the shape and design of the pole’s provide a superior anchor when reeling the fish in that is unlikely to slip from your hip/leg/etc.
Uses (Who is this good for)
Before saying who the Duckett Green Ghost casting rod is for, it’s best to provide one clear warning about who it’s not for: cold-weather fishermen.
This has been mentioned before, but it bears repeating: the completely carbon fiber blank becomes more brittle in cold weather and is more liable to break than in warmer climes.
Now, for everyone and everywhere else, the Duckett Green Ghost is best-suited for medium-sized waters– so not small streams or larger coasts.
On top of that, the rod is meant to catch medium-sized and smaller. Don’t purchase this pole hoping to land a large, feisty fish and not accept that it might break.
Reel and Real Seat Compatibility
It’s not often that the reel seat matters all that much except when determining which type of reel to use (a casting reel for the Duckett Green Ghost).
However, this fishing pole uses a proper split-seat reel that allows for a quicker transfer of vibration throughout the blank to provide quicker recovery of control.
Warranty
Duckett Fishing generally provides solid service with regard to the warranty, though the Duckett Green Ghost is a bit disappointing in this respect.
For starters, the warranty only covers manufacturing defects and only lasts one year which is at the bottom end if you even include a warranty.
On top of that, the Duckett Green Ghost also requires a $25 shipping fee if you need to send the rod in for repairs.
On top of that, it can be a bit difficult to determine when Duckett Fishing’s warranty comes into play and when the seller is responsible– something that is important for poles damaged during shipment.
Customer Service
For as limiting and confusing as the Duckett Green Ghost’s warranty can be to activate, the company’s customer service is pretty good.
The representatives are polite and helpful, though they are not usually the most personally knowledgeable about the product, so don’t ask complicated questions.
However, Duckett Fishing, in general, is more forgiving than most companies and has been known to send verified customers components.
This allows you to take the rod to your local repair shop and avoid having to pay the $25 shipping fee for anything other than a cracked or broken blank.
Conclusion
As we can see, even the “low-end” of the Duckett Fishing lineup is still more than capable for 80% of most fishing needs outside of specific settings and species.
But the Duckett Green Ghost is more than just a bargain-basement casting rod with features you expect to find on more expensive models.
That said, you need to be extremely careful when choosing this rod as it’s made within a relatively narrow range of specifications.
The main thing to consider is the size and strength of the fish as well as the location– this is not the rod you use when fishing in an area with a lot of debris or anywhere else that might snag and break the pole.
That said, there are so many different quality of life features as well as impactful features too (like the ones that boost sensitivity), that it’s hard not to see the value.
Just be careful and alert when using the Duckett Green Ghost, and you will be pleased with both the price and the overall quality.
