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Take Two (Piece) with Phenix's Feather Casting Rods
The FTX-C277MH is a two piece casting rod measuring roughly
seven feet, seven inches (7'7") fully assembled. It comes with updated Fuji
stainless steel guides with FazLite inserts built on the same, blended Carbon
Weave blank with Nanolite resin.
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How Does a Budget, Value, Rod Dubbed Offshore
Dominate the Search for One?
Ark Rods continues to make a name for themselves in the bass rod market. By all accounts, their Randall Tharp Honey Badger series of signature rods has only served to help them gain a stronger foothold in a very hotly contested market. Today, we take a look at one of Tharp's favorite sticks in the lineup, his TS76MHFC Offshore Special.
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Trika's Candidate in The Search for One, Their C73MHF
Setting out with the goal of
delivering some of the best fishing rods on the planet, Trika leveraged their
highly technical approach to deliver a full line of bass fishing rods.
Introducing Trika's Search for One candidate, the C73MHF casting rod.
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Fishing Favors the Bold. Trika’s 7 Foot+ Casting Rods
Trika launched their brand at the end of last
season with a market changing mentality. Chances are you have seen the brand’s
bold performance claims when it comes to outperforming competitors retailing for
much more in both casting distance and sensitivity and we were eager to see just
how these rods would stack up. |
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The Search For One : Phenix's Re-Imagined MAX-73MH
It's been over seven years
since our introduction to Phenix's Maxim series of rods, and as we shared with
our review of the MAXS-610L, the company revamped the series in 2020 updating
both the series' look and components. Today, we take a look at the most likely
stick within the series to be dubbed "the One" in our continual search for that
singular stick to rule them all. |
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Turn That Blank Around : A Rainshadow Wrap for BFS Techniques
As reel manufacturers rush to get their take on the BFS
movement to market, it seems rod manufacturers have a little catching up to do.
The selection of available casting rods to support the light line movement just
isn’t quite there, so what’s an enthusiast to do? Well, although the built rod
options may be few and far between, blanks to enable the movement already exist. |
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Time for Another Build or Two: Point Blank Rods's PB731HXF
Rods
fascinate me. The number of ways in which they can be assembled, and the
different materials used to build the blanks represent a world of intrigue and
mystery that never ceases to intrigue. The very core of a fishing rod, it's soul
- that blank, is where it all begins yet it is often shrouded in a build that
makes the task of extracting its character difficult.
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Could It Be Magic? Megabass's US P5 F5.5-76X Mark-56
The new US P5 F7.5-76X Mark-56 invokes the name of one of these previous models, the F8-78X Mark-48
introduced in 2019 during the former US Destroyer line's extension. It's only
natural to assume they are the same, or at least similar sticks, but such an
assumption would actually be a mistake. |
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The Surprisingly Versatile Steez AGS
"The Sensor" Casting Rod
Daiwa's Steez AGS "The Sensor," is a seven foot (7'-0") stick
built on the manufacturer's updated SVF Compile-X graphite blank featuring
Nanoplus resin. Guides for this stick are Daiwa's latest, proprietary AGS guides
featuring carbon fiber frames. |
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The Megabass P5 Destroyers
are Coming! A First Look at the US P5 Rod Launch Lineup
The much anticipated Megabass America Destroyer P5 USA lineup of rods is
right around the corner and the first run rods just landed here at the
TackleTour lab today. As we begin a deeper dive into the new rods here is a
preview of the launch lineup and what US anglers can expect from the new series. |
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A Measure of Consistency, Kistler's New KLX
Last year, Kistler Custom Rods refreshed their
Helium series of rods with a new blank the company is having made overseas. I
found that new KC9 blank crisp, lively, and powerful. Since that introduction,
the company has been busy refreshing their entire family of rods with new
blanks. |
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Another Standout Build from Legit Design, the SOC70H
Encouraged by my experience with my first StandOut series rod from Legit Design, the SOC66L+ BFS stick, I wanted to see if that positive experience would translate to a more conventional specification. This curiosity coincided with my need for a stick to probe some weedbeds
with some good ole fashioned, one ounce bullet weighted Texas rigged soft
plastics.
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A Different
Approach : The New Player - Trika Rods
Chances are you haven't heard of Trika rods before as the brand is a new
entry into the highly competitive rod market, but the team behind the new brand
have actually been developing products for outdoor enthusiasts for over two
decades.
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ARK Fishing Provides the Catalyst for Value
Ark's
brand new Catalyzer series takes a blank normally associated with a rod series
priced somewhere in the one hundred fifty dollar range and chops that cost to
acquire in half. Here's our look at the Catalyzer CTL73MHFC.
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Testing a Phenix Blank - A Simple Build, Potential for Lore, Phenix's Ultra Swimbait B-USB-C 790H
Phenix's Ultra Swimbait B-USB-C 790H blank has a
very nice strength (lure rating) to weight ratio that intrigued me enough to
give building one a whirl. |
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Fishing Abu Garcia's New
Pro Series Rods with Elite Series Pro Angler Hunter Shryrock
Abu Garcia introduced a lot of new tackle
this ICAST including their completely revamped Revo spinning reel series,
lightweight Zenon baitcasters, and a new Pro Series Rod lineup that was designed
to meet the favorite techniques, actions, and styling of their tournament pros.
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Fenwick Blends Modern Materials
with Traditional Design in New Elite Series
Fenwick has a long storied rod history and this ICAST the company is
looking to write the next chapter with the introduction of their new Elite
Series which makes use of modern materials while still managing to honor the
tradition of the brand.
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G.loomis Addresses Light-Duty
Spinning with GCX LITE
The G.Loomis GCX Series has successfully filled the mainstream niche for the
brand which is best known for their premium rod offerings. Positioned right
below IMX-Pro the GCX rods make use of SeaGuide components and are still
manufactured in the G.Loomis factory in Woodland Washington. |
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Kistler Custom Rods' Slew of Offerings for 2023
The last time we saw Kistler Rods at ICAST, they introduced their Feel and Reel S2 KLX rods to the world. This year, they're hitting the convention floor with a slew of new introductions from a new lightweight, rod and reel combo to a new rod designed for the youth made of premium graphite. Let's take a look.
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Daiwa Overhauls the Tatula
XT Value-Oriented Rod Lineup
Daiwa is set to introduce several new products
today at ICAST including technique specific Tatula XT rods that have been
overhauled with new proprietary components and will still retail for the very
aggressive price of only $99.99. |
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The Highest Example – The Edge Epitome Rods from Gary
Loomis
Gary Loomis is known globally as a wizard
when it comes to the alchemy of carbon fiber and resin materials and pushing the
envelope in rod manufacturing, and most recently with his new company Edge Rods,
and is looking to shake things up this ICAST with the introduction of his
lightest and most advanced rod series to date, the Epitome. |
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A Stick Without A Name : Megabass's VKC-78H-4
The VKC-78H-4 is one of nine sticks offered in
Megabass's Valkyrie World Expedition series of travel rods. Each model breaks
down into four pieces and is built from a blank rolled with, in Megabass's
words, four layers of lightweight, high sensitivity carbon, and high elasticity
glass fiber. |
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St. Croix's All Purpose Victory
Series Rod
The VTC73MHF is built from a blank rolled with a specific blend
of St. Croix's SCVI and SCIII graphite. It is a seven foot, three inch (7'-3")
casting rod rated up to a full ounce (1oz) in lure weight and finished with Fuji
Concept O guides... |
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The Search for One : ARK Fishing's Essence ESS73MHFC
One Ark's recent introductions
was the new Essence series of rods featuring a full lineup of three spinning and
fourteen casting rods. We got our hands on some of these sticks during the early
part of 2022 and here now is our look at their Search for One candidate, the
ESS73MHFC casting rod. |
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The Search for One : Leviathan Rods's All Purpose Bass Breaker
What many might not know is
that Leviathan has a series of sticks for bass fishermen who enjoy more
conventional techniques. The company's Trinity series has undergone several transformations but earlier this year, we got hold of a model that promises to set the stage for a 2022 rebirth. Introducing Leviathan Rod's Trinity All Purpose Bass Breaker.
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Sneaky Good : St. Croix's BassX BAC710HF
St. Croix's BassX BAC710HF has a very interesting spec. It is a seven foot, ten inch (7'-10") stick built with a fourteen inch (14") handle and a fast taper rated up to three ounces (3oz) in lure weight. Part of this rod's specification makes me think of it as a swimbait
rod, but another part of it makes me think of it as a rod for heavy cover. |
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ARK Fishing Updates
the Viper Series Rods to Classic Status
With everything that is new
with ARK Fishing International each year, it's easy to overlook some of the
brands that got them where they are today. Actually, a few of the series that
debuted with the manufacturer back in 2017 have been replaced, but one that was
the foundation of their emergence has endured...
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Daiwa Steez AGS – Not “The One” You Might Expect but Absolutely the One When
it Comes to Versatility
The completely redesigned Steez rods feature an updated look and feel and
continues to make use of the company's proprietary carbon fiber AGS guides
paired with improved SVF Compile X blanks which utilize a higher volume of fiber
and less resin, all designed to create a lighter, stronger, and more sensitive
rod. |
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Checking In With The New IMX, the 892C JWR
You know how certain songs, when you hear them for the first time in a long while over the radio, inspire feelings of nostalgia? G.Loomis IMX is that way for me. Back in the day when I was in the midst of that transition between affordable and higher end tackle, IMX
was one of my stepping stones. |
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Megabass Triza : The True Measure of a Travel Stick?
Though we've been clamoring for
it a good number of years, until recently, quality travel sticks have been
difficult to come by. Thanks to recent introductions by several manufacturers,
the options are finally opening up. Today, we take a look at a finesse stick option in one of these series. Introducing Megabass's Triza F0-69STZ Hibali.
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An Understated Victory for St. Croix Rods
The introduction of Victory and Bass X during ICAST 2021, brings St. Croix's total number of series for bass anglers to eleven. With models within these series ranging from one hundred to six hundred fifty dollars in price, Victory lands right in between Avid and Legend Tournament in price point - smack dab in the middle of the eleven series hierarchy.
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The Search for One
: Ark Fishing's BB73MMHFC Old Faithful
Earlier this year, we took a look at ARK Fishing International's BB73MLXS Fair Wand, one of fourteen sticks in the manufacturer's latest value driven series of bass rods. With other nick names like Kinda'
Shaky, Kitchen Sink, Do-All, The Walking Stick, and Good Vibes, within the
series, how could we not be drawn back to sample another? |
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The Versatile Lew's Speed Stick Lite Magnum Casting Rod
Lew's Speed Stick Lite Magnum Casting Rod comes with the model number of LCLMCR. It is a seven foot, eleven inch stick made from the company's proprietary, multi-layered technology blank using 85 million modulus graphite. It features a moderate bend so it's ideal for moving baits, and a lure rating of half an ounce to three ounces.
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