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Fenwick Blends Modern Materials with Traditional Design in New Elite Series

 

Date:	7/21/22
Tackle Type:	Rods
Manufacturer:	Fenwick
Reviewer:	Zander

Introduction: 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.

Fenwick's new Elite Series rods include Bass specific actions

Going Elite: There was a time when Fenwick was synonymous with high-performance and innovation and this year the company is looking to make a big statement with the launch of their Elite Series rods. Positioned above both HMG and HMX lines this new rod series leverages 30-ton graphite with Powerlux 200 resin. This is the same hi-tech resin that is used in the Abu Garcia rods. 

Carbon fiber and cork come together

The Powerlux 200 resin is designed to evenly support the carbon fibers for a better strength to weight ratio. These rods blend hi-tech materials with traditional design, for example using a carbon fiber and aluminum fore-nut and premium cork for the handles.

The Elite Series Bass rods all feature split grips

The combination of this blank with lightweight cork grips gives the rods a very light and balanced feel. I had the opportunity to fish the new lineup with BASS Pro Angler Justin Lucas at Lake Champlain and was able to play with a variety of different actions and test the rod's overall sensitivity.

The Fenwick blanks are all sanded and matte for a light and crisp feel 

The Elite rods are some of the most crisp feeling Fenwick rods I've ever fished. They felt light and balanced and the titanium guides with zirconia inserts only add to the overall precise feel of the rods. I particularly liked some of the lighter action spinning rods which were a blast to target aggressive smallmouth with.

A look at the ergonomic Fenwick proprietary reel seat

In addition to the graphite rods there are also new Bass cranking rods that make use of S-glass with a spiral carbon core. These rods bend nicely to help keep treble hooks pinned and do not feel heavy or sloppy.

Use of Powerlux resin is the key reason why this rod is so light and sensitive

Fenwick rods have always catered to multiple-species and while the core of this new Elite lineup consists of 20 bass rods there are also 17 Walleye rods, 6 light finesse rods, and even 6 predator series rods in the new lineup.

The Fenwick Elite rods will come with many different grips that are specific to each application. On the bottom are the larger grips for the Elite Predator Series

Pro Angler Justin Atkins catching hard fighting smallies with the Fenwick Elite Bass rods

All of these rods feature a grayish-green blank that stands out from other rods but isn't nearly as boldly styled as the Abu Garcia rods. These Fenwick rods cater more towards anglers that appreciate traditional builds.

A look at the Fenwick Elite Spinning Rod reel seat which provides plenty of access to the blank

All of the Fenwick Elite rods come backed with a limited lifetime warranty and are priced pretty reasonably. The bass rods will retail from $169.95 to $189.95 depending on the model. The new rods look, and feel, ready for launch and will start becoming available towards the end of August.

The new Fenwick Elite series are the most modern rods from the brand, and while they make use of the latest in blank materials they still have a clean traditional build, complete with premium cork handles

Our Quick Take: It is nice to see Fenwick launch a modern rod series and still find a way to honor tradition with a clean build that doesn't scream for attention. The use of the 30-ton graphite with the Powerlux 200 resin has yielded a rod that feels modern and durable yet maintains the lightweight overall feel and crispness that the most popular Fenwick rods of the past were known for. These rods could easily have gotten lost among Pure Fishing's other rod launches including the Abu Pro Series but with great blanks, reasonable prices, and quality components these Fenwick Elite rods address the brand's target audience very well.

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