Sensitivity: One of the most difficult bites to detect while finesse fishing is with the ned rig. Because the bait combo is so small, fish just inhale that jighead worm with little to no feedback. Most of the time, all you get is that "something is different" pressure. On one trip, I was having little success with the drop shot, so switched things up to the ned and on three successive casts, after taking up the slack in my line, the BB73MLXS's tip flexed just enough, almost like a solid tip finesse rod, to let me know there was probably a fish at the end of the line. Each time, instead of applying more pressure to the line to double check, I just snapped my wrists in an upward motion with a "just in case" hookset and sure enough, it was a fish each time.

This stick's ability to transmit that bite info is surprising

The first time that happened, I figured it was just happenstance, but when it happened two more times, on successive casts, it simply reinforced my developing opinion this stick has a special little property to it. That special property, I suspect, is the underlying blank made from 40T graphite. As mentioned earlier, this grade of graphite was once reserved for sticks in a much higher price bracket, but manufacturers like ARK have found a way to bring the cost down. Maybe it's availability, maybe it's different resins or scrims, maybe it's all that combined with lower grade components, whatever the case, it works. Now, I'm not saying this stick fishes like a higher end rod, but it does fish above its price class.

Fig 1 : The chart above illustrates the deflection characteristics of our ARK Fishing Brandon Cobb Series BB73MLXS against the historical averages of similarly powered rods we've tested over the past twenty years

Power: In addition to surprising casting performance and very good sensitivity, the BB73MLXS has a very impressive power curve. The rod's tip is light, responsive, and sensitive, and when you have a fish at the end of the line, the rest of the rod loads very smoothly and almost immediately into a good backbone. I was using very light line while testing this rod, so a smooth power curve was essential. Too much backbone and I would have had issues with line failure, too slow and there's little chance I could control my catch. I had none of these issues with the BB73MLXS and even had Zander asking me which rod I was fishing because he admired the way it loaded. Honestly, the BB73MLXS is very impressive given its price point.

A true, extra-fast taper

Design & Ergonomics: Where this stick reminds me of its price point is in its cosmetics. It is outfitted with a split rear grip featuring a cork butt end and a camo EVA material right below the reel seat. The rod's blank is painted from but to tip in a kind of army green. Everything is done tastefully, it's just a look that is targeted towards a younger demographic, that's all. On the nit-picky side of things, the threads on the reel seat could stand to be trimmed down. There is a lot of exposed thread at the top, but at least the transition from the blank to the reel seat is super clean. The rod's weight and balance are average.

Threads on the reel seat could stand for a trim

Another point of criticism on this stick is the location of the hook keeper. ARK installs this component right below the EVA portion of the grip. It's an open ended hook keeper which usually makes it suitable to stow your drop shot weight, but the gap between the hangar and the blank is too big or something because I couldn't get my sinker hold. I also just find any hook keeper placement below the reel seat to be awkward. The strategy of placing it back there is to avoid any potential entanglements with your line, but I've rarely had that issue personally. So after a couple of tries, I stopped using the hook hangar on this rod and instead, hooked my drop shot and net rig hooks to the frame of the first guide.

Not a fan of this placement for the hook keeper

Price & Applications: ARK Fishing once again delivers incredible value with the entire Cobb Series of sticks retailing at just under $100. The BB73MLXS specifically is, as its nickname (Fairy Wand) and ratings suggests, intended for light line applications and in my opinion, has the ideal tip and power curve to not only fish drop shot and ned rig techniques, but to excel in these applications. If you're looking for a new spinning rod for just such an occasion, and are restricted by budget, this stick is worthy of serious consideration.

Conclusion: It's not often I finish up an article on a value oriented piece of tackle and still look forward to another opportunity to get it on the water, but that's exactly what's happening with the BB73MLXS. Its journey in my arsenal is far from over. In fact, I already have plans to include it with some new line reviews I'm working on. Ark Fishing's ability to continually produce very fishable sticks at inviting price points is the kind of stuff that makes existing in the enthusiast head space a little more difficult.

It's not often I finish up an article on a value oriented piece of tackle and still look forward to another opportunity to get it on the water, but that's exactly what's happening with the BB73MLXS

It's actually nice to every now and then fish a combo I don't have to worry about scratching or banging around yet performs well enough within my standards to stay on the deck. Ark Fishing's BB73MLXS is a great spinning option for the money, and it consistently fishes above the aggressive 100 dollar price point at which it is positioned.

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