Fenwick HMG HMG70MH-FC Medium Heavy Casting Rod Product Review

Rod Review

Fenwick Increases an Already Good Value in Their HMG

Date:	3/7/19
Tackle Type:	Rod
Manufacturer:	Fenwick
Reviewer:	Cal

Total Score: 8.17 - BEST VALUE AWARD

Introduction: It was just last year that we shared with you our thoughts on Fenwick's HMG72M-MFC casting rod and wouldn't you know it, the series has been refreshed for 2018! This time around we made sure to get some more specifics about our review specimen so the components are much less of a mystery. Here's out look at the HMG's Search for One candidate, the HMG70MH-FC.

Fenwick HMG70MH-FC Specifications
Material	High Modulus Graphite with spiraled carbon thread
Length	7'-0"
Line Wt.	10-20lb
Lure Wt.	3/8-1oz
Pieces	One
Guides	10+tip Fuji Alconite
Rear Handle Length	11
Power Rating	Medium Heavy
Taper	Fast
Rod Weight	6.1
MSRP	$99.99

Introducing Fenwick's HMG70MH-FC.

Impressions: Fenwick's HMG70MH-FC is a seven foot, zero inch (7'-0") casting rod made of the manufacturer's "High Modulus Graphite" blank. For the refreshed rod series, this blank now features a spiraled carbon thread for increased strength. The handle assembly is still a traditional full cork grip with foregrip and now features real cork instead of the TAC material used in the previous generation.

The reel seat is a Sea-Guide soft touch Alien Reel Seat

The Fenwick HMG's guide train is made up of Fuji Alconites with stainless steel frames and the reel seat is a Sea-Guide soft touch Alien Reel seat with positive lock design. The blank is sanded and unfinished, and overall the rod has a very clean overall look and feel.

The rod's guide train is made up of Fuji Alconites

Real World Tests: For the HMG70MH-FC's real world tests, I matched it up with Abu Garcia's new, gen 4 Revo SX spooled with some fifty pound Daiwa JBraid, topped it with a leader of ten pound Sunline Sniper FC.

All HMG blanks now features a spiraled carbon thread for increased strength

Casting: The HMG70MH-FC is rated between three eighths of an ounce to a full ounce in lure weight. This is a more traditional rating for something in the heavy power range than medium heavy and you can feel it when casting with this stick. I tied on a four and a half inch (4.5") Optimum Boom Boom Shad paddletail swimbait rigged with a Gamakatsu Weighted Monster EWG hook to test the casting ability of this stick and it seemed to handle this lure combination quite well.

A look at the tail end of the rod's grip design

But as with most heavy powered rods I fish, where my real interest came concerning the HMG70MH-FC was in how it performed under pitching conditions. After a few casts with the above lure, I retied with a Texas rig and began pitching Reaction Innovation's new Man Bear Pig up close to shore and around some visible structure. I estimate my total lure weight to be around half an ounce to maybe three quarters of an ounce (1/2 - 3/4oz) and found this to be a real sweet spot with the HMG70MH-FC. This is a pretty stout stick, but it responds really well to pitching presentations.

This open ended hook keeper securely holds Texas rigged plastics

Sensitivity: Once your bait is in the zone, and you let it sink to the bottom, the HMG70MH-FC does a good job of transmitting hints and clues as to what your bullet weight is bumping up against. Bites that I sensed were more of a tug than a crisp "tick", but I'm not quite sure if that was because of the rod or how the fish were biting that day. It wasn't a particularly hot bite. I'd rate the HMG70MH-FC as a solid average in terms of sensitivity.

Next Section: Plenty of power when you need it...