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The little rod that could...Fenwick HMX S66L-2
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Date: |
1/16/02 |
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Tackle type: |
Rod |
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Manufacturer: |
Fenwick |
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Reviewer: |
Zander |
Total Score: 8.16
Introduction: Fenwick, one of the pioneers of graphite rods produces the
HMXS66L-2 for trout and bass anglers who enjoy using small lures and really want
to savor the fight.
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Fenwick
HMXS66L-2 Specifications |
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Material |
Modulus Graphite (HMX) |
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Length |
6'6" |
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Rating |
Light |
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Colors |
Dark Brown |
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Action |
Fast |
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Recommended Line |
4-10lb |
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Lure Handling wt. Range |
1/8-3/8oz |
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MSRP |
$64.95 |
Impressions:
Fenwick produces a wide
range of rods and the HMX line is near the center of their offerings. When I
first received the S66L I couldn't help but notice how thin the rod was. I have
seen rods this thin in 3 piece form. The other thing that immediately struck me
about the rod was the unique rod seat that the HMX employs. Fenwick's innovative
design makes the rod look quite aerodynamic, as the reel is held firmly inside
the front of the rod seat.
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The S66L
makes use of a Fenwick exclusive graphite reel seat design |
The S66L also makes use of an entire cork handle, and dresses it up a bit by
putting a gold ring around their rod seat. The line rating for this rod is 4 to
10lb's, but I couldn't imagine putting 10lb line (or a reel that could hold 10lb
line for that matter) on such a small rod. For all my tests I decided to use 6lB
line.
Real World Test: To test this rod in the field I decided to use this rod
in 2 real world applications, Trout and Largemouth Bass fishing. On the first
day I went to nearby Stevens Creek Reservoir for some trout action.
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Complete Rig for
S66L-2 test |
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Rod |
Fenwick S66L-2 |
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Reel |
Daiwa Spinmatic-X |
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Line |
6lb Stren Easycast |
In initial casting tests I was
amazed that I could cast 1/8oz Acme Phoebe lures a good 40 feet. To push the
limit even further I started casting 1/12oz Kastmasters....and the rod handled
these with ease too! While rated to 1/8oz this rod seemed to easily fling even
smaller lures with little effort.
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The S66L has
6 stainless steel guide frames with aluminum oxide inners |
The ability to
cast these tiny lures is a real plus. The rod is able to do this through a
interesting power to flex ratio in the graphite blank. The lower 50% of the
S66L is quite firm for a
rod of this diameter, the next 30% of the rod is about half as firm, and the
final 20% of the rod up to the tip is more then twice as flexible! So flexible
in fact that I could bend the tip of the rod to the point where it could touch
the blank!
Catching trout on this rod
is a real experience. The HMX graphite does a decent job of transmitting the
vibration through the blank to the angler, so you can really enjoy the fight.
Even the smallest Trout causes the rod to vibrate wildly thanks to the soft tip.
While fun, the soft tip is tricky to get used to. When lifting fish out of the
water I had to lift this rod 15 to 20 degrees higher then other rods just to
position the fish in net-able distance, just to support the bending tip.
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Even S66L
features a strong lower shaft for its size |
In my next tests I used the rod for shore fishing at nearby Anderson Lake. While
the lake doesn't have any trout, it does hold some good sized bass. Tossing
Carolina rigged 4" Zoom Bait finesse worms was easier then I expected with this
rod. Once again the ultra flexible soft tip seemed at home flinging lures of
different weights.
Prolonged casting with the
S66L was easy, especially
since I am accustomed to much heavier gear for Bass fishing. It finally got
interesting when a Bass took my Zoom worm on a drop. I was ecstatic as I fought
what felt like the lunker of my lifetime. When I finally worked the fish to
shore I was surprised to greet a young bass of no more then 2lbs! Once again,
fish size is extremely deceiving because of the flex in the rod tip.
The
S66L is sensitive but not
to the point where it is easy to detect quick hits. One disadvantage of this
extremely quick rod is that even when bites are detected the angler must move
quickly to accelerate the entire rod, not just the tip, to set the hook.
The details on the HMX Graphite: Fenwick's
HMX graphite is composed of 33 million modulus fibers. The result is a smooth
and dependable feel with average sensitivity, but a good balance of power and
flex. The HMX graphite while not being the most sensitive, is very predictable,
and flexible enough to handle fish much larger then I expected.
Ratings:
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Fenwick
S66L-2 Ratings (?/10) |
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Construction/Quality |
Good use of materials, Fenwick graphite reel
seat works well and is comfortable for prolonged casting |
8 |
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Performance |
Good performance, and great ability to cast
extremely light lures |
8.5 |
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Price |
This is a decent price for this rod. there are
comparable rods that can do the same thing for less money, but Fenwick has a
great track record |
7 |
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Features |
The ultra quick tip makes casting small lures
possible, and when fish are hooked it feels like a fight of a lifetime. Good
balance of power and speed. |
8 |
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Design (Ergonomics) |
Good comfortable design, almost wish this was
a three piece rod due to abilities and potential a rod with this flexibility
could have |
8.5 |
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Application |
A real winner in terms of flexibility in
application. While not recommended for trophy bass or trout this little rod
can tackle many small to medium sized fish of multiple freshwater species |
9 |
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Total Score |
8.16 |
Pluses and Minuses:
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Plus
Minus |
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J
Decent Price |
L
Could be more sensitive |
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J
Excellent for light lures |
L
Tricky to set due to tip |
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J
Predictable performance |
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J
Flexible for many applications |
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Conclusion: The S66L is a nicely balanced rod with almost all the right
combination of attributes. The ultra fast tip and flex ratio of this rod makes
casting tiny lures possible and fish fights exciting, but also takes some
getting used to in terms of setting the hook. With that said, this is the
"little rod that could" tackle small to medium sized fish of multiple species
with confidence. With great flexibility in applications, at a decent price, the
S66L is a balanced solution for anglers looking for a tiny rod that can do it
all....well almost everything.
Until next time....Tight Lines!
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