Impressions:  It had been at least 12 years since I owned and fished a Lamiglas, and this rod was undoubtedly a departure from their usual traditional look. The split cork handle features a rubber FUJI cap to protect the butt, while a large hook keeper is set on the bottom side of the blank between the split grips.  This is not my favorite hook keeper location on a casting rod, but since the keeper itself is so large I believe it works best in that spot out of the way from catching the line.

The reel seat is a proven Fuji ECS.  When the reel is locked in place, there aren't a bunch of exposed threads ahead of the hood ring like on some rods.  This allows very easy, and very comfortable access for one or two fingers to touch the blank for added sensitivity.

The blank is an attractive metallic copper color, with complimenting wraps.  In the sunlight it really pops and looks great!  10 American Tackle Halide guides adorn the blank.  The first three guides are double footed, while the remaining six before the tip top are single foot. 

In hand, the XL7116C felt comfortable, but was a bit tip heavy.  Being a 7'11” rod with a split grip, this comes as no real surprise.  The feeling was not overwhelming, however it's definitely noticeable while fishing. 

Lab Tests:  Before the Lamiglas hit the water, it was subjected to testing on our RoD WRACK.  As you can see from the chart below, this rod is softer in power compared to the average of even the finesse swimbait sticks we have tested in the past.  

At 5.4 ounces, the rod is quite light for it's size.  In fact, it weighs exactly the same as the 7 inch shorter and much more expensive Daiwa TDZL741XHFB swimbait rod tested by Cal in February 2009.  While the weight is nice, notice the balancing point is quite a bit further up from the reel seat than the finesse swimbait rod average. This is why the rod doesn't feel as light in hand, and exhibits a bit of tip heaviness.

Field Tests:  Field testing for this rod was done on several ponds and lakes in south Florida targeting Largemouth Bass.  40Lb Sufix Braid was the line most used for fishing, however 20lb mono was also utilized primarily to get a true feel for the rod's sensitivity.

The XL7116C makes a good flipping and pitching rod as well.

Casting/Flipping:  At 7'11” long, this rod is good for both flipping and distance casting.  While the rod is stout and features a pretty robust rating, as noted by the lab results it by no means is a broom stick.  The 1/2-2oz lure rating is accurate, with the real sweet spot from about 3/4oz-1.5oz.  The tip has a bit of give for easily handling lures in the lighter side of the range, but the power is still there when you need it to chuck heavy baits.  Lobbing big baits is aided with the long rod length and 12 inch handle.  The blank loads smoothly and has a nice touch of crispness to help fire baits a long way with not much effort. This rod was nice for flipping.  The length is a huge asset when reaching into pockets that are harder to hit with a shorter stick.  Though a powerful rod, this is not a technique specific flipping stick and some anglers may prefer a blank that is stiffer throughout.  The long handle can catch on a coat or shirt a bit easier while flipping, especially if you have shorter arms.  Compared to several other rods of similar length though, the handle size is actually right in the ball park, but it is slightly longer than most flipping-specific rods on the market. 

Next Section: How about Sensitivity and Power?