Real World Tests: I paired my Pro-Ti stick with a Daiwa Japan Millionaire CT SV70 casting reel spooled with 8lb Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon fishing line. My strategy to test this stick was to both cast and pitch some soft plastic baits and given its taper also see how it handled some smaller crankbaits and paddletail swimbaits.

I paired it with a Daiwa Japan Millionaire CT SV70

Casting: The rod's lure weight rating of up to half an ounce is pretty spot on. I tied on a 1/0 Gamakatsu TGW Drop Shot Hook and Neko rigged a Berkley Powerbait Shaky Snake Magnum worm so my entire lure setup was right around half an ounce. This bait rig felt right at the limit of the TLPT170M's upper lure weight capability. I was able to pitch, cast, and even skip the Shaky Snake Magnum.

Among the lure setups I tried was this one quarter ounce combo of a Berkley Powerbait Sick fish on board a weighted swimbait hook

To test the rod's lower limit, I tied on a Megabass Knuckle Jr. FX Squarebill (0.32oz) and was able to whip that bait around with ease. Though rated as a mod-fast taper, it took little to no time at all adjusting to the rod's casting characteristics.

Detailing is clean

Feeling the rod could handle even more, I found a smallish weighted hook in my terminal tackle box and rigged a three inch Berkley Powerbait Sick Fish to see if the rod and reel combo could handle it. To my delight, I was able to both cast and pitch this lure combo quiet easily. So much so, that after a few test casts and pitches, I cut the bait off and put it in one of my bait boxes so I could weigh it back at the lab. End result? 0.255 ounces - so about a quarter of an ounce.

The rear split grip features Winn grip material

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