This is Hands Down the best spinning rod I own. I have some JDM carbon rods, costing up to around $400. Yes, they are very different animals than this, with their very light weight and their amazing sensitivity. But they are Not as fun as this rod. The taper is ideal. I have two other excellent UL glass (one JDM and one custom rod from the US) but both are stiffer in the tip than this rod, so less fun to cast super-light baits. With high-end 5-lb JDM braid, the tiny tungsten jigs that I tie cast beautifully. Because of this rod's light tip, it's just easier to cast hyperlight baits with this rod than with the stiff-tipped carbon rods, even my UL ones. The rod as a casting tool is So forgiving.
Where this rod really shines is in fish-fighting. With this rod, I landed a carp of approximately 10 pounds in Kentucky a couple of years ago that I foul hooked In The Tail, using 3-lb JDM braid = not much fun for the angler or the fish. The rod handled it amazingly well. As with virtually any glass rod, you don't have to worry about breaking it, even on very heavy fish. No, I don't recommend this rod for anything but smaller fish, but it Will handle a monster if you are patient.
I'm a professional fly-casting instructor, and am simply not swayed by what my rods look like, but this rod is very nice to look at. The un-tinted glass kind of glows.
I confess to initially being skeptical that the CDM could design a truly great rod. Boy, was I wrong about that! This rod is a remarkable achievement. If DanKung starts making comparable rods that are stouter in power, sign me up. (And, no, I have no relationship with DanKung.)
This is Hands Down the best spinning rod I own. I have some JDM carbon rods, costing up to around $400. Yes, they are very different animals than this, with their very light weight and their amazing sensitivity. But they are Not as fun as this rod. The taper is ideal. I have two other excellent UL glass (one JDM and one custom rod from the US) but both are stiffer in the tip than this rod, so less fun to cast super-light baits. With high-end 5-lb JDM braid, the tiny tungsten jigs that I tie cast beautifully. Because of this rod's light tip, it's just easier to cast hyperlight baits with this rod than with the stiff-tipped carbon rods, even my UL ones. The rod as a casting tool is So forgiving.
Where this rod really shines is in fish-fighting. With this rod, I landed a carp of approximately 10 pounds in Kentucky a couple of years ago that I foul hooked In The Tail, using 3-lb JDM braid = not much fun for the angler or the fish. The rod handled it amazingly well. As with virtually any glass rod, you don't have to worry about breaking it, even on very heavy fish. No, I don't recommend this rod for anything but smaller fish, but it Will handle a monster if you are patient.
I'm a professional fly-casting instructor, and am simply not swayed by what my rods look like, but this rod is very nice to look at. The un-tinted glass kind of glows.
I confess to initially being skeptical that the CDM could design a truly great rod. Boy, was I wrong about that! This rod is a remarkable achievement. If DanKung starts making comparable rods that are stouter in power, sign me up. (And, no, I have no relationship with DanKung.)