Elite Tech Smallmouth rod

[BronzeChaser]

I've been looking at getting an elite tech smallmouth in the 6'9 med/fast casting. The lure rating says 3/8 to 5/8. I used to have the 6'9 spinning rod before they were discontinued and it could throw 1/8 ounce baits easily. So I'm thinking the casting blank can't be that far off. Anyone have anything to say about these rods. I used to love mine before it broke. 

[Choporoz]

Best $75 rod I've ever owned.  By far.  I use it primarily for bottom contact - lighter stuff than I throw on MHF jig rod; perfect for a 3/8 trig or similar

[BronzeChaser]

24 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

Best $75 rod I've ever owned.  By far.  I use it primarily for bottom contact - lighter stuff than I throw on MHF jig rod; perfect for a 3/8 trig or similar

Pretty much what I was thinking of using it for. Weightless and lightweight plastics and finesse jigs

[new2BC4bass]

I don't think there was a 6'9" MF casting rod.  I have the 6'10" MF and the 6'9"  M-XF which is what you are talking about with that rating.  The 6'10" MF starts at 1/8 oz.  Smalljaw67 talked to a Fenwick rep and tells me Fenwick deliberately under-priced the rods to get people talking about them.  They are very nice rods.  I have a few and they are among my favorites.  Apparently they did similar with the Aetos rods.

[stkbassn]

Nice rod but I am not in love with the reel seat. I could be in the minority but you were asking what folks had to say. I loved the rod otherwise.

[Hogsticker]

9 minutes ago, stkbassn said:

Nice rod but I am not in love with the reel seat. I could be in the minority but you were asking what folks had to say. I loved the rod otherwise.

I guess I'm in the minority too 

[new2BC4bass]

I prefer a bit longer handle, but have no problem adjusting to it.  My Smoke and forbidden rod also have short handles.  Only way to have everything your way is to have a custom rod built to your specs.

[BronzeChaser]

4 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

I don't think there was a 6'9" MF casting rod.  I have the 6'10" MF and the 6'9"  M-XF which is what you are talking about with that rating.  The 6'10" MF starts at 1/8 oz.  Smalljaw67 talked to a Fenwick rep and tells me Fenwick deliberately under-priced the rods to get people talking about them.  They are very nice rods.  I have a few and they are among my favorites.  Apparently they did similar with the Aetos rods.

Yeah I'm talking about the 6'9 med/x-fast. So why would they say the two rods have 1/4 ounce difference in bottom end lure weight? They should be basically the same rod.

[new2BC4bass]

Basically the same length, but not the same blank.  You would have to ask Fenwick what the difference is.  I can tell you the XF definitely has a stiffer tip.  It is going to take more weight to load the rod.  I seriously doubt you are going to cast a 1/8 oz. weight on the XF for any kind of distance.  If I take the rods into work tomorrow, I could measure the diameters, but just eyeballing them they appear to be nearly identical.  I am sure there is a lot more technology in rod making than simply changing diameters to reach a desired result.

I have a MH-XF that has a 1/4 oz. lower limit.  No idea if it will handle 1/4 oz. as I have several Medium rods for that weight.  I'm going to assume that it will since it is a Powell Endurance.  If it were an Abu rod I wouldn't make that assumption based on my limited experience with their rods.

[BronzeChaser]

I just find it hard to believe that a medium rod with an x-fast tip, something that typically throws lighter baits well, can only handle 3/8 at the lightest. I wouldn't be throwing much under 1/4 ounce anyway, but I'm just trying to make sure this thing isn't actually a medium heavy, as I plan on using 8 pound line with it.

[new2BC4bass]

Extra length of the 6'10" is in the handle.  The XF is rated for 10-17# line....not that you can't use something else obviously.  The Fast is rated for 8-14# line.  I could try to test 1/4 oz. on the XF if you want, but it probably won't be until this weekend unless I can stop Friday on the way home from work.

[I.rar]

I had a 6'10 m/f 2 piece that was fantastic except for the reel seat didn't work with any shimano reels without a shim of some sort and that was a deal breaker for me. I tried to make it work but the reel had play even with shims and that arrowana definitely made it noticeable. 

I was tossing super fluke Jr's a respectable distance with that rod and definitely have second thoughts about selling it. Absolutely the best rod value I've come across. 

BTW does anyone own a xf aetos? Are they true to the xf rating or softer? 

Sorry to thread jack.... 

[tater555]

I'm pretty sure I bought the rod that I.rar mentioned above, still have it and love it. I have it paired with an alphas ito with a sv spool, and used it to catch my first smallmouth while on vacation. I was throwing a 1/8 rooster tail on 8 lb sniper and the rod handled it well. I will say that I can not stand the stubby little handle, I am about to have it removed and made into a full cork grip. They are very nice rods for the price.

[smalljaw67]

The difference between the spinning rod and the casting rod in the 6'9" m-XF is the power. The spinning rod is deceptively powerful, it is still for a medium power spinning rod but it is due to the extra fast action. It is basically an all purpose spinning rod but drop shot fishing was handled better with the 6'9" ML-F. The casting rod has more power up front in the tip section, it is rated 3/8oz to 5/8oz but I've thrown 3/16oz jigs with a little chunk trailer that probably came to 1/4oz total and I could cast that just fine but if you aren't good with a casting reel 3/8oz is easier to throw as the rod has more load with that weight but 1/4oz is well within the range. The handles are like a sore spot and so the made them larger on the ET bass series but they didn't bother me on the smallmouth series, in fact the spinning rod has one of the most comfortable handles I ever used. The thing with the casting reel seat is the short cork, if you palm your reel and have 2 fingers in front of the trigger it is fine, I have large hands so the back of my hand ends up on the blank past the cork but that feeling doesn't bother me but I see how it can be annoying. The blanks on the smallmouth rods are great, there were all under 4oz except for the 7'4" great lakes spinning rod and I believe that was just a hair over 4oz. but not only light, the sensitivity was fantastic on those rods and not just for the price point either, any rod that sensitive is good, with that kind of price it is amazing. If FFO had the 6'9" ML-F spinning rod or the 6'10" M-F casting, I'd be all over it because I already have 2 of the 6'10" MH-MF casting rods and the medium power, extra fast spinning but I want then new, I don't like buying used rods.