Super User Master Bait'r Posted June 6, 2017 Super User Posted June 6, 2017 Looking around for a nice UL for micro jigs and such, and would love some input on MC's XF UL blanks in basic terms. I've never owned or handled a Major Craft rod so I need your help! I'm looking at a one piece UL blank with a rating from 1/64th-1/4. Nowhere near as picky with the UL as my other rigs, but just want something light, crisp and sexy without breaking the bank. Will I be displeased with a dead feeling floppy twig or is the blank as sexy as the little dressy details on these rods? Thanks in advance! Quote
Tim Kelly Posted June 6, 2017 Posted June 6, 2017 A lot of them will have a spliced tip of solid carbon or glass. Makes the tip super light so the fish don't feel the rod when they bite. If you haven't used a rod like that before it is quite different to a conventionally built rod. Not bad, but not XF in the sense you are probably thinking of. I have one (Reins) rod with a spliced tip I use for tiddler snatching in the sea, great fun, but not an advantage for other types of fishing that I do. Quote
Super User Master Bait'r Posted June 6, 2017 Author Super User Posted June 6, 2017 I'm leaning more towards a regular non-solid tip in a fast taper tbh, solid tips kind of freak me out in a durability sense the more I think about it. I think for the price it'll do. Quote
Super User fishwizzard Posted June 6, 2017 Super User Posted June 6, 2017 Are you looking for a spinning or a casting rod? I have an ultralight spinning from their Trapara and while I have not used it very much, I have liked what I have seen from it so far. Mine is the 6'6" 2piece Regular action, but if you would like I can try to get a picture of it under tension tonight or tomorrow night so at least you'll have a sense of what their softer action looks like flexed. I bought it from someone for the classifieds here, though I don't remember who. Quote
Super User Master Bait'r Posted June 7, 2017 Author Super User Posted June 7, 2017 I'm looking for a spinning rod. Mostly for panfish and trout, but the occasional bass does slam a sluggo or a slurpie. Likely the benkei line. I throw only a few main things with my ULs. 3" weightless t-rigged slug-gos 2" 1/16oz Northland Slurpie tube jigs Joe's flies spinners Micro jigs Tiny shaky heads drop shots trout rigs That kind of stuff. I really just want a nice crisp rod, as I really hate noodles. If their fast blank is stiff through the tip but with enough play to load up and cast 1/32, I'm sold. My biggest concern was more or less them being too floppy/noodly or too regular of a taper, as that would disappoint the heck out of me. Most of my rods are XF and I predictably lean that way. Coming off a cheap blank it won't be hard to bet a big improvement but I also don't want to waste cash either if I could be best served elsewhere. Quote
Super User kickerfish1 Posted June 7, 2017 Super User Posted June 7, 2017 I have a few outings on my UL Speedstyle and love it. Pictured on the bottom in the photo. Seems to be ideal for light baits for panfish and trout and is far from a noodle but not too fast that you cant get small jigs and spinners to load on a cast. 1 Quote
Super User Master Bait'r Posted June 7, 2017 Author Super User Posted June 7, 2017 5 hours ago, kickerfish1 said: I have a few outings on my UL Speedstyle and love it. Pictured on the bottom in the photo. Seems to be ideal for light baits for panfish and trout and is far from a noodle but not too fast that you cant get small jigs and spinners to load on a cast. This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks! Quote
Super User fishwizzard Posted June 8, 2017 Super User Posted June 8, 2017 6 hours ago, kickerfish1 said: I have a few outings on my UL Speedstyle and love it. Pictured on the bottom in the photo. Seems to be ideal for light baits for panfish and trout and is far from a noodle but not too fast that you cant get small jigs and spinners to load on a cast. Which casting rod is that? I have a GEC-632ML which I bought to use for jerkbaits and small cranks. While I like it, I think I want a heavier rod, but the M ones in the Go Emotion line are all Regular action. I am pretty hazy on the differences between the different Majorcraft lines. Quote
Super User kickerfish1 Posted June 8, 2017 Super User Posted June 8, 2017 The casting rod is the 6'4 ML rated up to 1/2 oz baits - I really don't know much about the Major craft rod lines as there are my only rods of theirs. I purchased the casting rod for sort of a mag finesse stuff. Nothing that would require a super small spool but rather things like 1/4 oz poppers, small torpedos, spybaits, jerkbaits, and light plastic rigs like neds and small texas rigs. I have not tested the rods sensitivity much. I may have used this rod twice last year for maybe a few hours top. The spinning rod is the 6'4 UL rated 1/32 to 1/4 oz baits. It is a fun rod that I used on a few trout/panfish outings. I want to say the feel was really nice for a rod that is technically a 2 piece. Same can be said for the casting rod. What really separates them is the quality of the finish, components, and the very unique look from a styling perspective. I would not have these rods if a friend wasn't unloading them unused for 1/2 the retail price. Glad I have them and don't anticipate them leaving my possession any time soon. Quote
earthworm77 Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 I am a Major Craft freak. I own 12 rods from Benkei's and Benyro's to Corzzas to Volkey's and Speedstyles. I've owned Bassparas, Corkish, Traparas, Sol Paras and an MSX. For spinning rods, I own 2 Benkei's and a Corzza. I have the solid tip 652ULSFS and the 672L, and a 692ml Corzza. I think you would be fine with the solid tip Benkei. I don't think it is fragile by any means and I think it would give you a little extra umph in casting really light stuff. I like the 672 as an all around finesse rod but I get the sense you want something lighter. I regularly throw Ned rigs with 1/20oz heads on that rod and the 652. These rods, which you can easily check the stats of, are fast action and are not the slower, moderate whippy style trout or stream game rods like a Trapara. I picked up the Benkei's on ebay for about 120.00 which is a great price. Also check plat tackle, you can find the stats there. I used to hate 2pc rods, then I started fishing Major Craft rods and I haven't looked back since. 1 Quote
Super User Master Bait'r Posted June 8, 2017 Author Super User Posted June 8, 2017 8 hours ago, earthworm77 said: I am a Major Craft freak. I own 12 rods from Benkei's and Benyro's to Corzzas to Volkey's and Speedstyles. I've owned Bassparas, Corkish, Traparas, Sol Paras and an MSX. For spinning rods, I own 2 Benkei's and a Corzza. I have the solid tip 652ULSFS and the 672L, and a 692ml Corzza. I think you would be fine with the solid tip Benkei. I don't think it is fragile by any means and I think it would give you a little extra umph in casting really light stuff. I like the 672 as an all around finesse rod but I get the sense you want something lighter. I regularly throw Ned rigs with 1/20oz heads on that rod and the 652. These rods, which you can easily check the stats of, are fast action and are not the slower, moderate whippy style trout or stream game rods like a Trapara. I picked up the Benkei's on ebay for about 120.00 which is a great price. Also check plat tackle, you can find the stats there. I used to hate 2pc rods, then I started fishing Major Craft rods and I haven't looked back since. Thats really cool, I have a vendetta against 2 piece rods so to hear they maintain their taper and true action despite the section break is pretty encouraging. Honestly not really into sub-32nd baits, so that 1/32-1/4 rating in the benkei/speedstyle UL bracket seems perfect to me. Thanks for the insight! Quote
Super User buzzed bait Posted June 8, 2017 Super User Posted June 8, 2017 i agree that the 2 piece major craft rods are not like most 2 pieces. once you start fishing it, you'll forget it's a 2 piece. Quote
earthworm77 Posted June 8, 2017 Posted June 8, 2017 I've written several Major Craft reviews at Tackle Tour, on the BassPara and the Corkish. In both, I talk about how "these ain't my Daddy's 2pc rods". You said "vendetta", I said I had a "loathing" for 2pc rods. With these......you wouldn't know they were 2pc rods, unless you actually knew. http://www.tackletour.net/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=71296 http://www.tackletour.net/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=63420 http://www.tackletour.net/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=74850 Quote
waymont Posted March 23, 2018 Posted March 23, 2018 I have a Major Craft Corzza 642 UL that has an extra fast action. It is fantastic! It casts great, has tangle free guides and a super comfortable handle. It has a great extra fast action that makes casting super accurate. It's no noodle, it has plenty of backbone which makes it a little more versatile than most ultra lights. I've always wanted an ultra light with an extra fast tip and now I have one. Only thing is it doesn't have a hook keeper, which I miss. Great for jigs, small Rapalas, spinners, and a blast with the smallest size hula popper. Quote
Super User smalljaw67 Posted March 23, 2018 Super User Posted March 23, 2018 I know you want a 1 piece but there is a 2 piece option I think you'd like. The Fenwick River Runner, these are really nice sticks and the ultra lights are rated 1/32oz to 3/31oz. The lengths run from 5'9" to 8' and are crisp and true to rating and will work great for trout but will handle that bass that will sometimes bite your offering. Quote
Super User fishwizzard Posted March 23, 2018 Super User Posted March 23, 2018 It’s not a MajorCraft, but I just picked up a Dawia Walleye ML/XF spinning rod on sale from ALF. It’s rated 1/16-1/8oz, but it will cast a Trout Slayer about 30-40’ and will load and cast a 1/16 head with a 2” grub as far as any UL I have used. Its got a ton of backbone and I have high hopes for it. Quote
Super User Master Bait'r Posted March 24, 2018 Author Super User Posted March 24, 2018 I ended up buying the one piece Benkei 6’5” UL with the solid tip section. Paired it with a Daiwa BG 1500 and it is pretty sick, but I am definitely putting a true UL 1000/500 reel on it for long term. Very crisp rod though, when your bait passes through a fish fart you can feel what they ate! 1 Quote
Super User new2BC4bass Posted March 24, 2018 Super User Posted March 24, 2018 10 hours ago, Master Bait'r said: I ended up buying the one piece Benkei 6’5” UL with the solid tip section. Paired it with a Daiwa BG 1500 and it is pretty sick, but I am definitely putting a true UL 1000/500 reel on it for long term. Very crisp rod though, when your bait passes through a fish fart you can feel what they ate! I hope you give us some feed back after using it for a bit. I picked up my first Major Craft ....a Benkei BIS-672L spinning rod...over the winter. Bought it for Ned Rigs. Guess what reel I bought for it. Yup...a BG 1500. Don't think I want that kind of sensitivity. Quote
Super User Master Bait'r Posted March 25, 2018 Author Super User Posted March 25, 2018 One of these days I’ll have to do a write-up. It’s a killer setup for TRDs, Biffle-Os, TRD tubes, ECO gnats, keitech spin jigs etc etc. just keep the drag low and you’re $$$ Quote
Super User fishwizzard Posted March 25, 2018 Super User Posted March 25, 2018 1 hour ago, Master Bait'r said: ECO gnats, keitech spin jigs These two are my favorite tiny jigs. I liked the Ecos better, but I only have a few left in my stash. Quote
Super User new2BC4bass Posted March 25, 2018 Super User Posted March 25, 2018 On 6/8/2017 at 10:00 AM, earthworm77 said: I've written several Major Craft reviews at Tackle Tour, on the BassPara and the Corkish. In both, I talk about how "these ain't my Daddy's 2pc rods". You said "vendetta", I said I had a "loathing" for 2pc rods. With these......you wouldn't know they were 2pc rods, unless you actually knew. http://www.tackletour.net/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=71296 http://www.tackletour.net/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=63420 http://www.tackletour.net/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=74850 Hadn't read your reviews before. Thanks. Very nice looking rod I got from you. No chance to use it yet, tho. Quote
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