Ark Rods

[Abby]

Jumped on the TW sale last week for a couple Ark Cobb series rods. Boy they are light in the hand and all eyes line up. Can't wait to give them a try when the ice/snow leaves and season opens...My first Ark rods so I may venture towards them more to fill some holes and replace some rods...

[Mike L]

I picked up 2 Lancer Pro’s and very impressed for a lower cost rod. 
A few Tharp series ones are in my future. 

 

 

 

Mike

[PhishLI]

17 minutes ago, Abby said:

Jumped on the TW sale last week

Me too. If it shows up in one piece tomorrow it'll get a workout right afterward.

[Mike L]

21 minutes ago, Abby said:

Jumped on the TW sale last week.

 

3 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Me too. 

I wish I would have known that! ?

 

 

 

 

Mike

[PhishLI]

5 minutes ago, Mike L said:

I wish I would have known that!

Sale was just for the Essence, afaik, which is exactly what I had an eye on.

[AmmoGuy]

I’ve had 4 Ark rods. 
Two Invoker Pro casting (ended up selling), and two Cobb series spinning rods. 
 

Out of the 4, two had QC issues, and had to be swapped. One of my Cobb spinning rods still creaks and pops in the reel seat when you put pressure on it. 
 

That said, the Cobb rods fish great. The blanks seem nice, they are very light, and balance fantastic with 2500 reels.  I’d probably try another. 
 

ETA: I forgot I ordered a Lancer Pro spinning before I bought the Cobbs. The guides were not lined up with the reel seat, so I returned it. 
 

(Also, idk why they left so many threads exposed in front of the nut. You can see I tape them, because they get annoying on my finger.)
 

[Mike L]

52 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Sale was just for the Essence, afaik, which is exactly what I had an eye on.

If your Essence is a casting, can I ask your opinion of it?

Thanks

 

 

 

 

Mike

[PhishLI]

4 minutes ago, Mike L said:

If your Essence is a casting, can I ask your opinion of it

If the shipping gorillas don't use the rod tube as a play toy and the weather cooperates I should have an opinion to share by tomorrow night. Hopefully with a fish catch or two.

 

P.S. Yes, it's a casting rod. A Zillion G will be riding it.

[AmmoGuy]

28 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

If the shipping gorillas don't use the rod tube as a play toy and the weather cooperates I should have an opinion to share by tomorrow night. Hopefully with a fish catch or two.

 

P.S. Yes, it's a casting rod. A Zillion G will be riding it.

That’s a great price. 
Id have probably tried one if I new about that sale. 

[PhishLI]

1 minute ago, AmmoGuy said:

Id have probably tried one if I new about that sale. 

I clicked the Spring sale icon at TW last week and found it on sale. Bought it a half hour before the sale ended.

[DitchPanda]

Ive had a Tharp series rod a few seasons and I really like it...so much so I ordered the same model lancer pro this winter. Haven't used the lancer yet but it feels nice in hand.

[Mike L]

17 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

Ive had a Tharp series rod a few seasons and I really like it...so much so I ordered the same model lancer pro this winter. Haven't used the lancer yet but it feels nice in hand.

You’re gonna like it 

A shop had a buy 1 get 1 free sale going on for them and got the MH/F and a MH/Reg. 
You guys and @T-Billy are killing me! ?

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[DitchPanda]

14 minutes ago, Mike L said:

You’re gonna like it 

A shop had a buy 1 get 1 free sale going on for them and got the MH/F and a MH/Reg. 
You guys and @T-Billy are killing me! ?

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

Is the MH/reg the Tharp series Bhite bladed jig rod?

[T-Billy]

I've got 10 Tharps a Cobb and a Lancer Pro. Zero QC issues with any, and absolutely my favorite rods, especially for bottom contact. I thought about selling my Dobyns Kadens and Sierras after I started accumulating these, but rather than losing that $$$ on them, I decided to keep them for moving bait duty. Still like 'em for that.

[Mike L]

5 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

Is the MH/reg the Tharp series Bhite bladed jig rod?

No

The one I got is the 7’2” Lancer Pro reg but I like it for chatters also. 

Trying to decide between the Tharp or the Essence for a new punch rod. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

[PaulVE64]

how are the tips on the Ark lines?

Any suggestions for a crankbait rod?

[a1712]

I really like my ARK Rods. I have 3 Tharp Money Makers, 2 Hammers, 2 One Eyed Jack's, 2 Lancer Pro 7'2" hvy/fast, 1 Tharp Meter Man, 2 Lancer Pro med/fast spinning. The only issues I've ever had was with crooked blanks. That probably isn't an issue for most, but I want my rods to have straight blanks. Brian....severe sufferer of OCD.

[AmmoGuy]

5 hours ago, PaulVE64 said:

how are the tips on the Ark lines?

Any suggestions for a crankbait rod?

I had the 7’ Invoker Pro glass rod. The action was pretty spot on for shallow/medium cranks. The shape of the grips don’t really suit my hand at all though. 

3 hours ago, a1712 said:

I really like my ARK Rods. I have 3 Tharp Money Makers, 2 Hammers, 2 One Eyed Jack's, 2 Lancer Pro 7'2" hvy/fast, 1 Tharp Meter Man, 2 Lancer Pro med/fast spinning. The only issues I've ever had was with crooked blanks. That probably isn't an issue for most, but I want my rods to have straight blanks. Brian....severe sufferer of OCD.

The blank on the glass rod mentioned above was crooked. It bugged me, and was one reason I sold it. 

[PhishLI]

On 3/6/2022 at 11:03 AM, Mike L said:

If your Essence is a casting, can I ask your opinion of it

It made it here in one piece!

 

The cork is acceptable. It's getting U-40'd, so it'll be fine.

 

There's nothing I like more than a downward facing loop hook keeper above the reel nut, so that's jazzy.

 

The reel nut is metal. Not sure if I love that, but I dislike exposed threads and there's none of that, so whatever.

 

The blank is straight.

 

Guides are in line/straight, but the top four are micros. I was hoping/thought they were mediums, but I'm not really a leader type anyway. No weirdness on the wraps.

 

So far so good.

[Mike L]

9 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

It made it here in one piece!

 

The cork is acceptable. It's getting U-40'd, so it'll be fine.

 

There's nothing I like more than a downward facing loop hook keeper above the reel nut, so that's jazzy.

 

The reel nut is metal. Not sure if I love that, but I dislike exposed threads and there's none of that, so whatever.

 

The blank is straight.

 

Guides are in line/straight, but the top four are micros. I was hoping/thought they were mediums, but I'm not really a leader type anyway. No weirdness on the wraps.

 

So far so good.

Thanks 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[PhishLI]

2 hours ago, Mike L said:

Thanks 

P.S.  Weight is 5.1 ounces

[T-Billy]

4 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Guides are in line/straight, but the top four are micros. I was hoping/thought they were mediums, but I'm not really a leader type anyway.

I don't fish leaders often, but do when bottom fishing deep sometimes, just to make it easier to break off snags. An alberto passes through those guides just fine for me. 40# braid to 15-20# mono. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I fished with an Essence all winter and didn't notice there was any metal on the locking nut.  Theres an upper hood under the nut, so you dont have to wrap the top of the reel foot to protect it or anything.  The only thing my finger contacts is the knurling which feels like it could be plastic. It didn't feel colder or warmer then any of my other rods this winter.

The cork isn't the best looking on mine, but it feels much better then it looks.  

Initially I though the stripper guide was oversized.  I had made a comment to @T-Billy that they definitely weren't micro or semi micro guides, but I was wrong.  The style and size of the frame makes it look much bigger when it's just an average sized guide.  

I got the 7'3 MH for T rigs and jigs.  It has a little more tip then I thought it would, which makes it a really versatile rod.  

Its sensitive enough to feel a feel a bass in 38° pick up a jig on completely slack line.

 There may be some rods that come close dollar for dollar.  Honestly if you can get 1 for under 150$ it's a great deal IMO.

 

[PhishLI]

On 3/6/2022 at 11:03 AM, Mike L said:

If your Essence is a casting, can I ask your opinion of it?

Follow up:

This never seems to happen, but I got a really good fish tonight using the new Essence. A large, fat, angry Pickerel gave it a really good test. Before the catch I was casting weights at it's limit to see if it would hold up, but the fish gave it the ultimate infant mortality test. Passed.

31 minutes ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

I fished with an Essence all winter and didn't notice there was any metal on the locking nut.

The hood's plastic, but the locking nut is aluminum, and knurled. I palm with two fingers wrapped around the front of the reel with one resting on the nut. I'm used to foam here, but it really didn't bother me. If it does it'll get a wrap of black cloth electrical tape. The middle finger on my glove doesn't have the tip cut off, so it isn't an issue anyway.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

23 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Follow up:

This never seems to happen, but I got a really good fish tonight using the new Essence. A large, fat, angry Pickerel gave it a really good test. Before the catch I was casting weights at it's limit to see if it would hold up, but the fish gave it the ultimate infant mortality test. Passed.

The hood's plastic, but the locking nut is aluminum, and knurled. I palm with two fingers wrapped around the front of the reel with one resting on the nut. I'm used to foam here, but it really didn't bother me. If it does it'll get a wrap of black cloth electrical tape. The middle finger on my glove doesn't have the tip cut off, so it isn't an issue anyway.

I've got a couple dozen bass up to 5lbs on it and a few pickerel with one that was close to 4lb.  So far it's been good, we'll see how well it handles bigger bass that arent so cold.

I've got a 13 omen with a metal locking nut that comes into contact with the reel foot.  The best material I've found are the patterned shrink wrap handle covers cut into small pieces.  It's really thin but it's tough enough to protect magnesium framed reels.