Falcon Cara BFS Rods

[JN94]

Anyone gotten their hands on these? When they were first announced, the lure ratings on these rods were 1/8-1/2. Now their website shows 1/8-5/16. I'm curious if they slapped a different blank in there after initial feedback/more thought or they just changed the rating. I hope it's a different blank

@rangerjockey

@casts_by_fly

[casts_by_fly]

I’m waiting for TW to get them. They are on falcons site now but not tw.

 

they didn’t announce a weight rating until now that I’ve seen. I thought it was up to half based on the video they posted and looking close at the sticker. But I could have read it wrong. They also might have changed the rating but kept the blanks.  Ratings are kinda subjective anyway. 

[JN94]

1 hour ago, casts_by_fly said:

I’m waiting for TW to get them. They are on falcons site now but not tw.

 

they didn’t announce a weight rating until now that I’ve seen. I thought it was up to half based on the video they posted and looking close at the sticker. But I could have read it wrong. They also might have changed the rating but kept the blanks.  Ratings are kinda subjective anyway. 

I actually went back and checked their YouTube channel and they say 1/8-5/8 in the comments. I was thinking it was half. Yeah I suppose so on it being objective. But saying it maxes out at 5/8 and then downgrading that all the way to 5/16 is crazy assuming it's the same blank

[casts_by_fly]

Pulling this one back to the top. I saw tw has them now and thought someone might have gotten theirs by now. Mine is inbound. 

[casts_by_fly]

Just got it in today and made some quick driveway casts.  First impressions are that it is what I thought it would be.  It's a cara through and through for fit and finish.  It feels right at home with the rest of them.  Its very tip light, both swing weight and power.  Its definitely a fast action, maybe an extra fast.  With a light to modest pull (a little over the max casting weight) it flexes to about 5th guide or so. That's 20" on a 86" rod or less than 25%.  The tip is very very light.  Just an hour ago I was fishing my poison adrena UL/M which is an extra fast action and has maybe the lightest tip on a bass rod I've ever seen.  This rod is a close second.

 

Comparing it to the 7'1" Phenix Feather ML, the Phenix is a touch lighter in total weight (3.45 vs 3.3 oz) but the phenix has a little heavier tip and a little more moderate action.  The Phenix has more power in the top 25% of the rod, but the Falcon has more in the bottom 50%.

 

I tied on a 1/8oz ball head jig and a 3" twister.  Total weight 3/16 oz.  With an aldebaran BFS, 10 lb 832, and a long fluoro leader (there was a little noise as the knot passed through which I'll have to sort out) I was throwing 20 yards with an easy side arm or overhead cast.  If I wanted to push it I could get 25 yards without blowing up the reel most of the time.  There is an element of practice with it for sure but it definitely is smooth to cast.  

 

I'm going to get some on the water time in first before I make any sweeping judgements.  But based on first impressions I think this rod is what I thought it would be and is going to do the things I want it to do.

[little giant]

Thank you for the info from one bfs/ falcon rod guy! Keep the info coming as you use it, please. My favorite bfs rod is a falcon clearwater inshore ML. Sold as a speckled trout jig rod, casts a mile, handled an 8 lb Florida LM

[msgf91]

Thanks for the review. I just checked the falcon site and it says it's rated down to 1/16th. Do you think that's accurate??

[casts_by_fly]

3 hours ago, msgf91 said:

Thanks for the review. I just checked the falcon site and it says it's rated down to 1/16th. Do you think that's accurate??

 

Yeah, just barely.  I was curious so I just took it outside.  As best I can tell, this is the 7'2" Cara spinning rod blank with casting components.  On a spinning reel I can see it launching a 1/16 oz 25-30 yards or more.  With the casting reel I can get 20 yards with it, either sidearm or overhead, but any harder and I think I'd be blowing up the reel too much.  The rod will load more, hence my spinning reel comment, but I'm just not there yet with the casting reel.  I wouldn't want to go any lighter with a BFS reel on this rod.  I think the sweet spot for me and what I want to do is going to be a 1/16-1/8 oz lead plus a light plastic.  I also picked up a pair of strike king bitsy dawgs that I'm confident it will launch into tomorrow.