Daiwa's Exciting Rod Lineup for 2016!

Introduction: So... remember how we described Daiwa's Steez AGS spinning rod in our review back in April? We inferred a few censored expletives finally settling upon the word "sick". What we didn't say in that article, and simply assumed, was that the carbon fiber frames were likely too difficult to engineer into a group of casting rods. Afterall, we've only ever seen the guides on spinning sticks. Well, all that changes this coming year with Daiwa's brand new suite of Steez AGS casting sticks.

Be careful for what you wish because you may just get it... AGS Casting rod guides by Daiwa!

Steez AGS Bass Rods: Guess it's a simple case of be careful for what you wish because you very well may get it. Daiwa is introducing eight (8) new casting rods to their Steez AGS lineup. What was once just a series of spinning rods is now a full fledged bass line complete with cranking and flipping/pitching sticks!

The Steez AGS casting rod lineup will consist of 8 new sticks.

We didn't think they could do it, but Daiwa managed to make extend the utility of the carbon frames to these tiny guides!

Built on their familiar, top end, X45 Bias Graphite bass blanks, the Steez AGS casting rods will feature an unsanded finish, Air-Foam grips, Daiwa's proprietary reel seat, and of course the casting version of those intriguing AGS guides. Retail on these sticks will range from $579.99 - $599.99.

The Steez AGS casting rods will feature Daiwa's own reel seat, but not the Air Beam reel seat of the original rod series.

They will also feature chrome finished Fuji hook keepers.

Steez XT Bass Rods: Have you always pined for a Daiwa Steez bass rod but couldn't justify the expense? Daiwa takes the most important aspect of their Steez sticks, the blank, changes the components to introduce the new, more affordable Steez XT Bass Rods. The Steez XT Bass Rods feature Fuji titanium framed Alconite guides together with a more conservative reel seat (as opposed to the original AirBeam), all in a price almost half that of the brand new Steez AGS sticks.

Want Steez performance at a more affordable price? How about the Steez XT lineup?

To keep costs down, Daiwa is using titanium framed Alconite guides on this series of "budget" Steez sticks.

This new suite of rods will consist of 9 casting rods covering a range of core techniques and 4 spinning models for your finesse and light bait techniques. Prices range from $300 - $350 and availability is immediate as these sticks were shipping to select retailers even before ICAST.

Tatula XT Bass Rods: Daiwa borrows from the formula of their more affordable Steez XT rods to create a new budget series from their successful Tatula Bass rod line. The Tatula-XT rods feature Fuji Aluminum Oxide guides versus Alconites and painted Fuji ACS reel seats instead of Daiwa's custom designed and built seats. The resulting price points range from $99.95 - $119.95.

Want something even more affordable? How about Tatula XT?

These aggressively styled sticks will retail for right around $100!

Yet the look more high end than their price.

If they perform like the original Tatula sticks ...

... the Tatula XT's will be a no brainer.