Major Craft Days DYC-68L/BF BaitFinesse Product Review #majorcraftrods #majorcraftdaysrod

Rod Review

Bait Finesse for Days with Major Craft

Date:	6/23/25
Tackle Type:	Rod
Manufacturer:	Major Craft
Reviewer:	Cal

Total Score: 8.30 - GREAT

Introduction: Most rod manufacturers that have endured the market for more than a decade have an iconic series that when evoked, is instantly identified with their brand. For G.Loomis, there are several, IMX, GLX, NRX. With Megabass, it's Destroyer and Evoluzion. If I say Combat Series, Evergreen International comes to mind. When I hear the series name Days, what comes to my mind is Major Craft. Perhaps not as established in North America, Major Craft has always been a big name for those in the know about JDM gear. Today, we take a look at a stick in their iconic series, the Days DYC-68L/BF Bait Finesse.

Major Craft Days DYC-68L/BF BaitFinesse Specifications
Material	4-axis carbon wrapped blank
Length	6'-8"
Line Wt.	4-12lb
Lure Wt.	1/16 - 1/4oz
Pieces	One
Guides	8+tip Fuji SS K-Frame/SiC (guide progression from 8 at the stripper to 5 at the runners)
Rear Handle Length	9.5"
Power Rating	Light
Taper	Fast
Rod Weight	3.5oz
Origin	Made in Vietnam
MSRP	$193.99

Introducing Major Craft's Days DYC-68L/BF bait finesse stick

Impressions: Not all BFS sticks are created equal. By definition, this technique is simply the ability to fish light line on casting gear. However, until recently, most casting rods designed for use with light line have a soft taper because the intended species is trout and the way most anglers approach fishing for trout is with moving baits. Moving baits are most effective with softer tapered rods. When it comes to fishing for bass, a lot of anglers, like myself, are using these light line techniques in a vertical presentations with a drop shot, Ned rig, etc.. These techniques are more effective on a rod with fast to extra fast tapers.

The first thing to strike me about this stick was the Fuji SS/SiC guides (on a stick priced at under $200!)

Major Craft's Days has that fast taper for which bass anglers fishing finesse applications are looking. It is a six foot, eight inch (6'-8") stick with stainless steel framed guides and SiC inserts. It is super light, well balanced, and feels very potent right out of the shipping tube. It is, reportedly, one of Major Craft's best selling sticks in North America, and before even fishing it, I could see why. The rod just feels fishy.

I paired it with my Abu Garcia Zenon LTX BFS8 sporting an aftermarket prototype Mg spool intended for the Japanese domestic market and spooled with my favorite Varivas finesse braid

Real World Tests: I paired the fishy feeling DYC-68L/BF with my Abu Garcia Zenon LTX BFS8 reel modified with a prototype, JDM Abu Mg Spool. This prototype spool does not have the fancy porting or cutouts of some of the aftermarket aluminum spools, but boy is it fun to use. I spooled my modified Zenon LTX with Varivas's Super Trout Advance Double Cross x8 and tied on a leader of six pound Seaguar Gold Label Fluorocarbon leader. The weight of this entire combo? Eight point seven ounces (8.7oz).

Well, that didn't take long

Casting: I fished the DYC-68L/BF in the manner I fish the majority of my finesse casting rods when targeting largemouth and that's with either a drop shot or Ned rig tied to the end of the line. If your baitfinesse combo is worth anything, you will be able to present these type of weight forward bait rigs with ease. The DYC-68L/BF combo with my Zenon LTX BFS8 was no exception to this rule.

The reel seat is a painted Fuji ECS

The rod itself loads well and feels as though its lure rating is accurate. If I had any criticism it's that the rod feels like it has a slower taper than its rated "fast" during a cast but that might be due to the weight of my dropshot and Ned rig setups - once you add the soft plastic baits, lure combo weight can get over a quarter ounce (the rod's max lure rating) pretty easily.

Finesse techniques can be quite effective in the rain

Sensitivity: The DYC-68L/BF does not have the crispest blank on the market, nor would I expect it to at it's very accessible price point. However, simply from its nature of being a light powered pole, the rod has good sensitivity. It's difficult to build a light powered rod and have it not be sensitive. Don't get me wrong, they're definitely out there. It's just not super common. Fortunately, for the DYC-68L/BF, this is not an area of great concern.

Next: BFS power and price