ARK Fishing 24 Tharp Series NTS74MH-G B-Hittay Product Review #arktharpbhittay #arktharprods

Rod Review

Smooth Like Butter : ARK's Refreshed Tharp Series B-Hittay Moving Bait Stick

Date:	3/28/25
Tackle Type:	Rod
Manufacturer:	ARK Fishing International
Reviewer:	Cal

Total Score: 8.33 - GREAT

Introduction: Back in 2020, we published a review on one of my favorite ARK Fishing International's sticks to date. It was the TS74MH-G B-Hittay in Randall Tharp's signature line. I've always been a fan of that buttery smooth feel of glass in a moving bait stick, and the composite blank in that rod is very reminiscent of that feel. When I caught wind of ARK Fishing's intention to refresh Tharp's signature line, I kept an eye out for availability, and when the sticks hit, I nabbed the refreshed version of this rod to see for myself what, if any, differences were made.

ARK Fishing 24 Tharp Series NTS74MH-G B-Hittay Specifications
Material	Composite blank featuring a blend of 40T graphite and glass
Length	7'-4"
Line Wt.	8-20lb
Lure Wt.	1/8 - 1 1/2oz
Pieces	One
Guides	8+tip (Fuji K- SS/O Ring)
Rear Handle Length	10.5
Power Rating	Medium Heavy
Taper	Moderate-Fast
Rod Weight	5.7oz
Origin	Made in China
MSRP	$139.99

ARK Fishing International updates their Tharp Series for 2024. We take a look at one of our favorites from this series

Impressions: The new B-Hittay stick within ARK Fishing's Randall Tharp Signature line is essentially the same exact specification as the previous version. It is a seven foot, four inch (7'-4") fishing rod made from a composite glass and carbon fiber blank. It features a split rear grip made of EVA foam and is outfitted with Fuji, K-Series guides with stainless steel frames and O ring (aluminum oxide) inserts.

Guide wraps now feature red highlights

The rod's reel seat is the same as the previous version including the machined aluminum hood, but the split rear grip now features a straight taper instead of fluted at the ends. Guide wraps are also different now featuring red highlights instead of the straight grey wrap.

The EVA grips now feature a straight taper instead of being fluted at the ends

Real World Tests: Also different this time around is the opportunity to match the B-Hittay special with ARK's self branded casting reel. I swapped the new Gravity 8 over from my WES75MHFC, still spooled with Sunline's new AMZ braid in 50lb and a leader of Shooter Invisible in 14lb to see what this stick was about.

Matched up with a Gravity 8

Casting: The NTS74MH-G comes with a lure rating of up to one and a half ounces (1 1/2oz) so I tied on a nice, hefty three quarter ounce Donkey Slayer to see what the rod could do. Together with the trailer of a Missile Baits Chunky D, the lure combo was easily over an ounce and true to its rating, the NTS74MH-G handled it just fine with roll cast after roll cast and the occasional overhead and sidearm sling all with good accuracy. The blank loads reliably and predictably.

Open ended hook keeper

Sensitivity: The thing I like about bladed baits, and the Donkey Slayer in particular is, sensitivity is rarely in question. They create so much commotion, it's easy to feel that shake rattle and roll through your line into the rod and down to the reel seat, so other than to say I could easily feel the vibration of my bait through the rod, there's not really much I can comment here in terms of sensitivity. This is essentially a glass carbon composite blank engineered to fish bladed baits - it's akin to a crankbait rod. In that respect it does what it's supposed to do, but if you want to turn around and fish a standard jig or soft plastic with it, don't expect to be blown out of the water with feel.

Fig 1 : The chart above illustrates the deflection characteristics of our ARK Fishing 24 Tharp Series NTS74MH-G B-Hittay against the historical averages of similarly powered rods (in this case, crank bait rods) we've tested over the past twenty plus years

Power: Where this stick shines is after the hit. When you swing to set, the NTS74MH-G has that classic, buttery smooth power curve you can only get with a glass or glass composite blank. Sure, carbon blanks can now be built with equally moderate bends, but the way in which the material responds just is not the same as fiberglass and unless you've experienced that bend, it's difficult to describe or know what I'm referring to. Nevertheless, just know, this stick has "it."

Checking out that buttery smooth tip

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