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Enthusiast Review

 

Redefining the Big Bait Stick Genre : Evergreen International's Giant Dire Wolf (continued)

Power: It does not take a lot to guess the Giant Dire Wolf's best feature - power. However, despite its impressive lure rating and stout nature, that tip really does move and flex once you have a fish at the end of the line. keep in mind that though this stick is rated up to 8oz. it is only 6'11" in length.


Fig 1 : The chart above illustrates the deflection characteristics of our Evergreen International The Giant Dire Wolf RS IRSC-611XXXHR-SXF (SG) against the historical averages of similarly powered rods we've tested over the past twenty plus years

I was surprised how compliant the stick was under the load of a feisty bass giving me giving me plenty of control over my catch without risking the fish coming unexpectedly unbuttoned. It is an impressive blank that quite frankly has me questioning the need for some of my swimbait rods to be so long.


Trust me, I'm pulling pretty hard to get that tip to flex!

Design & Ergonomics: In the myopic view of North America of swimbait rods, with regards to design and ergonomics, Evergreen International does almost everything wrong with the Giant Dire Wolf. With regards to a stick that actually performs, they do everything right. The number one characteristic, in my mind, is the length of the rear handle. It's far too short by specification, but because the stick is so short overall, that short handle actually works. It's not ideal, but it actually works.


Clean detailing at the back of the rear grip.

Of course, the other characteristic is the rod's overall length, but if you're fishing tight quarters or working baits that require a lot of downward strokes with the rod tip to impart action to the lure, the Giant Dire Wolf more than works, it's ideal. Yet, matched with the reel I had on this rod, casting for distance was also not an issue.


That tiny hint of red.

Lab Results for Evergreen International The Giant Dire Wolf RS IRSC-611XXXHR-SXF (SG)

Model
Avg RoD
Taper
Measured Weight (oz)
Balance Point (inches)
Balancing Torque (ftlbs)
Evergreen International The Giant Dire Wolf RS IRSC-611XXXHR-SXF (SG)
1.03
Mod
6.3
7
0.22
Flipping Rod Avg
1.38
---
6.3
8
0.27
All Purpose SB Rod Avg
1.28
--
6.8
8.5
0.29
Heavy Hitters SB Rod Avg
0.95
--
7.7
10.2
0.44

Thanks to that shorter overall length, the Giant Dire Wolf's weight and balance are very respectable and when you throw in its ability to handle baits up to at least eight ounces in weight, it's really astounding as to what this stick is capable. If only the guides were spiral wrapped! Our Editor-in-Chief, Zander, disagrees as he prefers a traditional wrap's more conventional design and styling, especially in a rod this short.


Evergreen International's Giant Dire Wolf is not for the faint of budget

Price & Applications: Evergreen International's Giant Dire Wolf is not for the faint of budget. This stick retails for $1,259.99. For that reason, this stick will find a very small audience. What that audience will be treated to, however, is a stick that can just about do it all. Soft baits, hard baits, topwater baits, vibrating jigs, just about anything within its rated lure range, this stick can handle.


Still difficult for me to believe this stick is available at a US tackle store

It would absolutely crush it ripping wood choppers across the water in pursuit of peacock bass, yet I couldn't get enough of how well it handled an oversized vibrating jig in the Donkey Slayer. Pitching the Grow Design Works Flag 150 or Megabass's MagDraft Freestyle around docks and other visible structure? No problem. The Giant Dire Wolf is incredibly versatile.

Ratings:

Evergreen International The Giant Dire Wolf RS IRSC-611XXXHR-SXF (SG) Ratings (?/10)

Construction/Quality The definition of clean and refined 10
Performance Casting ability and power curve that are surprising. The one area where the stick could possibly be improved is in sensitivity as the rod leans more towards power 8
Price You have to know and understand what you're paying for here. Most anglers will find the price ridiculous. This one has hard core enthusiast written all over it. JDM rods just don't get much exclusive than this 4
Features High end line of components throughout 8
Design (Ergonomics) Oh so wrong, but also, oh so right. Leaning much more into JDM style builds this rod is a compact powerhouse. Some US swimbait anglers will find it too short but for those limited on space this rod's ergonomics and power equal versatility 8
Application Incredibly versatile (and just in case you forgot, incredibly expensive too) 9

Total Score

7.83
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable!
For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

 

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus

Minus
+ Excellent with big baits in tight quarters - That price tag is a big pill to swallow
+ Extremely strong, yet smooth power curve - JDM style ergonomics. May be too short for some US enthusiasts
+ Incredibly versatile - Exclusive. This one is for the hard core enthusiast anglers
+ Perhaps a sign of more Evergreen International JDM rods coming to North American tackle stores  
+ Exclusive. This one is for the hard core enthusiast anglers  

 

Conclusion: I have been anticipating the availability of Evergreen International's JDM rod arsenal on North American shores since meeting president and CEO, Mr. Toshiya Hashimoto at ICAST 2008. Imagine my surprise when the Giant Dire Wolf was suddenly sitting there, on my screen, ready and available from TackleWarehouse. Could this be a harbinger of JDM goodies to come or is it simply a one off? I'm certainly hoping for the former.

 

Could this stick be a harbinger of JDM goodies to come?
 

For now, Evergreen International's Giant Dire Wolf is a case study in how something that should not work, is actually far more harmonious than one could imagine. It is absolutely too expensive but it does the work of two to three rods, so maybe that's ok. Its lure rating and length are at odds, but when was the last time you could easily pitch an oversized bait up close to target? That handle should be too short for casting big baits, and yet, when you find it the perfect reel as a partner, and the two begin to dance, you cannot help but to be captivated by the performance.

 


I certainly hope so although I'm not sure my bank account will survive.

 

The best thing I ended up tying to the end of the line was a Nishine Lure Works snap because it allowed me to quickly change between different baits and bait types to see what the Giant Dire Wolf could handle. It was as if fishing with Captain America, "I could do this all day." Bait after bait, up and down that wide ranging lure spec, in this situation and that, I found the Giant Dire Wolf perfectly capable and that's why it has earned this editor's Ultimate Enthusiast Award.

 

Looking for an Evergreen International The Giant Dire Wolf RS IRSC-611XXXHR-SXF (SG) rod? Try TackleWarehouse


 

   

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