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Rod Review


Swimbait Rod Wars Installment #4: The Return of an Old Favorite, Fenwick (continued)
 

Real World Test: Given the rod's relatively low lure weight rating and fast taper, we had in mind the best big bait application for this stick would probably be with the soft plastics. Add to all of that, the rod has an open ended hook hangar, and we had the perfect bait in mind with which to fish this new rod from Fenwick, 3:16 Lure Company's Mission Fish!
 


Rigged and ready to go with our supertuned Shimano Chronarch 101SF

 

 

Complete Field Test Set-Up for Fenwick ECSWB79H-F Swimbait ESC

Reel(s)
Supertuned Shimano Chronarch 101SF (ABEC 7 SS Bearings)
Line
70 yds 25lb Sunline MachineGun Cast
Primary Baits Fished
3:16 Lure Company's Mission Fish (6" ,7" & 8")
River2Sea LiveEye Bottom Walker
Mattlures 6" Trout

Pitching and Casting: The ECSWB79H-F is quite comfortable casting and pitching 3:16 Lure Company's Mission fish in a variety of sizes. The largest one we tied on during the rod's trials was the eight inch version which weighs in just over two ounces. The rod handled this bait perfectly fine not feeling overloaded in the slightest. In fact, it handled this bait so well, we took it up a notch tying on the standard in soft plastic swimbaits, a Huddleston Deluxe eight inch trout. 

 
Casting the 8" 3:16 Mission Fish
 
Captured in the photographs shown later in this review, we took to this task with much trepidation. Afterall, the Huddleston Deluxe eight inch trout easily doubles the ECSWB79H-F's upper end lure weight rating, but of course, this wouldn't be the TackleTour Swimbait Rod Wars if we didn't take a few chances here and there.

 
This bait is right in the ECSWB79H-F's wheelhouse

So, throwing rod warranty concerns out the window, Zander and JIP moved to the back of the boat, out of exploding rod range, and I reared back ready to launch... 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1...


Handled with ease
 

SUCCESS!! The ECSWB79H-F actually handled casting duties of the Huddleston Deluxe eight inch trout just fine suggesting the rod's lure weight rating is really rather conservative. Is it the first rod we'd choose for this application? No, but can it handle this bait in a pinch? Yes, and rather well at that.

 
A look at the ECSWB79H-F's unique reelseat

If there is one shortfall of the ECSWB79H-F in casting, it's in the rod's rear handle length. At only ten inches, the handle is not quite long enough to gain any real torque when making a two handed cast with a heavy bait like the Huddleston Deluxe eight inch trout, but on the plus side, it's an excellent length when pitching lighter swimbaits like the smaller versions of 3:16 Mission Fish or the Mattlures Trout and Baby Bass baits.


Custom builders refer to a seat similar to this, but with even more cut out at the bottom a Skeletal Reelseat

Sensitivity: Given the ECSWB79H-F's light weight and cork grip construction, we expected it to be a very sensitive swimbait rod and we were not disappointed. The ECSWB79H-F is very adept at transmitting info from the end of your line back into your hands so you can tell what's going on down below. Very respectable indeed.

 
Giving the ECSWB79H-F even more of a challenge - an 8" Huddleston Deluxe Trout weighing twice that of the rod's max lure rating!

Next Section: Additional results and final ratings 

 

   

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