Okuma EVX EVX-C-861XH-Ta Product Review

Rod Review

The Big, Beefy, EVX 861XH Rod from Okuma (continued)

Features: From a features perspective, the EVX 861XH is not very exciting. It has a standard split rear cork grip, and an oversized foregrip, stainless steel framed guides with Zirconium inserts, a standard, closed loop hook keeper located just above the foregrip and on the left side of the blank, and no rod sleeve. The rod's reel seat is a standard issue, Fuji TDPSM seat that's great for oversized blanks and not bulky like the TCSM.

A close look at the rod's butt end...

Features Ratings for Okuma EVX-C-861XH-Ta
Grip (1-5)	Guides (1-5)	Reel Seat (1-5)	Hook Keeper (1-5)	Rod Sleeve (1-5)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
3	3	4	3	1	14	25	5.6

... and oversized foregrip.

Design/Ergonomics: Ergonomically, you can't expect much from this stick. Again, it is an extra-heavy powered, 8'-6" rod. There's no getting around the fact it's big, beefy, heavy, and unbalanced. On the other hand, knowing this ahead of time, and realizing you're going to be making casts with two hands and then tucking that rear handle under your arm as you're working your bait this stick is actually very comfortable to fish. You need the extra leverage of the long handle to cast baits with this stick and you tucking that long rear handle under your arm as you fish softens the heavy, unbalanced feel of the rod.

Fuji's TDPSM reel seat is a better solution for oversized rod blanks than the molded TCSM.

Lab Results for Okuma EVX-C-861XH-Ta
Model	Avg RoD (2-32 oz)	Taper	Measured Weight (oz)	Balance Point (inches)	Balancing Torque (ftlbs)
Okuma EVX-C-861XH-Ta	0.96	Fast	10	12	0.66
Swimbait Rod Wars All Purpose Average	1.18	--	6.7	8.5	0.26
Swimbait Rod Wars Heavy Hitter Average	0.90	--	8	11.6	0.53

So taken from the perspective of a big, beefy rod for big, beefy baits, the EVX 861XH is very comfortable to use. The only issue come if you want to use this stick for bass fishing tournaments. It's 8'6" length will preclude that convenience in most tournament circuits.

Design & Ergonomics Ratings for Okuma EVX-C-861XH-Ta
Grip (1-5)	Colors / Graphics (1-5)	Balance (1-5)	Weight (1-5)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
3	4	2	2	11	20	5.5

A look at the clean lines between materials on the rear grip.

Application: The EVX 861XH is a surprisingly fun and capable stick for big baits. Its length is far from cumbersome and in fact, very welcome when trying to launch big baits as far as you can get them. It loads extremely well during the cast and has a smooth power curve when battling your catch at the other end of the line. You can fish jig style big baits on the bottom with this stick, you can work treble styled big baits on a steady or erratic retrieve. The only limitation for baits with this stick, is they have to be big enough and heavy enough to be worthy of casting on this rod.

Thanks to the EVX 861XH's telescopic blank construction, this stick is easy to stow in even the smallest of rod lockers.

Bass Rod Application Ratings for Okuma EVX-C-861XH-Ta
Rip/Jerk (1-5)	Steady (1-5)	Lift & Drop (1-5)	Drag (1-5)	Twitch (1-5)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
4	4	4	4	4	20	25	8.0

We're looking forward to exploring this series a bit further.

Ratings:

Okuma EVX-C-861XH-Ta Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality	Solid build	7.89
Performance	Perfect rod for super-sized big baits	8.4
Price	Great value!	8
Features	Nothing extraordinary but plenty functional	5.6
Design (Ergonomics)	Big, beefy, heavy and yet very comfortable for catapulting even massive swimbaits	5.5
Application	A really good stick for fishing big baits any number of different ways	8.0
Total Score		7.23
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 for big, big baits	- Not tournament legal length
+ Extra length helps with long casts	- Since it's a "Musky" stick, might not be a stock item in your local tackle store, but any authorized Okuma dealer should be able to order it for you.
+ Telescopic blank makes it easy to stow
+ Great price

Conclusion: Looking for a stick with which to fish oversized big baits like the Deps SlideSwimmer 250 and Roman Made Mother? The EVX 861XH has become my stick of choice for these baits. It's not glamorous by any means, but there's no room for vanity when tossing baits that weigh in excess of eight ounces. If you want to catch something on baits of this size, you need a stick that will cast them far and away from your position. Besides, the ease with which the EVX 861XH handles baits of this size and weight is inspiring in and of itself.

Looking for a stick to fish oversized big baits like the Deps Slideswimmer 250, Roman Made Mother, or Savage Gear 11" 3D Trout? The EVX 81XH needs to be on your short list.

So inspiring was this stick that at the conclusion of our trip on Lake Ouachita, I asked if they could send me one of these rods for a full blown review. It's taken me a year and half to complete this review because I've enjoyed using the EVX 861XH too much. All too often, when I'm finished writing a product up, its place on my boat is then taken by the next product that needs to be reviewed. Now it's time to move on from the EVX 861XH but not before it earns this Editor's Choice Award.