Fenwick Elite Tech Rod Review

Have you ever purchased a new rod or reel for one thing, only to find another (maybe better) use for it? That happened to me recently when I received a new Fenwick Elite Tech Walleye rod. The rod will be an excellent blade bait rod for walleye (7'2" Medium Spinning), but I found it to be a great tube rod for smallmouth. It was a nice surprise and I'm sure I will get much more use out of it now.

Fenwick has always been a brand I respected and I have had several over the years from the Techna AV, the HMG, Elite Tech, Elite Tech smallmouth and now this one. Each and everyone has been light, sensitive and durable. 

I really enjoy fishing this rod mostly for the handle design, it is a soft cork like material that is an almost sticky grip and feels really comfortable. The blank is sensitive and lightweight for the size of the rod. The rod I have is a 7'2" medium and like I mentioned earlier, it makes a great tube rod. I like a slightly heavier action for tubes than I do for my drop-shot rods and this is it. It has good power and is still light enough to cast light lures and fish comfortably. I think it will also work well for small Texas-rigs, flukes and other soft plastic applications for bass and walleye.

More info from Fenwick:

• Hidden Handle Design reel seat allows function and comfort to co-exist. 
• Extreme comfort; not seen on the market today. Don't 'feel the threads' of traditional reel seats. Titanium frame guides are extremely lightweight and are virtually bulletproof! 
• TAC and EVA handle design provides a solid grip even when the handle becomes wet. Perfected actions designed specifically for walleye fishing.

Overall it is reasonably priced ($149.99) and a solid performer that I plan to use all year round. The Elite Tech Bass models are priced the same and have many of the same features but do have a split grip unlike this Walleye model. They can be found at Tackle Warehouse by clicking here.