I would have never thought that one day I would be fishing with a purple rod. Nothing against the color, which is a nice color in general, just not usually what I think of for fishing rods. Color aside, the Mike Iaconelli “Ike” Series of rods are great and may now be my favorite of the Abu rod collection.
I own several Veritas, a Veracity and two Villains and the Ike rod lines right up with what I like about each of them. The rods are designed and fit into two major categories the Delay (for reaction baits) and the Power (for bottom bouncing baits). Each of the separate categories has characteristics that make them better for certain techniques. The Delay series has more of a “delay” in action making them great for baits with treble hooks and other fast-moving baits. The Power rods are stiffer and just better for fishing baits along the bottom and getting good hooksets.
The rod I have been fishing is the IKECW710-6 a 7’10” MH Delay Cranking rod. This one is a beast and is made for big crankbaits like the Strike King 6XD, 8XD, 10XD and other similar giant cranks. When I ordered it I thought getting this model would really tell me how the Ike Series rods are or tell me nothing about them. What I mean by that is the one of the biggest, longest and heaviest rod may be super light and let me know they are all very light, or it would be a broomstick and I would never know what the rest of the models were going to be like. Thankfully this rod is super light, sensitive and well made.
More details from Abu Garcia:
The Ike Series’ premium HSG blanks deliver the parabolic actions Ike needs to generate the precise action and performance he demands from his reaction baits, while also provide long, accurate casting capabilities. Extremely powerful as well to make solid hooksets and steer fish away from trouble, they parabolic actions also provide the right amount of play keep fish locked onto those pesky treble hooks.
High quality stainless steel guides with Zirconium inserts span each blank, delivering maximum casting efficiency combined with serious durability. Also equipped with advanced Fuji Reel seats and lightweight split grip EVA handles, Ike’s unmistakable cosmetics set these rods apart from the competition. Take a page from one of the best in the business, the Abu Garcia Ike Delay Series Casting Rods have all the features and performance you need to make the most of every opportunity on the water.
Pros
I mentioned how I like the Abu lineup. They are all light and pair very well with Revo reels. I have been using this one with the Revo SX, Premier and the Winch and all of them fit perfectly on this rod. It makes it comfortable when rods and reels were literally made for each other. Another pro from this rod is the guides and handle. They are quality and the handle is probably my favorite. Featuring flat sides on the EVA foam butt section, it is very comfortable and ergonomic for making those long bomb casts with big crankbaits.
Adding one more pro to the list, the sensitivity is great on this rod. While some may argue that sensitivity doesn’t matter much for cranking, I feel it does. Being able to feel every time the bait hits the bottom, gets caught in grass, becomes fouled hooked is big for me.
Cons
I already talked about the color, but it has grown on me some. It may not be for the old school guy with his 1980’s 5’6” pistol grip rods, but it does look good in the sun.
Another con in my opinion is the finish on the reel seat. It is a slick coating that I think may get a little too slippery when wet. It will probably become less slick after time but for now it is noticeable.
Retail cost is between $129.99-$149.99 and you can find them on TackleWarehouse.com.
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