TackleTour

I just received a “New” Major Craft Fine Tail FAX 63 SUL Area Trout Rod. I stepped out of my comfort zone as I had said I most likely would never purchase any more JDM rods that were not high end. I really wanted to check this rod out for several reasons. Not a lot of folks will spend 300 dollars on an UL rod....for that matter not a lot of folks will spend the 173 dollars on a rod....which is what this rod costs. But my quest was to see if it is worth maybe more than the price paid....is it a bargain for what you get compared to other JDM area trout rods at same cost? On the surface....without fishing it yet it would seem so. How Major Craft has been able to hold this rod weight down to 54 grams is beyond me. It has the new Fuji Sic-S guides with Fuji stainless guide frames....9 of them! The rod has burgundy thread with silver accent thread on a black blank with burgundy winding checks and an EVA butt cap. I have been comparing it to my Palms Egeria 64 XUL. The Fine Tail is somewhat softer in the top yet has a larger butt.....5mm vs 7mm. I have also been comparing this rod to the 2 Fine Tail Banshee that I own. Let me be clear.....while a 6 foot SUL Banshee weighs 16 grams more than this rod the Banshee has a much better feel in the hand than this rod....as it should costing 100 dollars more. The "New" Fine Tail blank is much lighter than the Banshee blank but will have to see if this translates to sensitivity as good as a Banshee. I don't really expect it to be more sensitive than the Banshee but I am hoping it will be more sensitive than the Palms XUL....which has decent sensitivity. The tip is 1mm. The build is very good.....in comparing it to the Banshee....which was made in Major Craft Works Factory in Vietnam......I can see no difference. This rod is assembled in China but with all Fuji components and the blank is made in the Vietnam factory from high modulus Toray carbon fiber. The reel seat....which is down locking.....consists of Fuji SKSS and KDPS components. I did a lot of homework on this rod and got much info from a member who purchased this rod in a glass model.....and I think he has since gotten an all carbon model also. Which brings me to another point. They have this rod in two glass models that are slower in action.....which should make for a whole lot of fun with smaller Gills. I already have mounted a reel on the rod and been casting out in the yard. It casts effortlessly. Of course the real test comes when you fish it....which I intend to do as soon as this heat goes away...its been brutal. I do not expect to get into any good Gills but there will be some 4-5 inch fish around which will be great for testing out the sensitivity. I fully expect to tangle with some KY bass with this rod in the 14-17 inch range....which will give it a good workout. Hoping some crappie will be hanging around also as the action of this rod looks perfect for cast and retrieve crappie fishing. Major Craft company philosophy has been stated to give you more for the price paid than others. I had heard that long before I ever bought my first Major Craft. I have found that to be true with all my Major Craft Rods. The Palms.....and this new rod.....are priced virtually the same....and I feel the Palms is certainly worth what I paid. But just on sight...feel....the Major Craft seems a better buy. I bought this rod with the purpose of seeing just how good their new blank is and also to try and stay in touch with medium price JDM UL rods. On my youtube channel I want to try and cover the medium to high end rods......which is hard for me to do after acquiring high end JDM UL rods. As was explained to me by several if you go the high end road there is no turning back. Will report back after landing some fish with this rod. Am excited to get on the water and try it out.

Regards

Looking forward to watching/reading your review on this!

also looking forward to... and let us know what reel/line you pair up with the rod

Update on rod. Have not been out in the boat since getting the rod. But have made 3 trips to a local river and JPP bank fishing in the shade. Have caught a lot of small sunfish.....a few 9 inch shell cracker and several 9 inch smallmouth. The bite detection “sensitivity” is superb. Fun factor with this rod is simply off the charts. I have a Daiwa Presso Limited 1025 on the rod spooled with Varivas 2.3# test ester mono...which is the line I currently fish with 90 percent of the time. The past 2 trips out with the rod stepped down the jig head from 1.5 gram to a 1 gram. It casts great and while I have not used a 1/2 gram jig head I feel it will handle it well. In my opinion this rod is every bit as sensitive as the much pricier Banshee Rod. In comparing it to the other 2 area trout rods I own.....the Palms Egeria and Daiwa Iprimi it simply blows them out of the water. The Palms is at the same price point but the Iprimi is 20 dollars less. I have already given the Iprimi away to a youth to get him started in UL angling but will keep the Palms as a guest rod. Major Craft has a glass rod 6’ 4” L in this line up. It is going to be much softer than the full graphite model but might be a lot of fun.....and it is my understanding that their glass model rods in this line up are just as light. For those wanting a JDM rod that is super sensitive.....a lot of fun to fish for panfish or trout with, I can’t think of a better rod out there at the price. I can see me maybe getting a couple more of these. The solid tip short rods look like they could be fun to vertical jig with. I was worried that this rod would not be sensitive enough.....I put sensitivity just about above all else. After being really disappointed with the Iprimi, and less than happy with the Palms, I was really sweating out the performance of this rod but it truly shines. While I don’t know this for sure maybe Major Craft got some feedback from customers complaining about what seemed to be a lack of number of guides and spacing on their Banshee line up.....that is certainly not a problem with this model.

Regards

Randy, I always enjoy your insight and thoughtful comments.