It seems there are more fishing rod companies these days than you can shake a stick at. While most of them feature a few unique characteristics that differentiate them from others, I believe the three biggest selling points for consumers are weight, balance and price.
I’ve been extensively testing the 7-foot, heavy-action Fitzgerald All Purpose Casting Rod while fishing topwater frogs and creature baits and in my opinion, it totally encompasses everything most consumers look for in a bass fishing rod.
I have been extremely impressed by the following characteristics:
- Powerful
- Soft tip
- Balanced
- Castable
Soft tip
Because the blank of this rod is a heavy-action, I anticipated a super-fast tip. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to discover a fairly soft tip which has really improved my topwater frog fishing. As a result, this rod has become one of my go-to frog rods.I’ve been able to walk my topwater frogs with minimal effort—it hasn’t mattered if I’m fishing in thick cover, open water or sparse vegetation.
It can be a real hindrance having to constantly concentrate on your cadence when frog fishing, but this soft tip allows me to “walk the dog” without even thinking about it while keeping my head on a swivel looking for surface activity.
Extremely powerful
When the summer heat reaches its peak, you’ll find a lot of bass lurking in the thickest cover they can possibly find. That’s definitely been the case in my neck of the woods and I’ve been having a blast wrenching big bass from cover with the 7-foot, heavy-action Fitzgerald All Purpose Casting Rod.
While many powerful rods lack sensitivity, this rod has proven to be ridiculously sensitive regardless of the technique I use it for. I can feel the slightest change in bottom composition which has been instrumental in finding gravel bars and shell beds when I’m dragging creature banks away from the bank. Even though summertime bass are known for biting softly, I’ve been able to even the most subtle bites.
When it comes time to set the hook, the Fitzgerald All Purpose Casting Rod makes quick work of it. Whether I’m fishing in shallow or deep water, I’ve noticed excellent hook penetration in all of my fish catches.
Castability matters
Whenever you’re targeting bass in shallow water, it’s never a good idea to get too close to them. Just the slightest shadow or vibration can send them swimming in the other direction, which makes long casts imperative. Simply put, I’ve been amazed by this rod’s castability.
I’ve been able to cast my SPRO Poppin’ Frog ridiculous distances with the Fitzgerald All Purpose Rod. I’ve always been a bit hesitant while using braided line with micro guides, but the American Tackle Artus Heavy Duty Micro Guides and braid-proof Nanolite HD rings have been remarkable. There’s virtually no line slap throughout the cast, resulting in long and accurate casts regardless of my casting method.
Well-balanced
In my lifetime I’ve fished with several heavy-action rods that have absolutely worn me out. Many of them tend to be fairly tip-heavy, resulting in an increase in fatigue and a decrease in efficiency and productivity. This Fitzgerald rod is very well-balanced and makes long days on the water much easier.
When conditions allow, I like to fish my topwater frogs quickly to entice vicious reaction strikes. I’ve been doing that quite a bit lately with this rod and have been able to do it pain-free—no hand cramps or forearm casts whatsoever. The EVA foam grips have also been great because they tend to have a much better grip than traditional cork in hot, sticky conditions.
If you like to fish with frogs and creature baits, I definitely recommend checking out the 7-foot, heavy-action Fitzgerald All Purpose Casting Rod. I’ve really enjoyed using it throughout the summer and it will remain on my front deck for a long time.
The Fitzgerald All Purpose Casting Rod is available at TackleWarehouse.com.
