Okuma X-Series 7'3" Heavy Fast

Interested to hear your thoughts on this stick after some time in the water. Would you also be willing to compare them to some high end JDM rods?

@rise 

Yeppers will do... I'm very curious about their usage of Torayca T1100G.  I did get about an hour on the water with it first day and landed one long skinny old female bass on a SK Rage Toad.   It's hard to tell how sensitive it is using a Toad with 50lb braid, but my initial impression is that it is NOT going to compete neck and neck against JDM high end rods, or even USDM like the Steez AGS, NRX+, P5, Xtasy, or even a Zillion...however I think it'll more than run with Exprides, IMX/GLX, all of Dobyns aside the Xtasy.  It is no way in the same league as T1100G used for the Luxxe Efreet, for example, sensitivity wise, weight wise it is very impressive.

Overall, the fit and finish is excellent, the guides straight and epoxy clean, granted very plain and simple/boring threading and no trim work.  The reel seat is light and very modern looking and locks down tight immediately, and it's comfy as well.  This particular blank is a true fast taper, and the backbone is a heavy and probably could be rated to 1.25 oz with no problem.  I think it would be a great all around soft plastics/jig rod and for open water/light cover frogs and toads.  It is a bit too fast for topwaters, swimjigs and cranks IMO, but would be good for heavier 5/8-1 oz spinnerbaits+ trailer. 

Nice combo! The rod looks more exotic and JDM than most of their other offerings. For the sub $250 price point new, it should be a good budget friendly multi purpose rod for your power fishing needs

@kickerfish1 

Yep for sure and they are even better when on sale. Evidently Okuma just raised the MSRP to about $330, so I expect other rods in the $300 range to follow suit. FWIW, this past January or so, TW had the X-Series on some sort of crazy pricing around $160-$170.  That's a steal for these rods.

The 7'3" Heavy Fast has enough tip for bigger hooked 1/2+ swimjigs with straight braid.  This old long smallie went a little over 21" and just shy of 3.25.  The reel was my 2019 Morethan with 50lb Power Pro Super Slick 1.

The smaller smallie came on a 6" Magdraft Freestyle with a modified line through on a Steez AGS Universal Power 7'9" Heavy/15lb CXX/2012 Antares HG.

Almost 4.5 lbs and 21" long. In 6-7 fow on a hop and drag, she ate it and turned the seam to deeper water towards the channel. I set hook and she loaded up like a catfish, when she didn't roll during the fight I knew I hooked a good sized bass.

~ 5/8 oz Siebert custom jig and Strike King Rage Craw trailer,15lb Izorline Platinum, Okuma X-Series 7'3" Heavy-Fast and OG 2012 Antares HG.