Customer Reviews

Eagle Claw Trailmaster Light Spin and Fly Rod (7-Feet, 6-Inches, 4 Piece)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this rod to round out my collection of trail rods for backpacking and hiking. I really wanted a quality product that would perform well as a fly and spin rod. This is as close as I think one can come at a reasonable price point and carry package. There are a couple others out there that give you the two different grip sections for more traditional feel of the rod and it's use, however you have to carry two grips which is the bulkiest and heaviest section of the rod.

That being said, I think this is a good compromise and will perform well for both uses, but it does look and feel more like a fly rod than a spin rod. I bought a pflueger president 30 for spinning and will use my traditional fly reels with a lighter weight forward line to accommodate the lighter rod.

I own a couple Wright and McGill Trailmaster rods and though Eagle Claw maintained the model, the look and feel are slightly different. The Wright and McGill rods are classics and the medallion on them makes them feel like it. The finish on this rod is fairly plain but good quality and utility and I am confident it will take the test of time similar to the Wright and McGill. Eagle Claw guarantees it for life. You can't go wrong with that from a manufacturer that has it's roots in American Fishing History.

This rod broke the 3rd time I used it,8 inch from the tip on a maybe a 1 pound largemouth bass. I had a hard time trying to cast with 4LB test because of the design of the tip. It kept pinching the line as it isn't a traditional guide tip, maybe with heaver line this would not be an issue. Also the rods action is like a wet noodle and has no backbone what so ever. The only good part is the padded case that came with it. I ended up buying the Fenwick 4-piece 7 foot rod and the quality and feel are far better, there is no comparison and is 20 dollars cheaper. I now use Eagle Claws rod case for my Fenwick rod and it fits perfect.

I bought two of these for a trip to Alaska but after using it this spring for trout, it has become my favorite light trout rod. It works equally well as either a spinning rod or a fly rod. I carry both reels and switch depending on conditions.
The design of the handle being threaded on both ends allows the handle to serve as either a fly rod or spinning rod.
The blank is made of IM7 graphite and is very sensitive. The blank is probably a 5 wt fly line rod. It packs into a nice
sturdy case about 23 inches long and will fit nicely into a medium size suitcase. For the money it is a fine solution for a travel rod. It was eligible for free shipping which also makes it an attractive purchase.