PRODUCT REVIEW
By Matt Williams
FAVORITE FISHING DUSTIN CONNELL SIGNATURE SERIES ROD
Favorite Fishing recently teamed up with six MLF pros to develop signature series rods specially designed to suit some of their preferred fishing styles and techniques . They looked to 2021 MLF REDCREST champion Dustin Connell to take their Summit family to new heights . The result is a high-performance “ all-purpose ” rod Connell loves to use when presenting small and mid-size baits to tight targets where precision and accuracy are especially important .
First Impressions
I ’ ve handled Summit Series rods before , so it came as no surprise to find many of the same top-notch design features in Connell ’ s signature stick . Built around a super-sensitive 46-ton Japanese Toray graphite blank with iGrip Technology , the 7-foot , 2-inch rod comes with a medium-heavy power and soft , extra-fast tip that lends to accuracy without sacrificing crucial power when you need it . The one feature that makes this rod unique from the standard SMTC-
721MH is a slender EVA hand grip . It ’ s saddled with nine Fuji Torzite guides ( plus the tip ) and features a handsome charcoal finish with silver , gold and red accents . Weighing in at only 3.8 ounces , it ’ s like holding next to nothing .
In Action
I got my hands on the rod late last fall and the first thing I did was pick Connell ’ s brain to learn more about its strengths and limitations . Though it ’ s rated for baits as large as 1 ounce , the Alabama pro pointed out that there are other rods in the Favorite lineup much better suited to handle the heavy artillery . Conversely , there may not be a better one for finesse applications in select power-fishing situations using lines as big as 20-pound test .
“ This isn ’ t a rod I ’ m going to throw 3 / 4-ounce baits on ,” he said . “ It ’ s an all-purpose rod that is really technique specific .”
Designed by Favorite ’ s Brian Harper , the rod is ideal for skipping jigs under docks and delivering accurate casts tight to targets like bushes , stumps , trees or grass edges with small spinnerbaits , ChatterBaits , swim jigs , big shaky heads , poppers , soft jerk baits and stick baits .
“ It ’ s also a pretty dang good buzzbait rod ,” Connell added .
It takes a special rod to cover all those bases effectively . Here are some things that make this one unique :
› Action / Power : The blank has an extra-fast taper and soft tip to bolster casting accuracy and snap hooksets while the medium-heavy power delivers plenty of backbone for tangling with large fish . I can ’ t skip very well , but this is going to help my skipping game enormously .
› EVA Hand Grip : Connell isn ’ t a fan of a slick handle . Likewise , he requested some EVA foam to provide a little better grip while adding only a fraction of an ounce to the overall weight compared to the SMTC-721MH . At only 3.8 ounces , the featherweight rod is a true pleasure to fish with all day .
60 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | APRIL-MAY 2022