Bass Fishing Dec 2016 | Page 69

2017 BUYER’S GUIDE 13. Enigma Fishing HPT HPT means High Performance Titanium, and stems from the titanium frames in the MicroWave guides that Enigma used in this series to cut weight. The guides feature Nanolite inserts, and grips are cork instead of EVA foam for a higher-end finish. 13 casting; four spinning $149.99 enigmafishing.com 14. Carrot Stix GEN-X ELITE Lighter and stronger best describes the GEN-X ELITE. It features high-grade cork and AirWave guides for a high-end package. 11 casting; five spinning $399.99 carrotstix.com 15. iRod Crusher Aside from the cool carbon fiber finish on the Crusher, the rod features quality components and materials such as 36-ton graphite, Fuji guides, a custom reel seat, EVA grips and a lifetime warranty. Four casting; one spinning $189 irodfishing.com 13 14 15 MEET FAVORITE USA Among the most talked about rod companies at ICAST was a new player that’s not really new at all. Favorite USA is a new venture based in Missouri, but the Favorite brand has been established in 26 countries for 10 years. The company’s focus is on what it calls the future of fishing – in terms of both innovative design concepts and helping young folks learn to fish. On the rod front, Favorite showcased several new series at ICAST. The Summit is its pinnacle offering. It’s made of high-tech Toray 46T carbon for lightness and strength (the 7-2 medium-heavy only weighs 3.3 ounces), but the most notable feature of the summit is iGrip, a design in which the grip and blank are a single unit. It’s said to enhance sensitivity and overall feel. The Summit series is built with all high-end components and is super slim and trim. Each rod sells for $349.99. For anglers on a budget, the White Bird series sells for just $49.99, but each is made of 24-ton carbon for a rod that performs beyond expec- tations. In between is one of the company’s most popular rod series – the Defender. Rods in the series sport red, white and blue color schemes and range from a 6-foot spinning rod to an 8-8 cranking stick. Defender rods sell for $99. Additional models are available in a variety of price points with vari- ous features. All rods come with a free rod sock with an EVA foam protec- tive tip. Learn more at favoriteusa.com. Favorite Summit DECEMBER 2016 I FLWFISHING.COM 67