Performance Tackle Rods?

durobi · Post by **durobi** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:32 pm

Has anyone had any experience with the custom casting rods made by Performance Tackle. They have some offset line guides which causes the top 4 or 5 line guides to be facing down instead of up.
It sounds like a good idea. Your line guides (except for the first two) are on the bottom like a spinning rod. This reduces friction against the rod and the rod does not have a tendency to wobble under a load.
They are also supposed to cast farther.
But, does it work ???????

crazychuy · Post by **crazychuy** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 10:01 pm

Dude do they ever work. This style of wrapping rods puts so much less torque on your forearms when you're trying to hold the rod with one hand and getting the net with the other hand while you're trying to battle a Monster.

Plus if you've ever picked up one of Mark's rods you'll see that they are hands down the lightest rods you'll ever fish, too.

Some of THE top names from the West Coast fishing the FLW tour use his rods exclusively.

I wrap my own rods and still would recommend Mark's Bass Rods anyday. You might want to call the shop soon. I know the store is going to be having a really great sale promotion on their custom bass rods. I can't go into the details. But trust me when I say this. It's a really really great deal.

Thanks,
CHUY

durobi · Post by **durobi** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 6:54 am

Crazychuy,
Thanks for the info . I was in there yesterday to get a reel serviced. When I started looking at the rods I thought they screwed up ,but then noticed the other shop made rods were the same.
The fellow in the store explained that this concept was originally thought of by a guy who trolls up on the Great Lakes. This design kept his reels from turning around in the rod holders and eliminated the reel wobble when landing a fish. Evidently it does not interfere with casting ability and in fact some what improves it.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 7:04 am

I tried one out and it wasnt for me. The down wrap rod is nice and so are all of his blanks. I just dont like the wrap job. Every performance rod i have the wrap has came off after 8 months. I broke afew swimbait rods on the cast too.If you get a SB series get the XH. They are nice rods, just not very durable. Maybe if you ask them to double or triple wrap it it would be okay. I just got sick of having to take my guides back in to the local shop to get re wrapped. Infact I have on the Carolina rig rods where the foot is held on by electrical tape, it still catches fish too

Its a sweet rod, just seems like they need to take more time wrapping and not try to pump them out so fast.

Rick G · Post by **Rick G** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:04 am

The downwrap option on Mark's rods is made for Braided line that always seems to wrap on the end of a regular wrapped rod. Mark makes great rods and stands behind any warranty issue's. They are very light and sensitive. Rick G.

Alex M. · Post by **Alex M.** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:56 pm

Performance Tackle has THE BEST custom rods you will find. Call Marc Higashi and tell him exactly what you want and he will build it EXACTLY to your specifications. These are not IMX or GLX blanks. These are custom blanks that Mark has made for him. Unbelievably light and durable. I can't believe that John(someguy) has had those kinds of difficulties with his rods. I've been using the same custom drop-shot rod for going on close to 5 years without any problems or broken guides. Maybe John just needs to stop stepping on his rods...LOL. The newest rod Marc built for me is a custom Jig stick with the downwrapped guides. Honestly...It's hard to go back to conventional baitcasting rods after using these rods and seeing how AWESOME the down-wrapped guides really are. It ain't no BS gimmick....

Get em while the wait is still decent because alot of people are finding out about them, and this company is getting alot of recognition. Brett Hite won won the FLW Toho and Delta tournaments on these rods. They feel amazing in your hand. I'll definitely be ordering more. Make sure you ask for the downwrapped(spiral) guides on your baitcasting rods too. Here's a link to their website, so you can check out some of the rods and it has their contact info as well.

http://performancetackle.com

Call them...you wont regret it!

LimitedOut · Post by **LimitedOut** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 7:34 pm

Seriously, Mark makes the sickest custom bass rods I've had the pleasure to fish. Give him a call, it's hard to go back to even my loomis IMX and GLX after fishing his rods. Definitely go with the downwrap guides.

Steve L · Post by **Steve L** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 9:24 am

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER FISHED MARK'S RODS OR A DOWNWRAPPED ROD IS MISSING SOMETHING SPECIAL.
NOW LET'S TALK QUALITY CONTROL: I'VE SEE MARK REJECT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF BLANKS AND SEND THEM BACK BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MET HIS STANARDS. HE DID THIS KNOWING HE WOULD NOT HAVE MONEY COMING IN AND HIS CUSTOMERS WOULD HAVE TO WAIT, SOMETIMES MANY WEEKS BEFORE NEW AND ACCEPTABLE BLANKS SHOWED UP. I WAS ONE OF THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO HAD TO WAIT, BUT IT WAS WORTH IT.

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 10:18 am

I have about 5 of his rods. (and yes one is a downwrap jig rod)..I say "about" because 4 are still in action and number five is in 3 pieces. Kyle watched me break one in his front yard just showing him the bend because i was stoked on the rod. I dont know what im doing different than you guys but every single one of them the wraps have came undone. I got all mine about 3 years ago so maybe something was changed since then. The rods themselves are awesome as far as lightness and sensitivity. I like them alot. I just got sick of dealing with the re wrap issues. Maybe like Brian D said, i need to quit chewing on them.