By : Kevin VanDam
I was really excited to work with the team at Lew’s to come up with my own series of rods, designed for the ways I like to fish—crankbaits, or flipping, or frogs, etc. I have three different series: a graphite spinning series, a graphite casting series, and a composite casting series for crankbaits and reaction baits like the Thunder Cricket. We have 23 models total. It’s a really diverse line.
We used a unique numbering system for them. When I’m looking down at all the rods on the deck, I can see that the rod is a GC5 (graphite casting) or GS1 (graphite spinning), whatever model I’m looking for, and it makes it quick and easy for me. It’s less confusing for people too, if you’re looking for a dropshot rod you can just pick that particular model out.
We tried to create a lot of options and build them at a real value. These rods retail for $100, but they fish and feel like rods that cost a lot more. They have fast actions and tapers to them. The composite rods are very unique and different. We built all that into this series of rods, whatever your technique is—frogging, skipping boat docks, flipping, smallmouth actions. There’s something for everybody in this series. They’re high quality, with tremendous actions, all for a decent price.
If you want the perfect jerkbait rod in my series, you can go with the GC2. That’s my rod of choice.
I have a special composite bladed jig rod, the 7’4” bladed jig rod. It’s a heavier action but with a lot of backbone. It has a soft tip so that the fish can get the bait in their mouth a bit deeper. That’s important when you’re fishing a bladed jig.
