Megabass’ F4-69RSDti Orochi Evolution
Review by Chris Blanc, Tournament Angler and tackle enthusiast based in Conneticut, US
To say a Megabass rod `is a great rod’ is of course, redundant and obvious. I own several and I favor each one equally. That said, I thought I would mention one in particular that has enough differentiation from other rods on the market to warrant special consideration. The F4ST-69RSDti Orochi Evolution has proven to be an extraordinary rod.
From the US Megabass website:
“F4ST-69RSDti Orochi Evolution (Ultra Extra Fast = Stinger Tip, 1/16-3/8 oz., 4-12 lbs.) Based on F3-610XS Orochi, Orochi Evolution’s blank is a combination of RS and DNA Double Helix Titanium. This allows you to cast as light as 1/16 oz bait, yet the rod has acquired the sensitivity of metal, thanks to titanium and rare metal composite layered on the low modulus graphite carbon blank. There is also the image of a snake meticulously worked into the blank material between the reel seat and the grip-end. This is a truly extraordinary rod.”
Everything in this description is true. The construction and materials in this rod render it strong enough to land large fish yet extremely light and sensitive. The rod’s F4 rating gives it a solid enough base that handling big fish is simple. Yet the tip is so sensitive that – this is no exaggeration – you can just about see your heartbeat shaking it. The rod is tipped with Megabass’s Stinger Tip (Hedgehog Series), a tubular rather than solid tip. I read Tackle Tour’s review of this rod and was skeptical about the Stinger Tip after reading their rod broke. Truly, what a shame they never got to experience the difference this tip makes.
Nonetheless I took the chance and bought the rod, hoping what Megabass claims about the Stinger Tip is true. They claim the purpose of the Stinger Tip is to manifest torque at the tip of the rod rather than the midsection, in order to enhance the hookset. This claim is unequivocally, 100% true. I bought this rod because I do a lot of drop shotting for smallmouth bass in cold waters when they bite extremely softly and spit out the bait quickly. Many times I thought I may or may not be getting bites, hard to tell, and then I would try to set the hook and nothing was there. So I bought the F4ST-69RSDti. Problem solved! The sensitivity is unparalleled; you feel everything with this rod. I can tell when fish are brushing by my line. Better yet, once I get those subtle bites I have no problem setting the hook. Whether it is a large smallmouth or a 3 inch goby nibbling at my bait, I just snap up and bang, they’re on there. That Stinger Tip makes all the difference. I won’t pretend to understand everything about the construction materials in this rod. But whatever they are doing over at Megabass with less resin and weaving titanium threads through the blanks is working – the sensitivity of this rod and handling of the fish once it’s hooked is amazing.
I pair this rod with a Shimano Mg 3000C and the whole combo is feather-light. I use 6lb or 8lb Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon line, and when I am not drop shotting with it I also use the rod combo for very light jigs/spider grubs. Even Megabass will tell you, the Stinger Tip rods in their Hedgehog series are made for a narrow niche of applications. Honestly, once you find that niche and you find the Hedgehog rod that suits it, I think anyone would hard-pressed to use anything else.
In August of 2007 I was fishing as a co-angler with the FLW Stren Series on the Detroit River (Lake Erie). I had two difficult days - on my first day I had 1lb 13oz, 8lbs 14oz on the second but I was learning – learning what I was doing wrong mostly. Then I rigged up my F4ST-69RSDti for the third day. What a mistake I hadn’t earlier! I used it the entire day, drop shotting the Gulp! Goby – no secret that if you’re fishing that body of water you need that bait, don’t even go if you don’t have it – and I killed. On the third day I had 5 fish totaling 19lbs 4oz, with one that was 5lb 11oz, one of the biggest caught that day in the whole field. On that third day I finished 2nd out of 187 co-anglers. I owed it all to Megabass’s accurate claim, this `truly extraordinary rod’.
F4-69RSDti Specifications
Material: d.n.a. titanium + rare metal graphite
Length: 6′ - 9″
Length from Back of Reel Seat to Base: 8.5″
Line Wt.: 4 - 12 lbs
Lure Wt.: 1/16 - 3/8 oz
Pieces: One
Guides: Titanium Framed SIC Guides ( 8 + tip)
Power Rating: Medium Light
Taper: Extra-Fast
Rod Weight: 4.4 oz
Posted: March 18th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Hi Chris,
thanks for your time and efforts on this personal review. Good to get detailed “user” feedback and not only the TackleTour horror story. Really enjoyed reading, and even if I’m not very into fishing the drop shot rig, your comments on this rod sound very promising to me. I’ll keep this beatiful spinning rod in mind while thinking about future rod purchases.
Talk soon… Christian
Posted: January 22nd, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Hi Chris !
Thanks a lot for this very valuable information about the rod. I’m definitely convinced that this is one of the most sensitive rod available for light and ultralight fishing. Have you got an idea about the lightest bait usable with it ? I placed the order this afternoon, even the tackeletour’s story is not that good.
Tight lines from France !
Posted: January 23rd, 2009 at 5:52 am
Bonjour Francois,
You’re very welcome about the feedback on the rod. Yes it is a shame that the review on Tackle Tour is negative; I even wrote to Megabass and said it was a shame because I felt this an amazing rod. Just remember though, it IS a delicate rod. As long as you do not ask the rod to do something it is not built to do, it will hold up just fine. I use this rod almost exclusively for drop shotting (downshotting). But I also use it sometime to throw hair jigs from 1/16oz-3/16oz. I never go below 1/16oz because I don’t use line below 6lb and very few rods can get a bait that weighs less than 1/16oz out far enough to count for anything once the bait sinks if the water depth is 15ft or more..I don’t know if that made sense, but hopefully it did. The rod itself is rated, by Megabass, to go as low as 1/16. I have never tried lighter than that so I couldn’t tell you.. What I can tell you is that now I own 10 MB rods and this one is one of my top 4..It’s the most sensitive rod, the lightest & best balanced rod you will ever pick up. And while you may not immediately perceive the difference with the Stinger tip, you will see your hookset ratio increase. Just make sure you pay close attention to the specification ratings set by Megabass (line and lure weight) and you’ll be great.
Congratulations!
Chris
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Hi ( again ) Chris !
Firstly thanks a lot for your quick reply last week. I dis appreciate. I’ll also use this rod for drop shot and sometimes for light jigs. These are the main appplications. I do mainly fish perch and zander ( your walleye … :-) ) and there very subtile bites and strikes ! The situation is that we do sometimes have the chance to set the hook on nice fishes ( say, up to 12 pounds - exception can be 14 or 16 pounds but again those are exceptions ) - the average is 2 to 6 pounds. I’m sure that this rod is not a problem for such fishes - zander is not a turbo-fish. But the other possibility is … the pike … which is not my favourite, but it takes the bait ! So, my question is : have you got experience with powerful fishes like pikes or catfishes, with this “delicate” rod ? How does-it behave ?
I’ve experienced several tricky situations, with nice fishes, on fly rods … and even if this megabass can’t be compared to an Sage SLT, this can be very interesting to know about what has been experienced.
Tight lines,
François.
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Hello Francois,
I have total confidence in this rod. However, to be honest, I do not have any experience catching fish bigger than 6lbs with this rod. One of the great qualities of this rod is that it loads up wonderfully - no matter how light the line is I find it handles the load very well. I have caught large pike before but not with this rod - I don’t think I would want to either.. When it comes to bigger fish I get nervous when they get close to the boat with this rod. When a 5lb smallmouth bass decides to dive deep only a few feet from the boat he’s going to go deep. I am watching the rod teep to make sure it doesn’t hit the side of the boat just as muh as i am watching the fish. This rod will handle any fish for you Francois, but if you’re talking about having a lot of control to direct or fight a big fish (catfish, walleye, etc.) this might not be the one. This rod can handle those fish but I wouldn’t use it to `horse’ in anything - not sure if I am making sense…what I mean to say is , it will accept whatever a fish makes it do, but it will not be the one to make a fish do something…does that makes sense?
I never caught a pike with this rod but chances are I would cut the line if i did and not take any chances! I own a few fly rods and while the tip acts a bit like a fly rod the rest acts like a spinning rod. Speaking of the tip, it’s a bizarre thing Megabass did by making the tip a different color. I suppose from a material standpoint maybe they had no choice. But since it is a different color your eye will constantly remind you that it is a `piece attached’ to the blank, which subconsciously makes you paranoid that it may break, so the tendency for me is to really baby the rod.
I am sure you will love it. But I tell you what, if you don’t, you can always sell it to me. ;-)
Chris
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Hello again Chris !
Thanks a lot for your complete and detailed reply !
Well … this is clear that this rod is NOT for big fishes. Definitely.
But this can happen. I’m not personally looking at the big ones, I prefer challenging the number of bites. But sooner or later, boum… a cat or a pike has got the idea to eat the bait !
The best thing is what you said … cutting the line.
I must confess that I do not see any better solution.
:-)
Tight lines,
François.