Today’s review is on the new Quantum Kevin VanDam Signature Series Rods. They are a Bass Pro Shops exclusive and retail for about $80.00. They are not to be confused with the Quantum Tour Kevin VanDam Crankin Rods which are about twice the price at $149.99.
These rods feature HSX62 million modulus graphite blanks, Fuji ACS reel seats, Pac-Bay guides with Hialoy inserts, no fore-grip and an EVA foam split rear grip. I bought the 7 foot, medium action rod with the fast action.
I got this rod specifically for throwing crankbaits. I wanted the softer tip which allows the fish to take the bait a little bit deeper before you set the hook and as an aside, allows the angler to cast the same bait further than with an extra-fast action, stiffer tip. So lets get down to business and see what this stick can do.
When it comes to casting, this rod lives up to it’s billing in that, due to the softer, slower tip, you can indeed sling a lure further than with some other rod configurations. It loads up quickly, is relatively precise when it comes to staying on the path of the cast and finishes without a huge amount of slop after the cast.
Quality Hook Set
When it comes to setting the hook, this rod picks up line in a hurry but softens the blow due to it’s flex. It does have the backbone to control fish and doesn’t seem to be over stressed when you have to drag the fish through some slop to get it in.
As far the sensitivity of the rod goes, on a scale of 0 – 10, the KVD Signature Series comes in about a 5. You can feel your lure as it’s moving through the water and feel the strikes when they come. This being said, I would not grab this rod first for finesse fishing techniques that require a lot more feel.
I threw baits ranging in weight from 1/4 oz to 7/8 oz and didn’t feel as though I over loaded or over powered the rod. Unfortunately, I haven’t caught any hawgs on this rod yet. Everything has been at or below the four pound range but all of these fish were handled with relative ease by this stick.
Understanding The Tip
It does have a couple of things that you should be aware of before buying one. The first being that it is a bit tip heavy. What that means is that as you’re using this rod, you are expending some extra energy to keep the rod tip where you want it. This may not mean anything to you but it can take it’s toll after a long days fishing. The plus side of this is that it’s one way to get those Popeye forearms that you’ve always wanted without going to the gym.
The other factor that you should be aware of is that if you are using a bait that requires quick snaps of the rod tip, than this may not be the right fit for you. The action is billed as fast but because of it’s somewhat slow tip, it doesn’t move a lure as quickly with a snap as some other rods.
If you’re in the market for a bargain priced rod for crankin’, you might want to take a look at the new Quantum Kevin VanDam Signature Series Rod. It is overall a good value and won’t set you back a kings ransom for better than average performance.
See ya’ on the water …
Almost grabbed one of these at bass pro this month for 79.99, instead I went with the Skeet Reese Crankin S-Glass Stick for only $10 more. The performance is comparable I’m sure, but for the sake of uniformity and using something ‘proven’ by many people I went with the reese. I say ‘uniformity’ because I already have two other Reese rods for flipping and finnesse.
Another good choice from bass pro in the $80 range is the Daiwa Team Pro-Z series of rods, which have the ‘cool’ styling and ‘good’ performance of many rods in this price range.
Thanks for the info Matt, I haven’t used a Daiwa rod in a while ’cause the last one didn’t work out very well. But maybe it’s time to take another look.