Daiwa has been on a tear in recent years. They have introduced new reels and rods that are designed for the mass market but are feature rich in technologies that, in the past, have been reserved for the higher end consumers.
The result of this is, those who are on a more modest budget can now acquire top quality gear that simply was not available in these price ranges in the not too distant past.
We obtained the new Daiwa Tatula Elite Spinning rod to mate with the Tatula LT Spinning Reel. The specific model we’ll be reviewing is the TAEL701MLFS. This rod is the 7’ Med Lt Meyer. It’s lure rating is 1/16-3/8 with a line rating of 4-10. A finesse rod for sure.
It has the same cosmetics as all other Tatula Elite rods whether they are casting or spinning models. The two tone glossy grey finished blanks, thread wraps, split EVA foam grip, rear grip and foregrip and the Fuji reel seat.
This rod uses Daiwa’s SVF (Super-high Volume Fiber) Nano-Plus technology with X45 carbon fiber materials, Fuji Alconite ring guides fitted with Alconite inserts and comes with a Limited 5-year warranty.
Designed by experts
This particular rod was designed with input from Cody Meyer who is well known for his ability with finesse presentations such as drop-shotting, shakey head fishing etc. A west coast angler, Cody is well versed with using diminutive lures and light line to catch finicky bass.
We spooled our Tatula LT with #8 line to begin our testing with various small, light weight baits of all kinds. We decided to start with some neko rigged worms to get a feel for how sensitive the rod is with bottom oriented lures.
We have not been disappointed in the least. The Tatula rod transmits vibrations very well so that you can feel when your bait is at rest, makes contact with various objects on the lake floor and most importantly, bites. Subtle, crushing or anything in between, you feel it.
Setting the hook is when you see how strong the blank really is. Even on big fish the set is sure, quick and requires very little effort. The action is a joy to fight a fish with in that the tip is so forgiving while the blank transitions seamlessly into its backbone to supply the angler with plenty of power to handle fish of all sizes.
How strong can it be?
We’ve had to put some serious pressure on big fish in grass to get them out with this rod. It hasn’t been a concern other than the thought that we might just snap the line given how hard we’ve had to pull to get them out of the grass.
We’ve experimented with everything but the kitchen sink in lures both soft and hard. Most within the recommended range but, as usual, some well outside that range to see how far we could push the rod. Here again, our biggest issue became wondering whether or not we were going to snap the line as the rod has handled everything including over 1/2 ounce without issue.
The Tatula Elite Spinning Rod is wonderfully balanced with the Tatula LT. It is a pleasure to fish all day. It doesn’t fatigue you thanks to that balance and its light weight.
The butt section of this rod is another area that we find to be just right. Some sticks of this length have a much longer rear grip. In most cases, we prefer a length that doesn’t quite reach your elbow as this allows more freedom of movement for working things like jerkbaits, small top-water plugs, shakey heads etc.
When you’re using those type of lures, if the rear grip is so long that it makes contact with the inside of your elbow every time you pop the rod tip, it can go from frustrating to down right irritating. The TAEL701MLFS gives you more than enough room to work lures as aggressively as you want while also providing plenty of butt to anchor against your forearm to effeciently fight those big fish.
Options
This particular model has the standard guides which have proven to be very responsive and sensitive but for those who want a more customized version, these rods are also available with AGS guides. While the standard models retail for $179, the models equipped with AGS start at $279.
In our opinion, you can’t go wrong with either model. The design, workmanship, actions and aesthetics are quality throughout.
If there is any negative in this rod, the only thing that we don’t particularly care for is the placement of the hook keeper. It is located just ahead of the butt section on the rear grip on the underside of the blank. We would prefer that it be repositioned, as unorthodox as this might sound, just ahead of the foregrip.
It just gets a little uncomfortable when carrying or reaching for the rod to feel the line next to the handle. But that might be nit picking on our part. You be the judge.
In the end, this spinning rod, with all that it offers the angler, is more than fairly priced with actions that are well honed for specific techniques yet offering flexibility at the same time.
| Daiwa's Tatula Elite Spinning Rods | |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating |   |
| Light, responsive, sensitive, a pleasure to fish | |
See ya’ on the water …
