So you’ve been thinking in terms of getting a couple new rods to replace some older ones that are in need of being decommissioned.
One of the newer sticks that you may not have considered is the Daiwa Tatula. Specifically the TAT721MHRB 7’2” MH. This medium heavy rated rod is one that packs a lot of features into an affordable price.
The Tatula 721MHRB is rated for lures from 1/4 – 1 oz and 10-20lb line which for all intents and purposes is if anything, under-rated. We’ve thrown 1 1/2 oz lures with this rod just to see what it feels like to “overload” it. Yes, this is reaching the upper limits of what it can handle but is also well beyond the manufacturers recommendations.
By the way, we’re not in any way suggesting that you do this habitually or for that matter, at all. But it is nice to know that in a pinch, you can push the limits without breaking out in a cold sweat.
Well Constructed, And It Looks Cool
The design of the Tatula is striking in its simplicity. The blank is a very dark grey—almost black. There is a glossy finish that shows the texture of the blank end to end. The gold highlights in the wraps around the guides are complemented by the gold in the winding check as well as the gold in the split grip handle.
The grip is an EVA foam that is somewhat narrow by the reel but with a nice sized, contoured butt section that is very comfortable to grab with your off hand for two handed casting.
The guide train uses Fuji Alconite Guides with SS frames which, while not the most expensive out there, are proven brand name components. There are 8 guides plus the tip along the length of the rod which are spaced well and aligned straight along the blank.
The reel seat for the Tatula is a custom feature by Daiwa. It has two “wings” that are designed to guide your hand into the optimal position for gripping the rod. When we first saw this, we weren’t sure just how it would function on the water but it has proven to be a well thought out bit of engineering that functions without the angler even noticing it.
The 721 comes with an open ended hook hanger that is located just above the winding check on the side of, not underneath the blank. You might think that this could cause a problem by catching your line at times but we haven’t had any issues with it.
On the contrary, it is positioned in such a way that it makes it easy to grab your rig by the reel and inspect your bait prior to casting without having to either reel up or pull your bait down to do so.
We paired a Tatula Type R reel with our Tatula rod. Yeah, they look great together but this stick is one that because of it elegant simplicity of design, would look awesome with a whole host of reels.
So what is it like to fish with this stick now that we’ve gotten all hoopla out of the way?
Time to Fish It!
On the first cast you’ll notice that the action on the Tatula is as smooth as rods costing far more than it does. It loads with little effort and has a powerful but forgiving feel. With no hitch in its giddy-up, it sends your lure on its way with acceleration that doesn’t require you to put the pedal to the medal.
On the retrieve, depending on the lure that your using, the feedback to your hands is exceptional for a rod at this price point.
If you’re using a crankbait, you can not only see the tip vibrating but also feel the bait as it swims through open water or deflects off of obstructions. There is little doubt what is happening with your lure when your using the Tatula.
When your using a swimbait or smallish jig, dragging them through the grass, the speed of the tip is such that there is no question whether your feeling extra drag due to vegetation as opposed to the pressure due to a strike.
The 721MHRB is capable of handling any lure within its specified range confidently. Whether that means using topwater baits, soft plastics, jigs, plugs or some combination that your particularly fond of. This stick won’t so much as skip a beat.
Hookin’ Up
All of this is great but how it handles a fish once your hooked up is in our opinion at least as important as how it handles getting your bait in front of that same fish.
The first fish that we landed with the Tatula was about 3 pounds but fought really well for its size. We had no problem turning its head when we wanted to and were in complete control the entire time. However, we honestly thought that it was a bigger fish.
The reason we mention this is because this sensation is indicative of this rod. This is not a negative by the way. On the contrary, it is a function of the sensitivity of the blank. Just like you can feel what your lure is doing, you feel everything that the fish is doing as well.
Because of the connected feel you have when using this rod it either amplifies the usual sensations or at the very least, doesn’t mute them. Which for a stick in the $150 range is rare.
The power of the Tatula is another strong point. The backbone begins to kick in about 18 inches from the tip and increases very smoothly along the blank.
We hate to be redundant but the single best word to describe the feel when using this rod is smooth. It just does everything it’s supposed to do without any noticeable hiccups.
If there is a chink in the armor it would be that the Tatula is a wee bit tip heavy. This isn’t a great disadvantage when using some lures but it is noticeable during some applications.
In the final analysis, the Tatula 721MHRB is a versatile, well mannered, exceptionally strong and downright smooth performer at a price that is well within most anglers reach.
| Daiwa Tatula 721MHRB | |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating |   |
| Cool lookin' and smooth | |
See ya’ on the water …
