We’ve reviewed th
e new Quantum Smoke S3 casting reel so it only follows that we should also give the Smoke S3 Casting rod some attention since it too has been completely redesigned and reengineered this year.
Before we get into the specifics of these sticks, if you’re actively looking at the series, you’ll notice that the lure weight recommendations appear to be fairly narrow as you go from model to model.
This is a trend these days for a lot of manufacturers. It allows the angler to more precisely choose a rod for a given technique. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily define the only weights that you can use with a particular rod.
We obtained the Smoke S3 SMC706F casting rod. This rod is their Medium Heavy, fast action model. The line recommendation is for 8-17#, lure weight 1/4 -1/2, handle length is 15-1/2” and for guides it has 9+ tip.
By the Numbers
These new S3 rods make use of HSX64 graphite construction with a blend of 10% 24-ton, 60% 30 ton and 30% 36 ton Toray graphite. They are fitted with Kigan aluminum-oxide guides, a Fuji SK2 reel seat, EVA grips in a split grip configuration, an EVA foregrip and a hook hanger on the bottom of the matte finish blank.
The guide wraps are a simple black with red threading highlights, polished aluminum around the grip components and simple to read graphics with model number, lure and line weight all in white.
The butt section of the S3 is a little bulbous. I didn’t love that at first. However it has proven to be very comfortable for two handed casting. It also doesn’t smack you in the ribs as hard as some other configurations do. Furthermore, when you have to put the butt into your side or belly for leverage, it’s fairly soft which makes it more comfortable.
You’ll notice that the lure weight recommendation at 1/4 -1/2 seems very narrow, especially for a medium heavy. Honestly, I was a little concerned about that range. It’s not often that the high end of the range on a MH is as low as 1/2. Maybe on a medium but nothing stronger.
Time to Sling
My first cast confirmed one thing – this blank has a more flexible tip than most rods that are rated MH but recovers quickly. That flexibility, proved advantageous for more than just casting distance but also for accuracy. Once you get dialed in to the S3’s action, it takes less effort to make the same cast that you make with other rods. This was an unexpected surprise. Of course, that got me wondering about the hookset.
I didn’t have long to wait to find out.
We were throwing a Molix Water Slash Spinnerbait in 3/8 oz. Within the first ten casts, sure enough, a bass blasted it. On the set, the Smoke loaded quickly and evenly to the backbone of the rod which begins about 21 inches down the blank. From there it gets increasingly stiffer in a smooth transition to the strongest sections of the blank. Even though that first fish was a solid 4 pounder, the rod handled it easily, efficiently and never felt anywhere remotely close to being over-powered by the fish.
With that first fish under my belt on this rig, we got into a hot spinnerbait bite that produced a number of fish ranging in size from that 4 pounder to smaller fish. The S3 rod handled everything without a hiccup.
From there we decided to see what the low end range was like by throwing some unweighted soft plastics, mini-jigs and other finesse style baits. I was pleased pleased with how well this combo did with these smaller, light weight presentations.
The distance we were able to achieve was much better than average as was the accuracy. If there is going to be an issue when you downsize, generally speaking, it is the inability for a particular rod and reel combo to maintain its ability to successfully target specific spots. The Smoke S3 handled lures down to just under 1/8 while maintaining good accuracy.
On the Other End of the Spectrum
Conversely, on the high end, I tied on a 3/4 oz swim jig to see how well this combo could handle that. Casting was effortless with distances that were freaking awesome (technical term). On the retrieve, it took a little more effort than a more traditional Medium Heavy but wasn’t so drastic a difference that it was uncomfortable. However, we believe that 3/4 is about the max weight you would want to throw with this model to maintain control, distance, feel and a good hookset.
The S3 rod series is available in different lengths with actions of Med Lt, Medium, Med Hvy and Heavy. You’ll want to pay attention to the line and lure weight recommendations while keeping in mind what you intend to use a specific rod to fish. In doing that, we have no indication that these rods will handle everything within their respective ranges.
The S3 series of rods are all priced at $149 retail so they aren’t going to break the bank. Yes, there are some good rods out there at this price point and this stick is a serious contender with that in mind.
| Quantum's Smoke S3 Casting Rod | |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating |   |
| A solid value for the money | |
See ya’ on the water …
