Evergreen Giant Direwolf
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 3:43 pm
Just got this rod in and thought I’d offer a few quick first impressions. Full disclosure this is the most anticipated Evergreen rod for me personally in many years so naturally I’m impressed with it. I was sort of expecting a big thick oversized swimbait rod with huge gaudy guides and really it looks and feels way more like a regular/moderate action jig rod on steroids in size/power/balance/handling (if that description makes sense).
From Evergreen: IRSC-611XXXHR-SXF Giant Deerwolf RS
“ The absolute balance between cast performance and maneuverability of the giant lure, the 611XXXH. With its excellent balance, it has an extremely wide adaptive ability that can handle lures of about 14 grams, not to mention big baits, giant baits, and even shoots of swim jigs and soft swimbaits, as well as heavy cover worms and jigs.”
The rod is classic EG fit and finish, beautiful. Balance is really excellent for a rod of this power, balances at the winding check with a Conquest 100HG. With a Steez 70CT it balances 3/4” in front of the winding check. Pretty impressive for a rod rated to 8oz. The spineless construction concept seems nice, I want time to test it side by side with traditional constructions to really see if it’s a revelation or not.
Power/Action: I’m a big fan of very heavy power rods in general (heavy cover, jig, swimbait, frog, etc) and this rod has the power I was anticipating. Evergreen says up to 8oz swimbait rated power and in typical EG rating fashion it’s very comfortable bomb casting 1/2-6oz baits but 8oz really loads the rod deep. It has a more regular action than I’ve come to expect in these heavy power rods from EG. The tip is stiff and loads directly into the berry very stout and then a nice progressive bend to the midpoint from there (picture more like a Steez RD Jigga Stick). It’s not like the EG Rapid Gunner or Grand Stallion at all. Both of those rods are a much much softer F/XF tip with a boardy backbone. I would say it’s the most similar to the Shimano Poison Glorious 176XXH-SB “Magnum Vortism” which was also intended to be a swimbait-specific rod for similar applications and lure weights. This strikes me as Evergreen’s take (Imae’s) on that technical swimbait concept for twitching/working Swimbaits/glidebaits but is definitely more versatile than the Poison Glorious I had. …It’s sort of like the Steez RD “Jigga Stick” had a baby with an extremely heavy crankbait rod. They actually have a very very similar action.
Overall very impressed. Looking forward to getting a bunch of time on it shortly.
From Evergreen: IRSC-611XXXHR-SXF Giant Deerwolf RS
“ The absolute balance between cast performance and maneuverability of the giant lure, the 611XXXH. With its excellent balance, it has an extremely wide adaptive ability that can handle lures of about 14 grams, not to mention big baits, giant baits, and even shoots of swim jigs and soft swimbaits, as well as heavy cover worms and jigs.”
The rod is classic EG fit and finish, beautiful. Balance is really excellent for a rod of this power, balances at the winding check with a Conquest 100HG. With a Steez 70CT it balances 3/4” in front of the winding check. Pretty impressive for a rod rated to 8oz. The spineless construction concept seems nice, I want time to test it side by side with traditional constructions to really see if it’s a revelation or not.
Power/Action: I’m a big fan of very heavy power rods in general (heavy cover, jig, swimbait, frog, etc) and this rod has the power I was anticipating. Evergreen says up to 8oz swimbait rated power and in typical EG rating fashion it’s very comfortable bomb casting 1/2-6oz baits but 8oz really loads the rod deep. It has a more regular action than I’ve come to expect in these heavy power rods from EG. The tip is stiff and loads directly into the berry very stout and then a nice progressive bend to the midpoint from there (picture more like a Steez RD Jigga Stick). It’s not like the EG Rapid Gunner or Grand Stallion at all. Both of those rods are a much much softer F/XF tip with a boardy backbone. I would say it’s the most similar to the Shimano Poison Glorious 176XXH-SB “Magnum Vortism” which was also intended to be a swimbait-specific rod for similar applications and lure weights. This strikes me as Evergreen’s take (Imae’s) on that technical swimbait concept for twitching/working Swimbaits/glidebaits but is definitely more versatile than the Poison Glorious I had. …It’s sort of like the Steez RD “Jigga Stick” had a baby with an extremely heavy crankbait rod. They actually have a very very similar action.
Overall very impressed. Looking forward to getting a bunch of time on it shortly.