Daiwa Light and Tough Rods
By Tom Cannon

It’s impossible to go an entire day without hearing an ad on the radio or television touting some “new and improved” product. Sure there are plenty of items that have become better, but there are also many undisputed, high quality originals. Take Coke for instance, nobody can argue that the “Classic Coke” is the best, right?

Well, the same can be said for the reintroduction of Daiwa’s Light and Tough rods. Several years ago, these silver accented rods were the key ingredients in dozens of major tournament wins. Several Bassmaster’s Classics were won with these silver rods. Unfortunately, they were discontinued at the height of their popularity.

Now in an unprecedented move, Daiwa has reintroduced these excellent rods to the public. Serious anglers should take notice, since these rods are unmatched for sensitivity and quality.

Since I have owned several Team Daiwa rods and reels, I decided to pick up one of the “new” Light and Tough rods in order to put it to the test. Immediately the buyer notices the silver accents near the reel seat, which set it apart from other rods. It not only looks good it feels good. I was impressed by the lightweight of the seven-foot worm/jig rod I choose, hence the “Light” portion of the name.

The Light and Tough rod series is manufactured from IM-6 graphite for extreme sensitivity. The lower portion of the rod is reinforced with Daiwa’s “power mesh” where most rods are broken. Premium quality cork caresses the angler’s hands and as an extra bonus that cork is crafted into a natural design that reduced hand fatigue. Light and Tough rods just plain feel good.

After checking out the Team Daiwa jig rod, I mounted a TDS Reel atop the rod. The perfect balance of the duo impressed me. The Light and Tough rods were engineered to be used with Team Daiwa TDS or TDX reels, and give the optimum performance with those reels. Daiwa’s unique reel seat holds the reel securely, without adding the extra weight of typical reel seat hardware. Thus the rod saves several ounces in that portion alone. Next while spooling up with premium line and I took notice of the Fuji guides sitting on the rod blank. These are high quality guides but light in weight, again reducing the overall weight of the rod.

I couldn’t wait to get out onto the lake and test this baby out. Early March found the waters of Table Rock Lake quite cold. Local bass were still quite deep and inactive, a perfect time to fish jigs. I began my fishing on a creek channel where “spots” often hang out. Once the rod was rigged with a little ¼ ounce finesse jig, I made a pitch to the bank. No problem tossing that little jig. After peeling off line so the bait would fall properly, I engaged the TDS reel and picked up slack.

Wow, I could actually detect the subtle pea gravel littering the bottom in thirty feet of water. Thinking this was a fluke; I reeled up and made another pitch. Sure enough, I could feel my jig bouncing along the gravel lake bottom. To say I was impressed with the sensitivity of the Team Daiwa Light and Tough rod would be an under statement.

Throughout the entire weekend I utilized the seven-foot jig rod. I could find no faults as I tossed jigs into five to thirty-five foot depths. I did notice that the unique butt cap (which is cut at approximately a 45 degree angle) does increase comfort, making the rod quite user friendly. Over the entire three-day weekend, I kept picking up the jig rod, even when I wanted to try other techniques. Several fish were caught, the largest being a three-pound “spot” which picked up the jig ever so lightly. Once again, the Light and Tough rod telegraphed the bite allowing me to catch that bass even in the cold, tough conditions.

Quite impressive is how I would rate the seven-foot jig rod (TL-701-5RB). So impressive in fact, I ordered a couple of the sleek, silver flipping sticks! Serious anglers and tournament fishermen demanding a high quality rod should give these silver Team Daiwa rods a close inspection. Amazingly they are priced around one hundred bucks making them a bargain in the high-end rod category. Check these new rods, I’m sure you will agree they are Light and Tough