Has anyone ever heard of the LRS or XMatrix from Douglas Outdoors, just curious..?
Has anyone ever heard of the LRS or XMatrix from Douglas Outdoors, just curious..?
Yes. They are made right up by you in Phoenix NY. Runnings sells them if you ever want to handle one. They make amazing fly rods and their conventional rods are really nice too. They’re fairly light, have good actions and plenty sensitive just based off handling them for a short amount of time. I’d definitely look into them for my next rods.
1995 Ranger 481v
1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp
Thank you ECobb91
A previous post to a similar question. I hope it helps.
I had a X-Matrix spinning rod (6'10" ML Fast). It was very light (3.5oz), a little tip heavy (not a big deal to me), and it was very well built/durable. I think the power rating was pretty accurate, but it fished a little more like a mod-fast than fast to me. The tip was also pretty soft, which is why I started out using it for drop shot. I got it new for $100. Fishing the rod was a bit strange to me and I never found a place for it in my line-up which is why I ended up selling it.
I tried drop shot, plastics and light jigs, but the sensitivity wasn't there for me (especially for a rod that had an MSRP of almost $300). Eventually I decided to try it with one of my favorite small (1/8 oz) spinnerbaits and to my surprise I could really feel that tiny willow blade spinning on the retrieve. I know some rods transmit better (relative to other rods) on moving lures vs BC/Finesse, but I'd never fished one with such a stark contrast. I had fun fishing it with that small spinner, but at the end of the day it was a ML with a soft tip and mod-fast action (in my hands) and that wasn't really what I needed for my small spinnerbaits. Another oddity for me was the casting distance, it wasn't bad, but I didn't get the same distance as I did with similar rods.
Overall it wasn't a bad rod, but just not right for me. I primarily fish largemouth, smallmouth, walleye, northern and musky and it reminded me of some of the softer walleye and smallmouth rods I've fished. It reminded me a little of a Helium 3 spinning rod I had. The soft tip allows for the fish to take hold without feeling the pull of the rod and it keeps them pinned after hookset, but if you like that strong tick or electric thump feel it isn't as strong in terms of that type of sensitivity. I know some guys who focus on walleye and smallmouth who love this type of rod, as a matter of fact I sold it to one of my friends and he still has it and loves it.
Of course this is based on just one rod in the lineup, hopefully somebody with more experience can add more. Good luck and tight lines.
Thanks 2eachhisown, i'll keep that in mind.
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