Just arrived. Seem well made and very light. Can't wait to try out.
I've had some quality issues with other ark lines lately, but the limited edition is flawless. I have the 6'6ml, 7'2mh, 2 of the 7'3mmh, 4 of the 7'4mh reg and a 7'6heavy. Extremely well balanced across the line and the 7'3mmh and 7'4mh reg are among the best rods on earth. Should have made a spinning lineup instead of the essence.
It's good quality, but it's also not for the price involved with obtaining this rod. I am honestly just super tired of buying overpriced mid quality rods from all these these companies that claim to have the best of the best for the best value it is extremely tiring and extremely taxing on the wallet.
The craftsmanship and responsiveness of this rod were great. The metrics of this rod are unusual and are perfect for fishing small jigs. I thought the customer service was too, but I discovered I was lied to. I specifically asked a representative if the rods featured a “full-sized” trigger on the reel seat before buying. After returning a similar St. Croix store bought product with the same defect I wanted to make sure this didn’t happen again. The triggers on the Ark rods are not full sized like Fuji but are 2/3 to 3/4 the normal size and have some strange uncomfortable flatness to them that makes them subject to mishandling or slippage when casting and trying to land a fish or work small jig heads. As one of the few companies that specializes in “finesse fishing” gear this design flaw was sad to see. It was even worse being lied to by a representative. When I called and complained about the issue and how the rod was not as described, I was told I’d have to pay an “unavoidable” 20% restocking fee. This is a shameful way to treat prospective customers and despite your company carrying multiple well-made unique rods and baits, the fact you don’t stand behind your word will have me recommending that my clients, family, and friends avoid your brand whenever possible.
These rods scream quality. I usually don't leave reviews before I put the goods through the ringer, but I'm very impressed after just three trips with the 6'6" ML paired with an ARK BFS reel for throwing 1/8 jig head minnows and the 7'4" MH Regular for medium to bigger crankbaits. I've caught several nice spots and largemouth and they've stayed pegged. These rods are light, balanced and have the perfect parabolic bend. I've been primarily using Falcon Cara, Dobyns Extreme and G-Loomis rods, but these have a place on my deck right now. I'm prolly gunna have to check out some of the jig/worm and cranking rods. NICE JOB, TEAM ARK!