Good morning bass resource! It looks to be a gorgeous weekend here in the Indy area. My question for you folks is do you have a preference between the Fenwick eagle (the newer blue ones) and the Fenwick hmg casting rods? I have an eagle spinning rod and an hmg casting rod. They both feel great, so I’m having a hard time deciding which way to go. I will be buying a couple workhorse rods in a m/f and a Mh/f. I’m leaning towards the hmg rods, but I’m sure I’d be satisfied with either! 

I would prefer an HMG. Lighter, faster action also.

I don’t know about the eagle.  I have 7 hmg rods.  They get the job done.

The Eagle model was Fenwicks store brand composite rods for Cabelas etc.

HMG was the Fenwick model for standard grade  “graphite” material rods.

Tom

 

I think the HMG's are the best workhorse rods on the market.  I have 5 spinning models and one casting.  I adore them.

I think it’s gonna be the hmg. I’m such a sucker for fenwick rods, and they make some good ones! 

The hmg is faster than the eagle. I prefer that for smallies.

HMG for sure. I had one a few generations ago, always regretted selling that one.

 

I found two older elite tech smallmouth rods over the last year, those are my favorite Fenwick rods. 

2 hours ago, LCG said:

HMG for sure. I had one a few generations ago, always regretted selling that one.

 

I found two older elite tech smallmouth rods over the last year, those are my favorite Fenwick rods. 

You will not be allowed in my basement. 

11 hours ago, LCG said:

HMG for sure. I had one a few generations ago, always regretted selling that one.

 

I found two older elite tech smallmouth rods over the last year, those are my favorite Fenwick rods. 

Where did you find those?? Used on the auction site? Those are my favorite Fenwick rods too.

31 minutes ago, FrnkNsteen said:

Where did you find those?? Used on the auction site? Those are my favorite Fenwick rods too.

Yeah, I always look at local buy and sell sites. Just happened to come across them and couldn't say no. The 6'10" M-F casting 2 piece rod is incredible. Now if I could just find one in a ML spinning rod... 

I have a couple HMX’s. One is my go-to wacky rig rod. Not bad rods for the $$. 

Picked up an hmg at sportsman outdoors for $100. I think it’s probably the older model (not sure though). The eagle was $90, so I think this rod is well worth the $10 difference. I’m going to try to get by with the medium heavy for now and I’ll get a medium/fast if needed. 

On 10/22/2022 at 12:12 PM, jitterbug127 said:

Picked up an hmg at sportsman outdoors for $100. I think it’s probably the older model (not sure though). The eagle was $90, so I think this rod is well worth the $10 difference. I’m going to try to get by with the medium heavy for now and I’ll get a medium/fast if needed. 

Absolutely, that's a no brainer and a good deal since prices have gone up on the newer HMG'S.

Congrats. 

On 10/22/2022 at 1:12 PM, jitterbug127 said:

Picked up an hmg at sportsman outdoors for $100. I think it’s probably the older model (not sure though). The eagle was $90, so I think this rod is well worth the $10 difference. I’m going to try to get by with the medium heavy for now and I’ll get a medium/fast if needed. 

Yep,... Agree that's a good deal. The old models were $60 for the Eagle and $90 for the HMG. Assume they have both gone up, so $10 more for an HMG over Eagle is a no brainer, though $90 for an Eagle seems a little pricey.

2 hours ago, FrnkNsteen said:

Yep,... Agree that's a good deal. The old models were $60 for the Eagle and $90 for the HMG. Assume they have both gone up, so $10 more for an HMG over Eagle is a no brainer, though $90 for an Eagle seems a little pricey.

Old model HMGs ran $100 (over 7' may have been another $10, but I don't remember).  New models $120-$140 (depending on length).  $90 for an Eagle is too much.  Can buy the new models from $70-$80 depending on length.

 

Prices pretty much always go up unless on closeout.  When I looked at the Sage Foundation fly rods in November last year they were $350 with a couple places selling them at $325.  I had decided to wait until this year to buy one, but in December said the heck with waiting.  Prices had gone to $425.  No thank you.

I have a black hmg medium/moderate and the rod I got yesterday is a grayish/gold color. I’m not sure which one is the new model and which is the old. I got the medium moderate second hand brand new last month for $10. 

46 minutes ago, jitterbug127 said:

I have a black hmg medium/moderate and the rod I got yesterday is a grayish/gold color. I’m not sure which one is the new model and which is the old. I got the medium moderate second hand brand new last month for $10. 

The new models have the grayish gold. Kind of like the pewter color of the Tampa Bay Bucs helmets. The old ones were dark charcoal grayish to black

Sweet! I guess I got a new hmg for $100 bucks. Pretty good deal then 

Before Fenwick sold out to Pure Fishing they made some excellent bass rods. The original Techna AVC for example was their high state of the art rods.

Today just another off shore brand name.

Tom

I have a follow up question: Fenwick eagle vs st croix triumph which is better(6’6” spinning specifically)? I actually own both of these rods and the st croix feels like that superior rod, but wanted to feed back from the boards. I’ve only fished the eagle and it was a really nice blank the one time I had it out. I picked up the st croix off fb marketplace for $20 bucks. I’ve cast both in the yard and the st croix feels stiffer, based off the st croix I’d say the eagle is more like a medium light or based off the eagle the st croix is more like a medium heavy. 
 

eagle feels like a power 2 rod and st croix feels like a power 3 rod. I’ll probably pass one of these rods along to my buddy that is looking for a 6’ 6” spinning rod for the kayak as well. I think I’m gonna pass along the eagle. It’s actually a nice rod for the $ 

I haven't tried the newer dark blue Eagles.

 

I have a couple of the older Eagles that were kind if greenish gold colored that I like. One is a 6'6" ML that I have set up as a Wacky rig for my wife.