Been staring at it forever because I didn't want to break it in with my crap mitchel reel. So my Pflueger finally came in yesterday and I went out to my dads pond. Didn't catch anything of size but man what a difference there is from a crap Mitchell Outback combo and a Pflueger President with an Avid 6'8" Med x-fast action spinning rod. I was in love lol. Actually I'm going to have to adjust the way I fish plastics a bit because it feels so much different. Going to take some time to get used to that x-fast tip. Took me a bit to get the action I wanted on my plastics but I'll get there. It could have been that I had a bigger hook 4/0 Owner Wide Gap plus on my tiki stick. Usually I'm fishing just an offset 3/0 Gammy. Anyway...I'm babbling. I love my Avid and I can't beleive I was actually catching fish on that Mitchel rod from Walmart. Look forward to using my Avid in the spring for smallies. Should be fun.

I did lose one nice fish. Didn't get a good look at him but he definately felt like a 20+ incher. Is there a tip with x-fast action rods as far as keeping lines tight or what not? I mean do I have to adjust the way I bring in a fish with that firm tip? IMO the line was tight and the fish was taking drag......then I felt that weightless feeling....gone. I was upset but what can you do. Using an owner wide gap hook fresh out of the package. Not sure what happened.

Reel faster and keep your rod up (10:00 - 12:00). The fish should fight the rod, it's your job to maintain pressure on the fish at all times. If a fish is not pulling drag, it should be moving your way. Constant pressure and NO SLACK is the key.

Thanks RW that may have been what happened. When he was taking drag I stopped reeling. I think thats when I lost him shortly after.

I just purchased the same rod and like RW said keeping the rod up will.  With the extra fast tip it seems like you don't have to set the hook as hard.  I give this rod a quick short pull and the hook is set.  I have not had any issues yet with setting the hook with this rod but it did take some getting use to.  This rod does load differently than most.

I used Swimsenko's the first time I used my GLX x-fast rod. I missed 3 of the first 4 fish that hit the bait It was the first Bass trip of the year too). I have not missed a fish since, with any bait. It takes a little less stroke in the hookset to hook the fish. Set the hook slightly more relaxed than you would with a fast action rod. I don't have a very hard or fast hook set in the first place, so I think it might have been a little easier for me to get the hook set down on that action rod.

I am so used to holding my rod over the side of the boat , close to the water it definitley costs me fish. I think it comes from all the years I fished that way, it is a costly habit to break. RW,LBH,AVID,ALPSTER<FBL have all told me to break that habit and hold the rod high. I am trying becuse they are right it is better to hold the rod tip high, especially with Plastics and Jigs!

I used Swimsenko's the first time I used my GLX x-fast rod. I missed 3 of the first 4 fish that hit the bait It was the first Bass trip of the year too). I have not missed a fish since, with any bait. It takes a little less stroke in the hookset to hook the fish. Set the hook slightly more relaxed than you would with a fast action rod. I don't have a very hard or fast hook set in the first place, so I think it might have been a little easier for me to get the hook set down on that action rod.

That may be the issue than. I was setting the hook pretty hard and I remember one small fish that I brought in had a big hole in his jaw where the hook was. Stretched him out pretty good. Probably thats how I lost that other fish. Rod tip was up high but I had a hard hookset and when I relaxed just a bit the hook probably just fell out of the gash in the jaw. Thanks for the tips guys.

I've owned the Avid 6'8" extra fast...great rod.  The first thing I noticed when I used my XF Avid was I was going wide left on my casts to targets (right hand sidearm cast).  The tip won't flex like a fast, and it takes some getting used to.  Same goes for the Loomis BCR's.  The XF tip bumps up the sensitivity...I can say that for my Avids and GLX's.

I've owned the Avid 6'8" extra fast...great rod. The first thing I noticed when I used my XF Avid was I was going wide left on my casts to targets (right hand sidearm cast). The tip won't flex like a fast, and it takes some getting used to. Same goes for the Loomis BCR's. The XF tip bumps up the sensitivity...I can say that for my Avids and GLX's.

Amen to that. I could feel all sorts of stuff that I never felt before.

When I was fishing my cheap mitchel I pretty much had to rely on see the line take off. I expect my success to sky rocket next spring with the smallies in the rapids. Being able to feel that structure is going to be great.