Product review: Okuma Helios Rod

Okuma Helios 7'6" XH/XF By: Joseph Alfe Retail Price as tested: $174.99 Category: Mid Range ($100-$199) Specifications: Length: 7' 6 Model: HS-CM-761 XH Action: Fast Power: Extra Heavy Lure Weight: 1.5-2.0 Oz Line Weight: 15-30# Guides: Micro Guides Applications: Crank baits Spinner Baits A-Rigs Heavy Jig Heavy T-Rig/Worm C-Rig Reel Seat: Exposed Carbon Fiber Observations: Being a huge fan of Okuma's C3 line of rods, I was very excited to get my hands on the new Helios line. For me, the C3 represented finesse, and the Helios promised to be all about power, and it was, just not quite the power I was expecting. Okuma lists the action as "Fast, but after using this rod I would classify it as more of a nice, even, almost parabolic Medium-Fast action. This changed my perspective, because I just didn't see this as the pitching and flipping rod it was billed as because, at least for me, I like a super Fast, Heavy Power action for those applications. What this rod ended up doing though, is replacing my favorite rod for crank baits, spinner baits, and even A-Rigs, which was a welcome surprise. The rod is finished in an attractive matte black with metallic green accents. The EVA split grip handle was very comfortable to hold and cast. Again, I was puzzled and dismayed by the lack of a hook keeper. Performance: The rod is light for its size and feels good in the hand. I paired it up with a Shimano Curado E7, whose deep green shimmering color perfectly matched the black with green accents of the rod. The combination balanced and felt fantastic and I was ready to hit the water. The rod performed nicely with my first selection, a ½ Oz Jig, and after a few stout Bass were hooked, played, and landed, the power of this rod was evident and it was a joy to use. Sensitivity was not as good as I expected, but still more than adequate to bottom fish a heavy jig. The parabolic action and power really came into its own after I tied on a series of crank baits. It easily and expertly handled everything from a large square bill, to a DT-16, to even smaller, lighter cranks. It cast spinner baits well and the hard thump was easily managed. For kicks, I tied on a ½ Oz Alabama Rig and it also handled it easily, and the softer tip was excellent for hooking and keeping Bass on the line. I even threw a Frog but I felt that the action was a bit too soft for me to be truly comfortable in heavy cover. Sensitivity: This is where the rod falters slightly. By no means was this a dull rod, quite the contrary, but it just did not have the feel that the Airrus had. For the use that I found this rod to be suited for, such as crank baits, the sensitivity was not an issue. Still I found that while it had no trouble feeling a heavy jig, the rod felt "quiet while fishing lighter baits like a T-Rigged worm. Casting & Handling The Okuma, being a long, powerful rod, feels light and nimble in the hand and is an absolute joy to cast. The action is ideally suited to casting long distances, and even big, wind resistant crank baits were flung far with little effort. This rod also made tedious casting baits like lighter A-Rigs and Spinner baits easy to cast, and time and time again I found myself reaching for this rod for just about everything except for sensitive bottom fishing. Conclusion: The Okuma Helios is a great value for the money, and gets high marks for its appearance and performance as a crank bait or utility bait rod. It was light yet powerful, comfortable, and best of all, priced right. The sensitivity was the only stumble, and I think the rod is mislabeled as a Flipping or Pitching rod, but the Helios is an excellent all around choice. Scores: 0-10 Looks: 10 Balance: 9.0 Feel: 9.0 Weight: 9.0 Power: 8.0 Sensitivity: 7.5 Average: 8.75 Deductions: No Hook Keeper .25 Mislabeled Action .25 Mislabeled Power .25 Deduction Total: -.75 Total Score: 8.0