American Tackle Pro Staff Member Bruce Vetre Tests the Microwave Line Control System

    Recently, I received a complaint from one of the Bass Tournament fisherman we build rods for. Originally, he requested rods with a KR guide system that Fuji is now promoting. Knowing his fishing style, we obliged. His complaint came in as "one of the rods just doesn't cast that well. It's noisy, and you could feel the resistance as the lure is trying to pull the line". This was a shock because he was only complaining about one of the two we had built him.

The fisherman came to our shop with both rods and reels, even the lures he was fishing. After a quick assessment, we could see that the rod he was having an issue with, had 10lb fluorocarbon on it, as opposed to the other that used 8lb. After test casting, there was no doubt that his concerns were valid. Just stepping up in one line size changed everything dramatically. He brought a third rod, one that had a more conventional NGC set-up. Seizing a great opportunity, we were able to set-up 2 additional identical rods, one with the NGC set-up that the customer believed he now wanted, and another with the new MicroWave Guide System.

Having very little experience with the MicroWave Guide System,
we simply just put the guides where we "thought" they should be, with no real lay out. To everyone's amazement, the rod with the MicroWave Guide System sailed the lure well past the other rods. The NGC and the "KR" guide train theory were no match for the MicroWave. The MicroWave guide System simply achieved every claim Amercain Tackle has made, and then some.

One of the most notable properties was the the MicroWave's smoothness. Unlike the rod with the KR guide train theory, there was no feeling of resistance with the 3/16oz Jig Head, the 10lb Fluoro passed through with ease. The test rod with the MicroWave Guide System had no real "fine tuning", and it  easily outperformed the other 2.

To me, this is a great advantage to the rod builder that might not have the experience, or even the logistics, to do extensive test casting and tweaking. Also, it would seem the builder who has "stock" rods, that might use many different reel sizes, can have the confidence to know that their rod will perform well right off the rack.

Lastly, because you are essentially using the MicroWave Guide as your "choke" guide, the subsequent guides are all reduced in weight, giving the blank exceptional "crispiness". In the ever changing arena of rod technology, the MicroWave Guide System is definite leap in the right direction.