Farewell Fenwick?

I'm in a pickle. Perhaps not a terrible pickle just yet but a pickle all the same. For the longest time I have been a devout Fenwick rod guy. No real rhyme or reason for it other than it happened to be the first brand of rod I bought with my own money way back when. I can't even remember what influenced that decision all these years later.

Today I own several (understatement) Fenwick Elite Tech rods. I love them. There is only one thing I would change about my current Elite Tech line up, I'd make them all split grip handles. But that to me is a minor change, the rods are just that good. They are balanced well, ultra sensitive, cast a mile (when paired with my revo's), and have been very durable. So what is the issue? I've got two and a half of them. First, is that the new Elite Tech rods seem to have dipped in quality. Yes the price has come down significantly as well. The new ET rods are $139.99 vs. $200+ of the old ET's. Maybe I'm being hypercritical but I can't get past the feeling that the lower price point also means a lower quality rod.

The second issue, probably the more significant one to consider, is that I'm unsure I like the ergonomics of the new style grips and reel seats they are using on the ET line.

And third, the new Elite Tech line is specific to smallmouth fishing. That in itself isn't a big issue but more of a "huh...interesting concept" type thing. I guess my current ET's are necessarily specific to largemouth and yet I use them for any fishing I do. Again, not really an issue but when I start picking them apart I always list this in the "con's" category.

That brings us to the pickle I currently am in. I am due to replace two of my older casting rods (one will be used for pitching weightless soft plastics and the other jigs in 15+ ft of water)and two spinning rods either this year or for sure next. The brand that has been my mainstay doesn't feel like a viable option. So what are my options? I've got a few ideas in mind but want to keep an open mind. So rather than list out the current brands I've been eyeballing, I thought I would list out my buying criteria and solicit ideas from all of you. Here are the things that come to mind, please feel free to make specific rod suggestions or even call out things I should be thinking about when making this all important decision.

Price- I'm looking to keep the price below $200 a rod.
Warranty- If I'm spending $100+, I expect a lifetime warranty.
Handle- now that I've gotten into split grips, I think I prefer them. I could be swayed on this one but I think it's a requirement. A cork handle is absolutely a requirement. I just can't get into the EVA handles. To me it is a bit like the issue I have with the new ET rods, feels a bit cheap.
Microguides- I haven't landed on a firm decision on this. One minute I love the idea and the next I hate it. I'd welcome any thoughts on this. Do you have any experience with them? Good, bad, indifferent?
Cosmetics- arguably this shouldn't be part of the criteria, it should be function over form but hey, I admit that if I don't like the look of the rod I will feel less confident in the rod. Not a good recipe for success on the water.

Leave a comment or shoot me an email at thebasschroniclesATgmailDOTcom with your thoughts and suggestions.