I thought I'd give a performance review of the blank I used for my most recent build, just in case anyone has been thinking about building a rod on the above mentioned blank

I finished the rod this past week, and used it for the first time, in a two day bass tournament I fished over the weekend. I built the rod for use as a Carolina rig / deep water football jig / pitching and flipping rod. This past weekend I used it for flipping and pitching at one of our area lakes that has stained water, and a ton of shallow heavy cover in the form of wood, shoreline brush, as well as heavy milfoil weed beds a bit off shore.

All I can say is ..... if you are thinking about using this blank as a blank for a flipping and pitching rod, quit thinking about it, and just do it. The blank is phenomenal to say the least.

My impressions before using the rod, were that it had a lot of power, and was very sensitive. After using the rod, my initial impressions were met and easily exceeded. The blank is extremely sensitive. I was amazed at how sensitive it is. I could feel every little tick as my bait slid down rocks while pitching chunk rock along a causeway, or as the line slid down the side of a branch when flipping and pitching to shoreline wood. The fish weren't really hammering the bait, but when they did, it felt as if the rod itself had been struck by a stick. Even those, "the line just started moving" bites you sometimes get, felt as if something had taken the bait.

I have a couple of friends that fish the FLW tour, and both use G Loomis GLX rods. When doing seminars at local venues, they jokingly say that the rods are so sensitive, that they could feel a bass pass gas. lol Well ... I've never fished a GLX, but if it is more sensitive than the Immortal blank, then they could probably sense a bass just thinking about taking their bait. If the Eternity2 is more sensitive than the Immortal, then it has to be other worldly. The Immortal is that sensitive.

I will say that while I had never fished a what would be considered a high dollar ultra sensitive rod, by most. The factory rods I've fished and own, are decent rods, and I say decent only because of what I've experienced as a result of my building my own rods. Prior to building on some of the blanks I've built on thus far, I would have considered those factory rods to be pretty darn sensitive rods.

As far as power from the Immortal blank. The blank is listed as medium heavy power, but if you look at the lure rating numbers, 3/8 - 1 oz., they're in line with those of the heavy power numbers, for all of the factory rods I own. And the rod fishes like a heavy power rod when it comes to getting fish out of heavy cover.

I spent the majority of the two days of the tournament, pitching and flipping to heavy shoreline cover. The heavy milfoil weed beds of the main lake were seeing a lot of pressure, and I one ..... wanted to get away from the crowds, and two ...... this lake has a history of having some big fish in the shoreline cover, even during the heat of summer.

I had no problem getting any of the fish I hooked, out of some pretty nasty spots and into the boat. The biggest being slightly more than 3 lbs. which while not being a giant, is a good fish for northeast Ohio. Did I boat flip any of the fish? Yes I did. Everyone of them actually. I had the confidence to do so, because of what I saw in the blank, prior to starting my build. The blank has what I would consider, a fairly thick wall construction, a good sized tip at 6/64, and a .560 butt diameter. Even the bare blank in your hand feels solid. It just doesn't feel like it's a blank that has to be babied.

I certainly wouldn't want anyone to think that you can abuse this blank with poor fish landing techniques, (btw ... there is a right way and a wrong way to boat flip a fish) but I also don't think you have to be afraid of the blank either. Anyhow ... the power of the blank is more than outstanding. It's a stick when it comes to power, but when it comes to lure presentation, it performs like a medium heavy power.

The tip loads nicely with the baits I was using. The majority of the time when fishing the shoreline cover, I was using a Reaction Innovation 4.20 Sweet Beaver, with a 3/16 tungsten weight, pegged on 20# Tatsu fluorocarbon line, spooled on a Shimano SF Castaic reel. The only bait i used during the two days that was a little too light to load the tip, was a 4" Senko, rigged Texas style, and weightless. And it would be light for pretty much any medium heavy power rod I have ever used, Other wise, it performed like a champ. 30 - 40' pitches with a 5" weightless Senko were a breeze. Even a 4" ring worm with the above mentioned 3/16 weight was easy to pitch. And even though the tip loads up well with the above mentioned baits, I have no doubts that I could handle total lure weights double that of the baits I used, and still perform just as well. The heaviest bait / weight combo I threw on the rod for the two days, was a 10" Power worm rigged with a 3/8 oz. weight. If the way the blank performs isn't enough that you never want to put it down, the titanium color of the blank is gorgeous.

Incredible sensitivity, awesome power, and looks to go with it. The Immortal IMMC72MH is crazy good.

Dave,

Thanks for sharing! That's a great report. I haven't got to build on Batson's newer lines yet, but they are sounding fantastic! I'm willing to bet the Eternity^2 is going to feel other worldly in your hand if you build one. The older RX8+ blanks do!

Joe

David,
Thanks for sharing.

I am starting a built on an Eternity blank this afternoon.

I have built quite a few rods of different sizes and power and I agree with all of your comments.

In a word - really wonderful blanks.

Be safe

Mr. Baylor,
Thanks for such and extensive review. I was going to add that we have a nice healthy stock of that blank right now, although we may not have stock for too long with reviews like that. A lot of work went into those blanks and the team here is thrilled that folks are enjoying them.

-The Batson TEAM
BatsonEnterprises.com

I just finished a build on that same blank. It really is an amazing blank.

I have built 2 of the Immortal and Eternity2 blanks from Batson. The clients are raving about them. I have not fished one myself; but I see an Eternity in my not too distant future! An A+ to Batson Enterprises for their outstanding new line of blanks!

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com

I'm glad my review was well received. I see so many threads with members asking for blank suggestions for the same type of rod, that I felt I had to share. That and I am just so ecstatic with the way this rod performs that I had to tell someone. lol

I know one thing for sure ...... anyone looking to build a rod that this blank would be appropriate for, will absolutely love the way their rod performs, if they build it on this blank.

I can't wait to get this thing out in deep water and start dragging around a Carolina rig. Those Lake Milton smallmouth are in big trouble.

David, Thanks so much for sharing your review, sincerely appreciated. I've been eyeing this blank for dropping 1oz. jigs on lake trout., sounds like a perfect match!

Mike