Tackle Junkie: Trika 6X-Series Carbon Fiber Rods

Lightweight and sensitive are the two attributes every premium rod maker seeks to incorporate into their rods. Trika, a relatively new name in rod building, is utilizing an advanced carbon fiber weave in their rod blanks to achieve the lightweight feel and extreme sensitivity found in their premium 6X series of rods.

I’ve been putting a 7-foot 5-inch, medium-heavy baitcaster and a 7-foot 6-inch, medium-action spinning rod to use over the past several weeks and can attest that Trika is building a premier rod with their 6X series. The two rod models have afforded me the chance to use a wide range of bass tactics, from flipping and pitching soft plastics with the baitcaster to lighter finesse tactics with the spinning model.

Upon unboxing the Trika rods, the woven carbon fiber handle immediately draws your eye. Not only does it look sharp, it’s also hollow, eliminating any dampening agent that could hinder the sensitivity.

Indeed, it’s the sensitivity that has impressed me the most with the Trika 6X series. When fishing weightless wacky rigs and soft plastics rigged on a 1/4-ounce jig head through the water column, I could feel the slightest “tick” as a bass picked up the bait.

I’ve always preferred the comfort of a cork handle, yet the carbon fiber handle on the Trika 6X offers improved sensitivity, is very ergonomic and remains quite comfortable, even after fishing it for several hours at a time. With wet hands while fishing through a rain shower, the handle remained secure and comfortable.

Transitioning to the reel seat of the baitcasting rod, the grip is extremely comfortable when palming a baitcasting reel, and the cutaway finger rests in the reel seat provide access to the rod blank within.

Upon closer inspection of the rod blank, the carbon fiber weave is evident beneath the classy matte gray finish. The silver lettering against the gray backdrop of the rod blank offers the look of a high-end rod.

As most will recognize, carbon fiber is not only light, but also quite strong, which Trika states offers a more stable platform during the cast, thereby increasing casting distance. Trika has an informational video on their website detailing the advantage they believe carbon fiber offers over a traditional rolled graphite rod blank. In essence, the carbon fiber rod blank produces less tip oscillation and vibration during the cast, which reduces line slap as the line passes through the rod guides and improves casting distance.

Added distance sounds intriguing, but does their claim hold up on the water? In short, I believe it does. Even the medium-action spinning rod felt stable throughout the cast, and I was quite impressed with the distance attained with lightweight setups like a weightless floating worm and a wacky-rigged stick worm while using the 6X series.

Yet another strong attribute to this up-and-coming rod brand is their direct-to-consumer pricing strategy that keeps the premier 6X lineup at $299, which is quite reasonable considering the caliber of components in this rod series. Trika also offers a 3X series of rods, which is a tier down from the 6X series, and retails for $199. 

There are five spinning and seven casting models in the Trika 6X series, in various lengths and actions for any freshwater situation.

Trika is onto something special with their carbon fiber technology, and are certainly worthy of your consideration. You can check out both the 6x and the 3X series of Trika rods in the various lengths and actions at trika.com.