Help with Eyecon rod selection

Hey guys, first time posting here.. saw you guys were pretty knowledgeable so I figured I’d ask here.

Looking to get a new rod to replace a cheap one (braid ruined the guides) and I think I have decided to try one of the new Eyecon rods. Now I need help deciding which one to get. I dont like stiff rods, I like a little bend in the tip but a pretty stout backbone. I mainly fish 1/8oz jig heads either tipped with minnow, worm, or a plastic grub/shad. But sometimes the current makes me go to a 1/4 oz, but not very often. Mostly flipping and dragging or vertical jigging. I’ve been using a 6’6 M fenwick and it has been a decent rod. I cant decide between the 6’6 ML F or the 6’3 M XF. Going to pair it up with an abu garica cardinal 302 and fish 10lb power pro braid or 8lb p line fluoro.

Which would you suggest? I have an old st. croix UL and it seems pretty stout which has me leaning towards the ML.

Any suggestions?

You confused me when you mentioned your old St. Croix UL was pretty stout…

for Walleye in current either of these Eyecons…

ECS63MXF / Vertical Jig

Our most popular vertical jig power and action that excels in a variety of depths with multiple lure weights.

ECS66MLF / Jig-N-Rig

This is an extremely versatile walleye rod design capable of handling many techniques including, of course, jigging and rigging.

The 63MXF is perfect for vertical jigging and short range casting and my choice for you.

Using braided line the 66ML is a decent all round rod, especially for bait, but lacks the backbone of the 63MXF

for deeper water hooksets.

Thank you for the info! Does the 6’3M have a soft enough tip to flex a little with a 1/8oz jig?

My UL statement was regarding an older (about 10 years old) 5′ UL I have, it is stiff enough to fish 1/8oz on with barely any tip bend and that had me worried I might be getting a 2X4 with the 6’3 M.

I do jig deep water, about 18ft off a 8′ pier so I do need the backbone to swing the fish up over the wall. Its hard to find a rod with enough backbone yet light and sensitive enough.

The ECS68MXF is a great all-around rod. You can jig fish it with mono & it still has enough balls for hard line. I have an avid & an eyecon in that configuration. You can’t go wrong.

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The ECS68MXF is a great all-around rod. You can jig fish it with mono & it still has enough balls for hard line. I have an avid & an eyecon in that configuration. You can’t go wrong.

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X2

I have a 6’6″ xtreme, 6’9″ xtreme, and a 6’8″ eyecon. The eyecon is my go to for pitching. I also have a 6’3″ loomis but I could never see myself pitching with it. For me it’s 6’8″ or more for pitching.

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I like a little bend in the tip but a pretty stout backbone. I mainly fish 1/8oz jig heads either tipped with minnow, worm, or a plastic grub/shad. But sometimes the current makes me go to a 1/4 oz, but not very often. Mostly flipping and dragging or vertical jigging.

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The 6’3″ has a nice sensitive tip section that quickly transitions into backbone!
I personally fish Extremes for Walleye and I use Legend Tournament rods for my guiding clients. The Eyecons are not
as “stiff” or “fast” as the same model in a higher modulus graphite level like an Avid, LTW, Elite, or Extreme.
The 6’8″MXF would be a good choice if you were doing more casting or using plastics a lot…but the 63MXF was designed for vertical jigging, short and quick…

A lot of the older St. Croix UL rods are moderate action rods so I’m not sure what stout backbone description to that rod would imply. If yours is a fast action rod then I would personally step up to a L power rod with a fast action before stepping up the a ML power rod. Everyone fishes different, but I do my best jig presentation with the L power 6′ Premier rod with 1/8 oz jigs. I wouldn’t mind stepping up to the 6’3″ ML XF eyecon.

Update, went with the 66MLF and it just came today. Man that is a sweet rod, perfect action… glad I went with the ML over the M, the ML is perfect for 3/32 and 1/8.