One of my favorite parts about my job is getting to test hundreds of different fishing rods. This has allowed me to gain tons of experience in picking the right fishing rod for the right situation. One of the most recent rods I’ve been lucky enough to try is the Level NGX Spinning Rod. This is the first Level rod I’ve ever used, and I was thoroughly impressed with its overall performance and price point.
LEVEL NGX BUILD
The Level Fishing NGX Spinning Rods were made in collaboration with two-time Bassmaster Classic Champion, Hank Cherry, ensuring pro-level performance. Constructed with lightweight 30/40 Ton Japanese Toray Carbon Blanks for exceptional strength and durability, these rods are fully wrapped in a Carbon X-Wrap, reinforcing structural integrity to withstand years of abuse.
The carbon-injected reel seats provides multiple contact points on the blank, while screw-lock caps maximize sensitivity. The NGX Spinning Rods come standard with custom EVA grips for all-day comfort. This rod also features a carbon rear-grip handle and premium Fuji K Frame guides. This rod is built to perform and comes standard with all the premium components you would come to expect in a high performing fishing rod.
LEVEL NGX APPLICATION
The Level NGX Spinning Rod is a 7-foot medium-action with a moderate tip. This is my most used length and action in a spinning rod, which makes this specific model extremely versatile. The moderate tip allows you to throw smaller treble hook baits such as Jr. sized jerkbaits or small top waters without fear of bending out the hooks. This is extremely important as the hooks are typically very small on this style of bait. Having a moderate tip allows your rod to load up properly without bending the hooks or ripping them out of the fish’s mouth.
While this rod does have a softer tip, the medium action has enough backbone for throwing traditional finesse baits such as a small swimbait, dropshot or ned rig. I’ve throwing up to 3/8-ounce tungsten jig heads on this rod and it holds up quite nicely. This has quickly become one of my go to spinning rods for fishing both a jig and minnow and a drop shot.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE LEVEL NGX
I’ve had this rod for around 3 months now which has allowed me to test it in a variety of different scenarios. When I initially chose the Level NGX Spinning Rod it was because of its versatility. I wanted a spinning rod that I could use for numerous techniques and that’s exactly what I got. Furthermore, with my lifestyle I needed a rod that was both sensitive yet durable. I travel all over the country to fish, which means my rods see some battle. Ive spent countless hours on the water with this rod and I’ve been extremely impressed with both its sensitivity and durability.
Sensitivity is extremely important when throwing bottom baits such as drop shots or ned rigs. Bites on this style of lure are often very subtle, and feeling that bite is often the difference maker between a caught fish and a missed opportunity. The carbon fiber blanks and Fuji guides on this rod are extremely impressive, and I have zero issue using them for any finesse application.
Not only are these rods high performing, but the price point is very modest. This has quickly become the workhorse of my spinning rod arsenal and I almost always have it rigged up on the deck of my boat. If your looking for a rod that is sensitive, durable and doesn’t break the bank, I recommend giving the NGX from Level Rods a try.
