Again curiosity got me and I expanded into a few newer rods of a different model. Shimano updated the Expride rods for 2022 now featuring the carbon monocoque handle following suit with what the Zodias model did. That's not all they did. The spinning models got a totally updated handle. To me, I'll call it the reversed handle spinning reel seat. The fore grip locking nut on the Expride A models has been moved to the rear on the Expride B models. The Expride B models now come with a smooth sanded bare blank compared to the flex coated A models. The B models also has a hook keeper but it's located just below the rear locking nut. The A models has no hook keeper. Rods comes with Fuji SiC ring inserts. The spinning rods models I have comes with 8 guides plus tip.
EX2610MLA
First is the A model spinning in 6'10" Medium Light power. Even though it's two inches shy of a 7' rod, the design of it fishes a lot more like a 6'6" rod. There is a rod tip movement and function that when imparted just feels like a shorter rod. I tossed a variety of 1/8th oz. inline spinners and spoons to top water poppers. It just seemed to hit the sweet spot on the rod. I did try a few 1/4 oz. inline spinners and spoons too. It also did a very good job, but I find that a full 7' rod will out distance on the long cast. I had paired the rod with the Shimano Twinpower 1000D spinning reel spooled with 4# Silverthread Excalibur. For somehow this combination was just smooth and very well matched. The casting was effortless and when effort was put into it, it responded in kind. The lure finessing also worked very well. Not only did I see surface takes on top water lures but also felt the hit. Putting the hook set was solid afterwards. The rod load also kept fish pinned perfectly with so little effort from user input to adjust to. It just flowed right.
The one drawback was when I hooked into or snagged into carps of decent size where this rod had trouble. Plus I only had 4# test line so it had to be a finesse fight. I can say the the rod load was almost 180 degree bent or felt like that. There were occasions where I was sure the rod would snap or the line would give out. Still it didn't and onto the next fish I had to entangle again. This left me with a need to up the power of my rod.
EXS70MB
That led me to the 7' Medium power Expride B model. My first set up was paired with a Stradic 3000MgFb with 15# Fireline Braid and there was a definite line slap restriction feel on my casting. I still got good distance but was coming up short. Afterwards I paired it up with a Sustain 2500FE reel and 10# Sufix braid, there is some barely noticeable line slap feel on the line guides. Casting is still wonderful and smooth. I felt like I got more distance with less effort. So I spent some time fishing with inline spinners and spoons. I would say that this rod doesn't suit properly for inline spinners. For spoons it did pretty well. When hooked into fish, the tip section does very well keeping the fish pinned onto the hooks. The rod also has a wonderful strong back bone, so controlling fish is directly transferred from user input.
EXC72MLB
Because I really liked how the Zodias 7'2" ML casting rod worked out, I had to get the Expride version to have a comparison feel. Does it justify the increased in cost? So I got myself another Chronarch MGL only this time paired with the Expride it has Diawa J-Braid X8 in 15# vs the 20# on the Zodias rod. Honestly I couldn't tell the difference in the braids, but for one thing about the Expride is that again it just seemed to be a slight more crisper feel. Lure finessing with the Expride also seems a little bit more robust. The action from rod tip transfers just a little more direct solid. Again the different models tend to do certain techniques a smidge better. The slightly softer Zodias are more for my inline spinners. The slightly more responsive stiffer Expride for my jerkbaits and poppers.
