There's a new force in the bass-rod business and BassFans had better take note. Yep, we're talking about Oregon-based Setyr Rods. The company came into the game at full speed with its new line of American-made fresh- and saltwater fishing rods, which are unlike anything we've seen.

Setyr president Jim Eldred told us, "We wanted to build a professional-quality rod that was American made and was available to the general public. Most rods are built for the masses and then customized for the pros. The average angler will in most cases never get their hands on one of these customized models."

In general, bass anglers are a hard group to please, but pro bass anglers are even tougher. As one example, FLW Tour pro Dave Lefebre knows what he wants in and isn't satisfied until he gets it. "I'm a diehard crankbait fisherman and to be honest, I always used fiberglass cranking rods because I couldn't find one in graphite that I liked," he said.

"That was the case until I asked Setyr to build one for me. I went through countless graphite cranking rods from numerous companies and found that most companies were making graphite rods that were, well, just limber. Glass has a load-up factor with the proper amount of backbone, but is still limber enough, so I always liked it and preferred it.

"The designers at Setyr sent me a couple of 7 1/2-footers and after the first time out I knew I had what I needed."

Lefebre noted he had "nothing to do" with the design of the rod, but Setyr took what he described "and hit the mark dead-center."

"I knew what I wanted and knew what it should feel like and when I got this rod I knew it was it," he added.

Since Setyr's based in the Northwest, its main experience lies in building steelhead rods. But that's good news for bass anglers, because steelhead-rod dynamics are key for certain bass applications. A steelhead rod must be limber, but strong enough to set the hook. A steelhead rod must also be able to cast very light baits, but possess the strength to manhandle huge fish.

Eldred said of his new bass rods, "We had to build a rod that's soft enough not to rip the bait away from the fish, but is fast enough to be able to set the hook. That was our goal."

The CKN190M – which is a 7 1/2-foot medium-action crankbait rod – is a perfect example, and the one we tested. It's made with the best cranking components – all top-notch hardware – but the entire concept begins with a "compodynamic-designed" rod blank.

"We start with a graphite sheet designed especially for us here with a particular amount of resin percentage that makes it different," Eldred noted.

"The pre-preg process, where the resin is impregnated into the graphite, is the key. It determines the rod's strength and its weight. It also determines its durability. We feel we've got it dialed in and are building a state-of-the-art, professional-grade product that can be purchased by the masses."

We agree. Look for Setyr to make big waves in 2006. This new kid indeed knows how to build rods.

Setyr's site is still under construction. To learn more right now, call: (541) 956-2086. To order a Setyr rod, call (877) 975-3700.