Cashion ICON Spinning Rods Review
Active Gear Review is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Spring is finally arriving here in the Colorado Rockies. The snow is melting, and the rivers and lakes are beginning to open up. That means it’s time to put away the ice fishing gear and break out the open water tackle. This year, I’m especially excited to hit the water with two new spinning rods from Cashion Rods.
Cashion Rods, based in South Carolina, has been building high-performance rods for about 15 years. The company was founded by Dr. Matthew Cashion, who holds a Ph.D. in molecular chemistry with a focus on polymer science. In other words, this is exactly the kind of person you want designing your fishing rods. With a deep understanding of material science, Dr. Cashion and his team craft rods that are lightweight, powerful, sensitive, and built to last.
To ensure the highest level of quality, all Cashion rods are made in-house. The rod blanks are cut, rolled, heated, and trimmed entirely by skilled U.S. workers, with direct oversight from Dr. Cashion himself.
As someone who owns nearly fifty fishing rods of all kinds, I’ve been eagerly awaiting open water season, and even more so now with these Cashion spinning rods ready to go.
About the Cashion ICON Spinning Rods
This spring, I picked up two similar but distinct models of spinning rods from Cashion. The first is the iAP7MFs ICON Spinning Rod, a 7-foot all-purpose rod with fast action and medium power. The second is the iDS7MLFs ICON Spinning Rod, also 7 feet long, designed specifically for drop shotting. It features fast action with medium-light power.
For reference, rod power refers to a rod’s stiffness or resistance to bending under load. The greater the power, the harder the rod is to bend. Action, on the other hand, describes how much of the rod flexes when under pressure. A fast action rod flexes mostly at the tip, while a slow action rod bends more gradually along the full length of the blank.
Cashion offers several rod models, and both of these are part of the ICON series which is the company’s premier line. The ICON series is made up primarily of fast action rods with about 12 to 16 inches of tip flex before reaching the stiff backbone. This makes them excellent for finesse fishing, where light baits, subtle presentations, and solid hooksets are critical.
Foam Grip
These rods use a dense EVA foam grip, which Cashion has found to be more durable than cork and more sensitive than typical foam. The reel seat is made by American Tackle and constructed from graphite, enhancing both weight savings and sensitivity. Below the handle, the rod butt is built from a carbon fiber and fiberglass blend, adding comfort and durability. All ICON spinning rods feature size #6 guides, which contribute to the rod’s excellent sensitivity and casting precision.
Carbon Fiber Rod Butt
The overall result is a thoughtfully engineered rod that delivers comfort, performance, and the sensitivity finesse anglers depend on.
Thoughts on the Cashion ICON Series Spinning Rods
I won’t lie, I was pretty excited when the Cashion ICON rods arrived. As soon as I opened the rod tube and pulled them out, the quality was immediately clear. Both rods are impressively lightweight, and even with the “totally not official” rod shake, they felt great in hand. Over the years, I’ve leaned toward cork handles, but the EVA foam grips feel excellent and seem very durable.
The blanks on these two rods share many similarities, with a few subtle differences. Both are 7 feet long and feature fast actions, flexing mostly toward the tip. I tend to prefer fast action rods for general-purpose use because they allow for effortless casting, strong hooksets, and enhanced sensitivity. While I still like slower action rods for specific techniques, fast action is my usual choice.
The biggest difference between the two rods is their power. The drop shot model has medium-light power, while the all-purpose rod has a more noticeable backbone with medium power. Both are perfectly suited to the type of fishing I do, and I plan to use them as my primary rods this season. Most of my freshwater fishing takes place across Colorado, Wyoming, and Michigan. I target trout, bass, pike, walleye, and panfish using a variety of techniques, and the ICON series rods are well equipped for all of it.
The Setup
I paired both ICON rods with Shimano Sahara 2500 spinning reels. Each reel is spooled with 10-pound braided main line and about 10 feet of fluorocarbon leader. I chose this setup because the Sahara reels are lightweight and match well with the ICON rods. Braided line has very little stretch, which helps maximize the sensitivity and fast action of these rods.
Cashion Rods Paired with Spinning Reels
On the Water
If you like light, sensitive spinning rods, the Cashion ICON Spinning Rod series is worth serious consideration. Since ice-out a few weeks ago, I’ve been fishing both rods exclusively for trout, pike, and walleye in the mountains of Colorado.
These rods feel excellent in hand. They are light, responsive, and comfortable to cast for long periods. I’ve always preferred cork grips, but I haven’t missed them at all this spring. The EVA foam feels great, seems durable, and provides a secure grip even in wet conditions. After landing a slimy pike in the rain, I had no trouble holding onto the rod.
Cashion ICON Spinning Rods Castability
This might be my favorite feature of the Cashion ICON Spinning rods. The combination of the 7-foot length, light weight, and fast action makes casting smooth and effortless. Light jigs and crankbaits launch easily, and the distance and control I get are impressive. When trout were surfacing farther out on my local lake, these rods helped me reach them with long, accurate casts.
Brown Trout a Jerk Bait
Rod Power
These rods have plenty of strength for the species I target. Most of the fish I’ve caught recently have been medium-sized rainbow trout, but I did manage to hook a solid brown trout that really tested the rod. It stayed deep and made hard runs, but the rod performed perfectly. I’m confident this setup will handle big smallmouth bass later this summer without any issues, even pulling 5-pounders from rocky, deep water.
Fish On!
Cashion ICON Spinning Rods Sensitivity
Dr. Cashion clearly got it right when it comes to sensitivity. These rods are incredibly responsive. With braided line, I can feel every tap and pickup. I especially enjoy using them with small to medium tube jigs, which mimic crayfish in our local lakes and rivers. The trout love them. The feel is so precise that even the lightest bite is noticeable. This was perfect for fishing walleye when the bite is super light. These rods have truly changed the way I fish.
Light Bites From Big Walleye
Jerkbait Walleye!
Specs on the Cashion ICON Spinning Rods taken from Cashion
- High-quality American Tackle graphite reel seat for enhanced sensitivity and performance
- Size #6 guides provide exceptional sensitivity for detecting subtle bites
- EVA foregrip with locking nut grip hides threads for improved comfort
- ICON Spinning Reel Seat handle is the most comfortable design by Cashion
- Butt and blank constructed with a carbon fiber/fiberglass blend for increased durability and feel
- Cashion grips are denser and more durable than cork or foam
- Dense grip material transmits vibrations directly to your fingertips for better bite detection
- Split grip handle design adds balance and control
- Technologically advanced blank design for finesse fishing applications
Final Thoughts on the Cashion ICON Spinning Rods
After spending several weeks fishing with the Cashion ICON spinning rods, I can confidently say they live up to their reputation. These rods combine thoughtful engineering with high-end materials to create a lightweight, sensitive, and versatile tool for a wide range of freshwater applications. Whether I’m casting light jigs to trout, working drop shots for smallmouth, or making long, accurate throws to surfacing fish, the ICON series delivers consistent performance and feel.
The balance, castability, and sensitivity of these rods make them a pleasure to fish with all day. Cashion’s decision to use EVA foam grips, size #6 guides, and American Tackle graphite reel seats shows a clear focus on comfort and function. They’ve managed to create a rod that feels refined in the hand while remaining durable enough for real-world conditions.
For anglers who prioritize finesse, sensitivity, and all-day fishability, the ICON series is a strong contender. I’m looking forward to putting these rods to the test across more waters in the coming months, and I have no doubt they’ll continue to earn a place on the front deck of my boat. For more info or to check one out for yourself, visit cashionrods.com.
