RichF

You won't be disappointed. They are incredible rods. Super light, crisp, strong, and balanced. Doesn't get much better than that! Enjoy!

Thanks @Choporoz!

I talked to Trey yesterday on the phone. He's letting me exchange the Mag 2s I bought last month for some Heliums and a KLX feel and reel! Pretty stoked. $125 for a helium3 is nuts. Couldn't say no.

Anyone know when Fountainhead stops renting out boats for the season?

That seems a bit dishonest to me. Be happy with the great deal you got man!

I'm from Northern NY. Before I moved to VA, we fished thru the middle of November. The best bite all year happens the last 2 weeks of Oct to the 2nd week of Nov.

The Heliums hold a 3-year warranty. Honestly, the warranty isn't the best and normally I wouldn't even give them a second look because of it. But their rods are the real deal. I have 100% confidence that they're not going to break under normal circumstances. My older heliums, mag, and klx have caught more fish than any other rod I own over the last 5 years. They're still just as strong and just as crisp as day 1.

Lucky duck. I'm gonna give them a call and see if they'll accept an exchange. Worth a shot, I guess.

Just got the email. Super ticked. Just ordered 4 Mag 2s a few weeks ago now the Heliums are on sale!! Anybody wanna buy my brand new Mags?! lol

I can't find anything about a Nation winners qualifying for Elite Spots on Bassmaster.com. It very well could've been the case when Palaniuk and Ike won. I agree about co-anglers and the FLW Tour. I could see FLW changing that in the near future. That article was great. The insider info is always eye opening.

@BassNJake I agree. This has been a great debate with a lot of really good perspectives. You are definitely correct that we are looking at the Opens from two different viewpoints. I also think we are both backing up our arguments pretty well. The Elites is the highest level of competitive bass fishing. I don't think there's any argument there. In order to get to that level, you have to qualify thru the Opens (that's the only way). Again, no argument there. The Nation, while it provides an opportunity for a Classic berth, will not get you to the Elites. This is why I see the Opens as the triple-A division not the Nation. I would feel differently if the Elite series worked like the Opens; open to all, just with a higher price tag. I agree with you about fishing everything I could if I were a Pro (not a pro with a day job, a touring pro). If the rules say it's OK, I'd be in. Sponsors would absolutely encourage participation. Opens are no slouch tournaments and they offer sponsors great exposure. What I meant with regards to Tharp was that the FLW provided/provides stepping stones (a platform), in terms of tournament circuits with progressively higher competition, that are more easily accessible to more anglers. The Costa Series is the FLW equivalent to the Opens but they are comprised of five divisions with three events in each and a final championship. Smaller geographic regions and fewer events = less travel, less time off, and lower overall cost. Tharp is an incredible angler and great professional and he was able to use the FLW's various circuits to build his brand, win multiple tournaments, and gain financial backing through sponsorship. That's the dream. That's what I don't think the new Opens are going to offer the majority of anglers. When the organization provides more cost effective circuit options, an angler looking to make a career has the ability to compete more often, prove himself/herself with high finishes, and attract potential sponsors. With regards to BASS wanting to become a mainstream sport, I agree that it's near impossible and you can't compare the two. That idea is there though. That was the vision when the new owners took over seven years ago. I remember reading an article on Bassmaster.com written by one (maybe more) of the owners basically stating they want to get to a point where their major players (the Elites) don't have to pay entry fees. That's why there's been the push for so much live content. They want bass fishing to be a true spectator sport. Bass fishing as a mainstream sport would absolutely be a PR nightmare lol. That's why we're seeing more and more events with the weigh and release format. Why can't more debates these days be this civil? hahaha

@Logan S You make a very valid point concerning the monetary aspect of it. Fishing at that level is a gamble, one that the majority of anglers don't want to take. I'm in that boat . That's why I never took the plunge (still hoping to at some point). I never intended to take away from the hard work many of the established Elites put forth to achieve what they've achieved and I would certainly agree that most weren't handed anything on a silver platter. I hope my posts didn't come off that way to anyone. I still think there's a better way for BASS to run the Opens but I'm not quite sure what that is. It's incredibly frustrating that something already so difficult to do just became 10x more difficult, but, when it comes down to it, BASS did the right thing, for BASS. They're a business and I totally get that. Hopefully by that time I grow a set and take the leap, BASS will have listened to you and agree to change up the schedule a little bit. haha

I've always been intrigued by Phenix rods but have never pulled the trigger on one. The new Feather that's coming out soon looks like it could be my first. Which model did you get?

If you cast properly, you can exceed a rods weight rating, often by a decent amount. I've been throwing A-rigs for smallmouth on a flipping stick rated for weights up to 1.5oz for the past couple years. The Irod recommended by @deep gets a lot of love around here. I've never used one personally. I'm partial to St. Croix and Kistler rods myself. St. Croix has the better warranty but Trey Kistler makes incredible rods (I have no affiliation with either brand). The Dobyns Fury line also gets a lot of love around here, particularly because of quality to price ratio. They're around $100 to $120. Check out the 735 model. It's a 7'3 heavy but, from what I hear, feels more like a slightly heavier medium-heavy.

Ish had a bass caught up in some reeds and he almost went in to get it. Mercer asked Feider how deep he would go in after that fish. Feider's response...."B*lls deep." Mercer seemed a bit shocked . lol

Grab your drop shot rod and bring home that boat!!

In baseball, you get sent down to the minors because you're not performing at the top level (or you're rehabing an injury). That's not the same thing as Ott Defoe signing up for his home lake Open and crushing everyone with his special boat. He was already qualified for the Classic and certainly didn't have to re-qualify for the Elites. That being said, I don't even think the pros dropping down to fish the Opens bothers me all that much. It's the new format and cost of the circuit I really dislike. Personally, I would prefer to fish against those guys. I just don't think you can make an argument about top level talent competing when so few anglers that actually have massive talent will ever get a chance to show it, simply because of cost limitations. It's just frustrating to hear: "the best in the world" and "top level talent" when that's simply not 100% accurate. If people just labeled it what it really is, I wouldn't be so salty about it.

Welcome to the Forums! A crankbait rod isn't the best tool for weightless plastics. The two techniques you're wanting to use honestly require two completely different setups. For large treble hooked baits like the plopper 130 and s-waver I'd prefer a heavy action glass crank rod. For weightless plastics, a medium spinning rod is probably the best tool for the job. If you can only get one rod, a medium heavy, fast action rod is probably one of the most versatile. Weightless plastics will be slightly difficult to throw but it can certainly be done.

I never said winning an Open will dump enough sponsors into an angler's lap. I specifically said that an angler would need to fish several and consistently do well to attract sponsors. The new Opens format will drastically hinder this for non-wealthy/non-established (more or less touring pros) anglers. Yes, I've heard the argument of "how will a qualifying angler hope to fish in the Elites if they've barely met the financial and time commitment of the Opens?" The fact is, some anglers would sacrifice it all if given that chance (Jamie Hartman comes to mind). But that's beside the point anyway. This is my problem..."What are they going to do next year, if they qualify? Quit their jobs all of a sudden because of the financial windfall that comes with qualifying for the Elite Series?" This is the problem with the sport. If you qualify for the Elites, I'd say you're probably a pretty d**n good angler, agreed? When the financial burden is so extreme, that most of these great anglers simply can't even take that opportunity...well that's a problem with the sport (in it's current form). I reiterate...how can one say that this new Opens format is a move toward making the Elites the best in bass fishing if the majority of potential "bests" never get a shot, strictly because of financial reasons? I'm not sure I see the Randall Tharp example as relevant within the context of this debate. He had a good sponsorship deal with the FLW that allowed him to gain exposure to other sponsors who finally provided him with the financial backing to accept the Elite series invitation. If anything, this is a huge aspect of my point. He had the right platform in the FLW to give him the necessary exposure to sponsors who ultimately provided him the financial backing to pursue the Elites. But in order for the average angler (to be clear, I'm using "average" to describe a very good angler that's not wealthy) to do that, he/she would need a platform that's at least somewhat reachable. The Opens, in their new form, are no longer that. I suppose then, the answer to this would be, fish the Costas/FLW. Personally, I see fishing the Opens just for a Classic berth and fishing for an Elite invite as two separate animals. I'm not even totally sure I'm on board with Classic berths being given out in the Opens (maybe for top anglers in points but certainly not for a win). I'm in total agreement that eliminating the "win and in" will make the Classic more competitive. I'm viewing this through the perspective of mainstream sports (which is what BASS is aiming for their organization to become). A triple-A division should be the platform aspiring amateurs use to try and qualify for the big leagues, not for an arguably easier chance at a Classic berth for a seasoned Pro. Think about this...Iaconelli and Ish didn't make the Classic this year. That means they didn't perform all that well in the big leagues. Why should they be allowed to drop down to a lesser league in order to try and re-qualify? Sure you can argue that "just because they're Elite pros doesn't necessarily mean they'll win an Open" and "if you can't hang with a couple pros, how are you going to compete against them in the Classic?" Is there some truth in those arguments? Sure. But just take a look at the Opens stats. At least half of the top 12 at nearly every event is either an Elite or FLW pro. There's a reason for that, and only half is that they are "better" than everyone else. They tour for a living and fish these bodies of water EVERY year! That's almost like having homefield advantage on every lake you fish. Look, if BASS wants to bring bass angling into the world of mainstream sports, they have some major work to do, IMO. If they wanna continue to run an elite club for a select few, that's completely fine too, just quit claiming to wanna make it a mainstream sport. I'll just have to wait and show my prowess after I win the Powerball

I would say they're more or less interchangeable so either or would be good. Personally, I would probably go with the 6'10 but I've thrown 3/16 and 1/4oz swim jigs with the 7'2 and it worked pretty dang good.

@BassNJake, I don't think the new format is a step in the right direction at making the Elites the "very best in bass fishing." To me, it appears as though you're saying, as a prerequisite to becoming one of the best of the best, you need to be "financially able." That's just absurd. There are plenty of "financially able" anglers that regularly compete in the Opens, who are just not that good. Nowhere near Elite level. I've fished with several. But, they will have an exponentially better chance at making the Elites simply because they can afford to play the game over and over each year versus the much better, but less "financially able" angler that saves every penny and vacation day for one shot (one season) at his/her dream. How does this promote the very best of the best? You eliminate hundreds, if not thousands, of anglers fully capable of competing among the "Elites" simply because they can't afford to even try. I totally get wanting to try and get rid of the local advantage/Classic berth dynamic. Here's the thing, it was addressed by making the Classic berth available to winners ONLY if they fished all events in a circuit. Was it perfect? Well, no. But you're never going to get rid of the "local advantage." I will certainly admit that the new format will be better at preventing this but there's still a problem...touring pros. They make up a decent portion of Opens anglers and will always have the advantage just about anywhere they go (not necessarily based on talent). The Opens are held on basically the same waters every year. On top of that, the FLW tour and Elite tour schedule many of those same bodies of water every year as well. Those touring guys will have far more of an advantage over their non-touring competitors simply because they fish those place far more often. You're are 100% correct about needing the financial backing if you choose to fish the Elites should you qualify. I think we can agree that sponsorship dollars are crucial to anglers that aren't independently wealthy. The problem for me is..how does an angler get the sponsorships that will help them thru the Elite schedule? I would say you'd have to fish several high level tournaments and do well to get noticed. That platform is the Opens. With the new format, it's nearly impossible for anglers that are less financially able to compete regularly and gain the exposure needed to draw in potential sponsors. You're just not going to get lucrative deals by fishing anything beneath this level. So again, we're back to all the anglers that may not be that great but have the cash to play. Just to be clear, I'm not saying it's 100% impossible for an average joe (who happens to be an incredible angler), with a modest income, to make and live out a dream in the Elites. It can certainly happen, if the stars align. I just think it's important to point out that competitive bass fishing has become less about the "best of the best" and more about "the best with the most money." There's a big difference there. There's no arguing that BASS wants to make this a mainstream sport. I'm just not so sure that can happen when you eliminate your potential stars before they even get a chance to shine. @1simplemann "Also why do Elites get to fish the Opens anyway? I view the Opens as the Minor leagues and the Elites as the Majors. Open guys can't just jump in elite's They have to earn their way in. Elite's shouldn't be able to jump down a level just so they can have a shot at the Classic because they didn't qualify." I think this is spot on. BASS wants to be a mainstream sport, but what other mainstream sport allows their pros to drop a level to compete against amateurs?

I have a 6'10 mh and 7'2 mh. I use the 6'10 for 1/4 - 3/8 oz football jigs for smallmouth and it's perfect. The 7'2, even though it's the same taper and power, feels quite a bit more "substantial." I use it for swim jigs and flipping jigs up to an 1/2 oz.

Tough call. I use all three with jigs lol. I actually think the Zodias is the most crisp. It's just really light and balanced with my Chronarch CI4. The others are honestly just as good, sensitivity wise, the Zodias just feels the best to me in hand...with the KLX a very, very close second. The Avid is great too, just a little tip heavy (7'4 H).

Based on what?

Sunline FX2 if you want 50 or 60lb. SX1 if you want lighter.