Whets Lines

I don't have a lot of experience with rods other than St. Croix. I do have a Kistler 7' MHF and a St. Croix LegendXtreme 7' MHF. The kistler MH is way stiffer than the St. Croix. To me, that Kistler I have is junk compared to the Xtreme. (Ok, that's harsh, but I really don't like it.) I do not think a MH Xtreme will be too heavy for you. For my arsenal, which I'm not going to get into, my Xtreme 7'MHF is my go-to rod. It is my favorite. I feel it is extremely versatile for the way I fish. I have a bunch of rods so I don't have to constantly re-tie baits; but at times, I find I do anyway just to use this rod. You will not go wrong with a MH or a M. I just think you can do more with the MH. Be careful though, buying a St. Croix can lead to a serious rod-buying addiction. Good Luck. Whets

I have had multiple reels serviced by DVT. I've been extremely pleased with the quality of the work, the quick turn-around, and the communication. I also had Mike build me a custom rod. I knew what I wanted, or what I thought I wanted. Once Mike started asking me questions, I realized I had a lot to learn. The good thing is Mike took the time to educate me. When the rod finally arrived, I got a great custom rod, great service, and a pleasant surprise when I got the bill. Even without his member discount, the price was well worth it. I'm saving up for another one. Whets

Go out and get some 4/0 EWG hooks and a package or three of Rage Tail Shad. Throw them into the lilies and hold on. Whets

It is interesting how my favorites change as I learn more about bass fishing and discover new baits. This year, my hands always seem to grab my 7' MH St. Croix LegendXtreme paired with a Shimano Curado 201e7 spooled with 17 lb. XPS Fluorocarbon. These rods are just amazing. This setup just feels right in my hands. It always feels weird to set this one down and pick up another one of my setups. Whets

I've had no problems using clips. I actually started doing it after reading KVD's book. Who knows if he still uses them, but he seems to have some luck with cranks. For what that's worth... Whets

My favorite rod is the one in my hand with a fish on the end of the line. (Yep, that's the best smart-alec comment I could come up with.) Seriously, if any of you have read my posts, I'm always touting the virtues of St. Croix. I like their product and their company. I'm confident with a St. Croix in my hand. That's the main thing for me. I have recently branched out and bought a Dobyns Champion Series rod, a Kistler Z-Bone, and an Elk River Custom Rod. I like all of them. However, I firmly believe the warranty and trade-in policy of St. Croix is second-to-none. I think the Dobyns and Kistler are great looking rods built to high standards. I would get more if I needed more and had the right deal come along. These are always interesting threads to read. One other thing, I think too many people are putting way too much emphasis on how a rod balances while holding it in the store. While fishing, I don't really ever notice if a rod is tip heavy or handle heavy. I do notice the action and sensitivity though and the power needed to pull fish from the weeds or set the hook from a distance. Rods need to be fished... Just my $.02. Whets

I fish a heavily pressured small lake here in southern Wisconsin. It is gin clear most of the time and very weedy. I've had great luck fishing at night using top-water baits like many others have mentioned. Two baits I particularly like but have not seen mentioned yet are the Rage Shad & Rapala DT-1. I like the Rage Shads around the lily pads. Over the submerged weeds, I've had great success with the DT-1s. They do not really dive to 1-foot. They are more of a big fat wake bait. I've gone so far as to have a couple of DT-1s custom painted black specifically for night-time fishing. I think the DTs must be being discontinued because every Gander Mountain I've gone into has them deeply discounted. Good Luck. Whets

Hey Fishindad, welcome to the forum. I use the St. Croix Avid AVC70MHM. I love this rod. I upgraded to this rod after a season of using the Mojo with the same power/action. I liked the Mojo but loved the Avid. I could have upgraded this one too, but I like it too much to mess with getting anything else. It will handle everything you want to use. For me, I love the full handle on the Avids when compared to the LTs (or Mojo). I can't comment on the Falcons because I've never used one. Go with the Avid and don't look back. I do caution you though; if this is to be your first St. Croix, be aware you will want to buy more. My bait monkey is especially fond of their rods. Whets

If you want to get your dad a quality rod which will have the power to fish for bass in a lighter action, take a look at the St. Croix Eyecon line of rods. My dad is the same way and when he handled one of these rods at a local show, he just had to have it. He got it to fish for crappies, but he now regularly uses it for bass fishing. Take a look at the ECS70MLF. This is the St. Croix Eyecon spinning rod, 7' medium-light fast action. If he isn't in to the split grip, take a look at the Premier Spinning rod of the same length, power, and action. Both rods use the same blank. If you really want to step up and get him something special, go with the Avid, AVS70MLF. Good luck. Whets

I can't really comment on which brand of rod to get in your price point. Take the others' advice there. However, I would say you will be fine with a medium-heavy rod if that is what you want. Just remember, everyone's rods are different. For example, my medium-heavy Kistler Z-Bone rod is more like a heavy action when compared to my medium-heavy St. Croix Legend Xtreme. The terminology for each brand compares to other rods in the brand's lineup...not other brands. I would also suggest getting a 7' rod. Once you get used to it, you'll want all longer rods. Now when it comes to line, do not have BPS spool up your reel for you. In my opinion, that is a big, expensive, rip off. If you want some stretch in a good line, give Seaguar InvizX a shot. It is a quality fluorocarbon line with a bit more stretch than others I have used. It is very manageable and moderately priced. You could also look into the BPS XPS fluorocarbon line. I've been very pleased with it. Good luck and happy shopping. Whets

It sounds like you are pretty partial to Shimano. I can't say as if I blame you. I've recently add some Curados & Citicas to my arsenal. I do have one Dobyn's rod and so far I'm very pleased with it. It is a heavy action rod which I'm using for flipping and frogs so I can't say how sensitive it is. However, since you asked for advice in the way of suggestions for rods to pair with your reels I'm going to steer you towards St. Croix Avids. I believe many people will agree with me that the Avids are the best bang for the buck in the St. Croix freshwater lineup. Here is what I would do. 50E - AVC68MXF (6'8" Medium Extra-Fast) - Topwater and/or Jerkbaits 200E5 - AVC70MHM (7' Medium-Heavy Modular) - Crankbaits 200E7 - AVC70MHF (7' Medium-Heavy Fast) - Spinnerbaits, all-purpose 200E7 - AVC70MF (7' Medium Fast) - Buzzbaits, senkos Citica - AVC66MHF (6'6" Medium-Heavy Fast) - Texas Rigs & Pitching. I like shorter rod for pitching. It could serve for both techniques. The price points on the Avids are right in between the Crucial & Cumara. Honestly, I've never fished with any of the Shimano rods so I can't say how they compare to the St. Croixs. I use almost exclusively St. Croix rods simply because once I started using them, I couldn't stop. Maybe you use these for a year or two and then you can start sendnig them in to St. Croix as credit towards a higher-end rod. I don't think you can do that with the Shimano rods. I hope this helps. Whets

I agree, on the surface, it seems odd. However, put it into the context of hunting. Even on your own land, you can not harvest deer out of season. It is the same principle. Whether it is catch and release, technically, you are not to target bass out of season in Wisconsin. The long arm of the DNR is very long. If they see you are on private property fishing, they can come up and check for licenses and illegal fish. Whets

I bought a Citrix on a whim just to give something else a try. When the reel arrived, I thought it looked great and it paired up nicely with a Elk River Custom Rod I recently purchased. The reel feels a bit cheap compared to some of the other reels I have. But, I do have some more expensive reels. I have found the reel casts very nicely. There is plenty of adjustment and I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to cast and how forgiving it is. I didn't have high expectations for this reel and I'd have to say it has surpassed all of them. My main complaint is this reels sits higher in the reel seat than other similar low-profile reels. I would actually recommend this reel for new baitcaster users. I could engage all weights and adjust the reel brakes a bit tight for my girlfriend. After just a couple of casts and some advice, she began to feel very comfortable with the reel and was casting backlash free. On the whole, I have been pleasantly surprised with this reel. It really casts easily and far with little effort. It is very forgiving and if you can get past a bit higher sitting reel, it really looks great and works great. For comparison, I have used Quantums, Shimano Curados, Revo Winches & 09 premiers. I also have Daiwa Excelers and a Zillion. It isn't as refined as the high-end Quantums I owned (but sold) or the Zillion. It feels a bit like a taller sitting Exceler but casts farther. Overall, I would recommend this reel but would suggest you mount it on a rod to be sure you like the feel. My girlfriend loves it because it has instilled confidence in her baitcasting abilities and she likes how it sits on the reel seat. Hope this helps. Whets

As I gear up for another bass fishing season here in Wisconsin, I had some reels which required some expert servicing. I have had Mike at Delaware Valley Tackle tune a couple of reels and he even build me an excellent micro-guide St. Croix-blanked rod in the past. Today, I received back the three reels I sent to Mike to get serviced. As always, his communication was excellent, his work impeccable, his discounted pricing pay-check pleasing, and his turn-around service exceeds all expectations. Thanks much Mike. If you don't want to tackle your own reel services, be sure to give Mike the opportunity. Also, thanks Mike for sponsoring this site. Whets

For me, I think a good 7' medium-heavy fast rod is a great baseline rod. If I were to start over, this would be the rod I'd start with. Using the advice of previous posters, I'd then stay with this brand (for the most part) and move towards another powers/actions as I learned new baits and techniques. If you can't try other people's rods, this is really the only way to go. Start in the middle and add from there. For example, maybe you start using crank baits and you feel you are pulling the bait away from the fish, but like the power of the rod, then you know you can try a medium-heavy in a slower action. Or maybe you are flipping/pitching into cover and you are constantly afraid you are going to lose the fish because you don't have the power to pull it out. You can then get a heavier power. Basically, to me, medium-heavy is a good starting point for largemouth bass fishing. I'm a St. Croix guy and commend your choice. You will be very happy with Avids. Good luck. Whets