breezy

I'm looking to pick up a new rod to compliment my Savvy 734c (which I absolutely love). Use the rod to fish 3/8-5/8 jigs the majority of the time, but after indefinitely loaning a few rods to a friend it's also my only rod for hollow belly swimbaits, horny toads, 3/4oz+ spinnerbaits and larger senkos. My other rods that get the most use are a 7' M/mod-fast for small cranks/spinnerbaits <3/8oz and my 6'6 MH Veritas for spinnerbaits >3/8oz, large jerkbaits, topwater and all around general use. Ideally, I would like a rod that is more suitable for lighter 3/8oz jigs and t-rigs than my 734, but still be able to perform some of its duties. For example, if I have a toad on the 734 I would like to be able to use my new rod to throw a swimjig, hollowbelly or 1/2oz jig. I guess I'm looking for a rod that has just slightly less power than my 734. I've been so pleased with my 734 my first thought was, of course, to simply pick up a 733c I haven't completely eliminated it but half the fun for me is trying out new brands/models. To further complicate things a local store is closing down and has lots of rods marked down (unfortunately none of the Dobyns' I'm interested in). After looking through the store I've narrowed it down to a few: 1) Verdict 7' MH (~$95) - Compared to my Veritas the rod feels lighter (or better balanced) with a more comfortable grip. My main concern is the Veritas has NO tip whatsoever, and although the Verdict feels like it has more tip action in store it's hard to say. The extendable handle seems to be a bit of a gimmick but feels sturdy at least. 2) LTB Teaser 7' M/F (~$140) - Although it's rated a medium the rod feels stout enough to handle what I'm looking for with light jigs/t-rigs. Is it powerful enough to throw a 6" senko, 1/2oz jig, hollowbelly, etc though? Seems like it would be great for the lighter work but not enough rod for the other techniques I need. The rod also feels tip-heavy when compared to others but I think I could live with it. 3) Cumara (~$140) - Honestly I'm at a loss as to what power, action and length I should even be looking at here. I handled a few in store (not enough room to put all the models on display) and noticed a significant difference between the fast and xfast models. Any suggestions on what models I should check out? That turned into a long post quick . Right now I'm leaning towards the Verdict (or even another Veritas for ~$75) simply because I'm already close to blowing my tackle budget for the year. With memorial day sales on the way I could also pickup another Savvy in the ~$130 range so that's definitely an option. Just wanted to hear some opinions on what BR members would do

Agreed, I have one and don't think there's any noticeable play. If the whole handle assembly feels loose then it probably needs to be tightened with the directions above. IMO it's been a great reel for the price, mine has been beat up pretty bad and dunked in a pond/creek/mudhole more than a few times. Haven't had any issues with it in ~yr.

Looks like something from River Monsters

I don't own a Caenan and had never used one until the other day. The local tackle shop had one setup on a Compre along with a Curado/Crucial. There was a cup setup and I tried a few pitches with each. The Caenan definitely surprised me, it seemed like a very smooth reel and I didn't have any trouble pitching a 3/8oz weight a good distance. With that being said, if you can afford to spend a little more or shop around for a used reel I would recommend trying to go find something with an aluminum frame. Some recommendations would be a Revo S, Citica E, Bass Pro Pro Qualifier or a BPS Carbonlite. I have owned all of these at one point and wouldn't hesitate to pick up another of any model. As for which one, I feel it really boils down to personal preference. I wasn't too fond of the way the Citica felt in hand and was a little disappointed with the Revo's performance. If you can look past the Bass Pro label the Pro Qualifier and Carbonlite are really some great reels. You get a LOT of features usually only found on reels double their price and when setup correctly the dual braking is incredibly easy to cast, even for beginners. The Carbonlite is lightweight, has a carbon handle/eva foam grips and the DBS. The PQ is heavier but comes in a wide variety of gear ratios. If I was looking to pickup a NIB reel around $100 I would pick either of the BPS reels without a second thought. If you shop around you could also pickup a lightly used Curado or Revo SX/STX for not much more.

The "thumb trick" really does work well for clearing out backlashes IMO. I had never seen it until someone posted a youtube link a while ago. At the time I thought "How is that supposed to help any??" and of course I had to try it on my next professional overrun. I was surprised to find out it works very well. The trick is you need to have your drag tightened down so you can apply a lot of pressure with your thumb and still rotate the spool. Sometimes it does take several tries to get past a knot, and you may run into several knots, but I've yet to have a backlash it hasn't taken care of. Beats trying to pick the line out any day.

I would go with a MH/F casting rod and a M/F spinning rod. With those two you can fish pretty much any technique. Sure you may not be able to tie on a DD22 or other deep crank, but I don't see that being much of an issue in a pond. A MH/F casting rod is probably the most versatile rod in bass fishing. You should be able to cover just about every technique from jigs, plastics, horny toads, spinnerbaits, rattletraps, etc. The M/F spinning rod gives you the ability to throw all of the above where a lighter lure or more finesse presentation is needed. As for the length, IMO it is really personal preference, especially with 6'6 vs 7'. The 6'6 rod will give you a little more accuracy at the cost of distance and vice versa with the 7'. A shorter rod is also usually easer to work topwater baits like poppers/spooks and jerkbaits. The best length is going to be dependent upon your individual needs. If there are lots of trees or other obstacles around I prefer a 6'6 rod.

I would agree with what others are saying about a slight change in your lure or presentation. Sounds like you have the fish interested but not fully committed. If you think the fish are picking up the bait but you're missing it you may want to try using a heavy fluoro to flip instead of braid (if it's feasible in the cover you're fishing). I tried going to all braid for bottom contact baits last year because line management was driving me crazy with fluoro. While line management is MUCH better using braid I felt that the lack of sensitivity with slack in braid cost me a lot of bites. It may just be a confidence thing, but I feel in a presentation where you're letting a lure drop on slack line fluoro is superior to braid unless the cover forces you to use braid.

For me it has very little to do with "outsmarting" the fish and catching them on artificial bait or anything like that. In fact, if I just want to go have some fun or I'm taking people that don't fish I will often use live bait. Nothing beats a couple dozen shiners and a few of the private ponds I fish in. It may not be as 'sporting' as fishing with artificial lures but I will generally catch many more, and larger, fish. The biggest reason I enjoy bass fishing (or any type for that matter) is simply being outdoors and enjoying nature. It's nice to take a break from the corporate grind and for me there's very little that is more relaxing or enjoyable than fishing. Now if the question is why do I enjoy bass fishing in particular (compared to fishing for other species) the question is a little harder to answer. Bass fishing tends to be more competitive than other species--even outside of tournaments--which I enjoy. Bass also put up the best fight in my area, outside of stripers which are much more difficult to catch without a boat and the right equipment. To be honest though, I think bass fishing equipment plays just as big of a part in why I enjoy it vs other species. I am addicted when it comes to gear. Researching, purchasing, trading and using rods/reels is almost as entertaining as fishing itself.

For worms around 5" I like to use either 3/0 or 4/0. I'm not a huge fan of EWG hooks but for rigging a worm weedless they're hard to beat. If you're looking to just pick up a few basics, I think the following would be a great start: -3/0 to 4/0 EWG hooks (I like Gamakatsu or Owner) -1/8 to 1/4oz bullet weights With a couple packs of hooks, bullet weights and some worms you can catch fish anywhere on a budget. I'm also a big fan of t-rigging a senko style worm weightless. A 5" senko weighs around 3/8oz IIRC and you shouldn't have a problem throwing it on a baitcaster. You may also want to pick up some wacky rig hooks, or an Owner Mosquito/Gamakatsu Octopus style hook will double as a wacky rig and live bait hook. A wacky rigged worm seems to be irresistible to fish and is a great way to put fish in the boat.

With submerged stumps, laydowns, etc I like to use a jig + craw trailer, shaky head or a t-rig. These have just been the best producers for me, although from this post there are obviously many options. If the cover is a lot thicker (submerged brush) where even a jig will get hung up often I almost always have a senko style worm tied on. I will either t-rig it weedless or use it on a wacky rig (again, rigged weedless or sometimes with a hook guard). A weightless t-rigged senko will come through some of the thickest cover without getting snagged. And the best thing is if you do get it snagged, you're only out a worm or maybe a hook. Losing several $3+ jigs per day can get expensive quick.

Water temps have been quite a bit lower than usual here. Not quite in the 50's, but barely over 60. IMO, if the bass are nailing the spinnerbaits then keep throwing it. I've had some luck throwing spinnerbaits in submerged brush this year. Also, while throwing a spinnerbait, trap, etc I like to have another rod close by with a senko or some type of soft plastic ready to go. A lot of the times when you get a bite with no hookup on a spinnerbait, tossing a plastic back in that spot will get the fish in the boat more often than not.

While I have no personal experience with dealer cost of St Croix rods I would guess that's not too far off. Even if they're having trouble moving the rods I don't see the store selling them at a significant loss. I've heard the same statement several times after doing some research on the rod. We've had some bad weather here this weekend so I decided to stay home rather than go back by the store...but I have a feeling the Teaser will be in my rod locker this week. The Big Cranker seemed like a nice rod also but felt it was a little tip heavy. I will probably see how it feels with a reel on it and go from there. I hate to keep preaching about Dobyns rods, but after purchasing several I can't help but compare my other rods to them. The Big Cranker didn't seem to balance as well as a 705CB (more similar to a 764CB RM). It's not really an issue for a tip-down presentation like cranking but it's one of the first things I notice after picking up a rod. May just pick up the Teaser for now, then depending on how I like it make a decision on the big cranker. I appreciate everyone's feedback! Can't wait to pick up the teaser and try out some plastics

While IPT is a better measurement of how fast you can retrieve a lure, the gear ratio is a better indicator of how much effort it will take to retrieve a deep running crank. A good comparison is a car's transmission: it's easier to accelerate in a lower gear compared to a higher gear. That being said, I feel a rod has just as much (if not more) to do with fatigue cranking all day than a reel. I would rather have a 6.4:1 reel and a rod with a nice moderate action than a 5:1 reel and a flipping stick. If you're looking for a dedicated deep cranking reel on a budget you're going to be hard pressed to beat the BPS Pro Qualifier @ $100. A lot of people are thrown off by the BPS label, but I would bet in a blind test the PQ would outperform some reels even double its price. If the majority of your cranking will be with shallow and mid depth cranks then a 6.4:1 could give you a little more variety and there are LOTS of reels available in that ratio. Check out the for sale section here and other places and you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a lightly used reel for half the retail price.

I don't feel using a long leader cuts down on casting distance by any appreciable amount. I have a Revo spooled with 40# Sufix (which is 2 years old and I have never even flipped it to use the other end) and will often use 14# fluoro, 14# trilene XL or even a 17# trilene XT leader. Using an Alberto knot you can trim the tag end of the leader flush with the knot. As far as braid vs fluoro vs mono, it really depends on personal preference and fishing conditions. I use the above setup if there's a lot of vegetation, weeds, etc. The main reason I use a leader is to either help the lure sink/float, abrasion resistance and if you get snagged you're never going to lose more line than your leader. Last year I considered switching to all braid on my BC reels (except cranks). Line management with braid is an absolute dream and it is frustrating dealing with fluoro after using braid. After a while though I ended up going back to straight fluoro for 90% of my jigs, plastics, etc. Braid is just as sensitive, if not more so, than fluoro on a tight line...but you have very little sensitivity on a slack line. I felt that I was missing a lot of bites while the lure was falling on a slack line, where fluoro would transmit the vibration easily.

In that price range Pfleuger is the best bang for your buck IMO. The President is a great reel at $60, but I also have a Trion (MSRP $40) and there is very little difference. I have owned both and have been extremely happy with the performance, durability and value. As far as the 15# test goes, I wouldn't recommend it on a spinning reel in any of the sizes normally used for bass fishing. If you feel that you absolutely need 15#+ line go with braid. Although the initial investment may be a little higher, you will be able to use it for an entire season maybe 2-3+. I prefer Sufix Performance Braid or Sufix 832 but PowerPro should be fine and is available everywhere. Braid also practically eliminates any of the line management issues you see in spinning reels (particularly with higher lb test line).

You've got a ton of good options in the $100 and under price range. In addition to the Compre I would check out: Abu Garcia Vendetta(~$80) or Veritas(~$100) Bass Pro Carbonlite (~$100) Falcon Buccoo (~$100) I don't own the Falcon but do own both Abu rods and a Carbonlite. Both are GREAT rods for $100 or less and I wouldn't hesitate recommending either to anyone. I feel my Veritas is a little more sensitive than the BPS rod but it has a much stiffer action more suited to jigs, whereas the Carbonlite has a softer tip and feels more comfortable IMO. Unfortunately I don't own a Compre to compare to but have used a friend's several times. It's not concrete by any means but I feel the Veritas/Carbonlite may have a slight edge in sensitivity. On the other hand, I prefer the look and feel of a full cork grip and the Compre is the only rod without split grips. It's hard to go wrong with a rod in the $100 range anymore, try and handle whatever models you're looking at (with the reel you will be using if possible) and choose whichever feels most comfortable to you.

I don't know what it is about my area, but St Croix seems to be one of the least popular rods with Shimano and GLoomis at the top. While perusing the sale rack at another tackle store I noticed two more LTB rods on sale--the Teaser and Big Cranker (both newer models with split grips). After talking to the owner he said he is no longer carrying St Croix rods and is trying to clear out the inventory, but is still struggling even with these priced at $140 each. I will admit that I was not impressed at all with the rods in the original post (pitchin' and c-rig). To me they felt tip heavy, and although the weights are reasonable, their balance made the rods feel uncomfortable in MY hands. The main reason I was interested is simply the huge discount, but why bother if I'm not even happy with the rod in store? After checking out the LTB Teaser today my opinion about Croix rods did a 180. Although (IMO) even a Dobyns 703/704c seemed to balance a little better when compared side by side the Teaser felt just about perfect. My 734c handles all of my jigs, t-rigs, senkos, etc at the moment and I've been looking for a rod to handle lighter jigs, plastics, etc where my 734 feels overpowered. I only got to play around with it in store for a few minutes but it seems like the LTB Teaser is exactly what I'm looking for. I plan on going back to the store with a reel (probably a Zillion 100SHLA or Patriarch 71LP) to see how it balances and make a few test casts. Assuming I like the rod I plan on letting the owner know his competitor is blowing his inventory out at 60% off and see if he will come down any more. The Big Cranker is tempting also but I really like having a full handle on cranking rods. If he wants to move them that bad and starts to offer me some even better prices...well, who knows, I may be walking out with both of them After all I would be doing him a favor clearing out the excess inventory.

Also does anyone have experience with the St Croix trade in program? From the site it looks like your rod depreciates $10 per year, you pay $20 for shipping and the difference between depreciated value and MSRP of the rod you're upgrading to. $10/year just seems like a very low number. If this is true, I could purchase one of the rods, spend some time with it on the water and if I don't like it upgrade to a elite or extreme. I would have to pay more out of pocket but I would end up having very little in a high end rod. Not sure how old these rods are (when did they move to split grips?) but it sounds like I could have an extreme for not much over $200 invested total (depending on what year the rods are). This is sounding more and more like a deal I can't pass up. Wish you could trade down, I would love to pick up one of these LTB and trade down for a Avid MHM cranking rod.

That weight sounds comparable to most other rods of similar length/power in the Dobyns lineup, so I'm not sure why it felt so heavy in store. I've heard complaints about LTB rods in particular being very tip heavy so maybe this is what I was feeling. But compared to a Cumara, Veritas, even the low end Vendetta all these rods felt lighter (or balanced better). When I came home to look the rods up I noticed all the ones on TW were split grip but thought the ones in store were all full handle (which I prefer). At the time I thought it may have been a memory lapse, but I guess these are just an older model? The store actually had 4 LTB left (they had similar sales on Mojo, Avids, etc but none left): (2) LTB Pitchin 7'6 MH Mod/Fast (1) LTB CRig 7'3 MH/Fast (1) LTB Crig 7'6 MH/Fast When I looked online I did not see a 7'6 CRig rod so I assumed I had misread it instore, but now that I know they're older models I guess this is just a discontinued rod. Could you describe the 7'3 CRig rods? Maybe a comparison to any Dobyns, Loomis or Abu rods? Honestly I rarely fish a C-rig but it still seemed like it might be a nice stout jig pole. Do you use it for anything else, and if so what? As stated above it felt very heavy/unbalanced in hand but that all changes with a reel on it. Maybe I was just turned off by the telescoping part and let that sway what my hands actually felt, but the rod did not feel well balanced/light when I picked it up in store. I will bring a reel next time to see how it feels with a reel mounted on the rod. The price is almost too hard to pass up, I could almost buy it and resell online for a profit. The St Croix rods have been on sale for a while the rep said and this is just what's left. Thanks everyone else for the feedback. Since I have never owned a St Croix rod I was looking for some feedback (especially on these models in particular). By just holding the rods in hand I would have picked a Savvy over the LTB based on feel/balance alone, but that may all change out on the water. I've bought plenty of rods that I thought felt great in store only to become disappointed on the water...I'm sure it can be the other way around.

I don't own one but made a few casts and pitch on a demo setup they had. They had a curado on the identical rod too. It was honestly hard to tell a difference performance wise between the two. The reel felt solid and I would have assumed it was an aluminum frame. I prefer aluminum frames but that may just be for piece of mind. You can shop around and find a citica, revo s, etc under $100. BPS Pro Qualified is a great deal also at $100 MSRP

I stopped by a local shop I don't visit often and noticed they were blowing out their St Croix rods. They only had two models left (LTB) at 60% off. The two they had were: 7'3 MH/F C-Rig 7'6 MH/Mod-Fast (both telescoping) After handling the rods in store I wasn't all that impressed, especially at the $280 MSRP. They seemed heavy in general and not balanced at all. What is everyone's opinions on these rods? I might have been interested in the 7'3 but the telescoping part seems unnecessary and just adds weight. I don't have a pitching rig at the moment (not a technique I use often), but it may be worthwhile to pick up a nice rod at an extreme discount. So what does BR think? Just from handling the rods they didn't impress me compared to rods even in a similar price range while on sale (~$110). A Veritas, Verdict etc still felt much better in my hands. Would I see a huge increase in sensitivity with the LTB (enough to justify the weight issues)? Or is this just a good deal I should pass up?

It's hard to choose, all of my reels have been very dependable. Casting would probably go to my Revo S with my Zillion 100SHLA as a close second. I've yet to even have a major failure of any LP casting reel on the water so that's based on how it feels in hand as much as actual durability I guess. The Revo wins simply because it feels like a much more solid reel than lots in its price range. I've been extremely rough on mine and use it a lot fishing from shore because I can abuse it without feeling bad or fearing it will break. Spinning - Pfleuger Trion. Most of my spinning setups are 'low end' compared to casting but this is the cheapest and most dependable reel I own. Again, I use it a lot fishing from shore but this one really takes a beating. I could soak it in a mud puddle and still feel confident about the reel. It's been one extremely tough reel for such a low price. As someone else mentioned, I just wish they would scrap the stupid rosewood handle.

I bought a Patriarch 71LP on sale a couple months ago. So far it's been a great reel, similar to a Revo but feels a little smaller in my hands. I've been very happy with the reel and from what I've seen and read the finish seems to be much more durable than the Revos. That being said, if all your other reels are LH and using a RH reel feels awkward I wouldn't go out and purchase a RH reel. Yeah it's a good deal, but if you shop around and wait you should be able to find a good deal on what you want. The only reason I see to try out a RH reel is if you're left hand dominant and want to start holding the rod with your dominant hand, there may be some minor benefits. Otherwise if you're right hand dominant and already used to LH reels, the only advantage I see to RH reels is availability.

I've always used spinning reels in LH retrieve and casting reels with a RH retrieve. I wondered why BC reels were all in RH at the time, but that's what everyone used or even all that was available at times. After several years reeling with my right hand I started to think about trying out a few LH reels. Like stated above, IMO there are no positives for a righty reeling RH but I can think of a few for a righty reeling LH--but in the end I doubt it matters much. Picked up my first LH baitcaster a few months ago just to try it out. I was afraid I would have a hard time adjusting but after a trip or two it feels completely natural. For me, the LH reel is more comfortable and natural, plus it makes sense to use my dominant hand to hold the rod. If I could switch all of my reels over to LH by some magic I would do it in a heartbeat. Is it really worth selling/trading all of my reels and replacing with LH? I haven't really decided yet. It isn't awkward to use LH and RH reels, so that's what I'm doing now. Strongly leaning towards just giving in and moving to all LH reels. Every time I set down a LH setup and pickup a RH I ask myself why I stuck with them so long.

I generally fish a lot of open water also which factored into my decision to pick up this rod, I didn't think I would need the extra power. The weather this year may just be messing with me though...with all the rain we've had the submerged brush has been driving me crazy I'm sure if the lakes were at normal pool I would be fishing much lighter cover and therefore picking up the lighter rods more often. I'm sure it's much more likely to be my thumb. I usually have a trick worm or hag's tornado on a shaky head and I can cast a 1/4oz shaky head + worm reasonably well. It's just easier on spinning gear (especially <1/4oz) so that's what I use the majority of the time. If I were to actually spend time casting lighter lures I'm sure I could train my thumb a little better. I appreciate all the feedback, mainly I wanted to see what everyone else used similar rated rods for so I could confirm I was using the 'right' techniques or try some new ones. Until about 3-4 years ago I primarily fished for striper and at times think I may still be stuck in that mindset. It's really not necessary to have a heavy rod in open water when your average bass is less than a pound