breezy

I'm assuming you're talking about the Savvy series, correct? If so TW has a pic of the 766flip handle at the top of the page, and I agree it is a little misleading. That is the ONLY rod in the Savvy lineup that has a full grip and non-exposed reel seat. Every other Savvy casting rod is split grip with an exposed reel seat. No clue why TW would put the one rod with a different handle as the main picture.

x2 I bought my first Dobyns (a 734c) without ever handling one based on all the positive reviews I read on forums. I couldn't decide if it was internet hype or actually true so I had to decide for myself...and I'm very glad I did. You're going to love the rods.

I'm still on the fence about split grips. I go back and forth between split vs full in ergonomics and aesthetics. Other than those there is very little difference in weight, etc IMO. I just wish more manufacturers would offer both split and full handles...seems like the majority of all new rods are split grip. Just like LH reels, give us some options!

I picked up a 7' M/F Carbonlite in a trade last year and now I'm having some trouble putting it to use. I expected it to be similar to the Abu rods (i.e. under rated) but it's not. The Clite has a very soft tip and is more similar to my Dobyns' rods than Veritas etc. It's similar to my SS733c with less backbone, so I would imagine it's close to a 702c although I've never handled one. Currently have a Patriarch LP spooled with 10lb fluoro on it and have been fishing shallow cranks, shaky heads and small t-rigs/jigs. The problem is any shaky head or t-rig heavy enough to cast easily with a baitcaster seems to overpower the rod. It works OK with shallow cranks but more often than not I find myself wanting a little more power. At this point I leave it at home quite a bit, which is a shame because the rod is light, balances perfectly, very comfortable and sensitive (for its price). I've thought about putting some mono on to use with poppers, jerkbaits, flukes etc. Still, the majority of my jerkbaits are flashminnow 110s and pointer 100s, and at 5/8oz are at the max lure weight of the rod. I believe it would work with my zell pops and pop-r's but I'm so used to using a 6'6 rod for topwater it feels awkward. So before I sell/trade this rod I thought I would see what others would use this rod for. I really like the rod and hope to put it back into regular rotation so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Definitely a great deal! Wish I would have known and grabbed one. Been looking for a while but they're not up for sale often it seems

I feel the same way about my Carbonlite compared to my Revo S and Citica (which I no longer own). The only reason I still have the Revo is the 20+lbs of drag is nice to have at times. Other than that I feel the Carbonlite is a superior reel in every way. Better handle, better ergonomics, smoother retrieve, lighter, dual braking, etc. I just hate the BPS badge on the side

Thanks, that's what I was looking for. I don't throw deep cranks often but I could definitely use another rod to throw swimjigs, hollow belly swimbaits, traps, etc. As stated in the original post I was really skeptical of the 'moderate' rating from my experience with their rods.

I've been thinking about trying one of these out also, would be interested to hear any reviews. I don't own any of the lower end Daiwa reels so I really have no idea what to expect. How would it compare to a BPS PQ or similar? I have a Carbonlite that I love but always looking for different options.

Does anyone own the 7'3 MH/Mod Vendetta? I can pick a few of these up cheap but I'm skeptical of the 'moderate' rating. I even checked several sites to make sure it wasn't a typo. I already own two MH Veritas casting rods and a M Vengeance spinning. I've been pleased with the Veritas as far as sensitivity, balance, etc...but all of the rods have a very fast tip. Comparing my 7' MH Veritas to Dobyns 734, they feel similar in power but the Dobyns has a much softer tip. Not the biggest fan of the reel seat but I can deal with it for the price. My main concern is, is the 7'3 MH/Mod approaching 'moderate' at all? I've been thinking about picking up a rod for deep cranks but it's not a technique I use that often. I just can't imagine the rod having too much of a parabolic bend after dealing with the other models, but will it do in a pinch to throw some deep cranks? I'm thinking it may work well for lipless cranks, hollow belly swimbaits, etc, which may work since I like to save my 734 for bottom contact baits.

I've had a Black Max (basically the same reel I believe) for 2 seasons now without any issues. It's not the best reel by any means, but I picked up a rod/reel combo for $60 and it was hard to beat at the time. After almost 2 years it doesn't feel quite as 'tight' as it did when new, don't know if there's something wearing out or if this is just an effect of the graphite frame. I think you'll be happy with the reels but in the future you may be better off saving a little more to purchase something like a Revo S or other aluminum framed reel. They should be much tougher and last longer (in theory at least)...I was honestly surprised the Black Max has went this long without any issues. As for the brakes, you probably have the reel adjusted wrong, but IMO the mag braking on most cheaper real just isn't that good to begin with. Adjust the spool tension knob (by handle) until the lure barely drops and you don't get any backlash when it hits the ground. Then put the mag braking on 7-8 or whatever and work your way down.

You should be able to do the majority of your fishing using a 6'6-7' MH casting rod and a 6'6-7' M spinning rod. Depending on your area, cover present, the rod manufacturer and preferred techniques you may even consider going down to a ML or up to a MH on the spinning rod. For 90% of techniques/presentations this will be all you'll need, especially at first.

I don't use any sort of color coding. I have too many combos right now but I'm actually trying to cut back or otherwise maybe I would. A big part of my fishing enjoyment is tackle in general so I like to purchase from a variety of manufacturers/product lines. As a result most of my combos vary enough it is easy enough to identify with a quick glance. If I had them stored in a rod locker or some setup I could only see a portion of the rod I'd probably use some colored tape like you. Rod jackets of some sort are on my next to buy list. I'm always fishing as a co-angler and worry about damaging the rods moving them around as much as I do. The peace of mind would definitely be worth the small investment. Haven't decided if I will go with a 'name brand' company or one of the many small one-man businesses that also produce them.

That site had them on sale for $130 for a St. Patty's day sale (that lasted a week). I price matched with TW and ended up paying $135 shipped 2-day As for the reel it feels very solid and well built (as does the revo). My Revo S has been a workhorse but it isn't the best casting reel I own. The Patriarch wins that easily in my experience. Revo has a better drag, but depending on the application it's debatable if that's really even worth considering. I've heard Pfleuger's finish holds up much better than the Revos (which get rash pretty easy IMO)...that may be so but the shiny finish can drive me crazy with fingerprints/smudges.

I bought one around that price very recently. It wasn't mint but not beat up either. Can't wait for it to show up monday As for the Dobyns, you'll love it.

From what I understand they changed the braking system and also added additional magnets. I've heard lots of 09 SX owners say they had to keep the brakes at 7+ just to get any braking. I've used a 2010 SX and thought it cast very well, which impressed me because I dislike most mag braking reels I've had.

That makes sense. Because a rod is not perfectly balanced to begin with, doesn't the weight of the real become a factor at that point? The closer the balance point of the rod is to the reel seat, the less important reel weight becomes. I have some rods where I prefer a heavier or lighter reel, and others that it doesn't seem to make a difference. With my Dobyns 734 for example, a 7oz vs 9oz reel might move the balance point 1/4".

It just takes some time. My biggest problem is holding the loop correctly so I can still easily wrap the braid. Seems like I can never remember what worked last time I'm curious though, once you make X number of wraps and start making X number of wraps back down, do the wraps have to be spaced correctly between each other? Or can it be a little more sloppy? Hopefully I explained that well enough for someone to understand...it's late

If the Veritas is in your price range why even consider the Vendetta? I haven't personally owned a Mojo but I would definitely recommend the Veritas. The 7'3 MH should be a great all around rod for jigs, frogs etc.

I was in the same boat as you but very happy with the Savvy rods after using them.

I've been eying these for a while now. Tournament Pro is lightweight, good price point and aesthetically pleasing. Graphite cranking sideplate always makes me think twice about a reel, but I've never had an issue with any of the ones I own and it seems this is becoming the norm. The $200 price point is definitely a competitive area. I would like to see how this stacks up vs the smoke and even the Premier since you can find them on ebay for about that.

All of the water around here is very high and muddy. I don't think I have even caught a fish since all of this rain. :'( Can't wait for things to warm up and hopefully clear up a little too!

That picture makes the striper look absolutely enormous. Not that it's a small fish by any means. As much as I love bass, it's hard to beat the fight a striper puts up for a freshwater fish. So basically you're rigging the bait by running the line under its scales? And it's rigged 'backwards' too? Definitely interesting. When using shiners I just hook it through the nose/top lip just in front of its brain. Simple and effective.

This year I hope to focus on some techniques I don't use as often: crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits...basically reaction baits in general. Seems like I may be backwards than most as lots start with a crank/spinnerbait. I fell in love with jig fishing from the start and that has caused me to focus more on plastics/finesse techniques than anything. I would also like to use a dropshot more. When the temp starts to climb in the summer lots of tournaments are won using a DS in deeper water. I've tried a few times but have absolutely no confidence in the technique. I think the main problem is equipment; the lightest spinning rod I have is a Med Vendetta which feels very stiff for its rating. From descriptions I've heard of good dropshot rods it seems my rod is really lacking in the lighter tip action necessary.

Does anyone have experience with the frog toggs that are ~$50? I have some good cold weather rain gear but I'm currently using some really cheap stuff from walmart when it's warmer. It keeps me dry but I hate the design and don't expect them to last very long. I don't want to spend much but the frog toggs seem to get mixed reviews on the BPS site.

I prefer mono but have used fluorocarbon when other baits are tied on rigs with mono etc. It does give the lure a different action but I wouldn't necessarily say it was bad. As for pulling the hooks out with fluoro I wouldn't worry about it. There have been plenty of tests that show fluorocarbon has about the same amount of stretch as monofilament. Unless you're using braid I think this has more to do with the action/power on the rod than line.