MarkM

I just purchased my first dedicated jig rod. A 7'3" H Fast action Dobyns Savvy 735. It will also serve for flippin'/pitchin', small swimbaits, swimjigs, and frogs. I think you'll be better off in the long run with a rod slightly longer than 7'. Some might prefer a 7'6" or longer rod for the jig fishing. However, I'm...a...height challenged, so I wanted a rod longer than 7', but shorter than 7'6". The 735 was - for me - the right size. I'll probably be going with a 6.X:1 reel loaded with 50-60lb braid.

WooHoo! My Dobyns 735 arrived. Christmas comes early. Looks/feels like a great rod. Can't wait to try it out, but will probably have to wait a bit as the temperature has plummeted in FL this week.

I use a G. Loomis MBR843. It's a 7' MH Fast action rod. A 6'6" in the same action may be a "more manueverable" rod for giving action to jerkbaits and walking the dog, but I use what I got with a limited number of rods.

I bought one of the Shimano Bantams that had a lever that switched the retrieve speed from a speed reel (6:1?) to a crankin' reel (4.7:1?). It worked OK, but was pretty rough.

Got a Fed-Ex package from Hook up Tackle yesterday with Spro Aruku shads and Skinny Dippers. My Dobyns Savvy 735 from them should hopefully be here in a few more days. Can't wait. Heck of a deal ... for ~ $120 I got the rod and the baits! Gotta love Black Friday deals!!

I posted a question on here a few days ago about the same & asking advice on one of these rods or a Dobyns Savvy 735. Here is the link to that thread http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1290471115 I have held (in store only) one of the Tour series American Rodsmiths rods with the golf grip handle. I liked it - quite a bit, actually. The handle was very nice and the rod was extremely light in weight and appeared to be well balanced, although I did not test it with a reel in place. However, I'm not certain about the performance v price issue, which is why I inquired on this board. Apparently, no one one here has one of these rods. Everyone suggested the Savvy because they have both used them AND Dobyns customer service. I have read elsewhere that American Rodsmiths customer service/warranty can be spotty and warranty is rather short. Also, the owner of the small tackle shop where I tried the Tour series rod told me that it is very difficult to get rods from them with often long delays. This worries me a bit since if they are having difficulty delivering product, customer service may follow a similar pattern. I'd hope to never need customer service or file a warranty claim, however, it is nice to have classy customer service when/if the need arises. While it's not necessarily a purchase-breaker, it is a factor to be weighed on a rather expensive product.

I'm in on this if it can be worked out.

Looks like the TW discount is going land me a rod for froggin'. So, now I need some frogs. What has been your most successful colors especially fishing FL waters? I'm leaning toward either a Snag Proof or Spro Bronzeye 65.

How do you like the split-grip on the Savvy? I've never fished with that style grip. The grip was one thing that impressed me with the Wreckin' Stix. I wish the Savvy 735 was like the Champion with the full grip; I'd feel more confident with the purchase.

With the - hopefully - *** Black Friday sale coming, I was looking to get a rod that would serve multiple purposes for flippin/pitchin, soft swimbaits, and frogs. Yes, I'm aware that there is not a "perfect" rod that will do all of these, so I want the best rod with best compromises (~$170). Jigs/swimjigs will probably see more use on this new rod than the other techniques. Being "height challenged", I was interested in a slightly shorter than the standard 7'6" rod for this use. I've read on this forum great things about the Dobyns Savvy 735 so I probably couldn't go wrong here. However, I was in a local tackle shop this evening and felt some of the other American Rodsmiths rods (they didn't have the wreckin' stix line) with the golf grip handle and really liked the feel and weight. I was pretty impressed, although have no idea how it will actually fish. Unfortunately, no local dealer carries Dobyns rods - no one I spoke with had even heard of them - so it's impossible to make an in person comparison. So, my question is: has anyone used the wreckin stix rods, know of someone who has, or can offer an opinion as to which rod I should purchase - the Dobyns 735 or Wreckin Stix? With the Wreckin Stix, I'd probably choose either the swimbait model or football jig model since they have similar lure ratings as the Dobyns 735. Any opinions/help on this would be appreciated. thanks, Mark

I prefer 7' MH-F I use a G. Loomis MBR843C with a Curado 200E7. But, I don't throw spinner baits greater than 1/2 oz typically.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I went to Dick's today and picked up the 6'6" M/XF Shimano Compre. A couple of test casts in the back yard with a 1/8oz jig seem like this will work out for my purposes. Yeah, I probably would get a bit more distance with a 7' rod, but 6'6" is great for me. Nice rod and balance with the reel. I've read a few complaints about the notch in the foregrip. Personally, I like it...I have small hands and my index finger fits comfortably at this notch...should aid in sensitivity. Now, I need to get to the lake to put it to use!

Thanks for input. That makes my decision easier and where I was leaning. Looking at other rods in a slightly less expensive price range than the Powell, I really like the Shimano Compre 7' M/XF. Lure weights state the lightest is 3/16 oz, but would it be able to cast weightless plastics? Searching, I haven't found many rods of medium action capable of tossing 1/8 oz (or weightless) in the ~$100 range. The BPS XPS 6'8" can, but is this better than the Compre? What are your opinions on the Abu Veritas rods? They make a 6'6" M/XF. Just looking to find the best bang for the buck. I might drop the $$ for the Powell, just looking for other options to save some coin.

I recently purchased a Pfleuger President 6730 thinking of matching it up with a medium light rod, like the St. Croix Premier 66MLF or 70MLF (which has yet to be purchased), for use with lighter (<1/4 oz) and weightless baits for small pond bass. However, since purchasing the reel I've been second guessing what rod power I should get for this fishing and one that would be a little more versatile. I'm now considering one of the Powell rods like the 703 MEF, which seems to still be able to throw the light baits, but has more backbone. Is the 30 size Pfleuger too small for this rod? Which is the better choice - the Powell or the St Croix?

Just wondering what your favorite worm (style & size) is for t-rigging?

What would be the best color for fishing tanin colored water? I'll need both 4-6# for my spinning outfit and 10 or 12# for my baitcasters. Thanks.

Just wondering if anyone has tried these rods or has knowledge about them; they catch my eye. I know they can't possibly be the quality of G. Loomis (love my MBR843C), but curious. I'm looking for a medium-light spin rod to match to my Pfleuger President 30 series reel. Others I have in mind are St. Croix Triumph or Premier or BPS XPS Extreme ~$100 is my top end for the rod.

Go with the President, no question. Much better than the Sedona, IMO.

OK...so I'm gonna get it for going against Shimmano, but here goes. Personally, I like the Pfleuger President (just bought one yesterday). Very smooth reel for the price and slightly more expensive reels. I thought it was considerably better than the Sedona and the Sahara. I didn't like the feel of the Shimmano's I tested; they seemed a bit sluggish compared to the President. I didn't check it against the Symmetre or more expensive Shimmanos because I wasn't looking to spend that much on the reel at the time. IMO it's a hard reel to beat for $60. Now, to get it to the lake!

G. Loomis MBR843C

Just wondering if anyone has more information on a Quantum Xiron baitcast reel that's on buy-it-now on ebay. This is my first post so unfortunately can't post a link. Seems like it might be for UK market. A search turns up nothing but links to the same Ebay auction. I like the fact that it has an all metal frame and sideplates instead of carbon, but am apprehensive at purchasing a reel with so little information and one that was "purchased in bulk" without boxes. Any advice would help. I want to put this on my Med action Fenwick for topwater & jerkbaits.