Tywithay

You can use it until it's no good. When you can grab it and break it with your hands, it's time. I always check it a bit before I go out. If memory becomes an issue, use better quality line. It's cheaper to spend $30 on a spool for a year than to spend $10/spool and change it 5-6 times a year.

Wish I had a time machine then because split grips are worthless.

Those rods are not made by Gary Loomis. He just had a small consultation role in the design.

Anytime you see these threads, people just throw out whatever they're using because everyone's favorite thing is "the best." That said, having used the Quantum Smoke, Revo Stx, Lews Tourney Pro, Tatula Type R, and Curado I, all of which can be found in your range; I still think the Tatula is my favorite of the bunch overall. A close second would be the new Curado. I ended up only keeping my Shimano and Daiwa reels after trying just about everything. The other companies just felt less refined to me.

NEWS15

KLX, Avid, Dobyns has a couple models with full, Loomis Mossyback, GL3, clearance old model IMX. You can also get a custom ALX with full cork for around $250.

Kistler KLX is the best rod that you put down, by far. It's easily as sensitive as the ***, at a lot less money. It's a cleaner build than the others as well. You can use a coupon code to save 15% which nullifies the shipping cost. At that price, it's pretty much a no brainer, unless you just like the looks of the other rods.

I use backing all the time because fluoro is expensive at $30ish a spool (for the kinds I like anyway). I bought a 2000 yard spool of 12lb line at Cabela's, think it was like 6 bucks and use that. I purposely got bright red line for backing, so when it starts showing after a cast, I can tell how far I am getting down.

I bought a bottle of KVD a while back, but haven't seen much improvement personally. Sprayed it on Tatsu, Sniper, and Shooter. They may be slightly more limp, but not enough to really wow me. I'm still unconvinced it has much affect on a good fluorocarbon. One of the biggest selling points of fluorocarbon is the fact that it is nearly impervious to absorption. Maybe cheaper lines with more porous resins are more susceptible to water absorption than higher quality lines? I'll continue to use the stuff, but I've already sprayed my spools a half dozen times between spooling them up and just randomly when I walk through the garage and haven't noticed a big improvement.

They're one of, if not the, most sensitive rods I've used. Only reason I wouldn't have a full rack is because you're limiting yourself to the actions and tapers in their line up. I really like the taper and action of my Edge 705, and I can't get that with an NRX necessarily. Plus, sensitivity isn't everything, depending on the application.

I use 20lb Shooter.

I like 12lb Super Natural

Mono is sensitive enough. People catch fish with it all the time without issue. A high end fluorocarbon only enhances sensitivity. I think the rod influences sensitivity more than the line, but a combination of rod, line, overall weight, and everything else, working together completes the lineup.

Copolymer is basically just as soft as nylon line and not very sensitive. If you want more sensitivity, fluorocarbon is the way to go. Fluoro will affect your topwater stuff though, because it sinks. I think that deep running crankbaits might be a bit of a load with that rod.

I have two spinning setups. One for weightless plastics and shakyhead, one for dropshots. I like the former to be a bit stiffer than the dropshot.

I like too many different rods to just stick with one. Soon I'm going to start building my own though, so I can just pick what I want.

I'd look at McCoy mean green, seaguar senshi, or if you want to step up to the best, get Sunline Defier Armilo.

They're quite nice. Very light for the price point. There's also a new Ethos Nano rod that's supposed to be even nicer, though I haven't handled those yet.

If you live near Dicks, might be worth checking out the Field and Stream Tec Spec Elite rods as well. I've only sparingly used the Carbonlite, but I prefer the feel of the new Browning Superlight, personally. The 6'6" MH Carbonlite I had was slightly tip heavy and just didn't feel good. Also, didn't care for the little foregrip nub past the locking nut, it flared outward and felt awkward on my finger. I'd think tapering it to the rod would be a better design. The Superlight has a nice foregrip that is attached to the locking nut. The Superlight also has nicer guides.

They're built with the same base material as the ***, blanks aren't the same. They're comparable to the *** in terms of sensitivity. They're slightly tip heavy, and just a little heavy overall, but for the money they're pretty nice rods. Bonus: they match the slew of black/red reels the market is flooded with.

For jigs, sensitivity is a premium. Because of that, I'd consider a ***. It's far and away the most sensitive $100 rod. If you look around, or wait for a sale, I'd recommend the Daiwa Tatula rods even more so. Out of the three you mentioned, I prefer the Compre. I'd encourage you to look for sales on the Crucial though. My local gander has several of them marked down to $109. They can't be the only one.

7'11 Heavy moderate rod screams big crankbaits to me. I think the MH would be more than sufficient, unless you plan on throwing really big baits. Also, keep in mind that St Croix rods fish a little more powerfully than some other manufacturers with the same rating. A MH St Croix is going to be closer to a H for most other rods.

I had a Metanium DC on mine, weighs 6.9oz, and it balanced right at the front of the foregrip. It's not a very large foregrip though, so that's only an inch or so in front of the reel. A moderate taper should balance a little better, as I had the faster model, which weighs a little more. I think you'll be pleased, they're fantastic rods.

Reels weren't made to be anything other than reels, fish with it.

I've handled them and they feel good. They're a bit tip heavy, but nothing extreme. I've been mulling over buying one myself.