SMITTY0045

I think a Kistler Carbon Steel would be perfect for what you are trying to do. It's a great rod: very sensitive, light, and tons of backbone. Personally I would get the 7' MHF but they do make a 6'9" MHF

Does anyone have experience with the this line? It looks like it gets good reviews and its cheap but I wanted to hear more about it.

If you don't like what they have in store, they have a ton more online

I really like the setup you chose, you'll be very happy with that. 17lb is pretty high for any spinning combo in my opinion. I wouldn't go any higher than 12 lb, but if you're using this set up as an all around combo, I would put 8-10 pound test in the reel

Personally I like Berkley Big Game and Sufix Siege. Both work great for me and neither line is too expensive

At $100 I would look into the Duckett Ghost line of rods, they are great rods, very sensitive and light. Sort of in the middle of your price range ($120) I would look into the Mojo Bass. These are high quality rods that are technique specific, and they are backed by a great warranty from St. Croix. For $150 my pic would definitely have to be the Daiwa Tatula. These rods absolutely amazing, you can feel everything your bait comes over and they absolutely will not break. If you want to spend a little more on your rods, these are the ones to go with. I hope giving you a few options helps you out. I own all of these rods and I can say you won't be disappointed with any of them.

I agree, couldn't have gone wrong with either reel

I have a couple of them. They are great reels for their price, IMO they are very comparable to the Speed Spools. I have had both of mine for a while and they've held up really well

I agree. I wouldn't look into the technique labeled on the rod. That model rod is a good of all around rod, so I definitely wouldn't limit it to just spinnerbaits

That Tatula is a great rod, incredibly sensitive and light (not to mention durable). If you can find it for less than the fury, definitely get the tatula

I am a Revo fan too. I just like my reels to feel the same no matter what rod I pick up, and the Revo lineup is what I prefer

I can speak for the Tatula. They are great sticks, incredibly light and sensitive, and he rod will last you forever. Highly recommend this rod

I have been wondering about these rods too. I'll be curious to see if they are a step up from the Tatula rods

Personally I like the Orra and Speed Spool. Either reel would be great

Another brand I would consider is Kistler. They make some great rods and I have been considering switching all of my rods over to them as well. I would also recommend Daiwa ( great quality rods that will last forever), and as everyone else has pointed out, you can't go wrong with St. Croix

I use 15# fluoro ( always go fluoro in clear water). You could go up to 20# depending on the lake you're fishing as well

I agree with the size of rod and the line, that would be my recommendation too. As for your question about why people use braided line around grass is that it can take more strain when trying to pull a big bass out of cover. It will not stretch, which will give you more leverage on the fish to get it out of the cover, and incase you have to pull in a large pile of grass or moss with the bass, the braid will hold up just fine.

So TW just added all of the new Classic releases to their site and the Daiwa Cronos rod caught my eye. The starting price was at $169.99, which made me wonder if this was the new replacement for the Tatula rods, or if this was a completely new line up that Daiwa is introducing. Either way, I would be excited to try one out because they look like some sweet rods. Your thoughts?

I would say the 25 size of it comes in that

I like using it with jigs too. I'm sure it would work fine for other applications as well

IMO it really just comes down to preference. I think that conventional guides are more durable and I can't stand to throw braid on micro guides so I would go with the conventional guides. But again, it really just comes down to what you like

I wouldn't necessarily say they are overly stuff for their rating, but I guess they are a little on the stiffer side ( which I prefer). I think you'll be fine with either power

I have the 7' MH Duckett Ghost and it is an incredibly versatile rod. Very sensitive, light, and durable. I highly recommend this rod

Where can I find the deal at?

I would say so. I have a Revo SX on mine and it seems to balance very well. As Allen pointed out, they aren't near as tip heavy as the old ones so it's easier to balance out