DocNsanE

The main reason I posted this topic is because I saw this video and he claims the 7'2"MH makes an excellent jig rod and this really surprised me given the softer tip.

That was my initial thought, I did see some posts when searching the forums from others claiming it was closer to a moderate-fast and did well with single hooks. Another reason I was curious what others thought of its applications.

so you think it's well suited for single-hook moving baits? Do you use it for bottom contact at all? (dragging/pitching a jig or a t-rig for instance)

Well I've been searching for the answer to this question myself, and the first thing I've discovered is there are a lot of options in this price range. For what it's worth, I've settled on the Daiwa Tatula 7.1:1. It can be found on Amazon.com for about $100-105. Looks like a very smooth reel and the TWS seems like a nice plus. You could go Type-R if you want the 8.1:1 but according to most, it's not necessarily more performing than the regular Tatula and will cost more so that's up to you. As I said though, there are a lot of quality products to chose from in this bracket. My second choice was a Lews, probably an LFS . But the Tatula just looks like a pretty sweet package for the price and that's what I'll be going for. Edit: sorry the Tatula I was referring to is actually a 7.3:1

I'm considering buying one of these two rods. I could go ahead and tell you what I want to use it for, but I'd be even more interested to hear what you would use them for. What application would you use these rods for?

caught two 4.5lbers in 2014, best was shy of 3lbs the year before. Had a week of insane fishing where me and 3 buddies landed over a 100 bass each day. Discovered how incredibly fun night time top waters could be. Caught fish using new techniques. I'll give 2014 an A-. I can't give it any better than that because then I'd feel like it couldn't get any better .

d**n that's another sweet deal, but the LH model is a 5.4:1 gear ratio and since I'm planning on using this for pitching t-rigs I'd like something a little faster. The Tatula from Amazon is looking pretty sweet. I'm curious how much that TWS really helps but a lot of the comments say it makes a difference, especially with pitching. Another plus. Thanks everyone for all of the recommendations!!

d**n that's a great suggestion! Only problem is I forgot to mention that I am looking for a LH retrieve and unless I am mistaken the reel you linked to is only being sold in a RH.

Lews Speed Spool LFS @ $100 Pro Qualifier @ $80 Daiwa Lexa High Capacity 100 @ $70 Daiway Tatula @ $100-105 (amazon) USED 2014 Revo SX @ $80 Other? I am looking for my first baitcaster. Planning on mostly pitching t-rigs with this. These four options are available to me and I have no clue which I should go for. Any other I should consider? If you think it's worth it I don't mind spending above the $100 mark. Thanks for your valuable insight! Edit: added Tatula to the list per recommendations in this thread in case someone else comes here for some ideas. I am currently leaning heavily towards the Tatula. Thanks again to everyone for the feedback.

I have an Elite Tech Small Mouth MXF 6'8" and I love it. I'd say it's a little softer than a true medium but still plenty of back bone. Fenwick make some pretty sweet rods for the price imo.

yeah it really all depends on the what lures you like to throw the most. It also depends on what kind of cover you fish.

it would help to know what technique you are have trouble with. As other have pointed out, the rod, line and hook will vary the technique you should use for your hookset. If you're using a heavy wire hook and fishing with a ML rod, you're going to have a hard time setting the hook regardless of how hard you smash it. In your case you mentioned a stout rod and braided line. If you are fishing trible hooks, you're going to want to be careful with the way you set the hook. In general, worm hooks and jigs I'll set the hook pretty hard in an upwards motion. Carolina rig I'll use more of a sweeping motion. Treble hooks I'll reel it in and sweep gently. The main thing to remember is to never set the hook with slack line. Reel in that slack before you set the hook otherwise you'll probably end up jerking the hook out of the fishes mouth.

Sounds like a fantastic purchase! When you say he can work within your budget, any clue what a "minimum" budget would have to be? I can't imagine he can build a high quality custom rod for $100? Probably starts closer to $200?

I own two of these reels and love 'em! That's a GREAT price! ...must....not.......buy........more!!!

ohh... they aren't going to cover the weigh-in? I guess I'll have to go to my meetings then.

Yeah watching from work... I've got meetings this morning that might make me miss the weigh in! I might have to fake an illness. edit: meant this afternoon

I didn't know they were doing this! Pretty sweet http://www.bassmaster.com/bassmaster-classic-live#

I am shopping for a new rod at the moment, winning this would just blow my mind

Yeah the lake does have some good pike in it good catch. And yes I'd say at one end of this big patch of grass there's a big crater like hole that goes down to almost 40'. At the other end there's not much there, but another 30 feet away another weed bed picks up and it drops off a little bit more there. Doesn't seem to produce as well in that area but it links to a point further down that has a shallow side and a very steep decline on the other side which again goes down to about 40' over a short distance. I can see how the vegetation might act as a highway of sorts between this structures. I just seem to find them more in the vegetation itself than on those structures. I guess that may be because they are safer from predators in this thicker cover. Thanks a lot guys for the input, I'll try to keep these things in mind. Sounds like cover doesn't necessarily have to be ON the strucutre, it can be the link between structures as well and be productive.

Hi! The topic covers my question. In the end I'm sure you'll tell me that cover on structure is the real money. But from my experience last summer on a lake I frequently fish, cover seemed to be the most important thing. There's a rather large bed of healthy weeds sitting on a slowly sloping bank between 8' and 15' of water that was always stacked with fish, yet there's nothing interesting in the structure at this point. Where as I found other areas with points, drop offs, ledges that would hold fish on occasion but were not as consistent. Is it just because the first weedbed I mentioned is likely home to many bass where as the structural areas are more likely routes the bass use to go from one area to another? I feel more confident that I'll find fish in an area with cover but little structure than if I find structure that has no cover.

The lakes I fish are packed with vegetation and I've never had any issues frogging with a 7' MH/F BPS Extreme Spinning. My friend has an *** Black and that rod is a little bit sweeter but you can get the Extreme for $80 at the moment as it's on sale (down from $100). In the $100 price range there are a lot of great rods to chose from. I also have a fenwick spinning but it's an EliteTech Smallmouth, a little above the price you are looking for, and it's another fantastic rod. I think the HMX would be another great option that wouldn't disapoint.

I've had some success with frogs on some days and on others I can't get anything to bite or I miss every strike. But I think the best tip came from BassinLou: take quick mental notes of what approach is getting the strikes. I've had days where I had to work the bait aggressively to get a strike and other days I'd walk it a little bit and then sit it over vegetation motionless for 10 seconds before a bass would come hit it. If whatever you are doing isn't working, change something up! I think it's also nice if you have a couple of frogs to work with. I don't care really what the top of the frog looks like since the bass won't see it. But I want to have a frog with a white belly, one with an orange belly and one that is all black. Frogging doesn't work for me every time, but when it works, holy moly is it ever fun.

My only concern with the Duckett rods is the lack of information they provide. For instance if I look on their website or on TW at a Ghost, I can see they have a 7'3" Heavy but I don't know the action or lure rating on the rod.

Yeah I'll probably be ordering online regardless of what I end up getting. Either *** or BPS depending on what I settle on. Thanks for the input guys!

I'm thinking of picking up a Johnny Morris CarbonLite casting combo in H/XF for my new pitching rig. For $30 more I can get the CarbonLite over a Pro Qualifier. Looks like it has better components, it's 3oz lighter, more bearings, and both the mag and centrigual breaks can be set without having to open the side-plate. Seems like it would be well worth the $30. But Pro Qualifiers seem to have such a huge following, and I can get that one in a 7.1:1 as opposed to a 6.4:1 on the CL. I'm not quite sure if I should just go with that instead? I'd also be open to any other suggestions in the $220 price range for a pitching combo. It doesn't have to be H/XF necessarily, but I'd like a rod that can pitch a decent distance into some thick cover and am looking for an easy to use LH retrieve b/c reel (it'll be my first b/c). I know a lot of you will just recommend that I go to the store and see how they feel in my hand but there isn't a BPS anywhere near where I live and the local tackle shops don't carry many of the brands I was thinking off (BPS, Lews, Powell, Ducket). I can find *** here and Abu Garcia and I'm pretty sure I would be really happy with a Revo SX on an *** Black but that would be a little above my budget. I feel kind of bad posting so many questions about pitching rigs lately but it'll be the most money I put on a rig to date and I really value this community's opinions.