strikefc34

Take a look at the Dobyns Fury 733...extra 3" will help in casting and recovering line on hook set. The 733 also makes a nice light spinnerbait rod, swim jig rod, and a regular size spook rod

If it's a dedicated treble hook rod I would consider the Fury 705cb too.

Bass Pro Extreme---Shimano Curado...topwater, cranks, jerkbaits Falcon Bucco---Lews...jig t-rig St Croix---Daiwa Tatula or Tatula ct 7:3:1 for spinnerbait, buzzbaits, whopper plopper, toad...etc both reels can be had for around $100 from Ebay or tackle trap

Jerkbait rod should also be good for topwater poppers, small topwater walking baits and squarebills cranks. I use a Dobyns Champion 704cb...for $109 or less Dobyns Fury 705cb would be a great option too.

If you can find a Dobyns 762sf champion its a great rod for swimming grubs, hair jigs and dropshot later in the year. The 7'6" gives you a lot of rod to play the fish with light line. For swimming grubs and hair jigs I would recommend nanofil line and at most a 6lb flouro leader. The nice thing about the bay is there is very little structure to worry about losing a fish too...just open water!!!

Dobyns Champion 764c

Used to catch a pile of smallmouths on the spider jig in rivers. Fished it on a ballhead throwing it to the bank and swimming it bank to the boat. Haven't done well on lakes with it.

when fishing smallies on a cloudy, windy day I love double willow/chartreuse blades with a white/chartreuse skirt in gin clear water.

jerkbait...maybe swim a grub

Smallies absolutely crush the plopper 90. Steady retrieve.

My all time favorite....fishing a championship on Shawano Lake, we had an early boat number and pulled up on a weedline. Next boat stops 30 yards in front of us and goes the same direction on the weedline. A third boat running about 70mph goes between our boats to get to the bank.

You tried to use the rod to "flip" the fish on shore when it was almost landed? That doesn't sound like a rod defect to me, sounds like a landing defect causing the rod to break

i'd try to catch a champion extreme 784ml used, great dragging rod

biggest issue wold be if sand/sediment got into the moving parts...spinning reel pull off the spool and hit it with some compressed air, bait caster I'd flush the worm gear with a little reel oil or wd40

pretty tough to beat the Dobyns 734 for an all around rod. Pick your price point from $109 to $250, not many baits that action won't handle well.