kstephes033

At one time I owned 3 743c. They are awesome rods and great balance, but the sensitivity wont be anywhere near a loomis.

Daiwa has some odd ratings for some of these new models (Walters jerkbait, both Cory Johnston's 7'5" rods, Chris Johnston's hair jig). That being said, the Feider rod is too light or action for me. It felt like it would be best with a tatula 70sv and used for 110 jr's and the like. I had one for a short time and it just didn't feel right with a standard 110 or anything above that in weight, so my vote would be the new Walters rod.

No, balance on most NRX's are nowhere near a Dobyns balance and that is a well known gripe with NRX's, however the 843 should be short enough that the balance is fine.

So here is my setup/thinking on each. Frog - casting setups. 7'2"-7'4" MH to H, fast... This will depend on cover thickness, MH if in sparse or H if thick, i run 50LB braid no matter what. I personally like the MH better because it is easier to walk a frog, but i do have a H for when it is needed. 8:1 reel for picking up slack and skiing those fish across the surface if possible. crankbait (shallow, medium, deep, lipless) - casting setups. 7'0" M Moderate for squarebills with 12 or 15lb floro and 6.#:1 ratio reel. 7'3-7'6" MH Mod for anything mid again 6 ratio and 12lb floro, deep i dont get into much but use a 7'10" H Mod with 12lb floro and 5.5:1. All are graphite as it is easier to rip from grass up here. Lipless i use my lighter T-Rig setup jerkbait - casting setups. 6'6"-6'11" M fast or mod fast, length will depend on what allows you to jerk down without slapping water, 12lb floro, and i like a 6 ratio reel as i tend to pull too much slack up if i use a faster reel and move the bait which is a no no. buzzbait - casting setups. 7'2"-7'4" MH F and 50lb braid 8:1 reel, same as my lighter cover frog rod. tr worm (beaver/craw/etc) - casting setups. 7'1"-7'6" depending on weight and cover. Lighter stuff (1/4-3/8) i run a 7'2" MH Fast 15lb floro 8:1, 1/2oz 7'3" H 20lb floro 8:1. dropshot - 2 spinning setups, 6'10" ML fast or M Mod fast 15lb braid 8lb leader for lighter weights, nose hook, and vertical dropping. 7'0" M Mod Fast 15lb braid 8 or 12lb leader for bigger weights and plastics and casting. ned - 6'10"-7' ML 15lb floro braid to 8lb leader. spinnerbait - 6'10" to 7'3" MH Fast 15lb floro and 6 ratio, shorter for target casting longer for covering water/long casts/etc. jig (football, swim, finesse) - Flipping jig, 7'3" or 7'4" H Fast 20lb and 8:1 reel. There are not a ton of great jig rods and i am always on the search but something in that range will always work. I fish a jig in heavy deep weeds so very particular about my rod as it is much different than fishing in sparse weeds or rock/wood/etc. Rock/Football, 7'4"-7'6" MH F 15lb floro to get longest casts and i use a rock jig that has a little lighter wire hook so i dont go up to a H. Finesse or compact 7'3" MH Mod Fast 15lb floro and 8:1. flipping/punching - 3/4-1oz 7'6"-8' H to XH Fast or mod fast all depending on rod brand and i run 50lb braid and 8:1 (you are going more reaction or breaking through heavy cover where braid will "blend in" with the surrounding weeds so no need for floro). Chatterbait is another specific setup - 7'2"-7'4" MH or H Mod (composite) depending on brand, i like the rod rating to show 1.5oz for the high weight end as that gives you the proper stiffness for ripping from grass. 15lb floro, 6 ratio reel.

You can pick up a tatula 100 and get a rays spool and be in it for around 150ish total and that would give you the BFS style spool for throwing light baits on a great reel and for not a ton of $. Same spool will work in a fuego as well, in which case you would be sitting around 120ish probably going that route. You will need to get a rod that will load properly with the lighter weights as well.

For the techniques you explained and the weights of them I would highly recommend going to a casting rod and not spinning. Spinning will lack in a lot of areas for those size baits, and you will be much more accurate with casting gear as well. You will get better hooksets, more accurate casts, better line management, better gearing for those techniques, more power with the reel and rod not being overloaded, etc... I can’t comment on either when it comes to spinning gear, have had or have both in casting and both are nice rods, light, well balanced, comfortable. Spinning wise if you are stuck on it I personally would get the ark strictly because of the handle, much more comfortable for me to have the full grip with the way I hold spinning gear. But again I would recommend casting gear, either of the rods in the 7’3” MH versions with something like a Daiwa Fuego, Tatula, Shimano Curado k, SLX, or whatever in a good all around 7.*:1 ratio would work for all the mentioned techniques.

Usually after prefishing and getting a good idea of what’s going on I’ll have 3 or 4 identical setups on deck with the same bait in the same color. For instance if they are going good on a beaver in green pumpkin then I will have usually 4 setups with same line, weight, color, and bait setup ready to go. That way if one gets bit off, plastic stolen, pincher bit off, frayed line, whatever... all I have to do is own and grab another and fire right back in there. Tourneys are about maximizing time with your bait in the water. Having one setup and losing the bait then having to go into the box to get another out and either retie or just put another plastic on takes time, 2 casts minimum and if you have to retie that could be 10 or more casts missed out on depending on how proficient you are with tying. I will usually have other options on deck as well such as that same situation I would have a couple of jigs out in similar color, maybe a smaller t-rig with lighter weight, and something finesse to clean up an area like a Ned rigs or dropshot. If it is something where I’m cranking all day I’ll usually have 2 setups with the same thing since you aren’t having to remove or replace Plastics, just the occasional retie. Now that’s all if you are a boater. If you are a non boater the ideal situatoin in s to either prefish with your partner or get the info ahead of time to be able to rig up on a couple rods then have a few alternates, in this case I’d probably have two identical setups and then 3 or 4 different offerings that you could use as double duty for something else if it pops up.

I have 3 of them and love them, great drag when you adjust it for those fish that are pulling (not so great when stated you forget to lighten the drag when fighting fish which we all do haha), super smooth still after a lot of use the first year, light, durable, still looks like new... no complaints for me and will be adding more.

7'6" is fine, if you are up close range and target casting though it makes it a little tougher, thats where the little shorter rod comes into play. 7'2"-7'4" will give you the best of both worlds and be the most versatile.

that weight range is pretty vast for one rod with the right line and being able to really handle the baits. You really want a little heavier, mod fast action IMO for the topwater and swimbait, and really a MH Fast for the senko. I would look at something in the 7'2"-7'4" range length wise, helps with hooksets on long casts for all baits mentioned, probably a MH Fast as it will be able to handle both, but again not ideally for the larger baits. The same lineup has the Tatula Elite 7'3" Ehrler MH Fast. I have used that rod for weightless senkos, trigs up to 1/2oz, swim jigs, swim baits up to 3/4oz head with 4.5" swimbaits so it can handle those duties. with a fast action i would say start with mono, something like sunline super natural 16lb and that should be able to handle everything. you will want mono or braid, something with decent diameter for keeping the WP up and running properly. Mono will work better for the waver though.

Casting combos are for sure something that can be learned, everyone struggles with them at first, but with some mono and some heavier weights like you are fishing it should make for an easier time. They are much more suited to stuff like this as stated. It would be well worth trying again. One thing to keep in mind is cheap casting reels are much more prone to backlash, a decent reel like the tatula ct or fuego ct would be the lowest i would go, and they are very good reels especially for the price. That would allow you to get into a lot better tool for the job for the rod, and opens up a lot more selection. That would be my suggestion truly. The only think i throw 1/2oz on a spinning rod is dropshots, and thats only with major wind to keep feel on the bottom. Otherwise i wouldnt even consider using anything like a jig or texas rig in grass with is spinning combo, you just dont have the power or control like you do with a casting combo. You can get into something like a daiwa fuego ct for 75 and a pretty legit rod for 80-100 and be able to handle everything much more efficiently after a couple outings and practice in the yard.

I guess I will ask why are you looking at spinning rods for these techniques? All of those are much better suited on a casting setup.

What are you looking to use it for? I have the 7'1" Ehrler spinning, the 7'6" ML Feider, plus a few of the non ags in spinning also. They are all great rods, the AGS is a bit more sensitive, balance is better for sure. The 7'6" I bought for using for deep water drop shotting, honestly wasnt a huge fan for that, but it has now become my Ned rig rod, as well as a great neko rod when im using that. The 7'1" is awesome for 3/8-1/2oz drop shotting, as well as shakyheads, jig worms, heavier neko, tube jigs, etc. really a well rounded versatile rod. I have mine paired with a newer version Fuego 3000 for the 7'6", and it balances very well. I will be getting a 3000 or 4000 tatula when they are released though to replace that, as i tried my Luvias 3000 on it and it balances very good as well, especially for being a lighter reel.

I would jump up to the 3000 or 3012 size. A 7'2" rod is not going to balance with a lightweight 2500 size spinning reel, plus you will get better distance, faster line pickup, and less line twist with the larger size.

I would get a mix of the Daiwa Tatula Elite, Cronos, and original tatula rods. They are all very nice, light weight, good balance, great sensitivity, and comfortable to fish with. The AGS series in the tat elites are nice as i do have a few, but not sure if the warrant the additional cost on top of the regular elites or the other 2 mentioned. All rods mentioned other than the AGS version of elites can be had for under $200.

you can find the SV version for about $50 more than the type r. Really depends on what you want to use it for. The SV are awesome all around reels, only downside is if you are looking to run over 16lb test the spool can get a little low on a full cast. So if you are going to be using heavier line i would opt for the ct type R, otherwise if you are going to be using 16lb or less the SV is an amazing reel for literally everything.

That looks like it would be a graphite framed reel if i were to make a guess. They have had a few reels that they price up in the 120 range and are all plastic. I would stay away and go with the tried and true versions like the Tourney MB.

I do have that rod, and it is far from something i would throw 1oz on. It is a very good swim jig, keitech style swimbait, chatterbait, even mid crank rod. A bottom contact rod though it is not at all. Way too parabolic for anything bottom contact. It is 100% a moving bait rod. The Ehrler 7'3" is the one in that lineup you would want.

What size jigs are you thinking of using on it mostly? That will make a difference in the rod. Personally if its 1/2-3/4oz i like a much stiffer rod, H-XH vs a rod for 1/4-3/8oz in which i use MH. The new Tatula Elite 7'3" MH Ehrler rod is awesome for the smaller 1/4-3/8 size jigs, otherwise for 1/2+ in your price range i would look at the Megabass Levante 7'2" Perfect Pitch. If only one for all sizes then i would lean more towards something like the Tatula Elite since it will load much better with a smaller jig, and can still handle a larger one if need be. A sleeper rod is the Okuma TCS 7'3" Heavy also, i have a few of them and they are awesome rods especially since you can find them for around $100 or so.

Yep, after I bought the first 2 and liked them as much as I do, I sold some of my older more spendy stuff to get a lineup of them. Haven't been disappointed with the decision at all.

The elites are awesome. I have 13 of them now total, and ever one of them exceeded my expectations. The 7'3" MHF Ehrler rods is really an awesome all around rod. I primarily use a 3/8oz t-rig on it, but have thrown swimbaits, jigs, senkos, flukes, swim jigs on it and it handled them all really well, but excels at the 1/4-3/8oz trig. The 7'4" Frog rod is awesome for anything 1/2oz or above, havent actually tried it for frogs at all. All of them are very light and very well balanced, sensitive, comfortable, and load up very well with fish on. I highly recommend them and i have no affiliation with daiwa at all, or any other company for that matter haha. I feel like they are the best price to performance you can buy, actually sold all but one of my Orochi XX rods i had in order to get my lineup of these after i fished with them a couple times. Dont get me wrong, the orochi xx lineup is amazing, but i just have a hard time being a tourney fisherman having $300 rods sitting out with how i throw them around at times.

Do yourself a favor and check out the Daiwa Tatula lineup, either the original or the Elite. The elite series i think is the best rod you can buy for the money right now. Otherwise, as stated with buying used you can usually get some killer deals, and guys on these forums are usually very honest and can send detailed pics. Megabass Orochi XX rods can usually be had for around 200 or a little more now for a used one, and they are some of the best rods money can buy at any price point. If looking for 1/2oz or more i would look for a Perfect Pitch Orochi XX, if under 1/2oz primarily then i would look for an EMTF Orochi XX... will have to be patient but they do pop up every now and then. In the tatula lineup the 7'2" Heavy would be a great 1/2oz and up, or the 7'1" MH XF for less than 1/2oz. The tatula elite series i would look at the 7'3" MH Ehrler rod, should be able to handle the majority of bottom contact techniques easily up to 1/2oz, possibly 3/4 if using a football jig for instance.

EMTF would be too much rod for those techniques IMO. The Diablo would be more along the lines in that lineup of what you are looking for, but i would personally shell out the extra and step up to the Orochi XX series and the diablo in that. The Levante's are decent, but the Orochi XX are on another level. I used many finesse jigs on the diablo in the XX, and it was excellent for that, along with being a great chatterbait rod, swim jigs, smaller swim baits, flukes would work well, senkos, lighter T-rigs, etc... great all around rod.

All of the rods in the Tatula elite lineup i have been very impressed with. I have 9 different casting models including 3 of the ags, and 3 of the spinning models in which one is the ags. The ags seem a little more fragile that regular guides, but they do make the rod more balanced in the longer ones. I have the 7'4" Frog rod in which i use for jigs, and the 7'6" H which i use for flipping and both are balanced very, very well and are super light. As for sensitivity, all of the rods i feel are great, honestly i sold all of my megabass orochi XX's and replaced them with these as i didnt see enough of a difference between them performance wise to warrant keeping all MB rods. All of the rods including the non ags are very sensitive and have not left me wanting more at all. I only had a couple of the original tatula rods, wasnt a fan of the reel seat personally, the new elites are so much better. They all seem to be better balanced than the original's i had, and i like the actions better in the elites (not a fan of XF tips). Sensitivity i thought was great on the originals, and the elites are just as good if not better, but that is in my hands. All in all i think they are more than worth their price, the ags versions i really like, although i dont know if the ags makes that much difference, but they dont make those rods with regular guides. Being you can get them discounts some places, and on the auction site right now they are running a promo that gives you 20% off, they are well worth it.

If you are going to have them for a long time, then better look at shimano or daiwa in a lot of peoples opinions. Now if you are set for Quantums, then you will want a variety. For flipping/pitching - bottom contact applications such as jigs, t-rigs, carolina rigs, etc... you would want something that will handle larger line diameter (15lb+ mono/floro, or 50lb+ braid) better which is going to be the Smoke HD and you will want the 7.3:1. For moving baits (other than deep cranking in which i would do the HD in 5.3:1) i would go with the regular smoke if thats what you are set on, with 6.1:1 for those ratios, that will handle jerkbaits, topwater (other than frogs), shallow to mid depth cranks, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, swim jigs, swimbaits, etc... all of these will primarily be 15lb or less and will work better on the smaller spooled reels. So pending on what rods and techniques these will be used for will determine the reel choice.