Mikeltee

I would wait for something decent to pop up on the classifieds or your craigslist. Those reels wont last.

I called a few MB dealers and they all said the same thing. MB has a strict pricing policy and they aren't allowed to discount them. Oh well... I am pretty psyched about the AA anyways. They have a big sale coming up. Just sign up on their mailing list on their homepage if you want sale info and limited run rods as this info is not advertised to the public. The owner answers emails immediately. Its good to deal with someone who loves their business that much not to mention the rods being built and mostly (maybe all not sure about Fuji components) sourced from the USA. I am happy to give him some of my hard earned money.

I use a Dobyns Champion 736c. It is an amazing frog rod. The 6 power can pull the big ones out of the nastiest slop and the tip is light enough to work the frog perfectly. It can also handle big topwaters. It has fantastic sensitivity if you need it for something other than visual bites such as pitching, flipping, and lighter punching. Don't let the 6 power scare you as I feel like I could throw a weightless senko with it. I can vouch for the above AGS guides. I have the tatula elite finesse ags and it is one hell of a rod. The sensitivity is remarkable for a sub $300 rod. I cant believe they didn't put them on a spinning ML rod.

Thats a tall order my friend. Its going to take a really light rod to toss that ned rig. Most do it all rods handle everything above weightless to small swimbaits. If you are successful in your search congratulations you found the Holy Grail. Please report back. If two rods for that price is an option, my first Ned rig was an ugly stick elite ML and a Pleuger President and I had no trouble hauling in 5#ers and the sensitivity was on point. The tip is even florescent to see those subtle nudges. Still to this day it makes wonder why I buy $300 rods. Maybe its a confidence thing? Maybe I am compensating for something else? Who knows...they sure are purdy though.

I am after the most for my money in a dropshot rod. I've done a few searches and it appears several of you have the Wrench. How is its sensitivity? I spoke with Jake about the DSR, but he thinks the Wrench is more my cup of tea and I love its ability to skip! I am going to get both for sure but if the Wrench has excellent sensitivity I will get it first as this is primarily a dropshot rod. It will be several months until I can afford the other so I want to make the right decision. I feel bad for cheating on Dobyns and I originally planned on a DX702sf, but like i said... I feel like AA is the most for my money and Finesse requires ultimate sensitivity. I also considered the Megabass because I love the looks but it would require $400 for the Addermine for my needs. AA appears to have put a lot of engineering in his rods and doesn't have a big marketing campaign to pay for. The components are top notch, and his use of them with his proprietary, made is the USA blank seems to be unmatched for $300 and for any price for that matter. The Wrench is a very unique rod. I just hope it delivers on the sensitivity side as I am sure the DSR does. Your thoughts are much appreciated.

My local Cabelas had DD crankbaits on sale for $5. Thats a decent deal if they have any left. My store was cleaned out yesterday. I did get a half dozen last week though. Booya spinners are $2 as well. 50% off Power Pro too.

Thanks for the replies guys. I did quite a bit of research on jerkbait setups and it appears that there are just as many spinning rod guys as there are BC guys. I have a 704sf that I am going to try out. I ended up getting a 765cb graphite for my cranking needs. I read a few reviews that this is a very versatile rod that can handle the deep divers as well as the shallows, makes a great lipless rod, and being a bamk fisherman for now, I can really chuck them out there with the extra length. I went to Cabelas and handled some Mojo Bass glass rods and I wasn't impressed with glass composites. I have a 7 speed Lews tournament pro on a fury rod I don't use so I am going to see about using it and slow cranking. If it doesn't work out I will get a 6 speed.

Thanks bro. Picked up a Champion 745CB for $208 and free shipping. I am glad I waited...

I have the tatula elite ags finesse. Its more sensitive than the dobyns champion series. I love it. You may be able to get it for a little over $200. Its a great looking rod and the sv reel pairs well. I have no need for spinning gear with it. It chucks ned rigs and weightless worms fine. That is the extent of my bank finesse presentations.

Good rod but you are paying double for the name. There are a lot better rods at that price point where the extra money goes in components and not branding and marketing. If you need a rod and your local store has it get it. I sometimes have to because my wife complains when the UPS guy comes by. Luckily I have a Cabela's 5 minutes away. I had an Avid and shut it in a car door. I turned it into a fly swatter. I did get to throw with it and it did fine. I caught hundreds of trophy pike with it in the artic for a week the biggest being 49" and some big ars lake trout. Makes a great fly swatter too!

Spool first. I adjust until there is a hair of side to side rocking. If you are a newb get to that point and tighten it a hair. Start your brake on max and work down in sigle increments until you get a birdnest. Then tighten it up a half. Some say to adjust the spool for every lure such that gravity dropping it puts just a touch of tension on it. I do it my way because I have quality reels and I have tried everything and I get max distance and no birdnests doing so.

I am not sure why finesse should only be performed with spinning gear. I use a tatula elite ags finesse paired with a tatula sv and it is a pleasure to fish. The fish don't know any better and I don't have trouble chucking a ned rig or weightless senko with it. YMMV

Possibly your dashboard grounded. Before you head out next, check ALL gauges, electronics, and lights. Make sure you always carry basic tools to fix this should the need arise when you are out there. I directly wired my music amp to my battery in my boat. Things that draw a lot of power are hooked straight to the battery. These things will be obvious when you do a systems check.

Frog rods double as flippin sticks not topwater. Heavy backbone to pull them out of the slop and high sensitivity to work the frog and feel the bite of a punching presentation. Topwater pairs with a crankin rod. You can use anything you want. I have a champion 736 and its an awesome frog rod and I throw whopper ploppers on it for now. Looking for a crankin rod for the topwaters though. I would go with Champion or better with Dobyns. The refurb store has champs for a little more than a fury and lots of cbs on there now. Save me a 705cb please. Furies dont float my boat. Maybe im spoiled on the champs though. They are night and day. My fury 795sb is a great swimbait rod but it doesnt take much more than a big backbone to make a heavy sb rod. My fury 734 is meh.

Refurb dobyns champion ftw! Pass on the Fury. Tatula elite ags are sweet but $250.

I have the dobyns champ 736 and it is one heck of a frog rod. Its my first one and I learned to walk the dog is 20 minutes with it. Its anything but a broomstick. I feel as if i could throw weightless senkos with it. For now i throw topwaters with it and while any rod will work, I am now on the hunt for a crankbait rod to throw my topwaters. Possibly the 705cb glass for jerk baits square bills and 75 and 110 whopper ploppers. Frog rods are more for pulling bulls out of the slop so they double as flippin, pitchin, and punchin rods. They need a fat backbone as well as great sensitivity to feel the subtle bites on a pitch and to work the frog.

I am wondering which Dobyns Champion crank rod to get. For now i am a bank fisherman so 75% of the time it will be for Whopper Ploppers and jerk baits and 25% squarebills and lipless cranks. I wont need to get a deep diver until I get a boat so I wont need a heavy stick at this point in the game. What are the primary differences between the 705cb and 705cb glass aside from the build material. Which one has more sensitivity and which one is more suited for my 75 and 90 whopper ploppers? Im still new to jerkbait fishing so I would like the rod to be able to practice and perfect the technique. Also all my reels are >8.x ratio. Should i go with a 5.x or a 6.x? I will need a new reel anyways. $150 max on my reel budget. I subscribe to the "get the fastest reel you can because you can always slow your retrieve down," but I don't think this applies to crankbaits. I am not stuck on a Dobyns but every rod that I use nowadays is a Dobyns so I am brand loyal, but if there's a better stick out there for <$250 that is perfect for my needs then please don't hesitate to recommend it.

I use a dobyns fury 795sb for heavy swimbaits and it is plenty of stick. I also took it to the artic and caught trophy pike all week long with it and it never broke a sweat. I have it paired with a Calcutta which would take you over budget. Im sure there are plenty of reels that fit your budget that would suffice.

I have an ugly stick elite ML and it made an excellent ned rig rod. It is very sensitive. It probably wont take a beating but I am careful with my gear. It had no trouble hauling in 5# and less all day the day I used it.

You need 2 key items here. First of all your rod. My first ned rig rod was a $50 Medium Ugly Stick. It is VERY sensitive. Plenty to feel a bass flirting with your worm. Secondly, you need polarized glasses. Walmart has knockoff Ikes for $10 and they do the trick. If you still cant see the line get some flouresant line. TBH, I can always feel the bite before I see the line bump even with the cheap Ugly Stick. I hauled in up to 5#s the day I used it and got hooked on finesse. Now I use the Tatula Elite Finesse rod as well as a 705 Dobyns. It doesn't take >$200 rod for sensitivity.

Don't make assumptions. Take it for a test ride. You have youngens in there so speed is not a primary concern but getting on plane is. Composite can always be replaced quite easily with teak It looks like a good starter boat. Enough to get your feet wet in the game and most likely come to the conclusion that we all do... A boat is a hole in the water that you throw money into. Stick with your pontoon bud. Put a trolling motor on it. After 12 years of owning a power boat with multiple times in the shop each season, the best move I made was to switch to a pontoon. If you got money to burn... fire it up but get a warrant as you will need it. If you have places to fish the pontoon cant get into drag along a yak.

Check the for sale section an Dobyns refurbs. Get the best rod you can afford. I am happy with my fury, but there is no comparison to the Champion line. May as well get the Champ so you never have to say well what if like I always do with my Fury 705.

It's all about the thumb. You have to train that bad dude to apply light pressure at times and full pressure right before it hits the water. I had not thrown a baitcaster in 25 years until spring. It was like riding a bike. Once you get it down you will have it for life. All you can do is practice. Preferably with something heavy like about 3/4oz and work your way down in no wind. Wind is when you get to master your thumb work.

The first boat I bought, I got from a friend and he said it was in perfect working condition. Nothing wrong with it he said. I put it in my slip at 8pm. I came back at 6am the next day and it was 80% submerged. The billows were rotted out. Insurance saved the day. Fast forward 8 years... A buddy is about to buy my boat. I told him I would teach him to be a captain. He shows up 3 hours early and decided he didn't need the lessons. I arrive and boat is underwater. Insurance saves the day. I think I paid about $700 a year after these claims. I decided to switch to a pontoon boat... $60/year! I had that boat for 8 years and never had to put a dime into it, aside for gas and since it was a pontoon, it could not sink. I know what my next boat will be

That is one sweet ride. You got it for a heck of a deal!