kayaking_kev

I have tried several hooks and have settled on Gamakatsu Barbless Octopus or Owner Sniper Finesse Neko Hooks for when I want to make sure I don't lose a fish. I tried the Owner Sniper Finesse Neko Hooks. They are the exact opposite of my barbless hooks, hard to even pull out of a fish because the barb is so strong.

How many rods are you getting? Do you want them all to be by the same manufacturer? What techniques are you looking to throw? Do you like softer or stouter tips? Do you fish for mostly Smallmouth or Largemouth or Both? BTW: I can't vote in your poll because I've only used 3 of the rods listed, but out of the Tatula, Fury, and Sierra, I would choose the Sierra, unless you hate soft tips, then I would choose the Tatula. And, there is usually a 20% of Dobyns sale going on, where you can get Sierra for under $150. Dobyns also gives 30% off to Military Veterans, in case you know someone who can call and order one for you if you aren't a Veteran. Dobyns also has a Facebook group where people sell a lot of rods for decent prices and you can also find refurbished rods on their website at a discount.

Another rod that hasn't been mentioned is the Phenix Feather, talk about a light rod, they don't get much lighter. Just make sure you go up one power than what you really want. I've heard good things about the Phenix M1 also. There's a lot of choices.

I'm in need of a all around Heavy Cover rod after selling my Xtasy 755c, Sierra 735c, SLX 7'5 H, & Fenwick HMX 7'6 H this season. I think I'm going to build my first rod with either a Phenix K2, M1, or NFC X-Ray blank with Carbon Fiber Grips. Looking for a blank rated up to 2 oz., so let me know if you got any ideas. Of course, I'll have to find a reel for it when I'm done and I haven't even started thinking about that yet. Other than that, I will probably keep it light on baits this year as I didn't even use half of what I got last year. But, I would like to get some more 6th Sense Lures and a couple more Red Eyed Shads, and some more Ned Rig hooks, also some Owner Stinger Treble Hooks. Plus, I'm going to be stocking up on some GoPro 8 batteries at 20% off, seeing how the old batteries suck with it. I've also been waiting for Old Town to start stocking places with their 120 Autopilot or 106 MK for months now. I bought a 2020 Native Slayer 10 this summer, but I'm unable to operate a peddle kayak with a bad foot, so it had to go back.

I have a Fury and Tatula and I wouldn't say there is a big difference in sensitivity if any. The Tatula has nicer guides and a full cork handle, but the Fury has a lifetime warranty compared to Tatula's 5 year warranty. The cork handle on my Tatula also seems a little loose also, the top moves slightly when I'm fighting a fish. Other than that, they both weigh the same, that why I would maybe look into the iROD Genesis II, they are lighter and have a lifetime warranty, although not as nice looking as the other two. Come Black Friday you will be able to get a new Zodias for $160 from TW.

I've never used one, but everything I hear about the Tatula Elite says it bombs cast out there. Shimano MGL reels will probably cast farther than the DC reels. A lot of it depends on your rod action, length, line diameter, and casting technique. Like DVT said, try to stay smooth on your cast and not try to power it out there as hard as you can, that's what always gives me a birds nest.

Mine has the zero adjust spool, but it's the 2020 version. I don't thumb any reel anymore until the lure hits the water, even on my older Abu Garcia reels. The only reel I didn't have to thumb when the lure hit the water was a DC reel and that was with the settings cranked up which reduced casting distance significantly. The only time I get backlashes is when I make a bad cast technique wise and whip the tip a little to hard.

I would say yes, I'm happy with it. I did buy another one, the 723c was the 2nd one I bought, I got the 755c first. I got them both at 30% off, $385. I bought a total of 14 Dobyns in the last 12 months, I also had an Extreme HP and really liked that rod as well. The Xtasy is better than the Extreme HP, but I wouldn't say $200 better, so it depends on what prices you can get them at. The Xtasy, I believe uses a Toray 1100 Blank and the Extreme a Toray 1000. The Xtasys have a very skinny diameter blank, but still good power. A couple of times I went to grab my 755c and thought I was grabbing my DX 702c and had to double check. I'm not a spinning gear guy, but If I were to buy one right now, it wouldn't be an Xtasy, just because I would want to try something different. I do think the Xtasys have great tips for the Ned Rig though. The Xtasy, nor the Conquest for that matter are so good that I want to stop looking. I would definitely look into just building a custom rod and you could pick out the length, action, grips, guides, etc.. I don't think the Xtasy is thee best rod out there, but it should be involved in the discussion. I got a Conquest awhile ago and have been comparing the two lately, and it comes down to personal preference as always. Below are some of my observations between the two if interested. Both rods are sensitive, and I haven't been able to really notice much of a difference between the two at all so far. One difference is the weight, both are rated MH Power, with the Xtasy being 2 inches longer. The Conquest weighs 3.8 oz and the Xtasy 4.6, but yet the Conquest is more of a MH and can handle 1/2 oz jigs and I use the Xtasy for Finesse stuff and can throw a 1/10 oz Ned Rig. When you pick up both rods and just hold them in hand, it's really hard to notice a weight difference, but when you get out and start casting with them, you can tell the Conquest is lighter. Most of Dobyns rods don't feel as heavy as they weigh on a scale though. I have had a few I got rid of because they did feel heavy though. The Xtasy 755c weighed 5.1 oz, which isn't bad for a Mag Heavy, but it felt even lighter in hand. Both have Titanium Torzite Guides, and when I first got the Conquest it seemed to really cast a lot smoother than the Xtasy, and I think it's because of the High Power X and Spiral X Blank wrapping and also the fact the Conquest has a faster of a tip. But, as the rod broke in a little bit, I don't find the difference to be quite as big, but I still think the Conquest cast a little better. The Xtasy has a AAAA cork handle that is pretty fat, while the Conquest has a tapered cork handle and I'm not sure what kind of cork they use, but it seems a lot different and in a good way. When you put U-40 on the Xtasy you can still see the filler in it, but there appears to be a lot less in the Conquest. I like the Conquest cork better, I just don't care for the cork foregrip, I prefer the Xtasy Aluminum foregrip. As far as overall aesthetics of the rods, I love the way the Xtasy looks, much more so than the Conquest. The Balance is good on both rods, but still a hair better on the Xtasy. Everyone seems to love the Conquest for versatility, especially the 843c, but the tip on the Xtasys are softer. You will either love that or hate it and that will probably be the determining factor for which rod you like more. I talked myself into not having to choose right now, because the 723c & 843c do some different things. I think the Xtasy 724c would compare better to the Conquest 843c, but it would still have a softer tip. It could still do some of the same things as the Conquest, but you just need to swing harder on the hook set and it's going to better with moving baits, like a lipless. I just lost a big bass with the Conquest while fishing a Lipless and wish I would of had the Xtasy. On the other side, I've missed hook sets with a Dark Sleeper on the Xtasy and wish I would have been using the Conquest.

What's the warranty on the K2? The Xtasy's have great tips for ned rigs, I can throw 1/10 oz neds with my 723c, but I would personally branch out and check out a K2 if they got lifetime warranties.

Dobyns Champion XP 705 Glass isn't whippy or slow and good for 3-12 ft. divers, but it's also not 100% glass. It can be had for under $200 during the Black Friday sale or any 20% Dobyns sale. The Dobyns 704 Glass IS whippy & slow though. I never tried the Fury 705cb, but the Colt 705cb is made with 15% glass. I use the Dobyns 704 Glass for light cranks and a Tatula Regular action rod for medium divers. I wouldn't say the Tatula Regular action is whippy or too slow and I use the Medium, but it's also not glass.

I think you're right, thanks!

I was trying out a new rooster tail in a small river and caught this thing, I have no idea what it is, does anyone know?

Megabass P5 if only they had more than two options. Xtasys have really good tips for those techniques you listed and a lifetime warranty. I actually use my Xtasy 723c for those exact techniques and can even cast a 1/10 oz Ned Rig pretty good. I throw a 1/16 or 3/32 oz Neko Rig on it most of the time, but have thrown a lot of finesse jigs on it like the Bitsy Bug and it's good with 3/8 oz Spinner baits/ Chatterbaits, and great for keitech and paddletails too. Can't really go wrong with a Expride and a Vanford though either.

Like walleyecrazy mentioned, I would check to see if Daiwa has a 7'0 MH in their Regular action. I have the Tatula 7'0 M/R and it's for shallow cranks & topwaters, but 3/4 oz would be to much for it. I use mine for 1/2 oz Whopper Plopper, but have thrown a WP 110 & 6th Sense Cloud 9 weighing 5/8 oz on mine, I just wouldn't do it all the time.

If you watch Roland Martin on Youtube at all, he is always talking about #297 Senkos Green Pumpkin with Black specs. He convinced me to buy some, but I throw a lot of Black/Blue, Junebug, and Black also.

I just personally prefer not to use spinning gear if I don't have to. You want your most sensitive rods for Finesse and Bottom Techniques, and the Bait Finesse and X-Bites would take care of that. Plus, the X-Bites from what I've heard about it is pretty versatile as well and you could throw most of your single hook moving baits on it as well. If you prefer spinning gear for finesse, then just substitute out the Bait Finesse rod. To complete a well rounded arsenal you would need a Crankbait rod and a Power rod at minimum. Your Crankbait rod doesn't have to be pricey, just something that feels comfortable and has the right action you want. The Dobyns Colt 705cb is cheap and made with 15% glass, and the Dobyns Fury 705cb has a Lifetime warranty. Your Power rod depends on what you're going to be using it for. If you're just using it for frogs, you can get away with a cheaper rod where sensitivity isn't as much of a factor. But, if your going to be using it for heavy jigs and t-rigs, you want something more sensitive. I've had Shimano SLX and Fenwick HMX rods for frog fishing and I've also owned a Dobyns Xtasy 755c for Jigs & T-Rigs. I've looked for a Heavy Jig rod in the Megabass P5 lineup a couple weeks ago and nothing really stood out. I like the Super Destroyer, but have heard it's a soft rod and rated up to 1.25 oz lure, not really my definition of a true Heavy rod. The Tequila Baccarac has the lure rating, but looks geared more towards big swimbaits. The best companion for the X-Bites that I have came across would be the Expride 7'3 XH. That would take care of the basics, but you could keep going and going if you wanted to. For comparison here are my current setups, as it stands. I'm always reworking it though, trying to get it just right. It's completely different than it was at the beginning of the year, when I had a lot more rods. As you can see, I don't have a true power rod, swimbait, or deep crankbait rod. I want to replace the Champion 734c with a Expride 7'3 XH. G.Loomis Conquest 843c / 2020 Metanium MGL = T-Rig / Jig, Single Hook Moving Baits Dobyns Xtasy 723c / 2020 Tatula SV = Neko Rig, Ned Rig, Shakyhead, Tube, Dropshot Dobyns Champion XP 704cb Glass / SLX MGL 70 = Light Crankbaits Dobyns Champion XP 734c / SLX DC = Spinnerbaits, Heavier Jigs & T-Rigs, Open Water Frog Daiwa Tatula 7'0 M/R / 2020 Tatula SV = Whopper Plopper, Medium Diving Crankbaits Dobyns Fury 663c / SLX XT = Jerkbait St.Croix Panfish Series / Daiwa Revros LT 2000 - Panfish Backups. Lew's Hank Parker Speed Stick 6'10 M/F / Abu Garcia Pro Max Ugly Stik GX2 6'0 M/ Abu Garcia Black Max Berkley Cherrywood HD 6'9 M / Penn Pursuit III 2500

I'm not going to list all the ones I wouldn't personally consider, but I am interested in trying the X-Bites & Bait Finesse. I don't really want to pay almost $500 for any moving bait rod.

I've had the Fury 703c and still have a Fury 663c as my Jerkbait rod, it works ok for light T-Rigs and Jigs but not my 1st choice, I like it better for moving baits. I don't own a Phenix Feather, but I have casted a friends before and their powers are probably even more over-rated than Dobyns. I would consider going with the Heavy Power Phenix Feather for that stuff and it will still be a lot lighter than the Fury. I started with the Fury 703c, which led to me buying 14 Dobyns rods, but now I've sold a lot of them and I'm trying different brands out. You can always go back to Dobyns if you find that's what you like the best.

I prefer a MH/F Graphite rod with those big hooks on a Chatterbait, if I throw them on glass rods I will go with a Heavy power.

I don't have a bladed jig specific rod anymore, I just throw them on my MH Conquest or Xtasy.

I had the Dobyns 736 Glass, it's great for chatterbaits and does pretty much load like the 705 Glass, but it's pretty heavy on the scales at 6.0 oz. Of course, Dobyns rods don't feel near as heavy in the hand as they weigh on the scales though, but it was still a little heavy for my liking, so I sold it.

I have both and every other SLX reel, but the MGL 70 might be favorite. I like the DC, it's better casting directly into wind, but it's a little too heavy for my liking. The MGL 70 is the lightest of them all, and I think the smallest frame on any Shimano reel. I also like that the SLX logo isn't blue and it matches better with more rods. I wouldn't worry about running out of line on it unless you're spooling it up with pretty heavy line. For most of the year my SLX MGL 70 has been on my Champion 704 Glass rod while throwing the Whopper Plopper from a kayak in rivers. Unless you're putting the DC reel on a heavier rod that will need a heavier reel to make it balance better, I would personally choose the MGL 70. It's much more pleasant to cast all day.

I had to look that word up ?, but yeah I only use a 3/32 nail weight in my 5" worm. I get the Eagle Claw nail weights from Walmart for .88 cents for a pack of 8 and always grab a bunch when they have them in stock.

I don't have the patience for weightless, so I always have to throw a nail weight in my 5" worm, but it's probably my #1 go to bait. I use a Dobyns Xtasy 723c for my Neko Rigs, 7'2 MH/F with a nice soft tip.

Fury 703c was my 1st of 14 Dobyns rods. I ended up liking it for Jerkbaits so much that I bought a Fury 663c. They're pretty good at tossing Spinnerbaits and Squarebills also, but yeah not the most sensitive rods. The Extreme HP and Xtasys are pretty sensitive though. I've been trying to compare my Xtasy 723c to my Conquest 843c for the last few weeks to see which is more sensitive and still haven't been able to pick a clear winner.