TigerBassAU

Learning to cast a baitcaster can be frustrating and even the new DC reels does not eliminate the learning curve completely. Assuming your reel setting are correct and not whipping the cast, the other things that comes to mind that could cause problems are: an overfilled spool, line on spool is not tight or has kinks from previous backlashes, and/or you are using your thumb improperly. If you have the brakes set safely, you should only use your thumb to hold the spool until releasing line during the cast and to stop it before the lure hits the water/ground. If you accidentally thumb the spool during cast and release it can cause a backlash. It takes time to learn how to feather the spool with your thumb! Then you can reduce brakes and gain distance and have more control!

Please clarify you have 12lb braid? I personally will only go down to 30 braid (8lb mono diameter) on a baitcaster! I know some may do 20lb braid but that is spinning reels for me. I learned bait casting with cheap mono so when I really screwed up I could replace my line on the cheap! Make sure you tighten the spool to where lure falls with no back lash and do not try to cast it too hard when learning!

854 for skipping and pitching 3/8 - 1/2 jigs in cover, grass, and under docks.

To each their own! That is why there is more than one brand! I would prefer the 783 mbr in GLX also. But budgets are budgets and it depends on the deals that can be had. I know most premium rods have a 40-60% markup and 30%-40% on reels. I got a glx 853 with aldebaran mgl new for not much more than your budget. So it is very possible to get a different reel that meets your liking. Good luck!

Well that changes things. I thought you were a parent with no fishing background and the son was just starting the sport. If I had to pick only "one" bc combo with your budget to fish from bank and kayak I would pick a loomis 783 mbr in imx pro and LEWS TP as mentioned before in a 7 ratio. This is from my personal experience and the best utility rod I know of. I am sure other brands are comparable but this is what I know would fit the bill!

As someone who works with teenagers daily, I have found they can tear up an anvil with a rubber mallet. Unless your son is really protective and takes "really" good care of his property, I would not put a lot of money in a rod! If I was starting today with nothing and with his budget, I would buy 2 Shimano SLX combos (6'10" medium with 6 ratio reel and 7'2" Med Hvy with 7 ratio reel) for around $130 each online and use rest to buy tackle, line, a spinning combo, etc. Those are $200 combos each if bought separately and should cover a lot of fishing applications. I am assuming he will be fishing from the bank mostly (no boat) and your location up north due to targeting small mouth also. If he has a good amount of tackle already then Lews has some really good value combos from the mach $140ish up to the $270ish custom black. If I was only to get 1 combo here, I would go with the 7' custom black medium combo if up north or Med Heavy combo if in south. Most important shop around, you do not always have to pay retail price if you look enough! Well I typed this above and posted before getting the additional info about CF, I would have approached it differently if I had known beforehand. My apologizes if comment about teenagers seems insensitive considering newly developed information. Regardless, I still stand behind my recommendations!

I have fished both and each are great rods. If you really do not like a split grip I think you answered your question for yourself! I prefer the GLX, I chose sensitivity first but actually liked the longer front grip also! To each their own! Pick the one you will enjoy to fish with the most!

Wow.... what a lot of good info you have already got, so I will try to add to it without beating a dead horse! So in a nut shell.....Higher dollar rods are usually lighter, have better components, and can vary in price based on labor cost (where made) and warranty! The rod blanks are also usually softer without sacrificing sensitivity due to various building materials and techniques which increase cost. Sensitivity..... I consider braid line the great equalizer for sensitivity. So if sensitivity is all you are concerned about buy a quality $100+ rod and figure out how to use braid for your fishing style. I say $100+ because that is usually the range where you get components that will last with braid line. I tested my "dead to most" E6X gen 1 models (803 & 893) vs my new GLX (853) using same reel and lure with braid and mono. Short story, very little difference to me with braid, but mono was a different story. GLX was only slightly less sensitive with mono compared to braid unlike the E6X models. FWIW, the 803 was slightly more sensitive with mono than 893 but nowhere near the glx. Think HD tv vs SD. I can feel the bottom rock but not near as clear. I think of sensitivity like sound volumes...at some point loud is loud regardless of decibels but turn it down and you can tell a major difference! But if you want it all.... Lightest rods with premium components and warranty...gotta pay to play!!

1. Curado 200k due to spool size 2. Chronarch 150 for similiar weight or curado 150 dc if extra weight does not matter. 3. Curado 200k again due to build.

Compared to the IMX Pro 904 swbr, yes! E6X 884 swbr 15 1/2". IMX Pro 904 swbr 18" The 844 MBR is 15-15 1/4 " for E6X-IMX Pro.

The 884 is by far my favorite of the e6x models I own. It balances really well with my 7+ oz Lews super duty reel. It does feel a little heavy but not unbalanced. It has enough tip to walk the frog with braid but its action is slow enough to allow the fish to engulf it, then it hits its backbone. This is what makes it a good deep crank rod also. Bonus for large whopper ploppers, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, arigs, etc. IMX Pro has the 904 swbr, but not a fan of the 18 inch handle for froggin.

E6x 884 swbr will do both. Not the best for either technique but can handle both. Also good for almost any heavy moving bait in the 1/2 - 1 1/2 range!

I have 4 2015 e6x's and 3 glx's. I have no experience with 18 e6x's but the heavy models I have are more tip heavy as previously mentioned. Honestly, if we are comparing best bang for $$$ loomis rods will fall short because you are paying more for their warrenty and US made! I find Loomis balaces this by having lesser quality components compaired to other similar priced brands. I would say Loomis is 25-35% over priced when compairing rod specs alone with other similar priced rods. Saying this I prefer Loomis tapers, feel in hand, US made and piece of mind of their warrenty. If you do not enjoy fishing with what you have it does not matter how good/value it is IMO. I think any rod today in the $100-200 range for the most part are the best bang for the $$. My GLX's are lighter, better components, and more fun to fish than my E6X's but they are not 2x more like the price difference. My advice would be for you to find a rod that feels good in your hand in the $100-200 range and will fish your style. Put your reel on it to test it out before buying if you can. Buy the most rod you can afford for bottom contact rods for quality and durability so you do not regret later not doing so. If the E6X does this for you go for it!

1. 853c jwr or 803/893 1/2 oz jigs with plastic is really pushing it! 3/8 ideal! 2. 843c MBR 3. 845c CBR 0-12ft range and lipless 4. 852s jwr 5. 822s dsr Bonus 884c swbr for all heavier moving baits. Also could be used for punching/frog with braid. Very diverse rod and one of my favorites in the e6x lineup. Mine is listed as heavy in gen 1 although gen 2 is mh with same lure weight?? For more overall diversity change 853c jwr for 844c mbr as mentioned before! Jwr rods are better bottom contact rods but have a tight lure weight range.