David P

I've been fishing Dobyns rods for a while now, and have near 20 of them. I fish mostly the Champions and Extremes, but recently picked up a Savvy 735 just as a spinnerbait/chatterbait/small swimbait rod, and was blown away. I didn't expect nearly as much of a rod for the price as this rod offers. Can't go wrong at all with one of their Savvy Series rods. They're incredibly light weight, balance well, and very sensitive.

Dirty Jigs Tackle makes the sickest swim jigs I've found. I like their 3/8oz Swim Jig and then I also really like using the No Jack jigs in 1/2oz and 3/4oz for getting them deeper. The Swim Jig I use a little paddle tail swimbait or a paca chunk, but for the no Jack I use larger swimbaits like a 3:16 Mighty Minnow, and other swimbaits on the back. Instead of imitating a craw, you're just imitating a bait fish. They make some sick blue gill colors that have worked wonders over here in California.

I use Dirty Jigs Tackle Swim jigs and No Jack Jigs for swimming jigs. I like the 3/8oz-3/4oz for swimming jigs so that I can keep the bait deeper. Whenever I use a 1/4oz, it's tough to keep it down deeper where I want it. You don't have to just use craw type trailers, you can also use things like swim senkos, paddle tail swimbaits, etc... I think of mine as just a small swimbait whenever I throw one.

Not for frogs. Period. The line is awesome but not for frogs. It won't cut through the weeds, and it does stretch. If you're throwing those baits, just go with braid, if you tie on a swimbait then add a 20lb CXX LEADER to the braid and you're set.

Hollow Belly Swimbaits - Dobyns Savvy Series 735 , it's the perfect rod for these baits. The other swimbaits listed, I'd look into a Dobyns 795 Swimbait Rod. As for reels, you can get away with just about anything for the baits you're throwing.. Revo STX, Revo Inshore, Curado, you name it, you should be fine given you're not throwing baits over 6" really.

Braided line, 50-65lb depending on where you're fishing. Tie a fluorocarbon leader if needed. Or if you're only pitching and not making incredibly long casts, put half a spool of some junk line on, then half a spool of 100% fluoro. Each spool will last a bit longer . I don't personally do this but know people that do.

JSJ Makes an awesome crappie/bluegill hard bait.

InvizX has always felt like mono to me, and the stretch is probably one of the reasons that it's more manageable. I have been using the 20 and 25lb InvizX and the higher lb tests seem to reduce the stretch, but I still remember fishing 12-15lb and feeling like it was as stretchy as Trilene XL. I like Trilene 100% and P-Line Fluorocarbon the best, and I've used just about every line out there including Sunline Shooter and Toray. Not worth the money IMO.

More expensive rod, cheaper reel is the way to go. Especially spinning reels . $150 Rod / $100 reel would be a pretty nice setup. I personally think baitcasters are much better all purpose and are more accurate, but if you're set on a spinning rod I'd recommend a Dobyns 703 Savvy Series rod with a Daiwa Tierra spinning reel. Great combo for the price you're looking to spend.

I use a Dobyns 743 Extreme lately for drop shotting, it's a baitcasting rod and works well for both drop shotting and T-Rigs. But the drop shotting I'm doing is with heavier line next to more cover. If you're talking about finesse drop shotting, two separate rods is ideal.

Jigs can imitate bluegill and other fish, not just crawdads. There also may be crawdads and you just don't know.

This is a comment for you and Fat-G . Gary Dobyns designed the rods with balance in mind, this is the reason they balance so well. Most rod companies think a light rod is all that's needed, but a light rod can still cause fatigue if it's not balanced and will make it feel very tip heavy. Most rods including Powells tend to get tip heavy in the 7'3+ Rods, for Dobyns this is when the balance of these rods really shine. Try a 7'6 Dobyns vs another 7'6 Rod and you'll notice an incredible difference. If you were able to notice that the Dobyns balanced better on the 7' rods, it only becomes more and more apparent the longer the rods get. Fat-G , I don't personally like or fish with 7ft rods aside from spinning rods that I've yet to switch to longer rods with, and a cranking rod that I have. I have the Dobyns 735 Savvy and love the thing. It's got a nice tip and it's not too stiff, I don't personally like it much for frogs and would rather a 6 power rod when I frog, but for what I use it for, it's an awesome rod.

If I could afford that kind of trip I'd be there in a second, maybe one of these times you'll have it closer to California !

My choice is the Savvy Series Dobyns, they balance far better IMO and are easier to fish with all day. Having said that, for what you're looking to do, you really should be looking AT LEAST at the 735, if not the 766 . I'm not sure what heavy cover is to you, but the 705 is a little on the light side for heavy cover and on the short side especially for frogging. If you're talking really heavy cover and throwing frogs on top of heavy stuff, the 766 is ideal, if your set on a 5 power rod, the 735 will at least help with your hook ups while frogging and pitching when setting the hook. Both 735 and 766 are made in the Savvy Series and are awesome rods.

Dobyns 702 *7ft* Spinning Rod - 15lb Braid / 8lb Fluoro Leader Dobyns 766 *7ft 6in* Casting Rod - 65lb Braid

The MBR844C is a very nice rod, but for frogs and swimbaits? Little on the light side, even with it's H rating. I used mine for Senkos and 1/2oz jigs and felt it had the right power for those baits. IMO. C-Rigs, Frogs and Swimbaits you want to cast far, the longer the rod, the longer your casts. Keep that in mind as well.

Easy answer, Dobyns 735 or 736. I use a 735 for T-Rig, C-Rig, Spinnerbaits, Buzzbaits and Small Swimbaits. I use a 736 for Frogs. You could get away with using the 735 for frogs, although I like the added power of the 736.

Every time I see your posts, I get that much closer to planning a vacation to falcon. Great fish .. Again.

I haven't heard that in over a year! Used to get it on a weekly basis, I guess now that he's not as popular, the comments have died down.

Never, I'd gladly take another 6lb bass which I have near a hundred of instead of that ugly thing.

Looking to have a 7" Triple Trout painted, I'm not opposed to paying for it to be done, as long as I can see some work prior. Please PM Me . I'm looking for a "Light Hitch" type color similar to the Osprey and other soft Swimbait Light hitch pattern.

Just using the real name these days. Worst part about the trip yesterday, is I caught TWO, this one went 12.55 and the other one was just a tad over 8lbs.

Unfortunately, not a bass. Caught on a swimbait of all things.

Dave send me a PM where you're located, I'll talk to a few staffers and see if anyone is maybe in your area to let you handle a few of the rods.

Dave, Dobyns just came out with one hell of a rod for the $150 price tag. It's called the Savvy Series, they were just released a month or so back. They are incredible to say the least. They balance far better then any other rods in that price range (Balance is key, it makes the rod feel even lighter then it is, and enables you to fish all day with no fatigue). I just got one of mine a little while back and was absolutely amazed at the quality. For $150 it's a steal IMO.