I'm am looking to buy a rod for jigs and soft plastics. I am looking for something in the $150-250 range.

The main rods I'm looking at is dobyns champion, duckett, and abu Garcia villain. I would be open to all suggestions though. I'm just having a hard time to decide without being able to fish any rods to feel how sensitive they are. I'm leaning more towards the dobyns but I have heard they are good but not worth $250.

The champion line isnt really a bottom contact line. The extreme line is a very good jig line.I do own 2 champion extremes now and they are exceptionally nice rods. I got another dx744 thst retails for 329 for 250 for TW black friday sale. Well worth it. Of the 3 you listed in thst range i would choose the ducket personally.

May I suggest you take a look at the Powells? The Max 753 jig rod to be specific. Exceptionally sensitive rod, and very well-balanced unlike the longer spinning Powell Maxes. Disclaimer is I don't own any $200+ (regular bass) rods.

I'd be lookin for a used MBR844 GLX. They can be found in really good shape all day in that price range.

Thanks for the help and I will defineltly take all this into consideration. But can anyone tell me how the senitivety of the champion compares to other rods? I have a savvy, vertias, and carrot stix. I know there much cheaper I just want to make sure it's much better than those.

Powell Endurance 714C is an outstanding pitching rod.

I'd be lookin for a used MBR844 GLX. They can be found in really good shape all day in that price range.

I tend to agree. Great jig rod yet very versatile.

DVT

I created a similar thread a year ago. Ended up getting the Dobyns 745DX and couldn't be happier.

I'd get a dobyns or a duckett.

Daiwa Zillion 7' Med Hvy is a wonderful rod what you want.

Depends on the size jigs but I would also add another vote to dobyns champion extreme series. I have savy rods, champion rods, and the extreme rods and the dx rods are the real deal for $250-$260 during black Friday sales. They are some of the best looking rods, very well balanced, and very sensitive. The weights of your jigs would be needed to direct you to the appropriate rod. I would say for lighter jigs the 703 is a great rod but if you drag bigger jigs the 744 or 745 may fit the bill better. Also I would recommend the split grip over the full handle.

I have both the Champion, and the Duckett. To me it's the Champion, hands down.

Hootie

You really need to take a look at the Denali Rosewood Rods. I fish two Rosewood 7' MH Worm/Jig Rods for jigs and plastics. I've been fishing these rods for a year and they are as nice of rods as I've ever fished. They're extremely light and the actions are perfect. I was skipping jigs under docks with them yesterday and I was skipping wacky rigged senkos in early spring. That's how versatile they are. I had been fishing Loomis IMX and these rods are every bit as light and sensitive and sell for $199.

I'd also recomend looking at the Denali.I fish the 843 model in both the rosewood and noirwood and have been very pleased. I own (or have owned) imx ,glx,nrx and legend elite.In my hands the Denali is as good or better ,great quality and value.

Look at the Daiwa Zillion rods. I fish jigs on the 7' MH and I love this thing. I will say that I'm not nearly the jig fisherman as some of the guys on this board, but if their recommended rods are better than the Zillion, then they must be some sweet sticks.

You don't hear much about the Zillion rods, and I'm really not sure why, as I think they're awesome for "feel" techniques.

St Croix legend tournament worm and jig rod it's awesome and super sensitive

Look at the Daiwa Zillion rods. I fish jigs on the 7' MH and I love this thing. I will say that I'm not nearly the jig fisherman as some of the guys on this board, but if their recommended rods are better than the Zillion, then they must be some sweet sticks.

You don't hear much about the Zillion rods, and I'm really not sure why, as I think they're awesome for "feel" techniques.

For the same reason you don't hear much about Daiwa reels compared to Shimanos on this site?

To the OP: I wouldn't go over a Medium if choosing the Villain...unless large diameter rods are your thing. I haven't had a chance yet to find out what my Villain casting rod's (a 7'6" MH) performance is like, but the rod's large diameter turned me off on sight. A fair amount of testing is required before deciding whether or not to keep this rod. I don't want to make a decision on looks alone. I do have a ML Villain spinning rod that I love the looks of. However, I had planned on using it for panfish, but it won't load with the light lures I had planned on using with it. Listing is for 1/8-3/8 lures. It is now my new Medium spinning rod. However, I only tested it with lures lighter than 1/8 oz. so I don't know as yet what range lures will work best with this rod.

I have only seen these 2 Villain rods so I can't comment on the other rods in the line. I can say that the diameters for a given power (on these 2 rods) is larger than the same power rods in other rod lines I have. I used a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait on the MH, with heavy, old braid that came with a new-2-me reel. A heavier lure will be required if I expect to do some long distance casting with it. Of course different line should help with the 1/2 oz lures as the old braid is separating and was kind of floating like a parachute on the cast.

For the same reason you don't hear much about Daiwa reels compared to Shimanos on this site?

Lol, very true!