Mike, the winter tackle sales are right around the corner so outline what the guys tell you and wait for the sales.

 

You can get so much more in your price range once the rod prices are reduced.

 

Any name brand rod will suffice, even Bass Pro Shops Extreme line of rods and cranking sticks.

 

Good luck and enjoy your new rods this coming year.

I'm going to say no to halo rods for someone wanting to upgrade from an ugly stick for the first time and the reason is due to the action. Yes, the rods are lighter than what the OP is currently using but Halo rods all have moderate action so he isn't going to understand the benefits of a fast action graphite rod for T-rigs as he is hoping for. One of our club member grabbed a Twilite rod when they came out and it got sent back after 45 minutes on the water with 3 anglers trying it. It isn't bad but the rod was intended for jigs and to everyone of us it seemed more suited to cranks, I've seen moderate rods for jigs before but this was really moderate, this would be the last rod series I'd recommend. Now they are ok if you are experienced and like using braid for most, if not all applications and I think that is what Halo rods are designed for, any other line and you just aren't going to set a hook well with those rods, the OP needs a little more backbone than what he has.

What length and action was the Twilite rod? I do use braid for pretty much everything, but my applications are almost identical to Okeechobee, which is where Halo Rods come from.

What length and action was the Twilite rod? I do use braid for pretty much everything, but my applications are almost identical to Okeechobee, which is where Halo Rods come from.

 

No disrespect meant, but yeah, Halo rods are more suited to those that use braid and fish grass lakes. Every bad review saying the rod is dead is from those not using braid and it makes sense with the parabolic action those rods have so I think this isn't a series to look at if you are upgrading from another rod with a parabolic style, especially if one is using other line types.

Id look for a fenwick smallie or crucial...