Well I'm a senior in high school and I'm thinking since I've had college classes (graduating with associates) play football, wrestle, work at Dairy Queen, cut grass and power wash houses...etc I'm gonna get myself a new rod. I'm wanting to spend about 150-275 on a 6'10"-7'3" mh/f preferably with micro guides. All I care about is sensitivity and reliability. I've been considering Cashion, Kistler helium 3, tfo gloomis red, Powell max 3d, Fenwick aetos, OR contact a custom builder probably DVT to build my own. What's your opinions? Thanks

Custom!  You get exactly what you want!

 

Jeff

Custom dude, no doubt! Satisfying and a rewarding reminder of all your hard work. The only rod you listed I'd even consider in the debate is the Helium 3.

For your price range a custom build makes the most sense IMHO.

You get what you want and how you want it, plus the advise and expertise of someone who does it for living.

Can't ask for more than that.

Mike

You can get a high performance custom within the budget you posted. It'll be toward the upper end but still within the range. ( depending on options and special requests )

if going custom (which you definitely should !!!) consider building it on a Phenix blank , take a look at the Ultra series of rods/blanks , check out the UMBX-700MH blank , a 7ft. medium heavy / fast action ....

Mike at DVT and I had talked sometime back about a custom. I decided not to have him build me a rod because I found a rod that was exactly what I needed. However; my next rod will be a custom. Why; I can choose the blank, reel seat, length of grip, grip material, guides and colors.
It doesn't get any better than that. 
Mike builds with HXM blanks. I was able to see and hold one a month ago. What a fantastic blank that is. If I had to guess which factory rod it mirrored it would be a G Loomis at 400.00 + or -.
I have 7 rods set up. I am completely satisfied with two of them. I'm happy with the other 5. I'm going 5 customs after I've sold them.

Suggestion. Re-think the micro guides.

Who's this Dave guy?

 

Cody, unless you have a regular job, I'd suggest getting an used off-the-shelf rod. You should be able to find a Helium 3 for well under $200 shipped, and it's a good blank that has held up to a fair amount of (unintentional) abuse.

Be warned, once you go custom, everything else is junk. LOL. I now have two custom rod sin my arsenal, and I don't want to use the rest of my stuff. I can't wait for my builder to finish up other peoples stuff so I can have more done...if I get too antsy, I might even try one myself.

I use a fifty dollar rod and feel the tick/s on the bottom worm fishing, the strike of the spinner bait, mono line, with my cheap junk rod and have been tin he presence of some who use those superior rods who did not catch squat.

 

The Old School Basser...

Dave at DVT and I had talked sometime back about a custom. I decided not to have him build me a rod because I found a rod that was exactly what I needed. However; my next rod will be a custom. Why; I can choose the blank, reel seat, length of grip, grip material, guides and colors.

It doesn't get any better than that. Contact Dave.

Dave builds with HXM blanks. I was able to see and hold one a month ago. What a fantastic blank that is. If I had to guess which factory rod it mirrored it would be a G Loomis at 400.00 + or -.

I have 7 rods set up. I am completely satisfied with two of them. I'm happy with the other 5. I'm going 5 customs after I've sold them.

Suggestion. Re-think the micro guides.

are you referring to Mike at DVT ????

 

suggestion . go with micro guides , better casting !!! have a rod built how YOU want it , that's why they call it a custom rod ...

I use a fifty dollar rod and feel the tick/s on the bottom worm fishing, the strike of the spinner bait, mono line, with my cheap junk rod and have been tin he presence of some who use those superior rods who did not catch squat.

 

The Old School Basser...

I agree.

There are people that will say you don't feel everything, that's their opinion.   Catching any kind of fish is easy as long as you have your lure in the zone, which could be done with a senko and barbie rod.  A cuban rig doesn't even use a rod or reel.

I use a fifty dollar rod and feel the tick/s on the bottom worm fishing, the strike of the spinner bait, mono line, with my cheap junk rod and have been tin he presence of some who use those superior rods who did not catch squat.

The Old School Basser...

What is the purpose in this post regarding the OP's thread question? The guy said he wanted to treat himself. Are you telling him to save his money cause sometimes persons you fish with who use more expensive equipment don't catch squat at times? I've never understood the reasoning behind these types of comments.

What is the purpose in this post regarding the OP's thread question? The guy said he wanted to treat himself. Are you telling him to save his money cause sometimes persons you fish with who use more expensive equipment don't catch squat at times? I've never understood the reasoning behind these types of comments.

they just don't get it .......    

Well it's going to be a helium 3 or a custom from dvt. Either macro or micro. And to the guys that think I should just use more inexpensive stuff.. Sure it will work but bass fishing is one of the best things in life and life's short so I don't have a problem taking 500 out of saving for a combo for the extra enjoyment of the performance. Why settle with an average girl when you can have a smokin girl? Sure they feel the same but the hotter one is better. Lol

Well it's going to be a helium 3 or a custom from dvt. Either macro or micro. And to the guys that think I should just use more inexpensive stuff.. Sure it will work but bass fishing is one of the best things in life and life's short so I don't have a problem taking 500 out of saving for a combo for the extra enjoyment of the performance. Why settle with an average girl when you can have a smokin girl? Sure they feel the same but the hotter one is better. Lol

 

you are gonna be happy with the custom !!! they are such a pleasure to fish , you'll kick yourself for choosing a factory rod over a custom ...

Oops, Mike.. Not Dave.

Call him whatever you want, but call him.

Well it's going to be a helium 3 or a custom from dvt. Either macro or micro. And to the guys that think I should just use more inexpensive stuff.. Sure it will work but bass fishing is one of the best things in life and life's short so I don't have a problem taking 500 out of saving for a combo for the extra enjoyment of the performance. Why settle with an average girl when you can have a smokin girl? Sure they feel the same but the hotter one is better. Lol

You could take the 500 dollars and invest in 5 to 8 perfectly good rods for all possible applications you might need in your fishing endeavors. It's your money and time on the water. Good fishing to you.

 

The Old School Basser...

Well I'm a senior in high school and I'm thinking since I've had college classes (graduating with associates) play football, wrestle, work at Dairy Queen, cut grass and power wash houses...etc I'm gonna get myself a new rod. I'm wanting to spend about 150-275 on a 6'10"-7'3" mh/f preferably with micro guides. All I care about is sensitivity and reliability. I've been considering Cashion, Kistler helium 3, tfo gloomis red, Powell max 3d, Fenwick aetos, OR contact a custom builder probably DVT to build my own. What's your opinions? Thanks

At this point in time and considering your budget constraints and experience my suggestion is the G. Loomis E6X 853C JWR rod. Fish with this rod for a few years and then consider custom made rods.

Tom

Well I guess if you're looking for a financial advisor you can start your search on this thread.

First thing that has to be considered is what you are fishing for and how you are doing it.  The bulk of my fishing has little to with sensitivity, when I get  a strike there is no doubt about it.   I do wonder if a rod is really more sensitive due to it being lighter in overall weight, or the blank trueley is more sensitive.

 

I have found my niche, I'll leave it at that.