4 hours ago, Bass Turd said:

This is not about swinging a golf club and hitting the ball as hard as you can. Bass fishing is about detecting subtle bites. Sometimes very very subtle.  Just to be clear we're talking bottom baits like Texas rigged worms or jigs not crank baits. If you feel more bites you will catch more fish... simple. I have a very easy way to compare the sensitivity of two rods. Rig one rod and reel and have a friend pull out a casts length of line. Reel up the slack and close your eyes and have him tap on the line with a pencil or pen. Now switch rods and use the same line and reel. You can even leave the tags on the expensive rod and take it back if you don't feel a difference. Maybe your $50 rod is as good as the expensive one... who knows. This is a good way to test it. 

Now you are going to have people debating whether a bite from a bass feels more like tapping a line with a plastic pen or a wooden pencil.  Lol

22 hours ago, Buffdaddy54 said:

Thanks everybody, going to go ahead and get a better Rod than I was originally going to buy. A lot of wisdom gleened from you guys. AND IT WAS FREE?

Boy im in trouble if you ever figure out how to charge me for all this good advice??

Seriously though, THANKS, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME TO SCHOOL ME!

Now then, do I go Fenwick HMG, Duckett Ghost, Dobbins Fury, or BPS Titanium?

 

Atta boy, now your talkin. And yes like the other guys mentioned the more sensitive rod u can afford will help u detect more bites, what kind of structure your fishing ect. And when you get that nice rod you will like it so much that it will inspire u to fish more, concentrate more on what your doing and give u more confidence. In all just get more into what has for a lot of us become a life long addiction. I've never owned any of the rods u mentioned but I'm sure these guys can help u out. I'm sure u can't go wrong with the Dobyns though. Enjoy man, and welcome to the cult lol.

Thanks everybody.

Went out to BassPro today and picked up Johnny Morris Titanium 6'10 MHF Rod that was on sale for 103.99 down from 129.99. Bass Pro is only 10 min from my house(not sure that is a good thing though?)Can't wait to get out and start using it. 

Once again thank you for all the help and insights.

On 6/11/2016 at 0:17 AM, Buffdaddy54 said:

Would someone please explain to me how it is worth it to me a,fresh off the boat newbie, that spending 100 dollars as opposed to spending 50 dollars on a Rod is going to A) make me a better angler and B ) how it is going to make me catch more fish. Again I'm not talking aboutYOU who is an experienced angler, I'm talking about me, a person as far as fishing is concerned, knows nothing about nothing.  And please don't tell me "if you just spend 10 more dollars...." How is that going to help me? I don't mind spending 100 dollars but as of right now if it is really not going to get me to catch more fish why should I? 

I know that the Fury and the Ghost are good rods but if my skills and sense of touch are not there yet why? It's like a golf swing, if your swing is not groves to the point that it repeats itself time and time again it makes no sense in spending 500 dollars on a driver. Groove the swing first, then go get that bright shiny new toy.

Hoping for some insight

Having expensive gear is nice, but it is not needed for bass fishing and most forms of  fishing.You can catch plenty of bass (including big ones) on medium priced gear.With the money you save you can buy plenty of lures.Like they say,it's the fisherman,not the gear.

A total newbie isnt going to know how to take advantage of more expensive/better equipment, so dont bother with it till you fish a bit more.

On 6/12/2016 at 2:06 PM, Buffdaddy54 said:

Thanks everybody.

Went out to BassPro today and picked up Johnny Morris Titanium 6'10 MHF Rod that was on sale for 103.99 down from 129.99. Bass Pro is only 10 min from my house(not sure that is a good thing though?)Can't wait to get out and start using it. 

Once again thank you for all the help and insights.

Let us know it feels.  I have moved away from BPS gear, not to say they aren't good.  I still own 3 BPS Pro Qualifier reels and two BPS Carbonlites (The previous generation).  The reels are tanks and the two Carbonlite are light and has decent sensitivity.  I haven't tried one of the Titanium rods though.  Not to rain on your parade but the Fenwick Smallmouth ET - 6'10 MH/F is for 75 bucks.  (at least I saw this weekend still, usually 130-140)  They are one of my favorite rods, they are light and sensitive.