I am needing a little bit of advice on buying rods.  I have always bought fairly cheap rods for about all my setups.  Here of lately have have started getting the chance to fish a lot more and I am wanting to start build up a better collection of more quality rods.  My question is, which rod do you guys feel is the most important to have a quality rod for.  For example, a rod for jigs, plastics, hard moving baits, soft moving baits, or spinner baits. 

 

Thanks

Usually I spend more money on higher quality rods for my bottom contact baits like jig, shakeyhead, t-rig etc. I don't feel I need as sensitive of a rod for crankbaits, chatterbaits etc.

Easy one to answer. The most important rod to be highly sensitive is a rod that you throw bottom bouncing baits.  So if I am choosing to buy my first higher quality rod it would be a baitcasting rod for jigs, texas rigs and carolina rigs. My second most sensitive rod would be a 6'6 to 7 foot medium power fast action spinning rod. I would throw Sencos, light texas rigs with 4 to 6 inch worms, weightless plastics like creature baits, grubs and tubes. When I say lightweight i mean less than 3/8 roughly.  This rod might even be a ml depending on the rod manufacturers tendencies. I would also throw drop shots and Ned rigs on this rod. For me I carry 3 rods top do this job.  I can not afford a deck full of top line rods so my spinning and a my bottom contact rods cost the most on the boat. With the quality of today's mid priced rods I find plenty good sensitive rods in the $100 to $175 category that will handle spinnerbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits,and rattle traps perfectly well.  To me if I am stepping up to a higher end rod than the price usually start near $200 and goes as high as you can dream, but my higher end models cost just around $300

9 hours ago, fishnkamp said:

Easy one to answer. The most important rod to be highly sensitive is a rod that you throw bottom bouncing baits.  So if I am choosing to buy my first higher quality rod it would be a baitcasting rod for jigs, texas rigs and carolina rigs. My second most sensitive rod would be a 6'6 to 7 foot medium power fast action spinning rod. I would throw Sencos, light texas rigs with 4 to 6 inch worms, weightless plastics like creature baits, grubs and tubes. When I say lightweight i mean less than 3/8 roughly.  This rod might even be a ml depending on the rod manufacturers tendencies. I would also throw drop shots and Ned rigs on this rod. For me I carry 3 rods top do this job.  I can not afford a deck full of top line rods so my spinning and a my bottom contact rods cost the most on the boat. With the quality of today's mid priced rods I find plenty good sensitive rods in the $100 to $175 category that will handle spinnerbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits,and rattle traps perfectly well.  To me if I am stepping up to a higher end rod than the price usually start near $200 and goes as high as you can dream, but my higher end models cost just around $300

 

This might help, too:

 

I agree with others that the rod that you need to spend money on is the jig/worm rod.  These rods are typically lighter, more balanced and more sensitive.  Those qualities make the rod more expensive.  You can use inexpensive rods for all of your reaction techniques like cranks, frogs, spinnerbaits etc.

I will agree with the others, but also take into account what rod will you be using most? What is your preferred technique?

 

For me its simple, bottom contact because that is what I use most. It is the most critical rod in my arsenal.

I like g loomie imx med heavy  fast action  7 ft  great sensitivity.  they stand behind there product should something happen

1 hour ago, lonnie g said:

I like g loomie imx med heavy  fast action  7 ft  great sensitivity.  they stand behind there product should something happen

 

Specifically, G. Loomis MBR844C