I am looking at getting a dobyns savvy for bottom contact baits, (jigs, t-rigs, tubes, etc.) but I've been reading very mixed reviews on how sensitive it is.  Some say it feels dead, while others love it.  So what's your opinion?  Is the fury any better?

I used to use a few Savvy rods for bottom contact, the 734 and 735. Now I have moved the 735 to frogs and small swimbaits and the 734 to toads, spinnerbaits, and chatterbaits. The are ok rods for feel but at the price point you can certainly do better. They balance well and fish well but aren't anything that is going to wow you IMO.

 

If it were me I would look to another brand of rods at the $150 - $200 price point. You may also be able to buy something during a sale or 2nd hand that would be within your budget.

4 hours ago, kickerfish1 said:

I used to use a few Savvy rods for bottom contact, the 734 and 735. Now I have moved the 735 to frogs and small swimbaits and the 734 to toads, spinnerbaits, and chatterbaits. The are ok rods for feel but at the price point you can certainly do better. They balance well and fish well but aren't anything that is going to wow you IMO.

 

If it were me I would look to another brand of rods at the $150 - $200 price point. You may also be able to buy something during a sale or 2nd hand that would be within your budget.

I probably wouldn't buy a dobyns if I had to pay full retail, but I plan on getting a refurbished rod in addition to 40% off. So I could get a savvy for 60$, a fury for $50, or a champion for $100. And no, it is not from a contact inside dobyns.

That would seem like a really solid deal to me . If the savings are that great you may consider stepping up to a Champion or Champion Extreme.

29 minutes ago, kickerfish1 said:

That would seem like a really solid deal to me . If the savings are that great you may consider stepping up to a Champion or Champion Extreme.

 

No kidding.  If the OP can get that kind of pricing, why not go for the best they have.

Great moving bait rods.

Not great bottom contact rods. 

Champion for your 100$ price is a no brainer.

I would just keep at the Champion/Extreme Level.

 

I was using DC 734C F/H for Texas Rig for a while until I got the Gloomis NRX 803C JWR (6'8 MH/XF) 

So the champion 703c would be the better rod for bottom baits between 3/16 ounce and 1/2 ounce?

It will just do fine as long you keep it in that range (3/16 to 1/2 oz)  

 

For me, I would step up to 704C due to the power (4) as I tend to fish with heavy grass and those are always hungry in the morning. I still have the DC 734C set up for heavy grass while texas rig.  

 

The Saavy was WAY overpriced for what it was. Nice looking rod but even at $70 there are better bottom contact rods. As others have said, get the Champion for $100 because even at $70 you'll be disappointed for bottom contact. On that note, you can get a new Veritas at that same price point and that rod is head and shoulders above a Saavy for bottom contact, I never understood how they were selling the Saavy for $150, as I said it looks nice but has the same feel as a 2X4.

8 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

So the champion 703c would be the better rod for bottom baits between 3/16 ounce and 1/2 ounce?

704 is more ideal

6 hours ago, iabass8 said:

704 is more ideal

I know dobyns typically run a half step light, but a heavy powered rod for 3/16-1/2 ounce baits?  I don't fish around a whole lot of brush or weeds.  I throw a lot of baby boo jigs (3/16-5/16), some 3/8 ounce jigs, some lighter t-rigs in the 1/8-1/4 ounce range, and that's about it.

The 704 isn't a heavy powered rod in any series. It's a MH despite the label. The boo jigs, 3/8jigs and up to 1/4oz trigs you described will fit a 703 fine. Go up to 1/2oz and you will wish you had a 704.