With the 21% Kistler discount still going on I'm very tempted to pick up a new stick. Earlier this year I picked up a Helium 3 7'1 mhxf for light jigs and t-rigs and love it. Now I'm looking to upgrade my heavy pitching/flipping/punching stick.

 

The 2 rods I'm looking at were known as the Helium 3 MAD series which is a 7'10 heavy moderate action and the KLX Bad Boy which is a 7'11 extra heavy mod-fast. Both rods are rated down to a 3/8 oz lures and up to 3oz on the MAD and 5oz on the Bad Boy I believe. This rod will be pulling double duty for me as my heavy bass rod for pitching and punching around all kinds of cover with 3/8-1.5 oz jigs as well as my pike and early summer muskie rod (lighter cranks, jerkbaits, swimbaits, bucktails and topwater in the 1.5oz to 3oz range). 

 

I hear about a lot of guys using moderate action rods for punching but have never used one for anything besides cranks. My question is how will the moderate action respond to pitching around lighter cover and is there any sensitivity lost by using a moderate vs a fast or extra fast? Which of these 2 rods is better suited for this application? Any other input pertaining to these rods or described applications is welcome.

 

Thanks in advance

4 hours ago, Kann18 said:

With the 21% Kistler discount still going on I'm very tempted to pick up a new stick. Earlier this year I picked up a Helium 3 7'1 mhxf for light jigs and t-rigs and love it. Now I'm looking to upgrade my heavy pitching/flipping/punching stick.

 

The 2 rods I'm looking at were known as the Helium 3 MAD series which is a 7'10 heavy moderate action and the KLX Bad Boy which is a 7'11 extra heavy mod-fast. Both rods are rated down to a 3/8 oz lures and up to 3oz on the MAD and 5oz on the Bad Boy I believe. This rod will be pulling double duty for me as my heavy bass rod for pitching and punching around all kinds of cover with 3/8-1.5 oz jigs as well as my pike and early summer muskie rod (lighter cranks, jerkbaits, swimbaits, bucktails and topwater in the 1.5oz to 3oz range). 

 

I hear about a lot of guys using moderate action rods for punching but have never used one for anything besides cranks. My question is how will the moderate action respond to pitching around lighter cover and is there any sensitivity lost by using a moderate vs a fast or extra fast? Which of these 2 rods is better suited for this application? Any other input pertaining to these rods or described applications is welcome.

 

Thanks in advance

I haven't used either rod so I can't help you there. Call Trey & ask him. He will give you some good feedback. 

I don’t know. I’m considering these, too. And the KLX umbrella rig rod. But would most likely prefer to get it custom made, but the custom option disappeared from the website. 

1 hour ago, CrankFate said:

I don’t know. I’m considering these, too. And the KLX umbrella rig rod. But would most likely prefer to get it custom made, but the custom option disappeared from the website. 

Yeah I saw the KLX umbrella rig as well. I also saw that that rod was only rated down to 1oz lures which I though was weird since it is a 7'8 heavy moderate action 

Well, I am getting it Monday, so I’ll let you know what I think of it. I won’t be using it as a bass rod. It may become my go to rod for 2 & 3 oz saltwater use (which will be almost the same as jig fishing bass). I basically fish everything like I was basscasting. And I’m not a bass fisherman. I just wind up catching big bass and every other type of fish that I am better at fishing for is not big.

Just received the umbrella rig special. I can tell you that you can use this for the heavy applications you mention. It is most likely the same blank as the MAD rod. I am going to predict that it’s good for over 4 ounces, even over 5. It is not that moderate, but it has a bit of give to it. I would call it a Mod-Fast. Maybe. It has the properties of a “stout” rod, except is is unbelievably light for the power. I am not sure you’d be able to use less than 1.5oz for most applications. It is too stiff and has too much power for that. Unless you want to fish no less than 2, you might want to consider a lighter powered rod. If I planned on using this for less than 2, it’s too heavy for that, I’d need something else. It has tons of backbone.

 

This rod feels like a super light 1-5oz MH inshore rod. That’s what I intended to use it for.

 

Think comparable to Lamiglas Triflex 7030, but with just a bit of give to it a few inches further down the blank. And less than 1/2 the overall rod weight.