What do you guys think are some of the best bang-for-the-buck bottom contact jig/T-Rig rods for around $300? I know Shimano Exprides get a lot of love, as do MG Orochi. Deserved? Others? 

Cara's not enough for you?  They are tough to beat in that sub $300 bracket.  Depending on the length and heft you want there are good options across the board.

Alpha Angler Zilla or Zilla Vaader

 

 

Shimano Expride, Tatula Elite AGS, and St. Croix Legend Tournament are the top dogs at the 300 dollar price point when it comes to sensitivity IMO. Orochis are nice but are a bit on the heavy side for me. 
 

Of those I own

 

7’2” MHF Expride (great all round 3/8oz jig and T-rig rod) usually have a Sleeper Craw tied on it and it handles it great. Very light and balanced as well.

 

7’3” HXF Legend Tournament. Not a heavy, and not an extra fast. It’s more like a medium heavy, fast. It has a soft tip that gets into a stiff backbone. It’s sort of my Texas rig special if the cover isn’t too heavy. As with most St. Croix rods, it is a bit tip heavy so if balance matters to you a bunch, this isn’t your rod, but if you don’t mind that, it is light, and it is sensitive.

 

7’4” HF and 7’6” HF Tatula Elite AGS. The 7’4” is great for 1/2oz jigs. The 7’6” is a flippin stick but can also huck a football jig if you are fishing deeper water or heavy cover. Balance is good for the length of these rods. Not as good as the Expride, but better than the Legend Tournament. The AGS guides give the rods that “electric” sensitivity a lot of people like. Only thing you gotta worry about with them is breaking the guides. They aren’t fine china fragile, but they don’t bend, they break. And you gotta send the whole rod back to Daiwa to get it replaced. They make a 7ft M/MHXF and a 7’3” MHF as well for lighter stuff. 

a lot of good options at the $300 price point but those are the ones I own and my experience with them. 

I couldn't imagine not getting an Expride if my budget is $300.

Kistler helium is on sale at TW

iRod Air 
$250
 

Lamiglas SI Bass
$300

13 Fishing Envy 3
(200ish if you google)

35 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

I couldn't imagine not getting an Expride if my budget is $300.

They really that good?

Megabass P5 Super Destroyer.  This has been my do all rod. It can be had for $300 at most JDM sites.

Rods don’t have sensitivity! Bottom lure contact feedback is all about detecting slight changes is lure resistance and line movements. I would say the line plays a critical role is detecting lure movements. Your finger tip is sensitive.

Higher modulus materials and very resistant guide train plus how the reel seat is made and overall weight and balance all play part is what everyone thinks is rod sensitivity.

It comes down to how you feel about the combination of all the above with a $300 budget, lots of choices.

So curious what length rod, reel and line do you plan to use?

Tom 

6 minutes ago, WRB said:

Rods don’t have sensitivity!

You're still sticking with that, hey? So you think you can detect bites on an Ugly Stick just as well as with an NRX? 

 

 

I have been detecting light strikes for over 50 years using jigs because I use my finger tips on the line. So yes I am sticking to that statement. 

My 10 year old ALX customs jig & worm 5 power rods weigh 3.8 oz with state of the art Lamiglas blanks so weight, balance, guide train, line and reel are import to make long accurate casts and get solid hook sets to control and land the bass. Strike detection for me is and always has been feed back from the line movements touching fingers.

Tom

1 hour ago, WRB said:

I have been detecting light strikes for over 50 years using jigs because I use my finger tips on the line. So yes I am sticking to that statement. 

My 10 year old ALX customs jig & worm 5 power rods weigh 3.8 oz with state of the art Lamiglas blanks so weight, balance, guide train, line and reel are import to make long accurate casts and get solid hook sets to control and land the bass. Strike detection for me is and always has been feed back from the line movements touching fingers.

Tom

That's great and all. And of course you can still feel bites with lesser, cheaper rods etc. But you can't say higher quality rods/material doesn't aid in bite detection. It does.

 

And you mention Lamiglas blanks. Lets see what they say about rod sensitivity-

 

https://www.lamiglas.com/blogs/lamiglas-fishing-rod-blog/understanding-fishing-rod-sensitivity-1

Tatula AGS, Expride, Daiwa BLX, St. Croix LTB

2 hours ago, FishTank said:

Megabass P5 Super Destroyer.  This has been my do all rod. It can be had for $300 at most JDM sites.

If you wanted one rod for traditional weighted Free Rigs, C-Rigs, and 1/2oz Jigs......would the Super Destroyer or FMJ be the better pick?

I would look at the Cara and the Expride. I have a bunch of Cara's and I did own a Expride.

Personally, I like Falcons actions better but that's personal preference.

 I've been fishing the NRX since they were introduced and now the plus model.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind I can catch every fish on the Cara that I would have on the NRX. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's a good question.  I have no experience with the FMJ. In theory, it should be more sensitive than the Super Destroyer.  Personally, the SD isn't my favorite rod for jigs but for $300, it's well worth it.  The FMJ though, I haven't seen it cheaper than usual list price.

 

I think if money was not a factor, the FMJ would probably suit my needs better. On the other hand,  the SD is great around docks and you can't beat its versatility.  I can throw a 3/8oz crankbait on it, 1/2oz jig or Texas Rig, and then a 6in Magdraft and all will do well. What other rod can do that?

30 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

If you wanted one rod for traditional weighted Free Rigs, C-Rigs, and 1/2oz Jigs......would the Super Destroyer or FMJ be the better pick?

See above

55 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

That's great and all. And of course you can still feel bites with lesser, cheaper rods etc. But you can't say higher quality rods/material doesn't aid in bite detection. It does.

 

And you mention Lamiglas blanks. Lets see what they say about rod sensitivity-

 

https://www.lamiglas.com/blogs/lamiglas-fishing-rod-blog/understanding-fishing-rod-sensitivity-1

Pros rarely use top of the line rods - most are using $100-200 rods and they don't seem to have problems with bite detection.

Thanks @FishTank

 

In regard to sensitivity being needed or not......there's not a wrong answer, does a Camry and Ferrari both take you to point B, absolutely.    Does driving a Camry vs. Ferrari to point B feel differently, absolutely.     

 

29 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

Pros rarely use top of the line rods - most are using $100-200 rods and they don't seem to have problems with bite detection.

Pros use what their sponsor wants them to use/pay them to use. 

 

Like I said, sure, you can feel bites with a cane pole. But bite detection improves with better materials/rod weight. 

In that price range you could have DVT build you one.  I have several rods that I have used for shaky.  Some I considered to be very good until I had a custom rod built.  It is so much better than any of the others that I have commissioned another rod just like it.

4 hours ago, WRB said:

So curious what length rod, reel and line do you plan to use?

7’ is my preferred length cause I fish out of a kayak and beat the bank in close quarters mostly. Reel is a Zillion. Preferred line is straight fluoro (Abrazx 15-17 lb) but I sometimes throw braid to leader (40 lb PP to 15 lb Sunline Sniper).

5 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

Cara's not enough for you?  They are tough to beat in that sub $300 bracket.  Depending on the length and heft you want there are good options across the board.

Ha! I have a Falcon Expert Head Turner and it’s a pretty sweet rod. More of a moving bait rod that bottom contact though. Always wanted to try a Cara. 

I would say go with a expride, if you want the safe bet. I would say go with a megabass orochi perfect pitch for a different one, probably my favorite but a little on the heavier side. There a great rod though. Third choice at croix legend tournament bass and there decent also. A lot of choices at the price point, but I think it’s about detecting the subtle differences in the feeling of the jig. I always have a finger on the line and watch it also.

1 minute ago, Jmurphy87 said:

I would say go with a expride, if you want the safe bet. I would say go with a megabass orochi perfect pitch for a different one, probably my favorite but a little on the heavier side. There a great rod though. Third choice at croix legend tournament bass and there decent also. A lot of choices at the price point, but I think it’s about detecting the subtle differences in the feeling of the jig. I always have a finger on the line and watch it also.

I second that Orochi xx perfect pitch.   Such an awesome rod.   It’s heavier but doesn’t feel heavier because it balances so well.   

Kistler helium is a great deal at $247 (current sale price), and an insane deal at $207 which is what I paid last spring for my 7', 4.5hmh. Beats my St Croix legend Elite as well the Orochi perfect pitch (which I no longer own) in sensitivity and smokes them both in weight and balance. I'd even argue it's an equal and even maybe touch above expride, I had a 7'3" xh A series I also recently sold.