I need help. My fiancée always out-fishes me when we go to her grandparents' lake, which requires finesse techniques. She uses my Dobyns 703SF Champion with a 2500 Shimano Stradic, mainly fishing with a wacky rig, TR worm, or weightless fluke. I don't have another medium-powered rod and my lighter powered rods (L and ML) don’t have the same hookup ratio.

 

I'm looking to get another medium spinning rod for similar applications and light jigs. While I love my Dobyns Champion, I’m open to trying new brands or series, like the Kaden series. I want a rod ready for wacky rigs and use the other rod for other finesse techniques even when she isn’t fishing with me.

 

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!!

 

Cheers!

I love my Zodias 6'10" ML and it handles 5" wacky rigs just fine (10 lb braid to leader).  Its probably better with a little lighter techniques for your taste.  My dad has the 7' version in a M and its got just a bit more power that you're describing.  Great rod for throwing a 6" worm and 1/8 oz (which is what he does mostly with it).

I'm a SC guy primarily so if I were you I'd look into their AVID or VICTORY series rods.

Don't change a thing.  If you buy a new rod, and she still out fishes you, your ego may get hurt, and you wont have an excuse for why you can't catch as many bass.  If the rod helps and you start catching more bass than her, she may not be as happy, or worse yet, she may think she needs a new rod.  Starting a new rod competition, that can quickly get expensive.  The Bait Monkey will be drinking Champaign watching the competition as if it were the Super Bowl.  If she is currently catching more fish than you and is happy, than I say if it aint broke don't fix it.  Besides you know you are letting her out fish you because you love making her happy.  Buy her a new rod, and she might let you fish with her old one.

1 hour ago, Chris Shonefeld said:

....I love my Dobyns Champion.....

 

No way I am going searching for a spinning rod if I already know what I want.  I hate searching for the right spinning rod. Every little thing from tip to power to reel seat to grips can vary so much between rods in same price range.  It wouldn't surprise me at all if you went through three different rods before just giving one of them to you gf and taking your Dobyns back

All around rod?
 

Megabass Levante Shakeyhead. Tapers right for so much, has enough juice for heavier baits like a 5 inch senko and the Levante taper is much more forgiving for moving baits. 
 

Second option would be a Victory 7’3mxf
 

Use the Dobyns, let her choose what she wants?  A Dobyns fury can be had for cheap in comparison and still fishes nice but the price is cheap enough you won’t mind it sitting around for just visits. 

Alpha Angler Wrench 

 

7" M Fast.   The ultimate whacky rig rod.   

I retired my legacy Phenix finesse rods and choose the SC Victory spinning rods based on the handle design and light weight.

I have 2 Victories the 7’1” MF and 7’3” MXF both with Shimano Vanford 2500 reels. 
The 7’1” MF excels using 5” Senko unweighted. The 7’3” MXF has a lighter tip and good for drop shot, slip shot rigs.

I am using 15# Fins Spin5 braid w/10 lb Sniper on the Senko rod and straight 5# UG copoly on the finesse rod.

Hook sets are easier using Senko’s with the MF rod with stronger tip but both rods are interchangeable or a toss up,  the MXF is slightly better for all around finesse fishing. The 7’1” MF is close to the Dobyns Champ in power and action.

Tom