So I'm heading to Cabelas soon to buy my first Loomis rod and I'm leaning towards a 80X Mossyback but can't decide on wether to buy a 3 or 4 power rod. I have a 6'8" Avid MXF that I use for light plastics and light 1/8 and 1/4 jigs and I'm wanting something with more power than my Avid. This rod will be used for the most part with jigs up to 1/2 oz but mostly 3/8... and some heavier plastics. What would be the next step up from my Avid is the question I guess. Thanks

Why don't you just move up to the new 08 Avid 6'6" Medium Heavy???

AC66MHF lure rating is 3/8 - 1oz.  

If you want to go up in the St.Croix® ranks try the 4C66MHF OR 5C66MHF Legends

Just a thought..

I don't have either but do have 843 and 844.  The 3 is MH the 4 is H.  I won't go heavier than 1/2 on the 843s.  1/2 with med to large trailers and up go on the 844.

I've handled the new 6'6" MH St.Croix rods (Avid and the new split grip LT) and the new Shimano Cumara 6'8" MHXF. They all felt tip heavy compared to the 803 Loomis and with my wrist being jacked up from work..I can't tolerate tip heavy rods for long. This rod will wear a Curado 101....looking for a neutral or just slightly tip heavy balance.

I own a Mossyback 802 and an 803. The 803 is my favorite of the two. Both are good rods, the tip on the 803 is more to my liking and has good backbone. The 803 should be perfect for what you are going to use it for but I dont think you can go wrong with either one. Give 'em both a shake when you get to Cabela's, you'll instantly know which one you need.

I have an 804 GLX.

It has as much power as you need for any application short of big swimbaits.

I have an 804 GLX.

It has as much power as you need for any application short of big swimbaits.

Yeah...pretty much.  I own an 803 and 804...and the 803 being an ex-fast and the 804 being a fast...I can't tell a lot of difference.  For an all around worm and jig rod for anything 5/8oz and under...I'd go 803.  It has a lot of power.  Amazingly...the 804 feels just as light and balanced...maybe it is the action.  Regardless...I just don't think you can beat the 803 for nearly any worm or jigging other than seriously heavy cover/baits.  

I've handled the new 6'6" MH St.Croix rods (Avid and the new split grip LT) and the new Shimano Cumara 6'8" MHXF. They all felt tip heavy compared to the 803 Loomis and with my wrist being jacked up from work..I can't tolerate tip heavy rods for long. This rod will wear a Curado 101....looking for a neutral or just slightly tip heavy balance.

twors,

All rods feel tip heavy without any reel mounted....

The balance of a system (rod/reel) comes from the weight of the rod (produced by the length), plus the offsetting weight of the reel.

It is not easy to get a neutral balance on a rod/reel, when the only moveable piece is the reel and the reels weight. Meaning you would have to find the right weight reel to neutral balance a rack rod. The best way would be to build to your needs.

About the best you can do setting up a light tip, would be to find the weight reel that will put enough counter weight on the reel seat (rear area of the rod), to offset the weight of the tip produced by the length of the rod, or you have to add a balancing system, then you are adding more overall weight to the rod..

Just my .02¢

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!  

I've handled the new 6'6" MH St.Croix rods (Avid and the new split grip LT) and the new Shimano Cumara 6'8" MHXF. They all felt tip heavy compared to the 803 Loomis and with my wrist being jacked up from work..I can't tolerate tip heavy rods for long. This rod will wear a Curado 101....looking for a neutral or just slightly tip heavy balance.

twors,

All rods feel tip heavy without any reel mounted....

I have to disagree with that.  Sure, a reel will help balance out most split grips, but the balance point doesn't lie, and how far away the neutral balance point is from the reel seat; the better balanced the rod is.  A rod with a balance point +5" from the reel seat isn't going to feel as tip heavy as a split grip with a balance point 8" from the reel seat; put a reel on both and one is still going to feel better balanced.

TT always measures the balance point when they do their reviews.  Here are two popular rods versus the venerable 783 glx...

The last measurement is how far from the reel seat it takes the rod to reach neutral balance...

Powell 683C Extra Fast        

1.79

     

Extra Fast

     

Bottom

     

3.7 oz

     

+ 8.5

"

Loomis MBR783C GLX

     

1.76

     

Fast

     

Bottom

     

4.1 oz

     

+ 6.25"

Kistler MgAPSMH66      

1.60

     

Fast

     

Top

     

3.5 oz

     

+ 8.5"

So I'm heading to Cabelas soon to buy my first Loomis rod and I'm leaning towards a 80X Mossyback but can't decide on wether to buy a 3 or 4 power rod. I have a 6'8" Avid MXF that I use for light plastics and light 1/8 and 1/4 jigs and I'm wanting something with more power than my Avid. This rod will be used for the most part with jigs up to 1/2 oz but mostly 3/8... and some heavier plastics. What would be the next step up from my Avid is the question I guess. Thanks

Well, if that is all you are going to be using it for, then the 3 would work well. Just remember to cover everything when figuring lure weight. A 1/2 oz jig head, with a big plastic creature bait, might put you over 5/8 oz. Not saying the 3 wouldn't work for it, but setting up jigs and the likes, isn't as straight forward as throwing on spinners and small cranks.

twors,

All rods feel tip heavy without any reel mounted....

I understand that but one rod can be better than another even reel-less although its hard to judge given the fact that most rods are covered with hang tags while on the rod rack. I'm sure they wouldn't find me fitting a reel to check balance but probably wouldn't think kindly of me if I were to cut the hang tags off as well...LOL!

twors,

All rods feel tip heavy without any reel mounted....

The_Natural,

Those numbers say the same thing I did....  :-?

Hold the (Powell @ 8.5"), ( Loomis @6.25"), and (Kistler @8.5") in front of the reel seat, and the rods will feel neutral balanced...

Move back and hold the rods at the reel seat (without a reel) and the rods WILL be and feel TIP HEAVY.

twors,

Good Luck in your rod search, for someone with an arthritis problem I would recommend a custom build.....

Tight Lines!!!!  

twors,

All rods feel tip heavy without any reel mounted....

The_Natural,

Those numbers say the same thing I did....  :-?

Hold the (Powell @ 8.5"), ( Loomis @6.25"), and (Kistler @8.5") in front of the reel seat, and the rods will feel neutral balanced...

Move back and hold the rods at the reel seat (without a reel) and the rods WILL be and feel TIP HEAVY.

twors,

Good Luck in your rod search, for someone with an arthritis problem I would recommend a custom build.....

Tight Lines!!!!  

I was just refuting your original statement that all rods feel tip heavy without a reel.  Of course no rod has a neutral balance point.   The split grip puts the balance point farther forward, and we hear the familiar term 'tip-heavy'.  You've been around a long time, and respect your posts, but saying split grips feel tip heavy is a fairly common comment.   Raul owns a few Loomis's, and purchased a Kistler Magnesium...it was the first thing out of his mouth.

The_Natural,

I was just refuting your original statement that all rods feel tip heavy without a reel.  Of course no rod has a neutral balance point. You've been around a long time, and respect your posts, but saying split grips feel tip heavy is a fairly common comment.

No were in my original statement do I mention split grips. It was a general comment to begin with...

twors,

All rods feel tip heavy without any reel mounted....

The balance of a system (rod/reel) comes from the weight of the rod (produced by the length), plus the offsetting weight of the reel.  

It is not easy to get a neutral balance on a rod/reel, when the only moveable piece is the reel and the reels weight. Meaning you would have to find the right weight reel to neutral balance a rack rod. The best way would be to build to your needs.  

About the best you can do setting up a light tip, would be to find the weight reel that will put enough counter weight on the reel seat (rear area of the rod), to offset the weight of the tip produced by the length of the rod, or you have to add a balancing system, then you are adding more overall weight to the rod..

Just my .02¢

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!  

The split grip puts the balance point farther forward, and we hear the familiar term 'tip-heavy'.

I was using the term tip heavy 15+ years ago, a long time before split grips...

Raul owns a few Loomis's, and purchased a Kistler Magnesium...it was the first thing out of his mouth

Personally I don't care what Raul owns and he probably knows it. 8-)

Ok, thanks guys....I'm thinking the BCR804 would serve me best since it will be seeing at the lightest of 3/8oz jigs plus whatever trailer I attach to it. Suppose to be crappy weather tomorrow...sounds like a good afternoon to spend shopping at both Cabelas and BPS. I'm fortunate enough (?) to have both within 30 miles of home.

Ok, thanks guys....I'm thinking the BCR804 would serve me best .

Yoy never say what model you were looking at.

The big difference between them is the XF action of the BCR 803. This is what make it ideal for smaller  jigs and worms. One of my favorite.

Ok, thanks guys....I'm thinking the BCR804 would serve me best .

Yoy never say what model you were looking at.

The big difference between them is the XF action of the BCR 803. This is what make it ideal for smaller jigs and worms. One of my favorite.

I'm looking at both the BCR803 and 804 in Mossyback... the GLX is out of my budget since Santa is buying himself a new Curado 101 as well.

Natural,

those stats were interesting.

I'm no rod expert.  I only know what I like.

I really like the loomis glx series.

I have known what your chart clearly shows,  namely that they are not the lightest rods out there.

but they are plenty light enough and the stats tell me that it is a better balanced rod than the other two.

Perhaps that is the "certain something" that makes them feel so great to me and others.

Natural,

those stats were interesting.

I'm no rod expert.  I only know what I like.

I really like the loomis glx series.

I have known what your chart clearly shows,  namely that they are not the lightest rods out there.

but they are plenty light enough and the stats tell me that it is a better balanced rod than the other two.

Perhaps that is the "certain something" that makes them feel so great to me and others.

Agile is what I call it.  Ito is willing to make his Megabass rods 5-6ozs on a medium to medium-heavy power rod just to get it balanced (I don't like the counterweight...I'm a Loomis guy).  They do feel light though...without a reel intervening.  

Ok, thanks guys....I'm thinking the BCR804 would serve me best .

Yoy never say what model you were looking at.

The big difference between them is the XF action of the BCR 803. This is what make it ideal for smaller jigs and worms. One of my favorite.

I'm looking at both the BCR803 and 804 in Mossyback... the GLX is out of my budget since Santa is buying himself a new Curado 101 as well.

Don't forget to look at the IMX MBR rods too. Maybe the 843? They are a little more, but they are really nice all around rods, that would work well for larger jigs, IMO. If you have a Sportsmans warehouse nearby, they have/had the MBR785's on sale for $150. That's where I got mine.

Ok, thanks guys....I'm thinking the BCR804 would serve me best .

Yoy never say what model you were looking at.

The big difference between them is the XF action of the BCR 803. This is what make it ideal for smaller  jigs and worms. One of my favorite.

I'm looking at both the BCR803 and 804 in Mossyback... the GLX is out of my budget since Santa is buying himself a new Curado 101 as well.

Don't forget to look at the IMX MBR rods too. Maybe the 843? They are a little more, but they are really nice all around rods, that would work well for larger jigs, IMO. If you have a Sportsmans warehouse nearby, they have/had the MBR785's on sale for $150. That's where I got mine.

I scored two IMX 783 SJR's for $120 last month.  I've actually never seen a 785...interesting.  I did own a weible reel seated 784, and regret selling it.  It felt like a 783...maybe because the weible reel seat and heavy steel locking ring put the balance point closer to the reel seat.  

Ok, thanks guys....I'm thinking the BCR804 would serve me best .

Yoy never say what model you were looking at.

The big difference between them is the XF action of the BCR 803. This is what make it ideal for smaller jigs and worms. One of my favorite.

I'm looking at both the BCR803 and 804 in Mossyback... the GLX is out of my budget since Santa is buying himself a new Curado 101 as well.

Don't forget to look at the IMX MBR rods too. Maybe the 843? They are a little more, but they are really nice all around rods, that would work well for larger jigs, IMO. If you have a Sportsmans warehouse nearby, they have/had the MBR785's on sale for $150. That's where I got mine.

I scored two IMX 783 SJR's for $120 last month. I've actually never seen a 785...interesting. I did own a weible reel seated 784, and regret selling it. It felt like a 783...maybe because the weible reel seat and heavy steel locking ring put the balance point closer to the reel seat.

I was set on taking RW up on his suggetion of getting an MBR844, but when I saw the price of the 785, I couldn't pass it up. I ended up getting a SJR721 for $120 at the same time. I alway's wanted one for panfishing. It was a good day at the store. The bait monkey was proud of me that day. ;D I went back a few weeks later and they were out of a few rods, including the 721's. They did still have the CR723 and the MBR785 marked down.

I bet that 785 is a frickin' broomstick!  I bet you won't have any problems with hooksets or moving fish!

It's actually surprising how soft the tip is. I bought it to try using large cranks and topwaters with it. I only got out once with it in the boat, and a couple times from shore.  It seemed to work ok for heavily weighted SwimSenko's and large deep diving cranks, but I never did get any bites with the deep diving cranks. The jury is still out on using it for cranks. So far I really like it for throwing the 7/8 oz topwater lures like spooks. I have some large spinners that I'm going to try with it in the spring, I think it should work well for those too. Those double blade spinners are heavy. I'll most likely try some heavy jigs with it too.

It's actually surprising how sToft the tip is. I bought it to try using large cranks and topwaters with it. I only got out once with it in the boat, and a couple times from shore.  It seemed to work ok for heavily weighted SwimSenko's and large deep diving cranks, but I never did get any bites with the deep diving cranks. The jury is still out on using it for cranks. So far I really like it for throwing the 7/8 oz topwater lures like spooks. I have some large spinners that I'm going to try with it in the spring, I think it should work well for those too. Those double blade spinners are heavy. I'll most likely try some heavy jigs with it too.

Nawww....give it up dude.  That rod isn't good for anything.  I'll shoot you my email, and you can send me a paypal bill