I know when it comes to fishing rod sensitivity the lighter the better.

My question is does it take away from the sensitivity if your reel is fairly heavy or should you match your lite rod with the lightest reel possible? for instance my kistler weighs 9.7 oz w/a pfluger supreme and 14.1 oz with a quantum energy. i could care less about my wrist getting fatigued but i don't want to lose any sensitivity.

I don't know what makes one rod more sensitive than another.  I always assumed it was higher quality construction, graphite, and components.  

I think the balance of a rod and reel is more important than weight.

Anyone Anyone .............Bueller ! Anyone ?

I think that heavy gear will cost some sensitivity as it will absorb some of the transmitted vibrations. I shoot for lighter rods & reels for feeling light bites. JMHO

Ronnie

In my opinion the rod components from the guides to the graphite blank and the reel seat as well as the line that you use are the most important factors when it comes to sensitivity.  I believe the best rods as far as components and sensitivity are the  St. Croix Elites, as I have fished Kistler's, G Loomis and I have settled on the 14 Legend Elites.  

As for reels make it more or less sensitive, in my opinion the reel is more important when it comes to casting and retrieving (more so with baitcasters) though.

I all I am a huge supporter of extreme high end rods and high end reels (particularly the Japanese variety).

Take care,

Steve

While weight is a contributing factor to sensitivity, as is balance; the blank itself remains the obvious main component in how sensitive a rod is.  Also, faster actions of the same blank produce more sensitivity than their flower counterparts.  Titanium Recoil guids also notably increase sensitivity I've found.  Not because of material (ceramic guides and slicone carbide guides are harder), yet due to eliminating links to the blank.  Vibrations travel through the line up to the guides, through the glue that holds the guide in place and the guide frame,  then onto the blank itself to be felt by the hand.  REC's cut out the middle man and the vibrations from the line are transmitted to the guide/guide frame combo and then onto the blank without any interference.  

The lighter the rod and the lighter the reel, the greater the sensitivity of the outfit.

However, the reel may be too light if it results in a very low bearing-count or when it's too light for the rod-class (line capacity is rarely an issue).

Also very important is "balance". The balance-point of the outfit should fall between the reel stem and the forward tang.

When an outfit is unbalanced, higher gripping tension is needed to overcome the torquing.

Increased tension tends to dampen sensitivity, and over the course of a day can tire the rod hand.

Roger