Here in Michigan I fish a lot of heavy weed areas in the summer.  I have always used a spinning reel and rod for frogs and always did fine with it.  I broke my reel and am looking at getting a BC Reel/Rod to replace it.  I have tried to narrow things down but am not sure what to get.  I am looking at the following rods:

St. Croix Slop-N-Frog

Dobyns 736C

Powell  735

Quantum Dean Rojas Frog Rod

I have read a lot and all seem to get good reviews.  IYHO's, what would you all suggest?  I do a lot of frog fishing so I want as comfortable rod as possible.

Also, what type of reel would you pair with it?  Looking to spend up to $200.  Was looking at the new Quantum Smoke.  Any thoughts?

Spend 3/4's on a great reel and 1/4 on your rod. Cheaper to upgrade the rod later..Good reels well taken care of last forever..

JMHO

Any decent MH 7+ footer is more then enough. I am using a 7'3 MH Veritas. Heavy action rod and 65lb braid destroyed my shoulder in the past. The Veritas is also lighter then all of those mentioned.

Of the rods you have listed, I would go with the Dobyns.

Of the rods you have listed, I would go with the Dobyns.

x2

Dobyns.

I don't think the reel matters much as long as it can handle braid and can chuck a 1/2 oz bait. Since frogs are typically heavier baits and rely more on casting distance than pinpoint pitching accuracy I'd say go with a Shimano. I personally am a Daiwa fan but I've found from my experiences that Shimanos will almost always beat Daiwas in terms of pure casting distance with baits 3/8 oz and over.

I'd say get either a Caenan or a Curado E7 and upgrade its drag to Carbontex.

get the Dobyns 736, and a shimano Curado 200e7. 

Another vote for the Dobyns 736C. But I prefer Daiwa, so I would put a Zillion on it. The Zillion is an excellent powerful reel that is built like a tank and handles heavier baits very well.

Just read your original post again. the Zillion will run you more than $200 new, but you can easily find one lightly used for around $175 - $185 if you look.

And if you can't, you can always get the TD Advantage HSTA, which is essentially a Zillion without CRBB's but with extra bearings in the handle to make the retrieve even smoother.

And if you can't, you can always get the TD Advantage HSTA, which is essentially a Zillion without CRBB's but with extra bearings in the handle to make the retrieve even smoother.

True, but it won't fit my hand like a Zillion 

Dobyns 736C hands down. I'd opt for a Revo STX , 09 Models can be had for quite cheap and have the best drag out of all the reels that have been mentioned.

Thanks for all the feed back.  Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods.  Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod.  Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes 

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort. 

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort.

Everyone likes different things. I prefer split grip for the comfort as well.

You'll open up new possibilities by looking beyond rods labeled "Frog Rod". 7'> MH/F are widely available at many price points

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort.

Everyone likes different things. I prefer split grip for the comfort as well.

I never questioned the fact that people like split grips. My question was WHY?? do people like split grips for these techniques...

Make sure you consider just how thick the cover is that you will be fishing.

I have a Mojo Slop and Frog rod, and that thing is a broom stick. But many times that is exactly what is needed to get fish to the boat if the cover is really thick.

I think about upgrading it (just because, I guess), but it casts well, and extreme sensitivity is not needed for frogs, so I have stuck with it.

In thinner stuff you may be able to get away with a mh, but I still opt for at least a "light" heavy rod, just to be on the safe side.   

I have been using a Powell 734 in more sparse cover lately.

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort.

Everyone likes different things. I prefer split grip for the comfort as well.

I never questioned the fact that people like split grips. My question was WHY?? do people like split grips for these techniques...

I like split grips because the rod is less likely to rub a scar where I had surgery on my distal biceps tendon, for one.  It rests on the inside of my arm where a rod typically hits, and can be rather irritating, if not painful, on a full grip rod.

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort.

Everyone likes different things. I prefer split grip for the comfort as well.

I never questioned the fact that people like split grips. My question was WHY?? do people like split grips for these techniques...

My answer was comfort.

My answer was comfort.

What is comfortable about it?  How do you hold the reel?  Palm it, two or three fingers ahead of the trigger?  Two handed casts - where are your hands?

Those are the inferred questions.

My answer was comfort.

What is comfortable about it? How do you hold the reel? Palm it, two or three fingers ahead of the trigger? Two handed casts - where are your hands?

Those are the inferred questions.

I have two fingers ahead of the trigger with my thumb and index finger on the reel.

I make two handed casts most of the time with my right hand on the reel and my left holding the rod where the handle splits.

I feel like I have more control of the cast with a split grip for some reason.

My answer was comfort.

What is comfortable about it? How do you hold the reel? Palm it, two or three fingers ahead of the trigger? Two handed casts - where are your hands?

Those are the inferred questions.

I have two fingers ahead of the trigger with my thumb and index finger on the reel.

I make two handed casts most of the time with my right hand on the reel and my left holding the rod where the handle splits.

I feel like I have more control of the cast with a split grip for some reason.

So, you're holding the blank?  If so, that's weird.  And by weird, I don't mean its wrong or bad.  Just different.  Never seen that, even from the n00bs in my kayak classes.

Yeah I have been told that a lot, but it works for me.