First question is if the Savvy Series is worth the extra money and that much better then the Shimano Compre. I unfortunately leave in an area that does not have a Dobyn dealer yet and am unable to hold or feel there rods.

My second question is which rods in the Savvy series will fit my style of fishing. My normal fishing conditions are usually throwing a frog/toad over grass mats, flippin/pitchin in rocks, wood or grass, jig fishing on offshore structure, cranking, weightless plastic like yum dinger or senko, spinnerbait/ buzzbait, carolina rig, and a shakey head/dropshot usually on a spinning outfit. Now i dont know if im being realistic or not but my goal or thought is to have atleast 4 to 5 baitcasting rods and 2 spinning outfits to basically cover this. Which models do you think will be best???

Can't help with the rod decision as this year is the first time I've ever purchased quality rods, plus I had a 23 year hiatus from fishing. Nor have I gotten to fish nearly enough this year to make informed recommendations.

However, I will say that you are headed in the right direction looking for 6-7 rods to cover your techniques. Obviously that should be more than enough rods as those with much more experience than I have said 3 is all you really need. Having said that I think you will find that 6-7 rods won't be enough for very long. ;D ;D

I don't have time to go into any depth at this point because I am at work, but I will respond in greater depth later tonight. All I will say now is that it is certainly worth the jump in price from the Compre to the Dobyns Savvy, you will not be disappointed. I will be happy to discuss the different rods in the series that would fit your needs/preferences and help the best I can.

Thank you Craiger, i cant wait to read your response. Thanks again!

It would help to know more about your preferences - longer vs. shorter rods, heavier vs. lighter power rods, and braid vs. fluoro vs. mono etc. I suppose I should preface this by stating that I prefer longer rods and more power when appropriate, but here is how I would go for the applications you have listed:

Frogs/toads are the easiest IMO. You want the 735C for this application. Throw some 50lb or 65lb braid (depending on how heavy the cover is) on a high speed reel like a Curado E7, REVO STX, or Daiwa Zillion depending on your preference and you are good to go there. I have the Champion 735C and it is just an amazing and extremely versatile rod. I actually have two of them. One I use for frogs and pitching into cover and the other I use for larger moving baits like 3/4oz+ spinnerbaits and smaller swimbaits. You will love the 735C and may end up with more than one.

Next easiest would be shakey head/dropshotting. For this you want the 702SF spinning rod. I personally hate spinning rods and use a 2 or 3 power casting rod for these apps depending on lure weight and cover, but you stated you prefer spinning here.

Jig fishing is a technique where sensitivity is paramount. You may want to consider stepping it up to the Champion or Champion Extreme series, especially if you are planning on picking up 6 or 7 rods. Personally I use the Extreme 744C for my jig fishing and I absolutely love this rod. It is a significant price increase over the Savvy, but it has amazing sensitivity and the styling speaks for itself. Otherwise, I would take the Savvy 734C for jigs. If the jigs will consistently be 3/4oz and over, then I would go with the 735C. You really want the backbone to slam the hook home, especially when fishing offshore structure in deeper water.

For spinnerbaits/buzzbaits you want either the 733C or 734C depending on the weight of the bait you will be throwing. If it will be 1/2oz and over consistently, then I would go with the 734C.

Weightless senkos and dingers can go two ways. I would choose the 733C for this, as I prefer casting. However, many prefer spinning for this app in which case the 703SF would make a great choice. Also this is one time when size does matter. For 4" and less you might want to go spinning. If you will be throwing 6" and above consistently, you might want to step it up to the 734C. Otherwise, as previously stated, my preference would be for the 733C

C-rigs are a tough call. It all really depends on the weight you will be using. I would say the 734C might be your best bet. However, if going 3/4oz and above often, I would take the 735C. This is an app where the longer rod will really help move line with a long sweeping hookset.

There really isn't a true cranking rod in the Savvy lineup. I highly recommend stepping up the Champion series for a good cranking rod. Whether you prefer graphite or glass, there are several choices in the Champion lineup with a more moderate action for fishing treble hook lures. If you happend to prefer a fast action rod here, then I would go with the 733C

Lastly, if you will truly be flipping in moderate to heavy cover then you really only have one choice, the 766C. However, if you will be mostly pitching or flipping in lighter cover, again I would take the 735C. This rod is just very versatile.

I think that covers most of what you originally asked about. Obviously, there can be some lay over depending on other factors such as reel gear ratio/inches per turn and type of line you plan to use, depending mostly on cover/structure. Feel free to ask any questions you may have and share any further info regarding your preferences to help in the decision process.

Hey Craiger i really appreciate the time you took our of your day to help me out. This was an excellent post which has definitely provided me with great info. Thank you again so much and i will keep you posted on my purchases.

to answer some of the questions i usually only fish braid when throwing the frogs over mats or a lipless crank around grass.

I usually use the fluro for my finesse fishing, C-rigs, flipping/pitching, jigs, DD cranking or keeping a spinnerbait down, mainly baits to keep near the bottom.

Mono ill throw with my other topwaters, jerkbaits, and shallow cranking/spinnerbaiting.

Im just trying to get prepared for next seasons Bass Weekender Series and some club tourney's. i have only really fished tourney's for about a year but been biten by the bug and just love the competition and challenge. Thank you again and have a good weekend. 

First question is if the Savvy Series is worth the extra money and that much better then the Shimano Compre. I unfortunately leave in an area that does not have a Dobyn dealer yet and am unable to hold or feel there rods.

My second question is which rods in the Savvy series will fit my style of fishing. My normal fishing conditions are usually throwing a frog/toad over grass mats, flippin/pitchin in rocks, wood or grass, jig fishing on offshore structure, cranking, weightless plastic like yum dinger or senko, spinnerbait/ buzzbait, carolina rig, and a shakey head/dropshot usually on a spinning outfit. Now i dont know if im being realistic or not but my goal or thought is to have atleast 4 to 5 baitcasting rods and 2 spinning outfits to basically cover this. Which models do you think will be best???

Craiger has some great suggestions. I fish all Dobyns rods, and absolutely love them. They're well worth it!

You can easily fulfill all your needs with the number of rods listed.

The 733 and 734 are the most versatile rods of the bunch. The better question is what they can't throw. I use these rods in the Extreme models, but not too different. You can throw Rat L Traps, Spooks, Poppers, Buzzbaits, Spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, Jigs, Senkos, T-Rig plastics, C-Rig. One of each would really fit a LOT.

766 - Flipping heavy cover, and also I like this for frogs over a 735 in most conditions that I fish a frog. I know plenty of guys use a 735 and don't have problems, I prefer to use a more powerful rod. However, I still would suggest both 766 and 735. They both will cover a lot, from your flipping heavy cover, to throwing heavier jigs, heavier spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, buzzbaits, and everything. The 735 is just a tad heavier then the 734, and you'll find plenty of uses for it.

Sorry this post is a little all over the place, just got home from a tournament and exhausted.  To sum it all up, 733, 734, 735, and 766 are 4 great rods that you will be able to do JUST about everything. The only thing you wouldn't really be meeting is the crankbait requirement. You "could" get away with the 733 for cranking, but certainly not ideal. The tip is a bit too fast and can rip out hooks. It can be done, just not ideal.

Spinning rods... Just grab a 702, you can throw both a shaky head and drop shot on it.

hey guys thanks for all the advice. i will be shortly purchasing a few savvy rods and just had one other question.what is the difference between the 733/734 to the 703/704. is it just the 3inch differemce in length????

hey guys thanks for all the advice. i will be shortly purchasing a few savvy rods and just had one other question.what is the difference between the 733/734 to the 703/704. is it just the 3inch differemce in length????

Yes its a 3" difference in length. The added length helps with further casting, and moving more line on the hookset. I highly recommend the 7'3 rods for all around utility rods.

My first Savvy came in the mail a couple of days ago. I can honestly say I'm very surprised in the build quality of the rod. Especially when you factor in the price. I picked up a 733 as a general utility rod. T-rigs, jigs, spinnerbaits, shallow cranks, etc etc. I'm sold on Dobyns rods. If the quality is the same across the board, I'm really not sure if I'll be buying from another rod manufacturer for a while. My ONLY complaint about the rod is the hook keeper. Would have been nice to have an open ended keeper similar to the ones on the Champion series. At least thats a relatively simple fix with a fuji ez-keeper. Fantastically balanced, light, sensitive. There isn't much more you can ask for from a 170 dollar rod. I'm already searching for a second rod from Dobyns. Mr. Dobyns offered me a pretty good deal on a rod that I may be taking shortly.

As far as the difference between the Compre and the Savvy goes.  Thats a no brainer.  I can very easily tell the difference between my Crucials and the Savvy.  The Crucials are a far better rod than the Compres.

I just got an email back from Richard Dobyns. He said the difference between the Savvy and Champon is very little, other than the cork, guides, and blanks. He said the blank difference is not a big deal.

The main point he got across is that with the Champion you're getting nicer components; like guides and cork. Other than that, if it's a matter of saving money, get the Savvy.