Dobyns Baby!!!

My favorite rod is the one in my hand with a fish on the end of the line. (Yep, that's the best smart-alec comment I could come up with.)

Seriously, if any of you have read my posts, I'm always touting the virtues of St. Croix. I like their product and their company. I'm confident with a St. Croix in my hand. That's the main thing for me.

I have recently branched out and bought a Dobyns Champion Series rod, a Kistler Z-Bone, and an Elk River Custom Rod. I like all of them. However, I firmly believe the warranty and trade-in policy of St. Croix is second-to-none. I think the Dobyns and Kistler are great looking rods built to high standards. I would get more if I needed more and had the right deal come along.

These are always interesting threads to read.

One other thing, I think too many people are putting way too much emphasis on how a rod balances while holding it in the store. While fishing, I don't really ever notice if a rod is tip heavy or handle heavy. I do notice the action and sensitivity though and the power needed to pull fish from the weeds or set the hook from a distance. Rods need to be fished... Just my $.02.

Whets

e21 all the way

Loomis.

Only one rod needed St croix avid series

nuf said

I'm not dedicated to any rod brand. I have a stable full of mutts. They all do the job they were designed to do (or I've adapted them to do). If I had to pick a favorite, it would be my Falcon Cara 5-167, paired with a Pflueger Supreme. It's a Senko slingin' machine gun.

Love my St Croix Avids......But the Dobyns is a very close 2nd

My kind of fishing does not require a very sensitive rod, although I think the line(braid) makes a world of difference. I need backbone as my fish rip the rod out of your hands and don't want to give it back, Hurricane Redbone.

I use a light bone and med bone for my freshwater fishing, not much around here I can't with those guys.

St. Croix here.

Had to go other. My fav's are home built!

I have a high regard for St Croix blanks (especially their saltwater line), but St Croix does not offer

a freshwater spinning rod with the backbone I seek. As to "Best bang for the buck",

you'd be hard pressed to beat Quantum or Shimano (my vote went to Quantum, but it's a toss up).

Roger

Custom using Gary Loomis new NFC HM blank.

love my H2O Xpress Ethos 7'H

Yeah, I had to vote Powell rods. Never owned or used a Dobyns, but Powell's have done well for me.

I like my St. Croix rod, I love my g.loomis rods a lot more.

My favorite rod is the one in my hand with a fish on the end of the line. (Yep, that's the best smart-alec comment I could come up with.)

Seriously, if any of you have read my posts, I'm always touting the virtues of St. Croix. I like their product and their company. I'm confident with a St. Croix in my hand. That's the main thing for me.

I have recently branched out and bought a Dobyns Champion Series rod, a Kistler Z-Bone, and an Elk River Custom Rod. I like all of them. However, I firmly believe the warranty and trade-in policy of St. Croix is second-to-none. I think the Dobyns and Kistler are great looking rods built to high standards. I would get more if I needed more and had the right deal come along.

These are always interesting threads to read.

One other thing, I think too many people are putting way too much emphasis on how a rod balances while holding it in the store. While fishing, I don't really ever notice if a rod is tip heavy or handle heavy. I do notice the action and sensitivity though and the power needed to pull fish from the weeds or set the hook from a distance. Rods need to be fished... Just my $.02.

Whets

I've heard others mention the tip heavy or balance aspect also and in the store yeah I noticed those things about a particular rod. Out fishing them with lure, line and reel on the rod I have never thought about how it balanced when fighting a fish.

Money is an issue....But I haven't found a better rod for $150+/-than Powell. IMO

I baby my Powell rod.

If money wasn't an issue I'd probably be looking at Megabass rods...

Hands down Kistler! l have Glommis, E21, Cumura's, Diawa, BPS, Abu's and nothing beats the LTA's...

I think the store branded rods are a great bang for your buck. When directly comparing a SHIMANO Cumara to a BPS Signature Series II, the signature series was on par sensitivity wise, and it balanced a bit better with the lighter reels. (Caronlite, Prolite.)

Today I went out and picked up a Gander rod too. I got the GSX Tournament Titanium rod. Felt great! For a 7'2" H rod it balanced great. Right in front of the reel seat, and that's without a reel.

The only sacrifice I see with the store brand rods is usually the guides. The 250$ will probably come with SiC's, and the 125$ will probably come with Alconites. But for ~$100 difference, I can live with Alconites.

In 2007 I bought a Shimano Crucial CRC-X610MH from Academy Sports & Outdoors; they have long since quit selling them and I had lost the receipt. Last month I broke the rod (totally my fault); I took it to a local tackle shop who replaced it for free. Shimano Crucial’s have a life time warranty; not all Shimano rods do.

I’ve owned almost all of them so I can tell you the Crucial’s sensitivity will scare you!

So far I own more St. croix rods than anything else and I love them, so I gotta go with the Croix. Some day I'll get a Loomis though then I'll have to go insane on which I like better.

Dobyns

Shimano.

I really like the Shimano Crucial and Cumara rods and love my Cumulus.