Need Help-Rod Purchase Question

Greetings all,

Question: (I know we have at least a couple of rod makers in this group, but
would value all suggestions)

I have trouble with the premium rods that are offered for sale today. My
trouble is the feel they have, particularly the stifness at the tip. I have
not had the opportunity to fish with them and quite frankly the only
criteria I have to judge with is how they react to a simulated cast in the
store and I know this is not enough to truly judge their performance. (I
know rods are designed for specific fishing situations, lure weight, line
size, etc.)

Years ago, I purchased a few graphite rods when they were first offered and
hated all of them. Yes they were light, but all felt as though I was fishing
with a light broom stick in terms of lack of casting action, i.e. tip speed.

Am I missing fish because of my decision towards casting ease vs.
sensitivity? (Telegraphing exactly what the lure is doing and subtle bites)
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a shift in rod design
towards making a rod which is all about feeling what's going on at the
business end vs. anything else. Am I right or wrong?

I cannot afford to purchase a rod and reel for each type of lure
presentation either. I am willing to purchase one or two, (For baitcasting,
spinnerbait and crankbait as lures of choice) but I hate experimenting with
my skepticism index so high. (I currently use fiberglass/composite rods
because of the more limber tip action.)

Can anyone steer me towards rods which have a balance between these various
elements, and is a solid compromise for all-around bass fishing using a bait
casting reel?

Thanks in advance,

Suthern

"Winter in the Midwest REALLY makes me wish I was in Dixie"

"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message
nk.net...
Greetings all,

Question: (I know we have at least a couple of rod makers in this group,
but
would value all suggestions)

***Yep, there's a couple of us in the group, which means that you're likely
to get a couple of different answers. :-)


I have trouble with the premium rods that are offered for sale today. My
trouble is the feel they have, particularly the stifness at the tip. I
have
not had the opportunity to fish with them and quite frankly the only
criteria I have to judge with is how they react to a simulated cast in the
store and I know this is not enough to truly judge their performance. (I
know rods are designed for specific fishing situations, lure weight, line
size, etc.)

***Ahhh yes, the "Waggle Test". I love to spend time in sporting goods
stores and/or departments, watching people Waggle Test rods. They'll have
this serious look on their face, as they slice the air with a rod. Then,
they'll frown, place the rod back in the rack and pick up another, repeating
the process. While this does indeed look impressive, and it's a great way
to pass the time, it really doesn't tell you much. More and more, rods ARE
being designed (and marketed) with specific purposes in mind.

In an ideal world, you would have two, maybe three rods and those would do
everything that you wanted to do. And for many anglers, that's the case.
Unfortunately, rod blank manufacturers cannot build such a rod. Also, as
you become more involved in fishing, and deeper in debt due to lure
purchases, you'll soon find out that what works great for one application,
doesn't quite cut it for others. There's a reason for all these different
rods. A person wouldn't think of going out golfing with a putter and a
driver, but people do the same thing fishing all the time.

Unless you fish only a couple different techniques and tactics, you will
need several different rods. You should figure out what lure weights you
use and what methods you're using primarily and purchase rods designed for
that purpose. You might find that for your purposes, a couple of "General
Purpose" rods will do the job just fine, like some golfers never use a 1
wood or a 3 iron, yet own them and drag them around the course every week.


Years ago, I purchased a few graphite rods when they were first offered
and
hated all of them. Yes they were light, but all felt as though I was
fishing
with a light broom stick in terms of lack of casting action, i.e. tip
speed.

***Rod blank production has changed quite a bit since graphite rods were
first introduced. Different materials, manufacturing processes, tapers,
material blends, increased quality control, have all given rods a serious
boost over the past 20 years. Depending on the type of fishing that you're
doing, your style and your expectations, you'll find that you'll be
surprised at what has been done. And the only way you're going to find this
out is to actually fish with one. A big portion of your decision is going
to be based on what you're used to using. For example, long ago, I switched
from fiberglass, to graphite/glass and now fish (99% of the time) graphite
only rods. To use one of the old rods that I still have drives me
absolutely nuts! (It's a short trip, I know)


Am I missing fish because of my decision towards casting ease vs.
sensitivity? (Telegraphing exactly what the lure is doing and subtle
bites)
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a shift in rod design
towards making a rod which is all about feeling what's going on at the
business end vs. anything else. Am I right or wrong?

***You are missing fish, without a doubt. The sensitivity of a quality rod
is nothing short of miraculous. With my spinning rods, I can tell when I'm
dragging a lure across sand and it changes to gravel. I can feel my
spinnerbait thumping away and I can tell when there's a piece of a weed
hanging on. If I can feel this easily, how many soft bites do you think
I've missed? I guide quite a bit for walleyes, notoriously light biting
fish. I feel cold front walleyes suck a minnow in and just hold it. You
can't do this with a cheap rod, unless you are very, VERY good.

I've sold many rods while guiding clients. They'll bring their own tackle,
and after a while, I'll slip one of my rods to them. After fishing that for
a short time, their rods no longer feel as nice to them. Just ask Rob
Storm....


I cannot afford to purchase a rod and reel for each type of lure
presentation either. I am willing to purchase one or two, (For
baitcasting,
spinnerbait and crankbait as lures of choice) but I hate experimenting
with
my skepticism index so high. (I currently use fiberglass/composite rods
because of the more limber tip action.)

***Most people can't and must arrive at a compromise. I think that you'd
like a 6'6" or 7' (I lean towards 7'+ rods myself), medium to medium/heavy,
fast taper rod. This will have the necessary backbone to haul a bass from
cover, yet a light enough tip to allow easy casting.


Can anyone steer me towards rods which have a balance between these
various
elements, and is a solid compromise for all-around bass fishing using a
bait
casting reel?

***Ask Charles or TNBass how they like their OutdoorFrontiers rods and if
they think that it would do as a general purpose rod, cuz I do. Otherwise,
look at St. Croix Avid Series rods.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Haven't really used my Outdoor Frontier rod too much other than for soft
plastics to really comment on "general purpose" use... but for working
plastics they're pretty good rods! I have thrown a c-rig on it occasionally,
but since I've bought another worm rod, I feel confident that I should be
able to use the OF rod for spinnerbaits and crankbaits as well. At least
that's what it's going to be used for now...

7' rods are great for getting a good hookset compared to 6', but you have to
be careful not to jerk the bait away from the fish, too soon. With plastics,
this isn't really too much of an issue, but with a faster moving bait you'll
need to make sure that the fish has the bait before striking. 6'6" is a good
comprimise, but with my size... I do like the 6'8" and 7' rods.

Rod actions can be a personal preference. I like heavy and medium heavy
rods, and think anything else feels whimpy. That's not saying they're bad,
but I rather like the heavier actions, fast tips. Your mileage will vary.


"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in
message ...

"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message
nk.net...
Greetings all,

Question: (I know we have at least a couple of rod makers in this group,
but
would value all suggestions)

***Yep, there's a couple of us in the group, which means that you're
likely
to get a couple of different answers. :-)


I have trouble with the premium rods that are offered for sale today. My
trouble is the feel they have, particularly the stifness at the tip. I
have
not had the opportunity to fish with them and quite frankly the only
criteria I have to judge with is how they react to a simulated cast in
the
store and I know this is not enough to truly judge their performance. (I
know rods are designed for specific fishing situations, lure weight,
line
size, etc.)

***Ahhh yes, the "Waggle Test". I love to spend time in sporting goods
stores and/or departments, watching people Waggle Test rods. They'll have
this serious look on their face, as they slice the air with a rod. Then,
they'll frown, place the rod back in the rack and pick up another,
repeating
the process. While this does indeed look impressive, and it's a great way
to pass the time, it really doesn't tell you much. More and more, rods
ARE
being designed (and marketed) with specific purposes in mind.

In an ideal world, you would have two, maybe three rods and those would do
everything that you wanted to do. And for many anglers, that's the case.
Unfortunately, rod blank manufacturers cannot build such a rod. Also, as
you become more involved in fishing, and deeper in debt due to lure
purchases, you'll soon find out that what works great for one application,
doesn't quite cut it for others. There's a reason for all these different
rods. A person wouldn't think of going out golfing with a putter and a
driver, but people do the same thing fishing all the time.

Unless you fish only a couple different techniques and tactics, you will
need several different rods. You should figure out what lure weights you
use and what methods you're using primarily and purchase rods designed for
that purpose. You might find that for your purposes, a couple of "General
Purpose" rods will do the job just fine, like some golfers never use a 1
wood or a 3 iron, yet own them and drag them around the course every week.


Years ago, I purchased a few graphite rods when they were first offered
and
hated all of them. Yes they were light, but all felt as though I was
fishing
with a light broom stick in terms of lack of casting action, i.e. tip
speed.

***Rod blank production has changed quite a bit since graphite rods were
first introduced. Different materials, manufacturing processes, tapers,
material blends, increased quality control, have all given rods a serious
boost over the past 20 years. Depending on the type of fishing that
you're
doing, your style and your expectations, you'll find that you'll be
surprised at what has been done. And the only way you're going to find
this
out is to actually fish with one. A big portion of your decision is going
to be based on what you're used to using. For example, long ago, I
switched
from fiberglass, to graphite/glass and now fish (99% of the time) graphite
only rods. To use one of the old rods that I still have drives me
absolutely nuts! (It's a short trip, I know)


Am I missing fish because of my decision towards casting ease vs.
sensitivity? (Telegraphing exactly what the lure is doing and subtle
bites)
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a shift in rod design
towards making a rod which is all about feeling what's going on at the
business end vs. anything else. Am I right or wrong?

***You are missing fish, without a doubt. The sensitivity of a quality
rod
is nothing short of miraculous. With my spinning rods, I can tell when
I'm
dragging a lure across sand and it changes to gravel. I can feel my
spinnerbait thumping away and I can tell when there's a piece of a weed
hanging on. If I can feel this easily, how many soft bites do you think
I've missed? I guide quite a bit for walleyes, notoriously light biting
fish. I feel cold front walleyes suck a minnow in and just hold it. You
can't do this with a cheap rod, unless you are very, VERY good.

I've sold many rods while guiding clients. They'll bring their own
tackle,
and after a while, I'll slip one of my rods to them. After fishing that
for
a short time, their rods no longer feel as nice to them. Just ask Rob
Storm....


I cannot afford to purchase a rod and reel for each type of lure
presentation either. I am willing to purchase one or two, (For
baitcasting,
spinnerbait and crankbait as lures of choice) but I hate experimenting
with
my skepticism index so high. (I currently use fiberglass/composite rods
because of the more limber tip action.)

***Most people can't and must arrive at a compromise. I think that you'd
like a 6'6" or 7' (I lean towards 7'+ rods myself), medium to
medium/heavy,
fast taper rod. This will have the necessary backbone to haul a bass from
cover, yet a light enough tip to allow easy casting.


Can anyone steer me towards rods which have a balance between these
various
elements, and is a solid compromise for all-around bass fishing using a
bait
casting reel?

***Ask Charles or TNBass how they like their OutdoorFrontiers rods and if
they think that it would do as a general purpose rod, cuz I do.
Otherwise,
look at St. Croix Avid Series rods.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Hey Suthern Transplant,

I understand your concerns. I used to buy the cheaper rods such as
Ugly Stick etc. They worked well, but like you, I felt they weren't
sensitive enough. I looked around and tested rods like you did (in
the store) and finally settled on a 6'6" St. Croix Premiere series
rod. I liked the way it felt in my hand and also I liked the amount
of "whip". I took it on my fishing trip and now I must say, You'd
have to pry it out of my cold dead hands before I'd give it up! I
really do feel you get what you pay for.

Also, I can cast my baitcaster about 10-15 yards father with it!!!

Are you missing any fish? Only you can answer that one. Maybe you'd
catch more if you changed your bait, or if you changed your location
depth ect. No one really knows!

I hope this response helped at least somewhat!!

Scott

-----------------------------------------------------
Would love to go fishing but don't know how to start?

Check out a href ="http://www.getstartedfishing.com"Fishing
Basics/a

Getting started has never been so easy!
-----------------------------------------------------


"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message ink.net...
Greetings all,

Question: (I know we have at least a couple of rod makers in this group, but
would value all suggestions)

I have trouble with the premium rods that are offered for sale today. My
trouble is the feel they have, particularly the stifness at the tip. I have
not had the opportunity to fish with them and quite frankly the only
criteria I have to judge with is how they react to a simulated cast in the
store and I know this is not enough to truly judge their performance. (I
know rods are designed for specific fishing situations, lure weight, line
size, etc.)

Years ago, I purchased a few graphite rods when they were first offered and
hated all of them. Yes they were light, but all felt as though I was fishing
with a light broom stick in terms of lack of casting action, i.e. tip speed.

Am I missing fish because of my decision towards casting ease vs.
sensitivity? (Telegraphing exactly what the lure is doing and subtle bites)
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a shift in rod design
towards making a rod which is all about feeling what's going on at the
business end vs. anything else. Am I right or wrong?

I cannot afford to purchase a rod and reel for each type of lure
presentation either. I am willing to purchase one or two, (For baitcasting,
spinnerbait and crankbait as lures of choice) but I hate experimenting with
my skepticism index so high. (I currently use fiberglass/composite rods
because of the more limber tip action.)

Can anyone steer me towards rods which have a balance between these various
elements, and is a solid compromise for all-around bass fishing using a bait
casting reel?

Thanks in advance,

Suthern

"Winter in the Midwest REALLY makes me wish I was in Dixie"

i can and will. first let me say i am not a rod builder and have never been
one, so i am not going to profit in any way from the advice.

first find a custom rod maker you trust. on this group, local or whatever.
second TELL HIM WHAT YOU WANT. don't expect the guy/girl to read your mind.
if you want a fast tip tell him. ig you want a long slow taper crankbait
rod say so. if you want a medium fast do all rod tell him that.

next figure out the line weight, lure weight and primary fishing styly you
want to do. tell the rodmaker what length rod you like and the style of
handle..

next and this is very important. shut up for a minute and let the rod maker
tell you your options and what you give up and gain with each blank he
offers. then next and just as important don't ask for a glx loomis blank
totally custom with all the best componets for $59.99. they hear it every
day. if you want the best pay for it. if you want the cheapest junk, go to
wal mart and leave the rod maker alone.

if you want a good rod at a fair price with what you feel is important, you
will get it from a good custom builder.

that all being said, here is my suggestion:

gl3 to imx comparable blank
medium with a fast taper for 8-14lb line
good high grade guides
at least 8" of cork handle
wire eye lure holder instead of the little flip flop piece of crap
no fancy wrap, just black on black
6'3" or 6'6"
price in the $150-200 range max

i would take a hard look at the st croix blanks if it were me. i think they
are very nice, but everyone has an opinion.

i am sure either rod builder on here would have something to add and maybe
correct. if so i won't take it personal, because like i said i have never
built a rod. but i have fished a lot of them and sold maybe 30 last year
for a rodbuilder that i liked real well.

crownliner

"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message
nk.net...
Greetings all,

Question: (I know we have at least a couple of rod makers in this group,
but
would value all suggestions)

I have trouble with the premium rods that are offered for sale today. My
trouble is the feel they have, particularly the stifness at the tip. I
have
not had the opportunity to fish with them and quite frankly the only
criteria I have to judge with is how they react to a simulated cast in the
store and I know this is not enough to truly judge their performance. (I
know rods are designed for specific fishing situations, lure weight, line
size, etc.)

Years ago, I purchased a few graphite rods when they were first offered
and
hated all of them. Yes they were light, but all felt as though I was
fishing
with a light broom stick in terms of lack of casting action, i.e. tip
speed.

Am I missing fish because of my decision towards casting ease vs.
sensitivity? (Telegraphing exactly what the lure is doing and subtle
bites)
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a shift in rod design
towards making a rod which is all about feeling what's going on at the
business end vs. anything else. Am I right or wrong?

I cannot afford to purchase a rod and reel for each type of lure
presentation either. I am willing to purchase one or two, (For
baitcasting,
spinnerbait and crankbait as lures of choice) but I hate experimenting
with
my skepticism index so high. (I currently use fiberglass/composite rods
because of the more limber tip action.)

Can anyone steer me towards rods which have a balance between these
various
elements, and is a solid compromise for all-around bass fishing using a
bait
casting reel?

Thanks in advance,

Suthern

"Winter in the Midwest REALLY makes me wish I was in Dixie"

Now that's some of the sagest advice I've seen on this NG in awhile.

Good post Crownliner!

--
Dave Norton
"The Shadow"
Millennium Rods
"Crownliner" wrote in message
news:toXTb.215016$xy6.1112537@attbi_s02...
i can and will. first let me say i am not a rod builder and have never
been
one, so i am not going to profit in any way from the advice.

first find a custom rod maker you trust. on this group, local or
whatever.
second TELL HIM WHAT YOU WANT. don't expect the guy/girl to read your
mind.
if you want a fast tip tell him. ig you want a long slow taper crankbait
rod say so. if you want a medium fast do all rod tell him that.

next figure out the line weight, lure weight and primary fishing styly you
want to do. tell the rodmaker what length rod you like and the style of
handle..

next and this is very important. shut up for a minute and let the rod
maker
tell you your options and what you give up and gain with each blank he
offers. then next and just as important don't ask for a glx loomis blank
totally custom with all the best componets for $59.99. they hear it every
day. if you want the best pay for it. if you want the cheapest junk, go
to
wal mart and leave the rod maker alone.

if you want a good rod at a fair price with what you feel is important,
you
will get it from a good custom builder.

that all being said, here is my suggestion:

gl3 to imx comparable blank
medium with a fast taper for 8-14lb line
good high grade guides
at least 8" of cork handle
wire eye lure holder instead of the little flip flop piece of crap
no fancy wrap, just black on black
6'3" or 6'6"
price in the $150-200 range max

i would take a hard look at the st croix blanks if it were me. i think
they
are very nice, but everyone has an opinion.

i am sure either rod builder on here would have something to add and maybe
correct. if so i won't take it personal, because like i said i have never
built a rod. but i have fished a lot of them and sold maybe 30 last year
for a rodbuilder that i liked real well.

crownliner

"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message
nk.net...
Greetings all,

Question: (I know we have at least a couple of rod makers in this group,
but
would value all suggestions)

I have trouble with the premium rods that are offered for sale today. My
trouble is the feel they have, particularly the stifness at the tip. I
have
not had the opportunity to fish with them and quite frankly the only
criteria I have to judge with is how they react to a simulated cast in
the
store and I know this is not enough to truly judge their performance. (I
know rods are designed for specific fishing situations, lure weight,
line
size, etc.)

Years ago, I purchased a few graphite rods when they were first offered
and
hated all of them. Yes they were light, but all felt as though I was
fishing
with a light broom stick in terms of lack of casting action, i.e. tip
speed.

Am I missing fish because of my decision towards casting ease vs.
sensitivity? (Telegraphing exactly what the lure is doing and subtle
bites)
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a shift in rod design
towards making a rod which is all about feeling what's going on at the
business end vs. anything else. Am I right or wrong?

I cannot afford to purchase a rod and reel for each type of lure
presentation either. I am willing to purchase one or two, (For
baitcasting,
spinnerbait and crankbait as lures of choice) but I hate experimenting
with
my skepticism index so high. (I currently use fiberglass/composite rods
because of the more limber tip action.)

Can anyone steer me towards rods which have a balance between these
various
elements, and is a solid compromise for all-around bass fishing using a
bait
casting reel?

Thanks in advance,

Suthern

"Winter in the Midwest REALLY makes me wish I was in Dixie"

I don't know if the OF rods are different from the Huber rods I own or not,
but Steve's rods have been on my boat since the day I (ahem) won them ;-)
The 7 footer makes an excellent flipping rod. It's not quite beefy enough
for heavy wood cover, but I never hesitate to flip heavy weed cover with it.
I've ripped several 5+'s from thick hydrilla with it, no problem. Talk to
Steve if you want insight into what you want out of your next fishing rod,
knowing him you'll get exactly the answers you're looking for.

Warren
--
http://www.warrenwolk.com/



"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in
message ...

"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message
nk.net...
Greetings all,

Question: (I know we have at least a couple of rod makers in this group,
but
would value all suggestions)

***Yep, there's a couple of us in the group, which means that you're
likely
to get a couple of different answers. :-)


I have trouble with the premium rods that are offered for sale today. My
trouble is the feel they have, particularly the stifness at the tip. I
have
not had the opportunity to fish with them and quite frankly the only
criteria I have to judge with is how they react to a simulated cast in
the
store and I know this is not enough to truly judge their performance. (I
know rods are designed for specific fishing situations, lure weight,
line
size, etc.)

***Ahhh yes, the "Waggle Test". I love to spend time in sporting goods
stores and/or departments, watching people Waggle Test rods. They'll have
this serious look on their face, as they slice the air with a rod. Then,
they'll frown, place the rod back in the rack and pick up another,
repeating
the process. While this does indeed look impressive, and it's a great way
to pass the time, it really doesn't tell you much. More and more, rods
ARE
being designed (and marketed) with specific purposes in mind.

In an ideal world, you would have two, maybe three rods and those would do
everything that you wanted to do. And for many anglers, that's the case.
Unfortunately, rod blank manufacturers cannot build such a rod. Also, as
you become more involved in fishing, and deeper in debt due to lure
purchases, you'll soon find out that what works great for one application,
doesn't quite cut it for others. There's a reason for all these different
rods. A person wouldn't think of going out golfing with a putter and a
driver, but people do the same thing fishing all the time.

Unless you fish only a couple different techniques and tactics, you will
need several different rods. You should figure out what lure weights you
use and what methods you're using primarily and purchase rods designed for
that purpose. You might find that for your purposes, a couple of "General
Purpose" rods will do the job just fine, like some golfers never use a 1
wood or a 3 iron, yet own them and drag them around the course every week.


Years ago, I purchased a few graphite rods when they were first offered
and
hated all of them. Yes they were light, but all felt as though I was
fishing
with a light broom stick in terms of lack of casting action, i.e. tip
speed.

***Rod blank production has changed quite a bit since graphite rods were
first introduced. Different materials, manufacturing processes, tapers,
material blends, increased quality control, have all given rods a serious
boost over the past 20 years. Depending on the type of fishing that
you're
doing, your style and your expectations, you'll find that you'll be
surprised at what has been done. And the only way you're going to find
this
out is to actually fish with one. A big portion of your decision is going
to be based on what you're used to using. For example, long ago, I
switched
from fiberglass, to graphite/glass and now fish (99% of the time) graphite
only rods. To use one of the old rods that I still have drives me
absolutely nuts! (It's a short trip, I know)


Am I missing fish because of my decision towards casting ease vs.
sensitivity? (Telegraphing exactly what the lure is doing and subtle
bites)
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a shift in rod design
towards making a rod which is all about feeling what's going on at the
business end vs. anything else. Am I right or wrong?

***You are missing fish, without a doubt. The sensitivity of a quality
rod
is nothing short of miraculous. With my spinning rods, I can tell when
I'm
dragging a lure across sand and it changes to gravel. I can feel my
spinnerbait thumping away and I can tell when there's a piece of a weed
hanging on. If I can feel this easily, how many soft bites do you think
I've missed? I guide quite a bit for walleyes, notoriously light biting
fish. I feel cold front walleyes suck a minnow in and just hold it. You
can't do this with a cheap rod, unless you are very, VERY good.

I've sold many rods while guiding clients. They'll bring their own
tackle,
and after a while, I'll slip one of my rods to them. After fishing that
for
a short time, their rods no longer feel as nice to them. Just ask Rob
Storm....


I cannot afford to purchase a rod and reel for each type of lure
presentation either. I am willing to purchase one or two, (For
baitcasting,
spinnerbait and crankbait as lures of choice) but I hate experimenting
with
my skepticism index so high. (I currently use fiberglass/composite rods
because of the more limber tip action.)

***Most people can't and must arrive at a compromise. I think that you'd
like a 6'6" or 7' (I lean towards 7'+ rods myself), medium to
medium/heavy,
fast taper rod. This will have the necessary backbone to haul a bass from
cover, yet a light enough tip to allow easy casting.


Can anyone steer me towards rods which have a balance between these
various
elements, and is a solid compromise for all-around bass fishing using a
bait
casting reel?

***Ask Charles or TNBass how they like their OutdoorFrontiers rods and if
they think that it would do as a general purpose rod, cuz I do.
Otherwise,
look at St. Croix Avid Series rods.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

You can't build a car with only one wrench and you can't fish (at least not
seriously) with one rod. I am close to having everything I need now but my
rod inventory is over 60 rods. Not counting the sal****er stuff.
2 general guidelines:
Stiffer rods have more sensitivity and are better for lures that require a
deft touch. Worming, jigs, and for some, spinner baits come to mind.
Softer rods are frequently better to fish lures with treble hooks. Crank
baits are often fished on a soft rod as they provide additional give to keep
fish hooked up on treble hooks. Ya I know they look like they can hold
anything, but treble hooks are actually less efficient hooking hooks.
For my soft action crank rods I used to use a fiberglass/graphite composite,
but the feel was horrible. Very dead. I switched to a 7' light action all
graphite rod which had a soft action yet still had sensitivity of all
graphite. Much better. Anyone interested in 7' glass/graphite cranking
rods???


--
Dan W.

host, Bazz Clazz Videos

www.bazzclazz.com

To reply remove spamnot from the address




"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message
nk.net...
Greetings all,

Question: (I know we have at least a couple of rod makers in this group,
but
would value all suggestions)

I have trouble with the premium rods that are offered for sale today. My
trouble is the feel they have, particularly the stifness at the tip. I
have
not had the opportunity to fish with them and quite frankly the only
criteria I have to judge with is how they react to a simulated cast in the
store and I know this is not enough to truly judge their performance. (I
know rods are designed for specific fishing situations, lure weight, line
size, etc.)

Years ago, I purchased a few graphite rods when they were first offered
and
hated all of them. Yes they were light, but all felt as though I was
fishing
with a light broom stick in terms of lack of casting action, i.e. tip
speed.

Am I missing fish because of my decision towards casting ease vs.
sensitivity? (Telegraphing exactly what the lure is doing and subtle
bites)
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that there is a shift in rod design
towards making a rod which is all about feeling what's going on at the
business end vs. anything else. Am I right or wrong?

I cannot afford to purchase a rod and reel for each type of lure
presentation either. I am willing to purchase one or two, (For
baitcasting,
spinnerbait and crankbait as lures of choice) but I hate experimenting
with
my skepticism index so high. (I currently use fiberglass/composite rods
because of the more limber tip action.)

Can anyone steer me towards rods which have a balance between these
various
elements, and is a solid compromise for all-around bass fishing using a
bait
casting reel?

Thanks in advance,

Suthern

"Winter in the Midwest REALLY makes me wish I was in Dixie"

"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message
nk.net...

You Guys really helped me with all your replies. I will look into buying
with much more insight than I had.

Thanks for taking the time to explain.

P.S.

Forgot the most important question...How in the world do you buy all these
rods without sleeping on the couch for most of the year?

Suthern

"Winter in the Midwest REALLY makes me wish I was in Dixie"

Sneak them in the house when the wife is doing the grocery shopping.

Or, if you store them in the boat all summer, just pull out all of them at
once, throw the new rod in with the collection, and it all but fades away in
the eyes of your spouse. Believe me... I've gotten good at this.


"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Suthern Transplant" wrote in message
nk.net...

You Guys really helped me with all your replies. I will look into buying
with much more insight than I had.

Thanks for taking the time to explain.

P.S.

Forgot the most important question...How in the world do you buy all these
rods without sleeping on the couch for most of the year?

Suthern

"Winter in the Midwest REALLY makes me wish I was in Dixie"