Favorite rod this season

CraigP83 · October 26, 2019, 09:30:23 PM

What was your favorite set up this year? Mine was a GLoomis GLX 894 JWR. I paired it with a Shimano Curado K 7:1. 50# power pro braid tied to a 10' leader of 20# flouro. Tied a 1/2oz jig to it and could barely put that setup down all year it was just fantastic. Caught fish 1-20' of water on it.

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zippyduck · October 26, 2019, 10:29:13 PM

Craig,
Nice set up.

Mine has to be the Xtasy 755c paired with a JDM Daiwa Zillion svtw XXSL 9.0:1. So versatile mag heavy rod. I've caught fish on a frog, toad, jig, worm, c-rig, and flipping, skipping, and punching. And it excelled at all of these.

I keep finding new ways to use it and will be getting a couple more so I am not retying all the time.

loomisguy · October 27, 2019, 06:03:53 AM

Probably the Megabass Destroyer FMJ . The craftsmanship and sensitivity has really impressed me.
I have a Curado DC on it.

Capt. BassinLou · October 27, 2019, 07:28:54 AM

PB761HF Point Blank Rod (LSCR) with a Scorpion MGL Reel.

Dink Dawg · October 27, 2019, 11:34:47 AM

Dobyns Extreme 702SF matched with a Diawa Ballistic LT3000, #12 braid and #8 Invizex leader. This was a year where the drop shot deep came into play often so this was it.

apenland01 · October 27, 2019, 11:18:36 PM

Quote from: Dink Dawg on October 27, 2019, 11:34:47 AM
Dobyns Extreme 702SF matched with a Diawa Ballistic LT3000, #12 braid and #8 Invizex leader. This was a year where the drop shot deep came into play often so this was it.

I just put my new Diawa Ballistic LT2500D-XH on my relatively new Dobyns DX 743 SF. It's a great combo for a lot of things.....

fishballer06 · October 28, 2019, 08:20:44 AM

This is a hard one, since I love quite a few of my rods. The ones that probably got the most mileage was my Shimano Expride 7'2" H and my Dobyns Champion 734c, paired up with either a Scorpion MGL or a Chronarch MGL. Those setups will do almost anything I could want to throw.

SteveTX · October 28, 2019, 10:56:12 PM

I bought this Lew's Custom Lite Speed Stick Rod LCLMPS 7'4" Magnum Pitching Rod this year. I really was wanting to try the Winn Grip material. I paired it up with a 6.2 oz Lew's TPG1XH Tournament Pro G 8.3:1 reel. This makes for a perfect match. The rod has no hook hangers and this model reel has a built in hide away hook hanger. I love the fact my line will never catch on it and I still have a way to put my hook away not rubbing on my rod.

I have to say its quite comfortable. Has great grip wet or dry. Pitching I seem to get everything wet, my seat, and me included. The rod is quite light at 5.3 oz for a 7'4" rod of this power and feels great when pitching, its very comfortable. I can say it has slayed quite a few 20" bass in heavy pads this year. It makes for a great head turner and pulls them out of some nasty stuff. This 11.5 oz combo makes it much easier to pitch all day with.

The only real negative I can say id white is not the color for where you put your grubby hands to hold on. Lew's are you listening???

FLO GROWN · November 04, 2019, 07:12:54 PM

Daiwa Tatula rod 7'1 mh looks like my collection is gonna be changing, thanks Matt lol!!

earldogg · November 10, 2019, 03:55:14 PM

Custom Kistler Helium 3 7'hxf, Shimano Curado 201e7, 65 Lb braid, 1/8-3/4oz t rig.

1ReelFanatik · November 17, 2019, 07:56:28 AM

I am embarrassed to mention my favorite combo this season. Even the Tatula rod cost about twice what I paid for this rod, and the reel cost me much, much less than anything mentioned so far.

Only time this year I fished was on my vacation to Florida. For the first time ever I forgot to take a baitcast reel with braid...which is the reel that gets used the most. I had shipped 3 rods down earlier. One was an older Fenwick Elite Tech 7' MF Jig and Worm spinning rod. Lucky me the reel I happened to take with me for it was a Sol 2500. Purchased used and it came spooled with braid. Looks to be 30# braid.

Every fish this year came on that combo so it was my favorite combo this season. Is this my favorite combo? No. I almost never use a spinning rod any more. But a man does what a man's gotta do.

I was worried about its power as I always use a MH casting rod when casting into slop. Had no problem with any fish using this combo. Maybe I need to change some of my preconceptions.

Pipepro · November 17, 2019, 09:38:01 AM

My favorite setup for this past year was a new rod I bought in the Spring.

Lew's TP-1 Speed Stick IM8 Cast Rod 7' Medium/Fast paired with a Lew's Custom Speed Spool MSB Casting Reel in 8.3:1 reel.

The medium power rod is a big change from my normal MH or Heavy rods I normally use. I loved the Winn grips on the rod, and the soft tip made for effortless roll casts.

I started out using it with 1.5 Squarebills in the Spring, the rod has a deep bend and it fished (almost) as good as my Dobyns 705CB.

I used it with some smaller hollow body frogs, the Stanford Boom Boom is one of my favorites. I didnt use this combo around heavy vegetation since it just didnt have the oooomph to pull bigger fish out of cover. I used it more around seawalls and more open areas.

I finally settled on this being my weightless soft plastic rod. I throw a Rage Craw on an owner 5/0 screw lock hook and 6" soft stick baits. Had a great hook up ratio and with the 30lb braid it was sensitive enough to feel those soft strikes.

Every time this rod was on my deck it ended up in my hand. I love the way it feels and it balances well with the lews rod. I even went as far as to re-spool with some hi vis 15# braid and a 4' leader of fluoro to a 4" wacky setup. For only $99 I am totally impressed with this rod!