Yes, that's the rod series I'm talking about. Sorry if below
is too long-winded.
Balance is subjective. What I meant above is how the rod
balances when you have a reel attached, and in this instance,
assume no lure is on the end. Just the rod, reel (and line
spooled on).
When you hold the setup with your hand (loosely) on it as you
would when you cast, reel, work the bait, does it balance
horizontally? Does the tip fall to the floor, or does it raise slightly,
or too much? And so forth. Can also find the balance point by
simply balancing the setup on one finger. Is balance point close to
reel, above handle, etc....
So when I talk tips, for me, I'm not talking softness as in Extra
Fast, Fast, Moderate, or noodly. I'm talking balance as described
above. St. Croix, with my 1000 Stradics, usually tend to be tip-heavy.
I.e., tip falls toward floor. The BPS stick tends to be a tad more
tip-neutral (i.e., horizontal) to tip-light depending on the length.
I personally prefer tip-light. Some like tip-heavy. That's why it is
subjective. As for length, that's up to you. Shore-bound/wading
you may want a longer rod 6'6" to 7' to reach areas you can't get
to. I prefer shorter rods, and I am in my kayak 95% of the time,
and just like them better than longer rods. Simply my preference.
In terms of tip speed, I like Fast and Extra Fast for single-hook
setups. Hook setting is nice and crisp.
Sensitivity? In the hands of the rod holder. I was surprised at the
MicroLite's sensitivity. On par with the Avid, LTs? Close, in my hands.
Materials used are lesser quality, but again...subjective.
