new2BC4bass

I lost complete faith in Amazon reviews after reading an article about how sellers refund money to people for giving reviews on their product(s). There is no way I can tell if it was an honest buyer or someone getting paid to give a 5 star review.

New Okuma Helios Air no longer in production $190.79 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Okuma-HP-Helios-Air-Left-Handed-Low-Profile-Baitcast-Reel-Freshwater-HM-273LX-/401260645605?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10#viTabs_0 Review of it. http://tackletour.com/reviewdokumaheliosair.html I was impressed with my very first cast with one. Bought a second. Review on this site. https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/helios-air-review.html Okuma and Pflueger often get overlooked. I've always felt I got good value for my money with both companies. Take a look at the Okuma Helios SX. I found it for as low as $169.81 in LH 7.3:1 ratio. Mine is still in its box. LH Supreme XT for $92.99 on Amazon. Great price on a very nice reel. Another Pflueger...$120 for $200 reel. https://store.radvandamwarehouse.com/patriarch-71lp-711-left-hand-low-profile-bait-cast-reel-by-pflueger-p5422.aspx?utm_medium=cse&utm_source=googlebase&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiOj7_KiQ5wIVJIVaBR1NJwhjEAQYAyABEgKz3_D_BwE Another of my reels still sitting in a box. I have the older blue Patriarch XT. Run brakes lower on it than probably any other reel I own. Nice looking and a tough finish. Reels sit on shelf not because I don't like them, but because I am short rods to pair with them. Love my Exsence DC, but a 2nd also sits for that reason so you see I am not benching a reel just because it might not measure up. I also have to admit I own more Daiwas than any other brand, but a couple of them are also sitting unused for the time being.

For me it isn't so much what the rods can do, but that I much prefer a baitcast setup for everything I can get away using one for.

Love my Tatula rods. But I don't think this particular rod would be a good multi-purpose rod for throwing lighter cranks & topwater which is what the OP is looking for. Pretty good for a lot of other lures, tho. Wish I hadn't already bought one...at a higher price....dang it. EDIT: I see the 7'1" MH-XF is selling at the same price. Anyone with experience using this rod like to give an opinion on it? Sorry OP. Don't want to highjack your thread.

I've seen this thread elsewhere. My reply isn't going to help anyone looking for either that can be purchased new today...unless there are some hidden away somewhere. For reels: You won't see much of anything written about the Okuma Helios Air or Pinnacle Primmus Xi HS. Both blew me away on the first cast and have continued to impress. For rods: Harder for me to be blown away. I was disappointed in a Gen 1 Villain 7'6" MHF casting rod. A 7'7" Ballistic cranking rod is the worst rod I've ever held. A 7' MHF Rainshadow RX7 has impressed me as has a 7' ML Hurricane. I've got a couple older Quantum Tour Edition PT casting rods that I really like. I'm thinking anything else I could write would fit under a best rod/reel thread. Oh yeah. An original Concept A felt great in hand the first time I mounted it on a rod. I seldom notice something like that, but this reel was an exception to the rule. Not blown away otherwise by it. Took a little longer than normal to dial in.

Wish I had the ambition to take and post some pictures here. I could show RemyL where it leads.

Zero experience with that rod. Also I try not to use a lure at either end of a rod's rating. I have read that Daiwa rods usually tend to fish a bit heavy. My guess is that rod is not going to give you much distance with 1/15 oz. heads. I have an Aetos 7' MF spinning rod rated 1/16-3/4 oz. that has never had a reel on it. I would be overjoyed if it actually handled that range. I think 1/16 oz. is going to be a stretch.

Was doing some research and came across this old thread. As an update, the Tatula 7'4" HF does an excellent job casting a 5/8 oz. frog.

I think action type is going to depend on the rod. I've not used mine with a T-rig....yet...but I agree with Tizi. I think the Tatula 7' MR would work fine. Especially if using braid. However, I consider its rating of 1/4-3/4 oz. to fit the MH range. Most of my MHF rods are rated either 1/4-3/4 oz. or 1/4-1 oz. Just because a rod is rated 'Fast' doesn't make it suitable for T-rigs. You won't have to look very hard to find a lot of designated crankbait rods with a fast rating. That I don't get.

Find a Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth or older Quantum Smoke. Both have very short handles. EDIT: I'll try to remember when I get home to check for any other rods I have with short handles. EDIT2: Add the OG Falcon Expert for short handle like the Smallmouth. Several other brands are reasonably close...like an inch or so longer. Ex. 7' MF Mojo Bass, 7' MF Okuma Helios, 7'1" MLF Recon2, 7' MLR and MR OG Tatula (6'10" MHF is longer), older 6'6" M-XF Zillion to name a few.

I'm partial to Daiwa. Fuego CT $70 at Sportsman's Outfitters. FFO has the Ike Signature 7' MF 1/4-3/4 oz. for $65 (reg. $129.95). Aird X ($55) gets excellent reviews. Bionic Blade $80, Berkley Lightning $35, Cherrywood $25. EDIT: Personally I think you would need to up your budget a bit for a good Lew's combo. Speed Spool LFS and TP-1 = $200 unless you can find them on sale somewhere. Amazon has the 6'8" Jerkbait/Topwater for $77.39 with Prime. LH or RH reel? Speed Spool LFS LH 6.8:1 $73.30 with Prime.

Budget and lure weights determine choice. I picked up some swim jigs, but haven't used them yet. I have several rods to try with them. Megabass Diablo Spec R, ALX Toadface and Deputy are the more expensive rods. An Aetos 7' MHF. Tatula 6'10" MHF, Tatula 7'MHR and Villain 2.0 7' MHF are a few lower cost rods I want to try. So many choices...so little time left.

I have an older Exsence DC. As long as I keep it on MAX or one of the other 3 positions, I don't need a thumb either. Spool is pretty loose, too. I love reels..................period, but it is nice knowing I don't have to worry about backlashes. I am a pro so I am sure I will backlash it before long.

Same here. Don't know why I bother to occasionally walk through their sporting department. Total waste of time.

Need none. Check for sale ads every day. Last week I received 3 new-2-me casting rods. Was looking hard at the near mint J Dream in the flea market, but managed to hold off until someone else bought it. Whew. Monday I am supposed to receive my TW order...a few hooks and several crankbaits. Couldn't pass up the sale although I held off a day and some in my cart were sold out so I got off cheaper than my original order.

Good advice. Last year my only casting reel with braid that I took to Florida was for my dedicated frog rod. Oops. Luckily I had sent some rods down earlier. One was a spinning rod and the reel I took for it had braid. The rod was 7' MF Jig & Worm rod so it became my rod for throwing 10" weightless ribbontails into the lily pads. Worked great. A MF spinning rod is very versatile tool. Unfortunately the 2000 and 3000 size reels are sold out. OP, I almost never use a spinning rod anymore so I am not up on new spinning reels. However, I am going to try and use my spinning rods more this year. I really like the BG 1500 I got for my Ned Rig rod. The BG2000 weights the same and holds a little more line. For lighter (and pricier) look at the Procyon LT and Tatula LT. I admit to liking Daiwa. Many rod choices at $150. My only experience with Tatula rods are the casting models, but I feel they are exceptional values. 7' MF. Just received 2 iRods (casting). Nice looking and light. Spinning 7'1" MHF.

2 in 6 hrs would be a great day for me locally.

Thanks a lot guys.

Had to buy my own. Three used rods. Genesis 7' MHF All Purpose and Genesis 7' MHF Gabe's Rip Rap Special. Witch Doctor 7'1" HF Shaman. Was supposed to be the 7'3" HF model, but seller didn't realize he had shipped the wrong rod. Two extra inches would be beneficial in some instances, but not going to fret about in regards to a fishing rod.

Saturday 65, high Sunday 63. Forecast is for rain both days. My Christmas presents to myself this year were 3 used rods. Two iRods..Genesis II 7' MHF All Purpose and 7' MHF Gab's Rip Rap Special and a 7'1" HF Witch Doctor Shaman. I have a rain suit that has not been used yet, but since catching a fish is near 0% I am not sure I want to waste my time and gas money getting to a lake even though I am excited to try the rods out. One incentive to go is getting away from the 'better half' for a couple hours. Might be worth the trip after all. What would be a few lures to try? I don't fish at this time of the year so am pretty clueless. I could start searching on Google for some possibilities, but would rather hear from some of you that are near my area. Thanks.

Sure does. So do the medical bills associated with it.

Beautiful place to fish!!!! That backlash is nowhere near professional grade. I should have taken a few pictures of mine. That line looks like it would do a better job tying the boat to a dock. I use 12# on the vast majority of my MH rods.

I've read good things about this rod. Looked at the white at DSG, but don't like white rods. There are a few Lew's rods I wouldn't mind trying that should do well for what the OP is asking. And are in his price range. 7'3.5" MHF Custom Plus Super Grip, 7' MHF Pro LFS-X5 and 7' MH Magnum Lite HM85. A Custom Pro 7'6" Ledge/Crankbait is the only Lew's rod I have. It is another rod I picked up last winter that hasn't been used yet although I did put an older gold colored Carbonlite on it because I know I can cast 3/16 oz. with it and the ratio should be good for crankbaits.

I have no problem with the linear magnetic brake on my Gen1 STX. I don't consider it a budget reel. Plenty of people like the linear brakes on the cheaper Lew's reels. I don't know if the Abu MagTrax Braking System is linear, but the Max reels are popular low cost reels. I admit I own more Daiwas than any other brand. I use Magforce, Magforce V, Magforce Z, Magforce 3D and SV spooled reels. The last two are close to backlash free systems.

I don't have many Abu rods, but they all seem to fish a bit heavy. I have the 7' MHF Villain 2.0 that I picked up last winter, but due to work, weather and health I haven't had a reel on it yet. Using the tip on floor test I'm guessing this rod is not the exception to the rule. I wouldn't call it a broomstick, tho. The Villain 2.0 is a nice looking rod, and I like what TT has to say about their sensitivity....which is why I have two of them.