kschultz76

Tackle Supply Depot is doing 20% off regular priced items with coupon code ‘holiday’. Also $3.99 shipping over $50.

How do the power and actions seem, true to what you expected? Prices seem good for the blanks and components just not sure I could get past the stuff I’ve read about their service. If I’m not misreading the descriptions I think the material used in those blanks is the same or very close to what’s used in the Kistler Helium 3.

Might want to check out the Dobyns Sierra line on TackleWarehouse. They’re ona great sale right now (hint buy a gift card 10% off first, then use it to buy anything), and have a big selection of power/action in spinning rods. They actually have a Med Heavy and Heavy power available in 7’. Ive never used a Sierra, in fact have only ever had one Dobyns. But everyone seems to give them good marks for service, and warranty. Reviews on the Sierra are good and seem to fit the bill for your needs.

I have a pretty large collection of rods and reels. Personally I haven’t felt the need to get anything faster then a 7.x:1 gear ratio. I think it’s a matter of preference and not need. Years ago something in the 6.x:1 was considered high speed. I have two reels that are 5.x:1 for cranks, then probably 6 reels in a 6.x:1 and 5 I think that are 7.x:1. For me that gives me a lot of versatility and the 7 speeds can still be used for more then just bottom contact and topwater because they’re not too fast. I’ve not lost fish or felt limited by not having an 8 speed or higher. Funny story relative to gear ratios, I was fishing with my Dad a year ago and we were throwing swimjigs into rocky hard shorelines in the late spring. For some reason he was picking up fish and I wasn’t even though I was in the front of the boat. And I asked, what are you doing different then me, then I realized he was using his old Bantam Curado which is a 5.x ratio, and I was using a Chronarch CI4 in a 7.2. I slowed down my retrieve to let that swimjigs bounce along those rocks, and it was game on.

I have the 6’8” M-XF in both a spinning and a casting version, both are my go to rods for throwing a weightless 5” senko trigged on a 4/0 ewg.

It’s a great blank, just not as multipurpose as the M-F would be. One thing on your list I personally wouldn’t throw on the M-XF are the lipless cranks.

I don’t own a Curado 70, but own the predecessor, and plenty of other Shimanos. That reel should be able to handle any lure you want with the exception of deep diving cranks and large swimbaits. But other then that should be good. You should be able to throw some braid on there and throw frogs or pitch heavy trigged creatures into cover.

Was that Avid the 6’8” M-XF or a 6’8” M-F? The XF version is a great light or weightless plastics and weightless senko rod. Also works well for some smaller jerkbaits and top water. But overall a M-F will be more versatile.

Check out the Tackle Trap, they carry a full selection of after market bearings including handle knob bearings both Hedgehog and Boca. The Hedgehogs are a few bucks cheaper. The guys at the Trap can help you get any think you need for doing the levelwinds too.

It’s a good choice in action/power and in a st Croix for your intended purpose.

In general for all my fishing kayak or not I prefer rods under 7’5”, at one time I tried sticking to even shorter on my kayak but was missing out on my best rods when in the kayak. So I’ve just gotten comfortable with my 7’-7’3” rods in the yak. For your budget and what you’re looking for there are two rods on clearance at TW you might want to look at -Dobyns Sierra 735c and the Megabass Levante Tour Versatile. I like my MB rods but don’t own a Levante and have read nothing but good things about the sierras, I’d probably lean towards the Sierra. I know the 735 is listed as extra fast but my understanding is that Dobyns extra fast is closer to fast. Hint if if you go for one of those purchase a TW electronic gc at 10% off first, the use that to buy the rod if you want to save a few more bucks.

From my experience the Legend Elite and Legend Extremes are up their in sensitivity with the GLX. But frankly the blanks on my Helium 3s are also up there in terms of sensitivity. Of course it’s subjective to the user and ymmv. I love some St Croix rods, but I’ve found I prefer a bare unpainted blank over a painted blank. TackleTour did a review on a Kistler Zbone spinning rod at one point might be worth looking up. Someone mentioned the MB Addermine, if your spending GLX coin the Addermine is a killer stick, I love mine. But in my hands it’s a hair more powerful then a dropshot rod, it’s of an all purpose spinning rod or heavier dropshot rod. It’s s more powerful then a St Croix ML power.

I’ve purchased from them before and gotten great service.

Better look again, states very clearly on their website that they have every size of that line in stock and available. I’m not in the habit of posting misleading info here.

Tackle Supply Depot has some fantastic prices on many brands and types of line right now. Like Sunline Shooter Defier Armilo for $12 a spool. Sucks you you have to deal with this, but glad Amazon fixed you up with a refund.

Kistler Helium H3 are all on a nice sale on their site right now, I’m a *** fan of my H3rods but I’ve not tried a spinning rod from them yet. Those Tatula Elite AGS look so nice, I can’t get paste Eva grips myself, but I’ve considered them a few times. St Croix recommendation is a good one for sure, the medium light powered finesse blanks I’ve owned and handled were not tip heavy like the medium and medium heavy blanks.

Of those options I’d go Kistler H3 out of those options, the Light MH of the two powers you listed. While I have the MH/XF and the Light MH I’ve not specifically thrown light weight trigs. But the Light MH throws a weightless 5” senko on a 4/0 ewg nicely. If you’re going really light you might want to consider a medium power. What kind of cover would you throw into? I love the lightweight and balance of my H3 and KLX rods. I personally like the tapers on my H3s a lot, they versatile but still well suited to trigs and jigs. In in fairness I haven’t tried any of the other rods you listed so I can’t compare. ALX also look really good and seem to get good feedback here from those who have experience with them.

I was very interested in them well when I first saw them on TW. Looking forward to hearing what you think of it in the future and from others. What model did you get and how’s the build quality?

As others have said biggest bang for your buck is a professional cleaning and super tuning of your real. In my experience this makes a very noticeable improvement in castability - ease of casting, less effort, less backlashing bc of effortless casts, and much better accuracy. Aftermarket bearings can can be fun, but won’t necessarily improve pure distance. At most they help decrease effort on a cast. If you really want to play with them start with Hedgehog ZRs. I think they’re the best bang for your buck.

They’re likely very close to each other in performance and quality, and really comes down to preference. I have a couple of the two latest versions of the Stradic CI4+. I continue to those them over the Daiwa because they have a real bearing under the line roller not a bushing. I’ve been amazed at the way they manage line. Although I haven’t checked schematics on the latest Ballistic LT to see if Daiwa went back to a bushing.

I’ve never used a NRX so I can’t comment on how much better the NRX is. You’re right once you’re spending that much what’s another 50-70 bucks. But for me the NRX just isn’t appealing, I hate skeletal reel seats. I can tell you I’m very happy with my 2016 GLX MBR 844 and would see no need to go beyond the GLX line based on how it performs. For me me while I love love high end gear, and don’t judge anyone for dropping $$$ of their hard earned money on a rod, I’ve learned about $350-400 is my max. I’ve also learned that I don’t love taking my most expensive brand new sticks in my kayak. When I first got my MB FMJ the way my rods store it got wedged up agains my seat and d**n if I didn’t get impatient pulling it out to use and scar the blank on a screw head. Totally avoidable, and totally my fault.

Should work just fine for crigs.

Are you only looking at options you can buy in person at BPS or Cabelas? Or are you interested in options you can purchase online as well?

Do some reading and research first, then see if you can get to tackle shop and hold a glass cranking stick, a hybrid cranking stick, and a graphite cranking stick. Even better try to actually find some that you can cast with and demo first. Lots of pros/cons for each type of cranking rod, and you should know what you’re getting into before laying down a lot of cash. I myself elf am in a growing minority and prefer full graphite cranking rods, so my recommendation will be wildly different then those who prefer glass.

Take some time to read New2BC4Bass’s long post above, then do some research on the lower weight limits of the baitcasting rods and reels you’re looking at. I completely agree with his input, for the range of weights and lures you’re talking about you really need two different rods. I’d recommend going with spinning gear for the lighter lures up to 1/4 of an oz or so total weight. Then casting for anything over 1/4 oz. total weight. Yes you can throw lighter lures with BC gear, but anything below a 1/4oz tw is going to require more specialized rod and reel built for that purpose, not general purpose beginner or budget gear. Even 1/4 oz without the right rod and technique can be challenging. What total weights are are you able to cast with your son’s Shimano Curado effectively?