kickerfish1

I snagged a Maestro spinning rod when the folks at ALX had a Christmas sale. Had heard great things prior but finally decided to pull the trigger. I feel that the rod/blank/build was really solid at the $200 price point. There were a few sloppy epoxy spots but nothing major. I purchased the rod for performance and versatility and not looks. I run all my rods through a low - high test. I want to see where they excel so I fish them with light finesse baits all the way up to heavier presentations. I was surprised how well it did with dropshots on the lighter end and even the hooksets I was getting fishing weighltess flukes in heavy cover. My initial intention for the rod was a designated tube/shakey head rod. It does these things well too. Basically it is that one spinning rod you can take with you to fish most every spinning rod technique. Sensitivity and overall versatility of the rod where very good. Wish the the trim pieces came in other colors and the build quality was a bit better but I am more than impressed with the rod and blank for the money. Its sort of a half custom half off the shelf production rod.

Buy the 703 for $75. Fish it for a little while and see what you think. If you like it and want another similar rod buy the other one. Many are split on here over the sensitivity of the savvy series. I don't think they are all that bad myself. They are sharp looking and balanced rods backed by a company with great customer service and owners.

Chasing "tail"!

Spinning would be a Gen 1 black Cumara with a stradic 2500 FJ Casting would be Blue NRX 873 with a custom TDZ 100M.

Sometimes you can find good blanks on closeout and components as well or catch a sale. Hard to say what would be best. If you have your heart set on trying a custom save up a bit longer or sell some things you don't need to free some funds to increase your budget. Check with a few custom builders to see what they can do for price. Maybe you can find a guy that would build it without alot of labor costs. Side note: the ALX Zolo B rods are a little over $200 but are close to a custom rod in build. They have really nice blanks and tapers. It is the closest production rod that I have to my custom K2.

I would say custom but also keep in mind that to make a rod that is individualized to your specific needs is costly for several reasons. First you have the labor that is factored into the cost of the rod. Second you have the individual components and accent/trim pieces. There also may be a shipping charge as well. Also the amount of time needed to complete the build will be weeks if not months so consider when you need the rod by. Talk to a custom builder about what $200 total shipped to your door will get you. There are alot of nice off the shelf options out there for under $200. Compile a list of rods that fit the bill for what you want and compare it against what you think you will get for a custom.

So what line brand or brands do you use?

See reply in your other thread...

I would look for either a 6"9 medium action Fenwick Elite Tech rod or an ALX Maestro spinning rod. Both are great rods and versatile too. If sensitivity is of concern both will rate among the best. I think the ALX rod is a bit over your budget but they occasionally offer sales.

I have the first Gen 7"2 M xf cumara drop shot rod. For me it is a one trick poney (100% designated to dropshots). It is somewhat doable for flick shakes and small shakey heads. It isn't the right taper for senkos, tubes, and texas rigs(baits where a texposed hook would need to be set to get a fish hooked up). I am not saying they can't be fished on there but there are better rods for those techniques. BTW it is a great drop shot rod. Absolutely love mine and would never sell it for a more expensive rod. I use mine over some of my more expensive spinning rods. Action, feel, and comfort are perfect for me. I am sure the crucial is nice just a touch below it.

I am not sure there are alot of folks fishing the Lews spinning reels to the extent their casting reels. Lots of Shimano and Phfleuger guys on here with a few Daiwa guys sprinkled in when it comes to spinning reels. You may struggle to find a fair amount of opinions on Lews spinning reels from guys that actually use them. Not really sure how much money you have to play with but a Phfleuger President or above and Fenwick Elite Tech or above on the rod would be a nice upgrade that isnt too costly.

Hootie, I am not a big senko guy like I used to be. At this point I probably have 50 bags of GY in 4 and 5 inch and another 50 bags of knock offs. The lakes I frequent have varying levels of water clarity and some are just a few inches. On these waters I have to use black/blue or Chartreuse variation to get bit enough to make it worth the while. 9/10 times I will opt for as super fluke, caffeine shad, D-Shad over a senko type. At this point I find myself slowly moving away from these baits though I still use them in certain situations and in certain bodies of water. Calm winds, relatively clear - clear water, shallow(ish) water, and around forms of cover is where they excel.

Interesting results. The Keitech is much softer, has a better action during slow retrieve speeds, plus has the built in squid scent. It is kind of like the discussion of true GY senkos vs other brands similar offerings. Among the picky die hard users looking for very subtle differences there is no replacing the original. For others that look at cost as basis for their evaluation they may not notice or need what difference there may be. For me I wont use substitutions for the Keitech baits. I know they arent that durable but to me the subtle differences account for more fish plus I use the extension extensive color selection to match to my swim jigs.

Very sharp looking truck Brian! Black goes with any color boat as well. Enjoy!

Happy late Birthday Bluebasser!

Nice birthday gift for your wife Mike! She will love it!

Someone likes their Zillions. Nice to see a few L & T rods in the rotation. Loved that rod especially the grip. Nice arsenal!

I guess more importantly I am greatful to have line options to choose from. Back in the day it used to be almost exclusively Triline and Stren dominating 90% of the market. Now we have dozens of brands and at least a half a dozen line options. Flourocarbon Flourocarbon coated Copolymer Monofillament Braid Etc... If you have multiple setups pick the line that best suits your needs that you feel is best or ideal for that presentation.

A true toad! Swimbait fish?

Lipless cranks, some squarebill cranks, weightless plastics, lighter jigs and texas rigs and smaller baits. It could fish alot of baits well actually.

I don't and would never use it for everything.

Tatsu or sniper. I believe my FJ has 8# sniper on it. No complaints.

Very nice hair jigs Will!

You could probably pair about any rod you want with them. However take into account the reel wait and your intended application(s). I have my 7:3.1 on a 7"2 Shimano Cumara MH XF rod. Balances and feels quite nice. Right now I am tossing bigger jigs with this outfit. Really getting great casting distance.

Prayers for a successful surgery and fast recovery!