slimjim1135

Debating between the IMX Pro 844c and 904c MBRs. This rod will be a jack of all trades for my kayak to throw anything at or above 1/2oz in total weight. Most likely this will be: Big Texas rigs, carolina rigs, 1/2 oz chatterbaits, 1/2 oz underspins w/ paddletails. Most of the time, these are the baits I'm looking to throw. Less likely, but still possible when I'm struggling for a bite will be large lipless, big spinnerbaits/buzzbaits with trailers, and maybe even a frog. Space is limited because of the kayak, so I can only carry one heavy rod, so this is gonna have to get by for as many things as possible. Between the 7'6" and the 7', what are the biggest differences that 6" is going to make for those guys who've fished both?

Considering an upgrade from the Methods to the Escape rods. I've loved my Methods for the past few years but did break one of the top sections on a hookset not too long ago. Between the 2nd and 3rd guide. I have the other top section, but it's still made me start thinking about upgrading for trips. For over double the price, have you found the Escapes worth the cost over the Methods?

I have an 843S Conquest and absolutely love it. I found a similar deal on one last year and pulled the trigger to see what Conquest life was like. No regrets at all. It is sensitive, throws senkos, tube jigs, nekos, and dropshots all beautifully. If you've used Loomis MBR/SJR tapers before and liked them, I'm sure you'll love it as well. It's an incredibly versatile rod. I was worried a bit at first too about it being a bit too heavy for smaller setups, but I haven't found that to be the case at all on the water.

So if you're more of a finesse angler, and are comfortable not feeling like you need to be casting flies 60+ feet, another consideration would be to go with fiberglass. The Cabelas CGR rods are easily the best value of any fishing equipment I've ever used. Absolutely phenomenal fiberglass rods at any price point, much less their $80 price tag (and like $50 when they go on sale). Fiberglass rods are very easy to load, very easy to feel loading, and very forgiving. They teach you immediately how to slow down your cast and they're fantastic tools for learning the basics. Also, fiberglass rods are known to bend to the cork before breaking, and are very sensitive. You can take out a 3wt and not feel like the rod will snap if you hook into a big fish, and you can take out an 8wt and not feel like it's too much rod for a bluegill. I would recommend the CGR 5/6 7'6" and use 6wt WF line on it. It would be great for bass, panfish, and trout in the winter. Other brands to look at, if you've already settled on graphite for your first rod, would be Echo, TFO, Fenwick, or Orvis. The Echo base is a great little budget pick. TFO teamed with Lefty Kreh, so they get a nod just for that. If you know fly fishing is for you and want to step up your budget a little, Fenwick Aetos and Orvis Clearwater combos are both just phenomenal first rods.

I own the newest model Stradic Ci4+ and both the older and newer model Patriachs. With price similar, the Stradic is far superior to the Patriarchs in terms of build quality. The Patriarch is cool, and the older ones came with an additional spool, which was nice to keep on hand, but 1:1 if the price is the same I far prefer the Stradic. Weight for both is very light, and many rods may feel a little weird to balance with them. Drag for both is fantastic, but I think the Stradic does a bit better with braid + leader than the Patriarchs do. If you do decided on the Pflueger, look around, as there's often sales that you can snag them for up to half off asking price. Hope this helps! Whichever you decide, I'm sure you'll be happy with either.

Personally I'd go with the 6'4" fast action. Most the the baits you listed you'll be using are small moving treble hook baits, so you may find the added give useful. I also found faster action, lighter longer rods to be a little brittle for my taste. Unless you're vertical jigging or something similar, I'd stick with the shorter, fast action option.

I got an e6x for topwater paired with a Curado K and I love it. There's a few of the older e6x's still floating around on clearance for 25-50% off, which makes em a good deal for the price if you can pick one up. That said, if you're trying out either the e6x or Mojo's in store, see if you can mount a reel on them when you're trying them out. Neither felt particularly great to me in the store until I had a reel mounted on them to try.

Congratulations! An Ugly Stik and Penn Combo is probably one of the most versatile and durable set ups you can own. You can use a 7' MH Ugly Stik to target just about any freshwater species (although it's gonna be overkill if you're ever fishing for trout or panfish) and basically all saltwater inshore fish up to Tarpon. I'd pick up an extra spool on eBay so you can have a two line options when you're on the water, and you'll be able to basically throw any bait or lure you want.

You may want to check out the Keep Austin Fishing group on Facebook if you haven't joined already. Great group and they offer a lot of help to new anglers. If you can make your way down to the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, it's great right now for trout. If you're sticking with spots in Austin, slower and deeper, although I think this unusually cold (for Austin) winter has been affecting most fishermen in the area.

I have amassed a gang of travel rods thanks to frequent travel and backpacking. I have 2 Fenwick Methods and a few BPS Micro Lites that I use for bass and other species. A few observations I've noticed: The higher power the rod, the more lost sensitivity I've noticed in travel rods compared to similarly specd one piece rods. Travel rods seem a little stiffer to me overall as well. This makes power fishing and cranking a little worse in my experiences, to where I'll limit using travel rods to only when traveling. Lighter power rods though, like for trout, and I honestly can't tell a difference in sensitivity. My 3 piece UL rod performs just as well as my 1 piece, and at a lower power and shorter length, I can't notice a weight difference either. When I'm backpacking, wading, or creek fishing, that's when I'll reach for my travel rods as much or more than my 1 piece rods.

I'm in central Texas and I kayak and take 3 rods and reels (2 casting 1 spinning) with me when I go out. The setups switch based on where I'm going, but my most common lures I've noticed I keep tied on are T rigs, rat-l-traps, and dropshots. When I'm bank fishing in larger ponds/small lakes that I know I take 1 casting and 1 spinning, and when I'm backpacking or bank fishing new water I typically just take 1 rod.

Personally, for senkos and trick worms I prefer a medium power rod. I'd go with the 6'8" M, because it will also give you a tad more precision when casting. With the extra fast action, you'll get good hook sets, and a medium rod will still give you plenty of power. A Medium Heavy might be too much if you're fishing weightless.

Tally me for the Fenwick Methods. It's become a favorite rod of mine, even when I'm not traveling. I keep it in my car at all times if I ever get bit by a fishing bug on my way home from work. Also, if you're looking for a cheaper travel alternative, the BPS Micro Lite 6' pistol grip casting rod is fun. It's my go to cheap bait casting setup paired with a pro qualifier.

If you've already caught a few bigger catfish on it, you know that it's a powerful little rod for the action. I have a 5'6" that I use for creek Largemouth and panfish. A good short whippy, noodly rod is great for fishing small areas, so if you're fishing under trees or are in tight space, the 5'6" would be a better fit than a bigger rod.

So I saw the Pflueger Patriarch on sale at Cabelas and caved. I picked up the 9530 version (it's a 2000 size reel) and I'm in love. Now I'm looking for a good rod to pair it with. Right now, my top of the line spinning rod is a 7' Dobyns Fury that I use for finesse, paired with a Mitchell 308 Pro. I like Dobyns rods, but I'm not a fan of the handle, so I'd like to try something different. I was thinking a 6'6" Medium Light might be perfect for a variety of fishing around my neck of the woods. Budget is $200 or less. I was thinking Fenwick or St. Croix, but I'm open to all suggestions.