David P

I actually just ordered one for similar applications. I had a Gen 1 706CB rod and absolutely loved it. If it's anything like the Gen 1, it will be an awesome rod. I ordered mine for Square bills and lipless cranks mostly in mind (in and around structure, weeds, etc). I have a few buddies with this rod and absolutely love it, one of the most versatile rods out there. From what I have heard from the few of them, they use it for... Square bills, traps, spooks, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, smaller swimbaits, buzzbaits, and countless other top water and treble baits. It's got enough give to let fish eat a chatterbait or buzzbait, but enough backbone to still get the hook in there good, and in the some respect has enough give to not yank out treble baits but also has enough backbone to get those hooks in there good (especially with squarebills that usually implement stouter hooks) Hope this helps a bit, feel free to shoot me a PM and I can get you some real water reviews once I get it out there this weekend.

Man, always sucks when you actually start adding it up! If we're talking just tackle... I'd say $3,000 a year (baits, line, etc) If we're talking how much TOTAL (Gas, Insurance, Tournaments, Hotels, etc) that all go into the cost of fishing... Hell , I don't even wanna know. Over $15,000 a year easy.

Interesting review. Still some positives to fluorocarbon though. As mentioned, slack line sensitivity, as is the sinking quality, gets baits down deeper, and line visibility. There's a time and a place for all lines, but certainly interesting to see that the marketed "low stretch" is not quite the case.

Ice doesn't look like much fun, never had to deal with that out here! Glad you still managed a few nice ones!

The site lists it as 1. 5/8oz. So just barely over 1.5oz. Looks like big cranks are becoming more and more popular. The KVD 8.0, the giant Lucky Craft ones. Nice to see the higher end baits are making them available too.

Depends what kind of cover you're bouncing or throwing your square bills around,and what type of grass if any you're ripping your lipless baits out of... I like 12-15lb fluorocarbon depending on where and what I'm fishing.

Small business. Was some talk of issues with manufacturer. All Vixens were discontinued. They weren't as popular during their first run, as they have become since being discontinued and now the relaunch of the regular sized Vixen. They're great baits, different sound that a spook.

Tell me about it! Have fished a handful of the others with great success, so figured why not try a lipless bait and picked up a few of his for that very reason. Definitely glad I did!

Save your money from the hype. They are rare and discontinued, thus bringing the big dollars by collectors and people who are into that sort of thing. That doesn't mean they are far superior to other baits for a fraction of the cost. It's the rarity of the collectors and because they are discontinued. Save your money. The bigger Vixen IMO is better for 99% of the time, only rarely does a smaller bait help (at least here). The full size vixen is still rather small and catches tiny 8" fish all the time. More money doesn't always mean more fish. There's just many, many collectors that drive the cost up. Most never throw the darn things.

You're kind of right in between given the bait selections you listed. Both have their place, but I prefer the 704CB if I could only have one for ripbaits. Vision 110, Vision 110+1, Staysee 90, Pointer 78, Pointers (Not 128), all the regular ripbaits basically... The 704CB is THE rod. No doubt about it, throws them all amazingly, and makes it a blast to fish ripbaits (one of my absolute favorite techniques). The 110 Magnum, Pointer 128s, Traps - The 705CB is the way to go.. Also can be a great square bill rod, shallow to medium depth crankbait rod, and countless other treble baits. So yes, to be very honest, asking a little bit much to throw ALL on one rod... Think about what you throw most, and go from there. I have thrown 110 Magnums on my 704CB just fine, it's not "ideal" but I have done it many times and been okay. If you throw the 110 and regular baits even slightly more than the larger ones, get the 704cb, it's the better ripbait rod for sure. The 704CB feels like it was built just for the 110. You can get away with the larger ripbaits on the 704, and personally would much rather go that route, than throw the lighter stuff on a 705CB. 705CB more versatile for all treble hook baits (traps, crankbaits, squarebills, popper, spooks, you name it) 704CB better ripbait rod

Always fun catching some good ones on a new technique or bait! Had never really thrown a rattle trap much in the past, but picked up a couple of the 6th Sense Snatch70 lipless cranks and took em out fishing last Saturday and again today. Got quite a few 3-4lbers each trip, but managed a couple better ones too. Definitely regretting having not tried lipless crankbaits sooner!

Dobyns 734 .. The light weight feel, and balance of this rod makes it an absolute pleasure to fish. The sensitivity is also great for a rod in that price range. It just seems to fish everything so well and make it fun. 90% of fishing can be covered with this rod IMO.

12lb6oz - Senko 13lb3oz - Jig

Rod, hands down IMO. Rod gives you that sensitivity, the action is ever so important for hook sets and fish fighting and handling ability, a well balanced rod feels effortless for days upon days of fishing without fatigue... A nice rod is night and day difference. I have $400 reels and I have $100 reels, they don't make a whole lot of difference to me.

Faster the reel the better for spook fishing, makes it way easier to pick up slack line when they knock so much slack in it from a big explosion.. Also makes it easier to walk them. Will work great for fluke fishing too! I use braid and a revo rocket for spooks, and an MGX and fluorocarbon for flukes... BUT if I was going to use just one line for the both, a good mono would be the happy medium.

Extremely smooth, awesome size for such a heavy duty reel, and the longer handle and knobs although may take a little getting used to are very very nice and helpful. Awesome swimbait and A-Rig reel.

Love it, great for anything you need a fast way of picking up slack line. I use mine almost specifically for top water.

About 15 set ups, they all get used at least every other fishing trip depending on the pattern and body of water I'm fishing.

You got essentially two very heavy duty rods in the 735 and 736. Used for flipping, heavy jigs, frogging, smaller swimbaits, etc... If you're looking for a regular 3/8oz-1/2oz jig rod, or a worm rod, the 733 and 734 are the go to rods for this. They are the most universal and best all around utility rods out there.

I throw buzzbaits half the time in and around heavy cover, and the other half in open water. I love to use braid with my buzzbaits as it helps cast the bait further, but the catch is the lack of stretch can be an issue. Fast moving baits may cause you to rip the bait away too quickly on a strike, stretch helps the fish take the bait a bit better. Given that I use braid, I actually opt for a heavier cranking rod with a softer tip for my buzzbait needs (when using braid). If I end up using mono for some reason, I go for a faster tip medium action rod. Given your two setups, the cranking rod is fine with braid, or the jig rod can work with mono.

I have all three, they are good for different stuff. The premier feels though most stout and solid, I use it for flipping, punching, frogging, anything that I have 65lb braid or 20lb fluorocarbon for. The Rocket I use for frogs as well, more open water though, but it is my absolute favorite all around top water rod - spooks, buzzbaits, sammys, etc.. The MGX is more finesse feeling, I use it with 10 and 12lb fluorocarbon line for ripbaits, jigs, drop shotting, senkos, etc. Just depends on what you're looking for. I have 3 Premiers, 2 Rockets and 2 MGX , I use them all equally, but that's based on the way I fish. Figure out what you will use it most for and go from there.

How does a 7ft rod equate to being 6'8? I'm 5'11 and I am able to work the bait rod tip down without an issue, although I do prefer to work it slightly to the right side for comfort and ease. The longer rod also also you to cast the bait further which is always an advantage. Your previous post said you've gone to favoring a 6'10 rod, that's only 2" difference. I use a 704CB Moderate fast medium power. It's rather soft. Ripping the bait with a softer rod does not by any means pull the bait forward at all.Maybe if you're simply pulling the bait on tight line and not actually ripping on slack line. I'm not sure what ripbaits you're using, but I have fished my Lucky Crafts and Vision 110's in water with 20ft clarity and have watched how erratic and darting these baits can be with the rod and it's incredible. The faster tip and overpowered rods are what can cause you to pull the bait straight forward through the water and pull hooks out. I too was stuck in a similar train of thought as yours, and thought I had it figured out until I was recommended to try the 704CB by Gary Dobyns who has a lot of experience with ripbaits to say the least, and has a version of the Lucky Craft Staysee 90 made after him. The quality and quantity of fish has increased dramatically. Whether it be hot or cold, the rod still works. Whatever it is, gotta go with where your confidence is. All rods can work as long as the user understands what the bait is doing, and how they must work it properly with the equipment they are using. I've caught numerous 5-7lbers on it, and have buddies who have caught them up to 10lbs on it, so it certainly produces.

Morning temps are 71-72 and get up to 74 and 75 throughout the days here. Still not fall bite whatsoever. Still got a long ways... Takes a good cold streak or cold nights to really cool things down. we've got a cold front and rain coming our way this week, should help a bit.

The only item of Seaguar that I would ever pick over Sunline would be Tatsu, but I can't justify the added price so Sunline for all categories aside from Tatsu.

Very tough for a good rip bait rod to be "too whippy". I use a Dobyns 704 CB rod, it's extremely flimsy and bends well throughout the blank and quite easily at that. Helps with the action of the jerkbait, helps from ripping the hooks out of a fish when fighting it, and it also helps when you go to jerk the rod from jerking the bait clean out of a fishes mouth that may already have the bait in it's mouth.