Which Are The Best Bottom Contact Fishing Rods?

[Diggy]

We all know many people love fishing soft plastics and jigs. Sometimes we may spend money on a rod that might be better suited for something else or some may feel it isn't sensitive enough for this application. Please drop some recommendations in any price point, although it would be good to get some in the different ranges based on peoples budgets since not everyone has NRX money.

[Quitlimpin]

I have owned/used a ton of different brands and models over the years. These are the ones that stand out to me in their respective price ranges.

$100-200--Carrot Stick and Lamiglas Certified Pro

$200-$350--Looomis GLX(pre split grip) and Dobyns Champion Extreme

$350+--NRX--Absolutely electric!

[iabass8]

dobyns DX series and the NRX are the best I've ever used followed closely by the legend xtreme.

[BradGuenette]

+1 Dobyns Extremes

[bassinbrian]

Out of the rods I currently own the NRX is probably the most sensitive but not far behind is the Legend Xtreme and Steez. That being said, I prefer my Steez due to the fact I think its more comfortable and little bit more refined. If that matters

[ColdSVT]

I know the rod is important but line is also.

my GL2s are nice and sensitive and so are my Avids but when switched from mono to flouro is when I noticed a good bit more sensitivity, same on my rods with braid

[BrettD]

Ive got a couple dobyns champions and my falcon cara t-7 are more sensitive. Ive yet to try a nrx or steez they are out of my budget I try to stay under $250

[thehooligan]

I got both my cumulus rods for $250 each, it took awhile but deals are out there. Its pretty hard to beat the sensitivity for that money. Next step down would be the older cumaras. I think there very sensitive and you can find them between $140-200 on ebay.

 

For a cheaper rod, i think the fenwick smallmouth rods are great, and they can be had at $99. 

[grizzly1654]

I like the falcon lowrider rods. I have a 7' mh and a 7' h that i use for my bottom contact lures.

You can get them for $125-140. They are super light and sensitive. They are very similar to the St. Croix avids, just a little cheaper price.

[The Rooster]

I've never paid more than $100 for a rod and I bought just two of those. They were the older, full cork handle Shimano Compre rods. They are nice though. I've had no trouble sensing the bottom and all its details through them.

I'll get back to you on another rod though later in the year for one that's less than the $100 range, since your original posts seemed you might be interested in rods covering a broad range of price points. If you're looking for a decent budget rod, I recently bought two Cabela's Tourney Trail rods, retailing at $65 but with sale prices can be as low as $45, which is what I paid. Rods in this range aren't known for sensitivity but these do have some potential. One was just a crankbait rod but the other was bought as a heavy power, fast action for heavier jigs and plastics rigs. I haven't fished them yet, but here at home while dragging a spinnerbait slowly across the hardwood floor, I could feel the little bumps from the wood grain as the bait crossed them. That's a fair indication to me that the rod and line choice (Berkley Sensations) together might be a good one. On a side note, since this rod is the heaviest powered rod I've owned to date, and has a model number of 666, I've been referring to it as "The Devil's Sword". Haha.

[38 Super Fan]

Ive got a couple dobyns champions and my falcon cara t-7 are more sensitive. Ive yet to try a nrx or steez they are out of my budget I try to stay under $250

+1 Love the Falcon Caras. My LTB is similar in sensitivity, but I like the balance and action of the Caras far more.

[kickerfish1]

I got both my cumulus rods for $250 each, it took awhile but deals are out there. Its pretty hard to beat the sensitivity for that money. Next step down would be the older cumaras. I think there very sensitive and you can find them between $140-200 on ebay.

For a cheaper rod, i think the fenwick smallmouth rods are great, and they can be had at $99.

X2 on the cumulus, cumara, and elite tech! Add another vote for the dobyns championion extreme. For what you pay for phenix recon they are no slouch either.

[BigMoneyGrip]

I have the Falcon Cara micro finesse jig and love it. I use it for small jigs and weightless plastics. I have the reel spooled with CXX and I can still tell what my bait is doing.

I want to get another rod for bottom contact but I can't find any reviews on what I'm looking at.

[Greenstealth]

For the money, a carbon light is pretty darn sensitive.

[livetofish28]

St Croix LTB are my favorite they run from 250-280

[ColdSVT]

cant go wrong with a LTB man!

[JCiurej34]

I'm also a Legend Tournament Fan, but I would go with the Legend Extremes if I had the money.

[WRB]

The majority of my rods are custom made using Lamiglas XMG 50 series blanks. Lamiglas stopped making the XMG 50 series about 3 years ago, at that time it was the state of the art. Lamiglas may be reintroducing this blank under the Infinity name, not sure at this time.

The NRX was introduced about 2 years ago at $475 as I recall and very similar to the Lamiglas XMG 50 series blank. I wanted to add 3 more rods 2 years ago and seriously considered the NRX rods, fished with the 844 and loved the rod. I didn't go with the NRX for one reason; $100 return policy.

Looked around and discovered a custom rod builder that used Lamiglas rod blanks and knew of a blank very similar to both XMG50 and NRX; scrimless, light weight and strong. The rod builder was also the Kagin guide distributor that Dobyn's use. The rod builder offered a lifetime warranty, 30 day free trail with satisfaction garrantee, so I ordered 3 rods; 2 at 5 power for jigs and 1 at 4 power for worms. To my surprise the rods are more than expected, same weight (3.8-4 oz) as NRX and exceptional quality, under $250 each delivered.

The rod maker is ALX, contact Alex or contact the sites rod builder Delaware Tackle for his custom rods. When you get into rods over $200 there isn't any reason to go with off the self rods, unless you need to touch and feel before buying and I recommend each angler to pick up and check out a rod before buying, if they are not sure what the rod feels like.

Tom

[11justin22]

Don't have a lot of experience with higher end rods but for a hundred bucks my vote goes for the carbonlite. For a little more money the kistler klx looks to be fantastic. I have yet to fish it (hopefully by the end of this week) but it feels great in hand and the blank feels really crisp and alive. I also have a kistler magnesium that is good but I think the klx will be better. Fished with a gl3 before and it was good but I thought for the money it should have been a little better.

[Jay Ell Gee]

St Croix LTB are my favorite they run from 250-280

I was recently loaned an LTB from a board member here and I was absolutely disgusted with the sensitivity.

Makes fishing a split shot rig feel like cheating with 8lb Yo-Zuri.

[Capt.Bob]

 There are a lot of good rods but only one can be the best!! Legend Elite finest fishing rods in the world! If you have a thing against cork they make a Legend Extreme on the same blanks for you. I like fast actions and 6' to 7' with the longer rods for deeper water presentations, for real finesse presentations extra fast actions with lighter rods and lines, Power varies from ML to MH, for bass size fish. Always run braid with Fluorocarbon leaders the structure and technique dictate the Lbs. test..  

[katmandew]

I got both my cumulus rods for $250 each, it took awhile but deals are out there. Its pretty hard to beat the sensitivity for that money. Next step down would be the older cumaras. I think there very sensitive and you can find them between $140-200 on ebay.

 

For a cheaper rod, i think the fenwick smallmouth rods are great, and they can be had at $99. 

aren't the new Cumaras built with last years cumulus blanks?

[thehooligan]

aren't the new Cumaras built with last years cumulus blanks?

 

Thats what i hear...

[OkobojiEagle]

Lightest weight, balanced, XF tip... you pick the brand and price point. 

 

oe

[Quitlimpin]

St Croix LTB are my favorite they run from 250-280

Granted I have only fished one LTB, but I was less than impressed with the rod that I had. It was extremely tip heavy and just felt like dead weight in my hands. The rod was rated MHXF but felt like XHXXXF. Perhaps I just had a dud, but man, it really turned me off to this line.