Looking For A M Power Rod Under $150

[Smallmouth Hunter]

Need a 6'6 - 6'10 M power rod for t-rigs, wacky rigs, small spinnerbaits, small cranks, the occasionaly jerkbaits, and maybe some shakey heads too.

 

I have looked into the fenwick HMG, fenwick ETS, and ***. None of them really appeal to me for various reasons.

 

The HMG has mixed reviews, and not very many reviews at that. I would rather not risk it with a new rod. The ETS doesn't have any rod models that appeal to me. I am not a fan of XF action either. The *** M is stiffer (from what I've heard) than most M rods and is close to the 13 MH *** in power. That will not work either.

 

I'm not interested in the veritas or any st. croix rods.

 

Please give me some recommendations!

 

Thanks!

[Cgrinder]

A rep sample or used 6'8" MF Shimano Cumara Jig and Worm rod should run you $150 or a little more. I got mine off the 'Bay for $170 shipped last summer. I use mine for all of the techniques you have listed plus small Senkos and finesse jigs.

[thehooligan]

Check out the Tatula and Powell Endurance.

[new2BC4bass]

You didn't like the ETS 6'10" MF?  Personally I love this rod.  However, I haven't fished some of the techniques you mentioned.

[Tywithay]

I don't feel that the medium *** is as powerful as the MH, but maybe that's just me. I had the 7'1" M and it actually had a nice light tip. I used it for 4" weightless senkos and 1/4oz spinnerbaits. It was very effective for both.

[smalljaw67]

Let me ask you a question, what is the highest end rod you ever used? That will help with a lot because the rods you are looking into are in the $100 to $120 range. If you never experienced a rod in the $250 to $300+ then any of those rods will work for you. Remember, you have to take reviews with a grain of salt as everyone is different, for example the Kistler KLX gets a ton of love because the blanks that are used are made by Gary Loomis' NFC company, I got to fish with one for 3 days and I don't like it, I hate the reel seat and the blank doesn't feel different than most other rods in the price range. That said, most would grab based on the fact Gary Loomis made a blank even though is does have a heavy fiberglass scrim, the rod is light but it doesn't feel crisp, sort of blunt would be the best way to put it but that could be because I hate the reel seat so bad. My advice would be to get a rod in the price range you want and don't concentrate too hard on reviews, if you approach a new rod with an open mind you will be free to develop your own opinion of it. Get the rod you like and then fish it, try the rod for 2 weeks and if you don't like it send it back if you ordered it or take it back to the store if you don't like it, Cabelas and Bass pro shops are nice as they will take the rod back but they both have a habit of having a large amount of their store brand rods in stock and not a big selection of the other brands. There is another route, BPS or Cabelas, the XML is on sale now and it a killer rod for the sale price or how about a BPS carbonlite, a lot of good reviews for that if you need that to feel better.

[Smallmouth Hunter]

You didn't like the ETS 6'10" MF?  Personally I love this rod.  However, I haven't fished some of the techniques you mentioned.

A good amount of the reviews I have read state that the top section is very whippy. I would prefer a more crisp rod. I have also read that it is less powerful then it is rated for, and is closer to a ML of other brands. I never held one or used one though so I really don't know.

 

Check out the Tatula and Powell Endurance.

Neither have a rod that fits the bill exactly, though I wish the endurance did. Powell has been on my list for a while now..

 

Let me ask you a question, what is the highest end rod you ever used? That will help with a lot because the rods you are looking into are in the $100 to $120 range. If you never experienced a rod in the $250 to $300+ then any of those rods will work for you.

I have used (very technique specific) megabass and a few mid-high end croix rods. The St. Croix mediums were not crisp at all and the actions were not accurate IMO.

[fisherrw]

Mojo bass

[Tywithay]

Let me ask you a question, what is the highest end rod you ever used? That will help with a lot because the rods you are looking into are in the $100 to $120 range. If you never experienced a rod in the $250 to $300+ then any of those rods will work for you. Remember, you have to take reviews with a grain of salt as everyone is different, for example the Kistler KLX gets a ton of love because the blanks that are used are made by Gary Loomis' NFC company, I got to fish with one for 3 days and I don't like it, I hate the reel seat and the blank doesn't feel different than most other rods in the price range. That said, most would grab based on the fact Gary Loomis made a blank even though is does have a heavy fiberglass scrim, the rod is light but it doesn't feel crisp, sort of blunt would be the best way to put it but that could be because I hate the reel seat so bad. My advice would be to get a rod in the price range you want and don't concentrate too hard on reviews, if you approach a new rod with an open mind you will be free to develop your own opinion of it. Get the rod you like and then fish it, try the rod for 2 weeks and if you don't like it send it back if you ordered it or take it back to the store if you don't like it, Cabelas and Bass pro shops are nice as they will take the rod back but they both have a habit of having a large amount of their store brand rods in stock and not a big selection of the other brands. There is another route, BPS or Cabelas, the XML is on sale now and it a killer rod for the sale price or how about a BPS carbonlite, a lot of good reviews for that if you need that to feel better.

There's not a rod in that price range that doesn't have a fiberglass scrim. Surprised you don't like the reel seat though, as it's one of the most used, and widely liked, seats in the industry.

 

ALX has some of their 2013 Zolo rods on sale. Has the Hydra blank on it. They're extremely good rods, and even better at the lower price. http://www.alxrods.com/product/2013mitch/

[smalljaw67]

There's not a rod in that price range that doesn't have a fiberglass scrim. Surprised you don't like the reel seat though, as it's one of the most used, and widely liked, seats in the industry.

 

ALX has some of their 2013 Zolo rods on sale. Has the Hydra blank on it. They're extremely good rods, and even better at the lower price. http://www.alxrods.com/product/2013mitch/

 

I hate the Fuji ECS because the trigger is too wide and long and after a full day of fishing my hand would be swollen, it hurt to fish 2 day tournaments because of it. My customs I had done were made with Batson Forecast reel seats, and it wasn't to go cheap but the forecast had a slightly thinner trigger. The ACS was a Godsend to me, the trigger was straighter, shorter, and thinner, it was great but the new SK2 reel seats are the bomb, but I even like the Pac Bay minima also. A big problem with Kistler rods for me is they never use anything other than that thick outdated ECS and I will try me best to avoid any rod made with them. Surprisingly I have a few rods with that reel seat that are seldom used anymore but kept around for nostalgia sake, like my older IMX and my Jerkbait series rod, they are really good rods but my hands would pay a prices, especially if I had a day with a good spinnerbait or crankbait bit going to the point I used the rods all day in that fashion, dragging T-rigs or jigs wasn't too bad but moving baits with that reel seat is just painful for me.

[Tywithay]

I hate the Fuji ECS because the trigger is too wide and long and after a full day of fishing my hand would be swollen, it hurt to fish 2 day tournaments because of it. My customs I had done were made with Batson Forecast reel seats, and it wasn't to go cheap but the forecast had a slightly thinner trigger. The ACS was a Godsend to me, the trigger was straighter, shorter, and thinner, it was great but the new SK2 reel seats are the bomb, but I even like the Pac Bay minima also. A big problem with Kistler rods for me is they never use anything other than that thick outdated ECS and I will try me best to avoid any rod made with them. Surprisingly I have a few rods with that reel seat that are seldom used anymore but kept around for nostalgia sake, like my older IMX and my Jerkbait series rod, they are really good rods but my hands would pay a prices, especially if I had a day with a good spinnerbait or crankbait bit going to the point I used the rods all day in that fashion, dragging T-rigs or jigs wasn't too bad but moving baits with that reel seat is just painful for me.

Have you tried modding the trigger at all? I have a custom with a trimmed ECS to make it a skeleton seat and it's one of my more comfortable rods to hold.

[smalljaw67]

Have you tried modding the trigger at all? I have a custom with a trimmed ECS to make it a skeleton seat and it's one of my more comfortable rods to hold.

 

I took a dremel to my Quantum Tour Edition frog rod, I thinned the trigger down and took off some length as well and it is better but I still prefer not to have them at all. It is a big reason the new Fenwick rods appealed to me, the previous HMG was too heavy as were most of their rods with the exception of the Tenchna -AV but it just wasn't right. The reel seats on the smallmouth series ended up being perfect and the short grip on the casting rods felt like it was made just for me, the way I hold the rod when I cast is probably why the ECS bothers me as much. The ASC reel seat was great but the SK2 is as good as it gets for me, I pick up the rods and it is like putting on an old worn shirt, it feels like every aspect of the rod was made to suit my needs, something you don't find everyday. I have a plethora of rods with a nice stable of high end and I know there are a lot better rods but so far none of them have the entire package, if the blank is awesome it usually has the ECS on it, if it is cheap it has a reel seat I like but is heavy and dead and even a lot of the JDM rods seem heavy to me, like the Oorochi XX rods, I got to fish them and I don't think they are great, the KLX would be the ultimate rod if they didn't use that reel seat but to get a custom then I blow out my budget so I am limited. Ever since I had cancer, the neuropathy in my hands has magnified the pain level of the wrong reel seat to the point of just holding it distracts from feeling anything else, so comfort is a premium for me and to find comfort with a decent blank with nice actions work for me.

[Smallmouth Hunter]

There's not a rod in that price range that doesn't have a fiberglass scrim. Surprised you don't like the reel seat though, as it's one of the most used, and widely liked, seats in the industry.

 

ALX has some of their 2013 Zolo rods on sale. Has the Hydra blank on it. They're extremely good rods, and even better at the lower price. http://www.alxrods.com/product/2013mitch/

If that was a 3 power rod, I'd jump on it.