Dobyns Savy Series

[Billy Vang]

Thinking about the 7' Savy rods. They worth the $169. Using it for 3/8 jigs, senkos, spinners and cranks. Opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[smallies24/7]

I have the 703 and it works great for jigs in the 3/8 oz range and senkos. I would never throw a crank on it though, its way too stiff. If you throw cranks a lot, invest in a crankbait rod. Definitely worth it and you can get a good one for relatively cheap. I think there are better options in the 170 range, but my savvy works great for jigs in the 3/8-1/2 range and senkos and I am happy with mine. 

[Jay Ell Gee]

Nice rods but I would look hard at the new Daiwa Tatula rods as well. Outstanding sensitivity and backbone. Mr. Ron at Valley Sports (site sponsor) could probably get you a smoking deal!

[new2BC4bass]

I only know what I read about the Savvy line.  At first all the Dobyns were purported to be the best thing since sliced bread.  Anyone who disagreed was quickly shot down.   It wasn't until a couple years after they came out that a few fishermen started admitting the Savvy line wasn't the best for sensitivity.  I personally would be looking elsewhere for that amount of money......strictly based on later reports.  Again, this is only an opinion based on research....not actual experience.  I think there have been several new rods released since the Savvy that would be a better option.

[Billy Vang]

Thanks guys. I will have to do some more research. Looking at the Omens and Powell rods too.

[Cgrinder]

I have a 703 Savvy.

 

Positivies: The build quality is very good. Straight guides, no excess epoxy, no gaps anywhere, etc. It's much nicer than I expect from a sub $200 factory rod. The action is also nice; the rod is fast enough to fish senkos and finesse jigs but also moderate enough to fish small lipless cranks and keep fish pinned while still making clean rips through grass. Finally, the rod looks nice. Dark blank, just a little red, cork handle. Cool.

 

Negatives: The sensitivity is on the low end for a $170 rod. My $100 Omens and $159 Crucials blow the Savvy out of the water in this respect. The cork on the handle is full of filler, so the handle starts to look like hell in short order. Lastly, there is no foregrip and plenty of exposed thread above the locking nut. Depending on how you hold your rod or palm your reel, this could be a deal breaker. I'm not really a fan of it.

 

Is the rod worth $170? No, probably not. However, if you can get one used or catch a deal, you could certainly do worse. PM Valley Sports and see what Ron can do for you price wise. You'll like his prices. Still, I would probably buy a Tatula before the thought of a second Savvy ever entered my mind. 

[fishguy613]

i dont think any dobyns rods are the that sensitive, and i think most people using them know that. What keeps me using them is the vast number of rods for every technique under the sun.

Id recommed the 733/734 but wouldnt use cranks on either, the 734 will handle jigs but the 3 power rods a bit underpowered for that imo

[Arv]

The savvy isn't dead feeling in my hands like some might report, but I think there are definitely better rods out there for the money. I wouldn't blink at getting one for moving baits, but for jigs and other bottom contact lures, I would look elsewhere.

[Billy Vang]

Any recommendations for jigging rod no longer than 7ft. besides the Daiwa rod. I do a lot of jigging with trailers. Primarily use 3/8 jigs. I do mostly canoe fishing too.

[lmbfisherman]

Any recommendations for jigging rod no longer than 7ft. besides the Daiwa rod. I do a lot of jigging with trailers. Primarily use 3/8 jigs. I do mostly canoe fishing too.

I too have fished a Savvy line (not bought but borrowed one).  I do like the looks and other things, but for sensitivity I was unimpressed.  I would not recommend a Savvy because you can get far better for the price range.  Take a look at the Crucial, Fenwick Aetos or St. Croix Avid.  I've used all of them, they are better all around than the Savvy imo especially that price range.

[smalljaw67]

I put the Saavy in the same deal as the G.Loomis GL2, it isn't a bad rod and would be good if priced around the $100 dollar mark but at the current price you could do a lot better. We all have our favorite rods and most other rods in the $150 - $180 category will be better, it just depends on what you are looking for. You are looking for a rod for jigs, weighless plastics (senko), spinners and cranks well you will be able to get a rod for most of your list but crankbaits is going to be tough to fish on a jig and worm rod. You need to either get a separate rod for cranks or compromise on the size of baits you are going to use and get a medium power rod with a fast action. So take a look at 7' rods that are a medium power with a fast action, they will let you fish a 1/4oz jig and trailer pretty well, a 3/8oz jig with skirt and trailer is going to be pushing it, especially in cover. The same deal with spinnerbaits, willow leaf blade spinners will be good up to 3/8oz maybe 1/2oz if the skirt isn't heavy, and then your cranks are all going to be mid depth but at least you can throw a little of every thing. You best bet would be to get a MH rod for all your single hook baits and a cranking rod for your treble hook baits, and it isn't impossible as you can get an *** Black or a HMG for $100 and grab a BPS Cranking Stick for $70 when there is a sale.

[JGBassinAL]

i dont think any dobyns rods are the that sensitive, and i think most people using them know that. What keeps me using them is the vast number of rods for every technique under the sun.

Id recommed the 733/734 but wouldnt use cranks on either, the 734 will handle jigs but the 3 power rods a bit underpowered for that imo

 

I felt a fish chomp my jig 15 ft deep on slack line the other day on a DX745. I don't know how that's not sensitive...

[Arv]

Any recommendations for jigging rod no longer than 7ft. besides the Daiwa rod. I do a lot of jigging with trailers. Primarily use 3/8 jigs. I do mostly canoe fishing too.

The Powell Endruance should be available at Fish ranger .com for 150 or so. The Max line is also a good choice IMO. Phenix makes a good offering with the M1 and Recon. The St. Croix Rage and Avid are built on the SCIII blank which makes for good sensitivity in my hands. The Fenwick Elite Tech and Aetos could be good options as well though I've never fished one. All of these recommendations are assuming you're wanting to stay in the $150-200 range. You can also keep an eye on the fleamarket here. Great deals on great gear pop up all the time.

[iabass8]

I felt a fish chomp my jig 15 ft deep on slack line the other day on a DX745. I don't know how that's not sensitive...

Agree. I've never been left wanting more from my DX series rods and I own an NRX.

 

The savvy series though....it's best left for moving baits.  It has "feel" but for the price the return isn't really there and I love Dobyns rods.

[webertime]

St Croix Avid 7'0" MH fast.

They can be found fairly often for $100-125 used. Sales are coming up so new ones will be $160ish.

I have 3 Phenix Recons including a 715, the equivalent to a MH St Croix. I like my used old Avid more than the Recons for jig/big single hook baits.

[fishguy613]

i should clarify, ive always been happy with every aspect of my dobyns rods. Even my one savvy(733) i like just as much as my others, its currently my fluke rod

[SenkoGuru]

I've been saying Dobyn's was way over priced for years and I have been labeled the black sheep and down talked because of it. Truth is starting to come out though. The DX isn't a bad rod but you can get much better for way less money. I have always said the Savvy should be a $100.00 priced rod. The champ a $150.00 and the DX a $200.00. At $350.00 for a DX I have always laughed at but this is always been in my own opinion. You can buy a Megabass XX for $300.00

[JGBassinAL]

I've been saying Dobyn's was way over priced for years and I have been labeled the black sheep and down talked because of it. Truth is starting to come out though. The DX isn't a bad rod but you can get much better for way less money. I have always said the Savvy should be a $100.00 priced rod. The champ a $150.00 and the DX a $200.00. At $350.00 for a DX I have always laughed at but this is always been in my own opinion. You can buy a Megabass XX for $300.00

 

I know that you know the prices of them, but have you ever fished them? I agree, the Savvy isn't worth much. I would put the Champ more in the $200 price range, not amazing sensitivity but good, and immaculate build quality. The DX is well worth the money and is extremely sensitive, as stated in my earlier post. You say you would price it at $200? It blows everything in that price range out of the water no question.

[lmbfisherman]

I know that you know the prices of them, but have you ever fished them? I agree, the Savvy isn't worth much. I would put the Champ more in the $200 price range, not amazing sensitivity but good, and immaculate build quality. The DX is well worth the money and is extremely sensitive, as stated in my earlier post. You say you would price it at $200? It blows everything in that price range out of the water no question.

The Champion to me fished just as good as an Aetos or Avid level, so I think it is slightly over priced.  Also, everyone has their own preferences keep this in mind.  Like I'd take an Aetos over most 200-300 dollar rod, because I feel they fish just as well or at least comparatively.  Others may feel different, the only rod in that range I'd buy over an Aetos would be the Cumara.

 

I have never fished a DX so I don't know how it would compare against my G Loomis GLXs.  But from what I read, they are compared more to the GLX line than the NRX.  So can't say if they are priced right or wrong.  If they do compare to the GLX then it's priced right.

[kickerfish1]

I have 2 Savvy series rods that are in the regular rotation (734 and 735). For a period of time I was fishing Texas rigged plastics using a tungsten weight, swimming bigger California Swim jigs and fishing standard jig and craws. I wanted to see how they would operate for bottom contact and feel apps. I Have been bass fishing for years and cut my teeth on rods that were all under $100 to $150 learning. Having to feel bites on the rods of yesteryear will make you appreciate the better rods of today. In short I had zero issues detecting bites from bottom debris. I really like the versatility in their rods and the balance/casting distance/accuracy. It probably wouldn't be my 1st choice for a bottom contact in that price range unless I was sold on building an arsenal of exclusively Dobyns rods.

 

However after acquiring many higher end rods I have the 735 as my devoted frog/toad rod and the 734 for spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, bigger swim jigs, and lighter soft body swimbaits.

 

A good buddy of mine uses his Savvy 703 for a lot of feel techniques and he truly feels it is sensitive "enough" in his hands.

[iabass8]

Im assuming he's going to say duckett. Shocker i know...

Let it go JG. These posts just turn into giant joke arguing about how their favorite color is potato after 2 pages anyway

[DTack]

This is going really sideways really fast. In my opinion they are worth the $169 amount. You have a lot of good options out there at this point truly. I'm not going to sit here and tell you one brand isn't good then drop one word about a brand I'm "recommending" to tell you that is the one you should buy. We all have our favorite rods that's rather obvious. Try to find a rod that fits you and a brand that you trust and agree with the actions. I don't feel the need to sit around and constantly push a brand or say that another brand is garbage including things like "we lost another". Some brands have earned a vendetta against them. I'm not really sure why aside from some very happy customers. The thing about the Internet is you have thousands of people telling you something they "think" or "heard" without much you can do to validate what they are saying.

I would be a happy guy on a few techniques with the savvy series... There are some that the actions aren't great for. I just love that people keep bringing up things like sensitivity which is one thing that just isn't lacking to me... But to each their own!

[SenkoGuru]

A large amount of that sensitivity comes from the line you use and tungsten, not the rod. I also never said they were better, I said I would take them over the DX, the reason is because the DX does not blow them out of the water. The DX is not worth the extra price with very little difference.  In fact it is VERY close and when you factor in the price, Ill take a Duckett White Ice, Kistler KLX, *** ***, Airrus Micropulse-X and a few others quick fast and In a hurry over the Dobyn's. The MegaBass XX blows the DX out of the water for $300.00, even that's less in price than the $350. I really do not care what you guys fish with, I want you to fish with what makes you happy. I'm just glad to see other starting to step up and agree with what I've been saying for years. I thought once you were a Dobyn's Zombie we couldn't get you back but now I see there is hope, it can be done, they are waking up.

[JGBassinAL]

Never get into an argument with someone who likes to argue. You cannot win, it's impossible.

With them, it has nothing to do with right or wrong, It has nothing to do with simply a difference of opinion.

They have "ONE GOAL". That is simply to "WIN THE ARGUMENT". Nothing else matters.

Hootie

Thanks Hootie and iabass8 for bringing me to my senses.

[smalljaw67]

I agree with SenkoGuru on the price of the Dobyns rods, but it isn't because they aren't good. The reason is because they are commanding a price in the same ball park as G.Loomis and St. Croix, and those rods are made here in America with mostly Fuji Components. Dobyns rods are made over seas with Fuji Reel seats but Kigan guides, they aren't bad but they aren't as costly as Fuji, I have no trouble with this as I also like Pac Bay but the problem is price. Being that the rods are made overseas and use less costly components you would thing the rods would be moderately priced but they aren't, they are very expensive for a rod made overseas and not in Japan. Labor cost in Korea aren't as cheap as China but it is still less than here or Japan and that alone should make the rods more affordable, they are good rods or they wouldn't have the following but from the rods I've used in the series and their respective prive point, I'd have to say that they are a tad bit higher than what they should be but if they work for at that price point then fine. I'll state it one more time, this is my opinion and it has nothing to do with rod quality, the Dobyns series of rods is well made, I just feel that the components along with overseas production would make for a little less expense, I think the Loomis GL2 isn't close to what you get and I would say the Saavy is a better rod but I understand that some of the price is due to the labor cost. I don't dislike the Dobyns rods, I've only used the Champion and the Saavy rods and at the price point I can honestly say they aren't for me but it isn't just price, it is feel and they don't feel good to me as I prefer a lighter rod and I'm in the minority in that I don't care for the ECS reel seat that is used on their rods.