rod redundancy

[billjaco]

Already have these rods;

 

E6X 852c JWR

Powell Max 703c

Avid 6'6" and 7' mf

Avid 7" mhf

LTB 6'8"mf jerkbait

LTB 7'mf Teaser

 

As you can see, many can serve the same purpose.

 

Have an interest in Dobyns Sierra 733c and 734c, especially with Memorial Day pricing. Have heard that Dobyns are slightly over rated power wise, but wonder if they compare to any of the rods listed.

 

Would the 734c be equivalent to the Avid mhf or Avid mf or somewhere in between power wise?

 

Where would the 733c fall?

 

Does anyone have enough experience with the Sierra's to possibly offer some comparison to the rods I have mentioned?

 

(I've been using St Croix rods for so long that tip heaviness is not an issue. My older reels balance them nicely.)

 

Thanks in advance and enjoy the Memorial Day weekend. 

[fishnkamp]

The 734C models are some of Dobyns most versatile rods in each of his rod lines.  I own several Sierra and Champion XP rods. The Sierras are just a tad slower graphite on purpose. They are really nice rods. If you are looking for a very versatile rod you can throw jigs, texas rigs, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and most of the paddle tail swimbaits like a Keitech or Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper or Big Dipper on say a 3/8 or 1/2 ounce swimbait jig head, like a Picasso, then you should enjoy this rod.  My wife uses a Sierra SA 705SF spinning rod to throw jigs and hollow body frogs.  It has nearly the same feel as my Champion XP DC705C  which I also use for frogs and big jigs on deep ledges.

I own a Powell Max 683CEF and I think that my 683 should be very similar to your 703.  The Dobyns Sierra will handle its' lure range very well, but my Powell is speced for 1/4 to 3/4 and can throw baits that are well over twice that without being over stressed. It is an amazing rod. It is also a super fast tipped rod.  The SA 734C should feel more like a typical 1/4 to 1 ounce rod.

 

The 733 makes a great spinnerbait rod as long as you are throwing baits less than a 3/4 ounce, at least in my opinion.  This rod would also throw rattle traps well and smaller jigs like for smallies.

As for comparison I have to apologize, I sold off all of my St Croix rods and replaced them with Dobyns, Powell, and Irods. Just my personal preference. 

I also agree, I wish they kept some of the Powells the way they were. I love my Max 683CEF. It is matched up with a Daiwa Tatula CT and fishes Dirty Jigs swimjigs with a Kalin 5 inch grub most of the time.

[billjaco]

fishncamp,

 

Thanks for the information provided here and in many of your posts I have come across in researching the Dobyns Sierra. I had been interested in the Dobyns Champion 733c for years but always felt it would be a duplicate of rods I already have, action wise. The Avid 7'mh would probably accommodate all the baits a 734c is designed to handle.

 

Another thought in the back of my mind is the photo on the Powell Rods Facebook page of a new rod to be released in October. Could this be a replacement for the Endurance line that so many were sorry to see discontinued? It doesn't have an ECS handle on the casting model and looks to be the same reel seat used on the Max 3D, but here's hoping it's going to be an upgrade to something similar to the Endurance.

 

Sorry for rambling, but I have a tough time controlling the tackle junky in me most of the time. Living 5 minutes from Cabela's and Field and Stream does little in the effort to control my problem, along with a large family of enablers who constantly send gift cards to these establishments my way.

 

One thing I will take away from the research on the Sierra's on this forum is your many suggestions for lures I have not tried. Very informative!

 

I think for now i will try some of the tactics you suggested on my existing equipment to determine if I really have a need for either of these rods. If that is found to be the case, there's always Black Friday.

 

Thanks Again!

 

 

 

 

[fishnkamp]

Then lets talk about a workable rod arsenal.  I am guessing that all the rods you listed are casting rods.

Now these recommendations are just my personal preference and keep in mind I fish a ton of different water. I live next to the Chesapeake Bay so I fish its tidal rivers. These include the Susquehanna River and Flats, the rives like the Gunpowder, Middle and Back River, and the Potomac river.  Most of these offer big grass beds, down wood and rock but include old boat wrecks or huls and a ton of docks.  Most of the time the water would be considered off color.  Then I go on vacation and fish super clear deep lakes in Kentucky and Tennessee.  So my arsenal is designed to fit all of those conditions.

 

I like to start with 2 spinning rods. One would always be a 6'6" to 7 foot ML with a fast or extra fast tip, something that rates 1/16 to 5/16.  I like it for lightweight baits like Ned Rigs and grubs fished on the lightest slider heads. This is a great drop shot rod as well.  Be creative, do not just use the small finesse worms on a drop shot, look at either the J P Derose J P Hammer Shads by Power Team Lures or maybe a Berkley Gulp Alive Minnow. There are lots of good options.

 

My next rod would be of the same length and it would be a Medium power spinning rod with a fast or extra fast tip as well.  This would rate somewhere around 1/8 to 3/8 or 1/8 to 5/8.  This is a workhorse of a rod. I definitely would fish my Kalin 5 inch lunker grubs on this rod using a Perfect Finesse jighead  from Bass Pro. I fish ring worms and other finesse creature baits and worms on these rigs. I never worry about the bobber stop moving and the weight and hook separating so one gets stuck. The places I throw these, it is easy to loose traditional texas rigs! 

Robo Worms and zipper worms, as well as the smaller Keitech swimbaits, fish well on this rod too.  Here is where I throw lightweight 2 to 4 inch floating diving Rapala Minnows as well as small top water baits like Tiny Torpedos or small Pop Rs.  They just do not fish as well on casting equipment.  I also throw very light spinnerbaits for river smallies on this rod.  Here is a link to the jighead. They come in many colors, weights and hook sizes. Match the hook size and choose several weights and I really do not care about the color of the weight myself.

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Perfect-Finesse-Worm-Jighead/product/178745/

 

Now look at these next baits, they are the Reaction Innovations  Dippers. They have a great swimming action and when you KILL them their dying minnow flutter gets fish to eat them fast.  They come in 3 sizes. I usually use the Little Dipper weightless on a spinning combo. This is deadly shallow to 5 feet around dead wood or rock walls and even docks. On a Light action baitcasting rod I will throw the Skinny Dipper and Big Dippers rigged on a belly weighted swimbait hook. These cover from 3 foot to 10 foot pretty well.  I fish these two sizes on a Picasso fish head style swimbait jig head.  With these baits on jig heads weighing 3/8 to 5/8 of an ounce you can easily fish these baits all the way down to 30 or 40 feet. I regularly use this setup on big deep flats on Dale Hollow, where smallies that range from 3 to 8 pounds roam underneath big bait schools in depths of 20 to 40 feet of water. Often the bass are suspended in open water that may be 100 foot deep.

 

In your arsenal I do not recognise a good crankbait/rattle trap rod.  Maybe you use your jerkbait rod for this. My preferred jerkbait rod has a short handle, so I do not hit my arm. My crankbait rod has a standard length rod handle.  Anyway a rod that has a medium power and moderate action is important here. The Strike King Red Eye Shads and some Bill Lewis original rattle traps, as well as a few Booyah one knocker traps should be included in your tackle box.

The shallow to mid depth crankbait are a must. I do not throw really deep ones, but it might fit your waters.

Lastly if you do not fish swimjigs then add them. Dirty Jigs and Nu Teck make some good ones. I like the bluegill colored Kalin 5 inch Lunker grubs for a trailer as well as a Skinny Dipper or Keitech swimbait as a trailer.  This is a very useful combo. You can be swimming it out from the shore, kill it and make it look like it is eating off the bottom. Then slowly make it swim away again. Like any jug it can be hopped or just swam but it is very easy to get a big fish to bite using these baits.  

I hope this makes you think about your arsenal a little differently, Having rods that cover the same territory may be an asset.  I suggest you pick some baits and throw them on each similar rod. Figure out what each rod does best. Dedicate that rod to a group of techniques that that rod does really well. Maybe you find that one rod feels really great with 3/8 to 5/8 jigs so that becomes your favorite jig rod.  Another might cover the same rating but feel best with 3/8 to 3/4 ounce texas rigs and carolina rigs.  Evaluate what lures/techniques work best on each rod. Then let the arsenal show you what you may want to cover next based on the water you fish. I have fished for over 40 years and until two years ago I never needed a good frog rod and I still do not own a good rod for deep cranking, it does not fit in style of fishing my waters. I may be missing an important tool!

[BassThumb]

I haven't touched the 734 Sierra, but I have two Champ 734 and my dad has two Savvy 734. We have two each because they're workhorse rods, like fishnkamp said.

[ib_of_the_damned]

On 5/27/2017 at 9:53 AM, billjaco said:

Already have these rods;

 

E6X 852c JWR

Powell Max 703c

Avid 6'6" and 7' mf

Avid 7" mhf

LTB 6'8"mf jerkbait

LTB 7'mf Teaser

 

As you can see, many can serve the same purpose.

 

Have an interest in Dobyns Sierra 733c and 734c, especially with Memorial Day pricing. Have heard that Dobyns are slightly over rated power wise, but wonder if they compare to any of the rods listed.

 

Would the 734c be equivalent to the Avid mhf or Avid mf or somewhere in between power wise?

 

Where would the 733c fall?

 

Does anyone have enough experience with the Sierra's to possibly offer some comparison to the rods I have mentioned?

 

(I've been using St Croix rods for so long that tip heaviness is not an issue. My older reels balance them nicely.)

 

Thanks in advance and enjoy the Memorial Day weekend. 

I can't answer your question, but I have a question for you...

 

How is that E6X 852C? I have been eyeing that rod as another finesse casting rod. Sensitivity, tip, backbone, weight, etc.?

[billjaco]

fishnkamp,  

 

All rods listed are casting rods.

 

I do have crank bait rods to cover all but the deepest diving crankbaits, but my worn out shoulders can't handle too much of that activity these days.

 

The trap lures you mentioned are all among my favorites. I believe I have a tendency to use these lures a bit to much, as they don't require as much focus as other techniques and allow one to enjoy the scenery and unwind from real world stress. 

 

I do have the spinning rods you mentioned as well and intend to try the many suggestions you have provided for these rods.

 

Small swim jigs with 3" Kalin grubs have been a favorite of mine the last few years from shoreline out to 20' depths. I intend to try some with the 5" grubs in some of the deeper local waters. Past experience has taught me that this type of fishing can result in quality size fish if one can muster up the patience and concentration that is required.

 

I really appreciate the time you take in replying to post and your enthusiasm for the sport of fishing. 

 

Thanks for all your help!

[billjaco]

On 6/1/2017 at 6:50 PM, ib_of_the_damned said:

I can't answer your question, but I have a question for you...

 

How is that E6X 852C? I have been eyeing that rod as another finesse casting rod. Sensitivity, tip, backbone, weight, etc.?

 

I found this rod on a clearance rack of a big box store when the were first released. It was priced as if it were a Loomis IMX rod. I pointed out the pricing error to an employee who told his manager. Manager said if I was interested in the rod I could have it for the correct price along with his employee discount.

 

Most of my experience is with St Croix rods which some claim are tip heavy. If that is the case, the E6X may be a little less tip heavy, about equal to the Powell Max.

 

I have the E6X paired with a Curado 50E and have used it mostly for searching for active fish with a 3/16oz  shake/swim ballhead jig and grub. Given its' weight rating of 1/8 to 3/8 lures, along with the extra fast tip, the sensitivity is really good; comparable to the LTB Teaser and Powell max. (Haven't had the LTB Jerkbait rod long enough to evaluate sensitivity.)

 

I have never lost a jig fish on this rod. Hook penetration is great and have never struggled to land a fish, though I must add that I haven't caught anything over 4lbs on this rod, and I am fishing mostly open water, not heavy cover.

 

I don't know the actual weight of this rod, but with the 50E, I find it a pleasure to fish. I'm pretty long in the tooth and the so called tip heavy St Croix rods are light compared to what I cut my teeth on. With modern techniques and materials there are lighter rods available but I'm not fishing tournaments for days and hours on end. 

On 5/28/2017 at 3:02 PM, BassThumb said:

I haven't touched the 734 Sierra, but I have two Champ 734 and my dad has two Savvy 734. We have two each because they're workhorse rods, like fishnkamp said.

 

Have you fished your dad's Savvy 734? How does it compare to the Champion 734?

[BassThumb]

59 minutes ago, billjaco said:

Have you fished your dad's Savvy 734? How does it compare to the Champion 734?

I'm not a big fan of it, as far as sensitivity goes. However, the balance is still great, like with all Dobyns's rods.

 

The Savvy line is a bit of a dud given the great line-up around it, and I cannot recommend them.

 

I think the quality-to-cost ratio is disproportionately low in the Savvy line. They're only a hair better than the Fury, quite a bit worse than the Sierra, and one about half as good as the Champion.

 

My dad had a 703S Savvy that I bought for him and later sold and replaced with a 703S Fury. The Fury is a better rod, IMO. I also own a Sierra 734 SF that is head and shoulders better than the 703 SF Savvy, which is supposedly built using nearly the same blank. Doesn't feel like it at all.

[WRB]

Having duplicates of rods you like to use is good. I have 3 jig rods same make and same reels because I fish jigs a lot and it's more effiencent to have different jigs tied on then retrying. Same with 2 worm rods, 2 crankbait rods, 2 swimbait rods, 3 finesse spinning rods. You always have a back up rod that feels exactly like you want it to perform.

Having everything different hampers your fishing skills. It's easier to learn 5 outfits instead of 12 different outfits for example.

Tom

 

[billjaco]

That clears up some confusion in things I have read regarding Savvy vs. Sierra. Read that Sierra had upgraded guides, cork, and slight bump in blank material with actions 99% the same as Savvy.

 

Your explanation helps to clarify the pecking order of the Dobyns lineup and points out that while the Sierra is no Champion, it is still a pretty darn good rod.

 

Thanks, BassThumb! 

 

[billjaco]

2 minutes ago, WRB said:

Having duplicates of rods you like to use is good. I have 3 jig rods same make and same reels because I fish jigs a lot and it's more effiencent to have different jigs tied on then retrying. Same with 2 worm rods, 2 crankbait rods, 2 swimbait rods, 3 finesse spinning rods. You always have a back up rod that feels exactly like you want it to perform.

Having everything different hampers your fishing skills. It's easier to learn 5 outfits instead of 12 different outfits for example.

Tom

 

 

This makes sense and helps me to understand that even though I like trying different brands of rods, my tendency is to choose actions that relate to my preferred methods of fishing.

 

I believe that I have more than enough rods to cover most types of lure fishing, I just need to break  from my established habits and experiment with different patterns.

 

Thanks for the input Tom.