Good all around casting rod for bass?

[Danny Nguyen]

So I'm looking into this rod and I want to be able to throw big lures such as the whopper plopper 130 and the river2sea S-waver, but I also want to be able to throw some weightless senkos good. Currently looking at the Daiwa Tatula Elite Signature Series Bass Crankbait Casting Rod; would that be a good choice??? Looking for advice and help from anyone

[RichF]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

A crankbait rod isn't the best tool for weightless plastics.  The two techniques you're wanting to use honestly require two completely different setups.  For large treble hooked baits like the plopper 130 and s-waver I'd prefer a heavy action glass crank rod.  For weightless plastics, a medium spinning rod is probably the best tool for the job.  

 

If you can only get one rod, a medium heavy, fast action rod is probably one of the most versatile.  Weightless plastics will be slightly difficult to throw but it can certainly be done.

[Danny Nguyen]

9 minutes ago, RichF said:

Welcome to the Forums!

 

A crankbait rod isn't the best tool for weightless plastics.  The two techniques you're wanting to use honestly require two completely different setups.  For large treble hooked baits like the plopper 130 and s-waver I'd prefer a heavy action glass crank rod.  For weightless plastics, a medium spinning rod is probably the best tool for the job.  

 

If you can only get one rod, a medium heavy, fast action rod is probably one of the most versatile.  Weightless plastics will be slightly difficult to throw but it can certainly be done.

will i still be able to throw the big lure like the s-waver and the whopper plopper 130 on a medium heavy, fast action rod? and what lure rating should i be looking for. any recommended rods in particular for the medium heavy, fast action? (under $200)

[BrockstaRama]

It's also an important factor to consider what line your going to use. Guys I know here in Southeast Texas that use whoppers use braid so they can get away with 10-17 pd rated rod setting the hook 30 yards away. If you are using mono (good for tops) you may need more rod so you can stick the fish better with the top. Not sure if you want to use braid for senkos though.

[deep]

Save you 50 bucks. IRod 754 Fred's magic stick. Fishes pretty much any bait in the 0.5-1.5 oz range, and fishes them well.

[IndianaFinesse]

6 minutes ago, Danny Nguyen said:

will i still be able to throw the big lure like the s-waver and the whopper plopper 130 on a medium heavy, fast action rod? and what lure rating should i be looking for. any recommended rods in particular for the medium heavy, fast action? (under $200)

Yes, you can get throw the wp's and swavers a medium heavy, I do it all of the time.  The beauty of a medium heavy/fast action rod is that it can be used for everything, it may not excel for all of them but it does work.  My best advice is to wait for a good sale, if you can wait till black friday/cyber Monday you could find that $200 rod for $100 without to much effort.  Watch the latest sale thread for sales, and do a little poking around yourself.

[RichF]

19 minutes ago, Danny Nguyen said:

will i still be able to throw the big lure like the s-waver and the whopper plopper 130 on a medium heavy, fast action rod? and what lure rating should i be looking for. any recommended rods in particular for the medium heavy, fast action? (under $200)

If you cast properly, you can exceed a rods weight rating, often by a decent amount.  I've been throwing A-rigs for smallmouth on a flipping stick rated for weights up to 1.5oz for the past couple years. The Irod recommended by @deep gets a lot of love around here.  I've never used one personally.  I'm partial to St. Croix and Kistler rods myself. St. Croix has the better warranty but Trey Kistler makes incredible rods (I have no affiliation with either brand).  The Dobyns Fury line also gets a lot of love around here, particularly because of quality to price ratio.  They're around $100 to $120.  Check out the 735 model.  It's a 7'3 heavy but, from what I hear, feels more like a slightly heavier medium-heavy. 

[Boomstick]

The best all around bass casting rod is usually a medium heavy fast action rod. It can be used for nearly everything. Throw braid on it and fish a frog, with mono or fluoro it's passable for crankbaits, etc.

 

I have a  6'10" Tatula MH/F rod which would probably suite you well. If you are patient and check periodically, the price will drop a low a $110 on Amazon (prices seem to drop at night time on a Wednesday or Thurday, I am still trying to figure out how exactly that works). Since I run braid on mine and the rod is rather stiff, I added a Tatula glass cranking rod as well.

 

I'd also check out the Dobyns Fury or St. Croix Mojo bass a well, they make good rods.

[Scarborough817]

Personally if you want one rod i would say look at the Dobyn's fury series they are great rods for the price i have a 765 flip and absolutely love it. it's a 7'6" rod rated for 1/4 oz to 2 oz

 

if you go the 2 rod route I would suggest a spinning rod or a medium fast baitcaster for weightless senkos and then a heavier rod for the s waver and whopper plopper i have had a great experience with the bass pro bionic blade 7'6" h/mf. The rod is weighted for 1-4 oz which will be good when you want to branch into even bigger baits, which trust me will happen and it's $80.

 

now i have used a cheaper rod to throw baits up to 2 oz when it's only rated to 1.5 oz and it holds up fine but it very much will depend on the build and it's not always recommended to do.

[kstephes033]

that weight range is pretty vast for one rod with the right line and being able to really handle the baits. You really want a little heavier, mod fast action IMO for the topwater and swimbait, and really a MH Fast for the senko. I would look at something in the 7'2"-7'4" range length wise, helps with hooksets on long casts for all baits mentioned, probably a MH Fast as it will be able to handle both, but again not ideally for the larger baits. The same lineup has the Tatula Elite 7'3" Ehrler MH Fast. I have used that rod for weightless senkos, trigs up to 1/2oz, swim jigs, swim baits up to 3/4oz head with 4.5" swimbaits so it can handle those duties. with a fast action i would say start with mono, something like sunline super natural 16lb and that should be able to handle everything. you will want mono or braid, something with decent diameter for keeping the WP up and running properly. Mono will work better for the waver though. 

[Danny Nguyen]

is a 7'6" too long? should i just go with a 7'3"

[fishindad]

Agree with boomstick that a MH fast action rod is the best all around rod for throwing the widest variety of bass baits. The length depends on whether you fish close range (I like a 6'10" for this) or open water (I go with 7'2" +). I am sure the Daiwa rod will work just fine and you can switch out line (braid, fluoro, mono) accordingly until you get additional setups.

[WRB]

1 hour ago, deep said:

Save you 50 bucks. IRod 754 Fred's magic stick. Fishes pretty much any bait in the 0.5-1.5 oz range, and fishes them well.

^^^^ this ^^^^

Tom

[kstephes033]

7'6" is fine, if you are up close range and target casting though it makes it a little tougher, thats where the little shorter rod comes into play. 7'2"-7'4" will give you the best of both worlds and be the most versatile.