Rod Opinions-Which one?

[Ycerides614]

Hey everyone. Looking for some opinion on the following rods, which after countless hours researching on the forums and reading reviews,  I've narrowed it down to. I'll be putting on either a Tatula CT or a Shimano Citica I (if I can find one on-sale or on an auction site for cheap(er)) I plan on using the set-up for;

Jigs (1/4 & 3/8 oz are my favorite)+ craw or chunk trailer

T-Rigged Plastics

Perhaps chatterbaits + fluke or other plastic trailers

 

Rod Choices;

Dobyns Fury 704C (Which is heavy fast, but you know Dobyns, which is roughly 1/2 step down in power)

Fenwick HMG 7ft Med/Heavy Fast

St Croix Bass X Med/Heavy Fast

St Criox Mojo Bass Med/Heavy Fast

*** *** Black II Med/Heavy Fast

 

I'd prefer to stay in the $100-$110 range, but if the SCIII Mojo is worth it for the extra $20-30, I could consider it. I know a lot of people will recommend the Diawa Tatula rod, but I'm not sure if I'm interested in that. This will be my first 'good' rod that I'll be purchasing. Right now I'm using the Abu Garcia Pro Max Rod & Reel combo, as well as old 80's/90's 5 & 1/2' Fenwick HMG/Boron X with Shimano Stradic 1000RH and Symetre 2000. I much prefer the baitcaster now, though. I've looked at all the rods in this price point; Diawa's, ***, Abu, Falcon, etc, and through reading on this site and reviews, these ones seem the best for my usage. If you think of one worth mentioning, though, I'd love to hear about it! I'd appreciate any and all advice you could give! 

     Thanks!

 

PS- I've done extensive research on this site and in the "best rod" thread, reading every link. Just want some up-to-date opinions and info that I might not of heard + opinions on these specific rods. Thanks!

[CroakHunter]

704 with a tatula would be my choice. 

[TylerT123]

The Black II and St. Croix Bass X would be out for me, heard bad things about the unnamed brand, enough not to buy some of their products. 

[webertime]

7ft 6in MH Tatula rod from American Legacy Fishing.    99.95 

 

Done.

[LxVE Bassin]

Tatula CT and the Dobyns Fury has my vote. 

[Stephen B]

I'd pick the St Croix Mojo Bass over the others with the Fury my second pick.

[ohtheguilt]

I use a MH/F Mojo for t-rigs and jigs (3/8th and 1/2). I had a Citica on it (which was great), but upgraded to a Curado 70 and absolutely love the rig...I reach for it more than any other setup now. 

 

I also have a bunch of the unnamed brand products, and haven't had any issues...but...I do really like the feel of the Mojos, especially for the price.

 

[Ycerides614]

4 hours ago, CroakHunter said:

704 with a tatula would be my choice. 

That's been my top choice for the last few days. Thanks for the input!

3 hours ago, TylerT123 said:

The Black II and St. Croix Bass X would be out for me, heard bad things about the unnamed brand, enough not to buy some of their products. 

I noticed the name being censored on this site and have wondered why. Do you know what's up? (Or can't talk about it on here?) I definitely don't want to support a bad company, regardless of the quality of the rods. I found very little information about this rod & others from the brand on this site, so this makes sense. Thanks for the input, as well!

2 hours ago, LxVE Bassin said:

Tatula CT and the Dobyns Fury has my vote. 

Thanks for the input!

1 hour ago, Stephen B said:

I'd pick the St Croix Mojo Bass over the others with the Fury my second pick.

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it!

1 hour ago, ohtheguilt said:

I use a MH/F Mojo for t-rigs and jigs (3/8th and 1/2). I had a Citica on it (which was great), but upgraded to a Curado 70 and absolutely love the rig...I reach for it more than any other setup now. 

 

I also have a bunch of the unnamed brand products, and haven't had any issues...but...I do really like the feel of the Mojos, especially for the price.

 

I only wish I could get my hands on them to see what they feel like. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any shops near me (besides Columbus, OH which is about an hour away). Perhaps I will make a trip up soon. Thanks for the input!

[TylerT123]

We can’t talk about them because....

 

 site owners not abiding by the rules of the forum, or over-zealous pro-staffers spamming the forums. In some cases, however, the site owner specifically requested that we do not link to their site.

 

Pulled from the FAQs, I think.

[Ycerides614]

10 minutes ago, TylerT123 said:

We can’t talk about them because....

 

 site owners not abiding by the rules of the forum, or over-zealous pro-staffers spamming the forums. In some cases, however, the site owner specifically requested that we do not link to their site.

 

Pulled from the FAQs, I think.

I see, thanks for the heads up! I have read the FAQ, just looking for specifics for what they did.

Edited July 26, 2018 by Ycerides614

[FryDog62]

I would say no to the St. Croix rods... very heavy rods especially in the tip.  Dobyns is better balanced but lacks sensitivity.  The suggestion above for the Tatula at $100 is a steal.  You get a light weight, strong rod with superior sensitivity.  A far superior rod to the others you listed.  

[fishnkamp]

I am a Dobyns fan and the Fury rods are nice. 

I am going to have to muddy up your well researched selection,sorry. 

 

Here are some other rods to seriously consider.  First is a company called Irod.  They make a series called Genesis II rods. If this is going to be your first higher quality rod consider an IRG744C or you could step down in length to an IRG704. Another super versatile rod in their collection is the IRG693C “Harold’s Lone Star Special”  That is a workhorse of a rod. These rods run $150 but the 704C is available in the Fiber series.  It runs $100. A Fiber rod uses the same blank as a Genesis II, just not as expensive components, no garbage just not as high end components. 

 

Powell makes a series called Max3D. I own an original Max series 683CEF MH. It is the most versatile rod in my 12 baitcaster arsenal.  They usually run $150-ish but are on sale for $119.  They also have a 723CEF mH in case you just have to go with a 7 footer. I usually fish jigs and texas rigs but it could easily handle top waters and a ton more. Take a look at the Tackletour review on that rod. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpowell683cxfast.html 

My arsenal includes rods from all of these manufacturers and I like them a lot. Good luck deciding

[J Francho]

12 hours ago, Ycerides614 said:

I noticed the name being censored on this site and have wondered why. Do you know what's up? (Or can't talk about it on here?) I definitely don't want to support a bad company, regardless of the quality of the rods. I found very little information about this rod & others from the brand on this site, so this makes sense.

 

12 hours ago, TylerT123 said:

We can’t talk about them because....

 

 site owners not abiding by the rules of the forum, or over-zealous pro-staffers spamming the forums. In some cases, however, the site owner specifically requested that we do not link to their site.

 

Pulled from the FAQs, I think.

It's exactly this.  The specifics aren't important, and I'll just say we don't allow spam at all here.  Doesn't matter if it's fishing related or not.

 

OP, out of your list, I think you'd be happiest with the Mojo, though all of them are fine rods for the money.

[Ycerides614]

58 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

I am a Dobyns fan and the Fury rods are nice. 

I am going to have to muddy up your well researched selection,sorry. 

 

Here are some other rods to seriously consider.  First is a company called Irod.  They make a series called Genesis II rods. If this is going to be your first higher quality rod consider an IRG744C or you could step down in length to an IRG704. Another super versatile rod in their collection is the IRG693C “Harold’s Lone Star Special”  That is a workhorse of a rod. These rods run $150 but the 704C is available in the Fiber series.  It runs $100. A Fiber rod uses the same blank as a Genesis II, just not as expensive components, no garbage just not as high end components. 

 

Powell makes a series called Max3D. I own an original Max series 683CEF MH. It is the most versatile rod in my 12 baitcaster arsenal.  They usually run $150-ish but are on sale for $119.  They also have a 723CEF mH in case you just have to go with a 7 footer. I usually fish jigs and texas rigs but it could easily handle top waters and a ton more. Take a look at the Tackletour review on that rod. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpowell683cxfast.html 

My arsenal includes rods from all of these manufacturers and I like them a lot. Good luck deciding

Thanks for the input. Your posts are where I've gotten a lot of information from, actually. I remember many posts where other commentators said to listen to your advice. I'm taking a look at the two rods you mentioned, and have some questions, if you have time to answer them later.

 

For the iRod;

-Is the ratings system similiar to Dobyn's. I'm seeing the 7ft, med/hvy listed as a 703C, the same as the Fury series being a "3 power," while the heavy is listed as 704C. From what I've read about the Dobyn's, I'd definitely want the 704C. I've added both the Genesis II and Fiber series to my list to consider. The only thing that has my hesitating is the reel seat. Im not sure how much I like a totally exposed blank, but will go to a local store, hold some rods with minimalist seats and see how it feels.

 

For the Powell, which I actually like quite a bit and the link you provided really makes it shine. I read the entire review and I'm very impressed. Again, the so-called "skeletal Reel Seats" may be problematic, but I'll give em a try! The picture in the review of the seat is different from ones I'm finding on tacklewarehouse and such. My first question involves the taper-the "extra fast" taper. Does it preform well enough for my 1/4 & 3/8 jigs and t-rigged plastics? What about the rod's '3-power rating?' Sufficient? This rod has definitely entered my 'top 3,' along with the Dobyn's Fury and Fenwick HMG. Really like it. Just hope the $119 price on powell's site stays until the end of August!

 

I appreciate your input on this. I know I'm overthinking it all, but have a lot of time before graduate classes start in a month, and can't make this purchase for another month, so I'm left with plenty of time to make sure I find the rod most suitable. Thanks!

[fishnkamp]

First the reason the Powell is different is I own a Powell Max and they were replaced by a Powell Max 3D series. So yes the rods have different components, but basically the same blank. The Powell in my opinion run a bit more on target to their listed power, however as you read in the review that rod handle 1/4 ounce jigs with a trailer like a craw papy ( a little more compact trailer than say a Strike King Rage craw) or a grub, it also handles a 5/8 or 3/4 jig with a standard sized trailer.  I throw a lot of texas rigs with a 7 inch power worm and a 3'/8 weight.  Now for full disclosure I love the exposed blank like my rod has. I have not fished one of the new ones with what I call a skeleton reel seat.  I can stop in my local shop and put a Daiwa on one and let you know how they feel. I have handled some of the Max3D rods in that shop and they feel light, well balanced and have nice actions to them.  That is not fishing one though.

A neat little piece of knowledge for you. Powell and Dobyns are two of my favorite rods and I found out Gary Dobyns once worked with Powell n some of the designs Makes sense.  

As for the powers. If you want to fish baits up to 3/4 of an ounce I would stay in the Powell 3 powers. If you are going to throw heavier baits then yes a 4 power is the way to go.

On the Irod go with exactly what the lure weights say. The designers ( professional Bass Anglers) have worked tirelessly to get a rod to behave for their exact purposes.  Their pros include guys like Marty Stone, Fred Roumbanis and Gabe Boulivar. I love my Gabes Rip Rap special for throwing squarebills and rattle traps.

[Fishingmickey]

Mojo

[r83srock]

I like HMGs, but I ended up with an HMX instead, I like it! I didn’t care for the longer handle on the hmg, but that’s me. Don’t have a bass x but I like how they feel. I have two of those mojos, love em. One of my favorite rods. The sc3 gens are softer in the tip and better balanced. I’m also a fan of the tried and true ecs reel seat.

[Boomstick]

I would go with the Mojo Bass out of all of them. It's a nice and light rod with a quality blank.

 

I would pick the Tatula 6'10" MH/F over the Mojo Bass, which you might even get cheaper. I own both, the Mojo Bass is lighter for sure but the Tatula has a notably better reel seat.

[TylerT123]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

 

OP, out of your list, I think you'd be happiest with the Mojo, though all of them are fine rods for the money.

Why the Mojo over the Dobyns Fury? I’ve heard more great things about Dobyns than the Mojo, but they both have positive reviews.

[J Francho]

Because I like St. Croix rods better than Dobyns.  Also, I have not fished anything less than Champion Extreme from Dobyns, so I can't comment on the lower lines from them.

[Ycerides614]

9 hours ago, fishnkamp said:

First the reason the Powell is different is I own a Powell Max and they were replaced by a Powell Max 3D series. So yes the rods have different components, but basically the same blank. The Powell in my opinion run a bit more on target to their listed power, however as you read in the review that rod handle 1/4 ounce jigs with a trailer like a craw papy ( a little more compact trailer than say a Strike King Rage craw) or a grub, it also handles a 5/8 or 3/4 jig with a standard sized trailer.  I throw a lot of texas rigs with a 7 inch power worm and a 3'/8 weight.  Now for full disclosure I love the exposed blank like my rod has. I have not fished one of the new ones with what I call a skeleton reel seat.  I can stop in my local shop and put a Daiwa on one and let you know how they feel. I have handled some of the Max3D rods in that shop and they feel light, well balanced and have nice actions to them.  That is not fishing one though.

A neat little piece of knowledge for you. Powell and Dobyns are two of my favorite rods and I found out Gary Dobyns once worked with Powell n some of the designs Makes sense.  

As for the powers. If you want to fish baits up to 3/4 of an ounce I would stay in the Powell 3 powers. If you are going to throw heavier baits then yes a 4 power is the way to go.

On the Irod go with exactly what the lure weights say. The designers ( professional Bass Anglers) have worked tirelessly to get a rod to behave for their exact purposes.  Their pros include guys like Marty Stone, Fred Roumbanis and Gabe Boulivar. I love my Gabes Rip Rap special for throwing squarebills and rattle traps.

Hey again, 

     I really appreciate your comments and help with this. You've convinced me on the Powell..after doing some more research today this is exactly what I'm looking for. I've seen your comments around here and your posts are always extremely informative, and I always learn a lot. I really appreciate you be willing to go put a Daiwa on it and see how it feels, I think it should be fine, however. I'm just being too meticulous and picky! Now it's just a debate between the Max 3d 683 CEF and the 723 CEF. I'll make sure to report back in a month for a review on it. I might even try to run up to a better tackle shop soon and get my hands on a few, including the iRod options. Again, thanks, I really appreciate it!

[fishnkamp]

Do yourself a favor. The president of Powell rods is a great guy. His name is Keith I have had several phone conversations with him in the past. Give him a call, he wqas more than helpful for me.

 

[Ycerides614]

9 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

Do yourself a favor. The president of Powell rods is a great guy. His name is Keith I have had several phone conversations with him in the past. Give him a call, he wqas more than helpful for me.

 

I think I'll do just that. i don't have anyone around here to talk about fishing with or gear, so it'll be really nice to chat and I'm sure he could point out exactly what I'm looking for. Good idea. Thanks for the tip!

[DINK WHISPERER]

Powell is a really great rod for the money. I have a login for 20% off that anyone can use if you order from their site too. PM me if you decide to order from them.