Rod recommendation needed

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, NathanDLTH said:

Following. Lots good info here. Wow. 

Just ordered a Dragger, Brawler would be good too, or the rod Tom had made custom.  Alex at ALX is worth talking too...

[NathanDLTH]

Was waiting for your decision. 

[FryDog62]

4 minutes ago, NathanDLTH said:

Was waiting for your decision. 

Will fish it this weekend and should have more of an opinion then..

[FryDog62]

On 9/25/2018 at 10:23 AM, NathanDLTH said:

Was waiting for your decision. 

So after a little over a year, here are my impressions of using rods for those long expansive flats - and dragging various heavier lures along the bottom:

 

• For throwing Dark Sleepers long distance, and great sensitivity across the bottom - I'm using exclusively the MH Orochi Braillist.  All sizes including the 1 ounce DS which is the max weight for this rod.  I usually throw a 3/4 oz but have had no problems with the 1 ounce.  I think the fast tip is certainly more forgiving than the Perfect Pitch that I snapped when casting a 1 oz jig + trailer.  The PP is XF and overloaded the tip which led to the breakage. 

 

• The ALX Dragger is also a great rod - Heavy/Fast and can handle heavier lures than the Braillist.  Drags the weightier lures well across the bottom, light and sensitive for a rod of this heft.  I mostly used it to throw 3/4 oz Jointed Structure Heads + trailer, but some 1 ounce jigs/trailers too.  I plan to get some 1.25 ounce Jackhammers next year to get the chatterbaits way down deep when the fish scatter on the flats. This will be the ultimate test for this rod but I have confidence it will perform well.  

[NathanDLTH]

3 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

So after a little over a year, here are my impressions of using rods for those long expansive flats - and dragging various heavier lures along the bottom:

 

• For throwing Dark Sleepers long distance, and great sensitivity across the bottom - I'm using exclusively the MH Orochi Braillist.  All sizes including the 1 ounce DS which is the max weight for this rod.  I usually throw a 3/4 oz but have had no problems with the 1 ounce.  I think the fast tip is certainly more forgiving than the Perfect Pitch that I snapped when casting a 1 oz jig + trailer.  The PP is XF and overloaded the tip which led to the breakage. 

 

• The ALX Dragger is also a great rod - Heavy/Fast and can handle heavier lures than the Braillist.  Drags the weightier lures well across the bottom, light and sensitive for a rod of this heft.  I mostly used it to throw 3/4 oz Jointed Structure Heads + trailer, but some 1 ounce jigs/trailers too.  I plan to get some 1.25 ounce Jackhammers next year to get the chatterbaits way down deep when the fish scatter on the flats. This will be the ultimate test for this rod but I have confidence it will perform well.  

Thanks for the update @FryDog62. I recently started fishing some Megabass and I added the Braillist to my arsenal and love it thus far. I've been pretty impressed with how much the dark sleeper really works as a bottom bait. Thanks for updating the thread. This is solid info.