Bottom contact rod advice

[Bootlegger418]

In need of a rod for lighter bottom contact applications (3/16- 3/8). I had sold myself on a St.Croix legend tournament. But after more reading I'm also considering The Dobyns Champion Extreme HP and the Poison Adrena. Which would you choose and why? 

[scbassin]

I have 2 of the Dobyns Champion Extreme HP DX 743 C FH. The lure wt. is 1/4 to 3/4 oz but I have no problem casting a 3/16 oz bait. The sensitivity is excellent. in fact it's so good I am going to get the 744C or the 745C next. I have not made up my mind yet. I do not have any St.Croix to compare them to, but after using these rods I will not buy any other brand.

[Bootlegger418]

2 hours ago, scbassin said:

I have 2 of the Dobyns Champion Extreme HP DX 743 C FH. The lure wt. is 1/4 to 3/4 oz but I have no problem casting a 3/16 oz bait. The sensitivity is excellent. in fact it's so good I am going to get the 744C or the 745C next. I have not made up my mind yet. I do not have any St.Croix to compare them to, but after using these rods I will not buy any other brand.

Thanks for the feedback. How is the balance? I hear they're pretty good in that department. What were you fishing with before if you don't mind me asking.

[kayaking_kev]

I had the Extreme HP 702c and loved it, almost as much as my two Xtasys, but I might get an Adrena just because I like the carbon handle and like to try different stuff. Got to also take into account the warranties though, Dobyns warranty is far better.

[Bootlegger418]

16 minutes ago, kayaking_kev said:

I had the Extreme HP 702c and loved it, almost as much as my two Xtasys, but I might get an Adrena just because I like the carbon handle and like to try different stuff. Got to also take into account the warranties though, Dobyns warranty is far better.

Exactly. I want to try the adrena because of the sensitivity everyone is talking about, but that Dobyns warranty looks like the best in the business. How's the sensitivity and balance on the champions? I'll primarily be throwing finesse jigs and light T-rigs.

[scbassin]

 I only will buy a rod with a full cork handle which gives me a better range on what reel I can use. I have 80+ reels all of them are Shimano's except for 5 ABU Ambassadeur 5001 C which were made in Sweden. I crank left handed & these were the 1st. ones that came out. This was back in the early 70's. In the late 70's Shimano came out with the Bantam Magnumlite GT Plus.  Left handed is 2001 GT Plus. The balance is also excellent depending your reel.  I guess the sweet spot is between 7 & 8 oz.. I have used everything from a Scorpion 1001 mg to a Antaras DC-7 without a problem. As far as what I have used in the past I have tried everything but if pressed I would it's a toss up between Shikari & G loomis. I hope this helps. Try one & you will leave home without it.

[WRB]

What reel and line do you use?

Line is what provides the movement your”feel” with any rod.

3/16 bullet weight T-rigs + worm/soft plastic = 1/4 oz+ and 3/8 oz jig+ trailer pushes 1/2 oz. You will not get much feedback from soft plastics regarding bottom contact other then the light bullet weight and any strike. Jigs are more compact and hard head provides good feedback depending on the trailer size and line drag. Larger dia line the less feedback you can detect.

So what rod is depended on your preferences, weight and balance. Any good 3 power higher end graphite fast action light weight rod with premium guide train will work.

My preferences are Dobyns and ALX, both good customer service.

Tom 

[Bootlegger418]

52 minutes ago, scbassin said:

 I only will buy a rod with a full cork handle which gives me a better range on what reel I can use. I have 80+ reels all of them are Shimano's except for 5 ABU Ambassadeur 5001 C which were made in Sweden. I crank left handed & these were the 1st. ones that came out. This was back in the early 70's. In the late 70's Shimano came out with the Bantam Magnumlite GT Plus.  Left handed is 2001 GT Plus. The balance is also excellent depending your reel.  I guess the sweet spot is between 7 & 8 oz.. I have used everything from a Scorpion 1001 mg to a Antaras DC-7 without a problem. As far as what I have used in the past I have tried everything but if pressed I would it's a toss up between Shikari & G loomis. I hope this helps. Try one & you will leave home without it.

I appreciate that. I've read good things about their balance. I'm leaning towards a Champion at the moment. Any idea if they're going to go on sale in the very near future?

26 minutes ago, WRB said:

What reel and line do you use?

Line is what provides the movement your”feel” with any rod.

3/16 bullet weight T-rigs + worm/soft plastic = 1/4 oz+ and 3/8 oz jig+ trailer pushes 1/2 oz. You will not get much feedback from soft plastics regarding bottom contact other then the light bullet weight and any strike. Jigs are more compact and hard head provides good feedback depending on the trailer size and line drag. Larger dia line the less feedback you can detect.

So what rod is depended on your preferences, weight and balance. Any good 3 power higher end graphite fast action light weight rod with premium guide train will work.

My preferences are Dobyns and ALX, both good customer service.

Tom 

 I appreciate the feedback. I will probably be putting my tatula elite on this rod. I primarily used braid to flourocarbon leader. I also mostly use tungsten jigs and bullet weights. I like the warranty policy of Dobyns. Which ALX do you prefer? How is their warranty process?

[WRB]

ALX Enox  Decoy for the lures, line, reel you mentioned.

The good thing about ALX and Dobyns is the ability/to talk directly to owners who use their products and with Alex the rod maker. Both men are as honest as they come and stands behind their products.

Tom

 

[iabass8]

I thrown 3/16 and 1/4 trigs on the dx743c hp . Love that rod for those weights.

[Catt]

Kistler Argon AR703LMH

7' 0" Lite-Medium-Heavy 

Moderate-Fast 

3/16 - 3/4 oz

[Bandersnatch]

3/16 & 3/8 jigs plus trailer or just Texas rigs. I'd buy an adrena any day over the Dobyns for bottom contact. 

[Choporoz]

Kistler Helium 3 LMH.  Best light Trig/jig rod I've ever used.

[kayaking_kev]

14 hours ago, Bootlegger418 said:

Exactly. I want to try the adrena because of the sensitivity everyone is talking about, but that Dobyns warranty looks like the best in the business. How's the sensitivity and balance on the champions? I'll primarily be throwing finesse jigs and light T-rigs.

The balance has been great on all of the 14 Dobyns rods I've had from every series, with the exceptions of the glass rods, which you don't want to be balanced the same as the others anyway. The sensitivity is good, but I can't compare it to the Adrena. As far as the Xtasy and Conquest goes, they are close in sensitivity, but I think the Conquest has a little more of a vibration.

 

Finesse Jigs and Light T-Rigs might be pushing the 702c. I used the DX 702c for Ned Rigs and Drop Shots and other finesse techniques and I use the Xtasy 723c for 1/4 oz Jigs and light T-Rigs. So I would choose a 3 power Dobyns for those techniques because their powers are over-rated.

 

I will be selling my Xtasy 723c soon for around the price of a new Extreme HP if your interested, only because I bought some X-Ray blanks and built my own rods to replace my factory rods.

[Bootlegger418]

18 hours ago, Bandersnatch said:

3/16 & 3/8 jigs plus trailer or just Texas rigs. I'd buy an adrena any day over the Dobyns for bottom contact. 

That was my number one choice, but the dobyn warranty and replacement plan is pretty impressive. Have you used both?

20 hours ago, WRB said:

ALX Enox  Decoy for the lures, line, reel you mentioned.

The good thing about ALX and Dobyns is the ability/to talk directly to owners who use their products and with Alex the rod maker. Both men are as honest as they come and stands behind their products.

Tom

 

Thank you I appreciate the recommendation. Have you used the Dobyns as well?

9 hours ago, kayaking_kev said:

The balance has been great on all of the 14 Dobyns rods I've had from every series, with the exceptions of the glass rods, which you don't want to be balanced the same as the others anyway. The sensitivity is good, but I can't compare it to the Adrena. As far as the Xtasy and Conquest goes, they are close in sensitivity, but I think the Conquest has a little more of a vibration.

 

Finesse Jigs and Light T-Rigs might be pushing the 702c. I used the DX 702c for Ned Rigs and Drop Shots and other finesse techniques and I use the Xtasy 723c for 1/4 oz Jigs and light T-Rigs. So I would choose a 3 power Dobyns for those techniques because their powers are over-rated.

 

I will be selling my Xtasy 723c soon for around the price of a new Extreme HP if your interested, only because I bought some X-Ray blanks and built my own rods to replace my factory rods.

That would be a good buy, but I am too paranoid about it getting broke in the mail.How does the champion hp compare to the xtasy?

[WRB]

Only his swimbait rods. I used Lamiglas for 35 years and Gary started his business using Lamiglas rods. I don’t like any casting rod that doesn’t have a front reel locking ring with fore grip and Dobyns builds his jig and worm rod with a hard reel locking ring.

Tom

[kayaking_kev]

5 hours ago, Bootlegger418 said:

That would be a good buy, but I am too paranoid about it getting broke in the mail.How does the champion hp compare to the xtasy?

 

Xtasy has Torzite Guides, AAAA Cork and a a better blank, I believe a Toray 1100G blank.

 

Extreme HP Fuji K Series Guides, but not Torzite and AAA Cork and uses I believe a Toray 1000 blank.

 

Both are great rods, the Xtasy is obviously better with higher end components, and I could do a sale job and talk the Xtasy up a lot, but there it's probably not worth $200 more retail price. The sensitivity is a little better, but it's minimal and there isn't a whole lot of weight difference until you get to the 4 & 5 powers. I think the Xtasy is one of the best looking full cork rods out there though and it's pretty close to my Conquest.

 

As far as rods getting broke in the mail, I've sent probably 20 rods out in the last year and none have got broken. I just sold a Dobyns Champion 734c on this forum about a month ago. I also send in rod tubes like you get from Tackle Warehouse and I get it fully insured with Signature on Delivery Required.

 

Xtasy 723c less than a year old, cork sealed with U-40. $375 shipped with insurance.

[Bootlegger418]

On 12/8/2020 at 12:01 AM, kayaking_kev said:

 

Xtasy has Torzite Guides, AAAA Cork and a a better blank, I believe a Toray 1100G blank.

 

Extreme HP Fuji K Series Guides, but not Torzite and AAA Cork and uses I believe a Toray 1000 blank.

 

Both are great rods, the Xtasy is obviously better with higher end components, and I could do a sale job and talk the Xtasy up a lot, but there it's probably not worth $200 more retail price. The sensitivity is a little better, but it's minimal and there isn't a whole lot of weight difference until you get to the 4 & 5 powers. I think the Xtasy is one of the best looking full cork rods out there though and it's pretty close to my Conquest.

 

As far as rods getting broke in the mail, I've sent probably 20 rods out in the last year and none have got broken. I just sold a Dobyns Champion 734c on this forum about a month ago. I also send in rod tubes like you get from Tackle Warehouse and I get it fully insured with Signature on Delivery Required.

 

Xtasy 723c less than a year old, cork sealed with U-40. $375 shipped with insurance.

I appreciate the offer, but I actually ended up getting a DX703C at a pretty significant discount. Thanks for all of the information and help, hopefully I will be satisfied with it.