What should be my next rod/reel

[lynxcat]

I’m getting the itch for another rod/reel setup...here is what I have today:

 

- ML/F Spinning

- MH/F BC

- M/F BC

-MH/Moderate BC (use almost exclusively for Chatterbaits)

 

These are Daiwa Tatula Elites and BPS JM Platinum setups. I’ve been very pleased with the Tatula Elite rods and reels. 
 

I’m fishing almost exclusively from the bank in small ponds. 
 

A H/F or H/XF BC for frogs and pitching is where my head is going. I’m not sure a M/F Spinning has enough incremental uses. 

[islandbass]

As a fellow bank angler, I pick either what you’ve already thought OR go MF spinning or casting. This would handle the “lighter” single hooks like senkos, smaller jigs and treble lures like small to medium cranks, poppers, hard and soft jerk baits, etc. 

I’d probably lean toward spinning since you already have two casting if it is okay for the cover you typically encounter. 

[Dumbbassanglr]

7’3” h casting for frogs and heavy cover or a dedicated crankbait rod.

[lynxcat]

24 minutes ago, Dumbbassanglr said:

7’3” h casting for frogs and heavy cover or a dedicated crankbait rod.

Can a frog rod double for a flipping/pitching setup and possibly even a 6-7inch swim bait (not super heavy) rod?

[MN Fisher]

12 minutes ago, lynxcat said:

Can a frog rod double for a flipping/pitching setup and possibly even a 6-7inch swim bait (not super heavy) rod?

My frog rod IS my flip/pitch rod.

 

If you're looking at hard swimbaits - a 6"-7" is going to be too much for a standard heavy...you'd have to go to a swimbait rod. Soft swimbaits, OTOH, are well within a Heavy rod's capability.

[Born 2 fish]

7’4 H Daiwa Kage for frogs and flipping. 

[Bass Rutten]

37 minutes ago, lynxcat said:

Can a frog rod double for a flipping/pitching setup and possibly even a 6-7inch swim bait (not super heavy) rod?

For sure. I have a shimano expride 7’3” xh that is known to be a great frog rod but I don’t frog on the lakes I fish, it has a 5.8 or 6.8 keitech boot-tail on it probably 90% of the time. Some other uses I’ve found for it is 1/2oz+ jigs fished offshore or deeper than 10 ft and carolina /mojo rigs. It’s got a mod-fast taper making it pretty versatile.

[JWall14]

Yeah go 7’sum H

[Deephaven]

3 hours ago, lynxcat said:

Can a frog rod double for a flipping/pitching setup and possibly even a 6-7inch swim bait (not super heavy) rod?

I'd rather pitch with frog rod than frog with a flippin' stick.  I would go as long as you can find on the frog rod.  Had mine built to 7'10" (rod lockers at that time were 8') and wish it were longer.

 

[lynxcat]

4 hours ago, Born 2 fish said:

7’4 H Daiwa Kage for frogs and flipping. 

I’ve seen very little on the Kage rods. Do you own one?

 

I've been eyeing the Ish Monroe 7’4 frog rod (H/F) with the AGS guides. It’s pretty darn expensive though at $280. 

[Born 2 fish]

43 minutes ago, lynxcat said:

I’ve seen very little on the Kage rods. Do you own one?

 

I've been eyeing the Ish Monroe 7’4 frog rod (H/F) with the AGS guides. It’s pretty darn expensive though at $280. 

Yes I own one Kage it’s the 7’3 all around spinning rod. It’s fantastic I also own tatulas and one tatula elite. I will be buying the 7’4 H Kage next.

[softwateronly]

7 hours ago, Bassjam2000 said:

For sure. I have a shimano expride 7’3” xh that is known to be a great frog rod but I don’t frog on the lakes I fish, it has a 5.8 or 6.8 keitech boot-tail on it probably 90% of the time. Some other uses I’ve found for it is 1/2oz+ jigs fished offshore or deeper than 10 ft and carolina /mojo rigs. It’s got a mod-fast taper making it pretty versatile.

Just got this rod.  Love it!  That tip to power combo is unique to me.  I've only thrown a 3/4oz jig in deep water and it performed flawlessly.  Glad it has so many other uses.

 

scott

[Boomstick]

12 hours ago, lynxcat said:

A H/F or H/XF BC for frogs and pitching is where my head is going. I’m not sure a M/F Spinning has enough incremental uses.

These two are my first thoughts as well. What I will bring up is do you have any decent heavy cover that you can target from the shore? A lot of my shore spots with heavy cover aren't very good as I have to cast through the cover, so you might get more use from a M/F spinning rod, but you would know if that would be an issue.

[Bankbeater]

A H/F could also double for a punch rig. 

[Bass Rutten]

20 hours ago, lynxcat said:

I’ve seen very little on the Kage rods. Do you own one?

 

I've been eyeing the Ish Monroe 7’4 frog rod (H/F) with the AGS guides. It’s pretty darn expensive though at $280. 

I heard through the grapevine that the kage line of rods are built on the same blanks as the tatula elites with different aesthetics and hardware so brick and mortar stores could have a line of rods exclusive to them to avoid online competition. The 7’4” daiwa kage’s specs is virtually identical to the ish frog rod, other models specs match up too, makes sense, they’re about $20 more than the regular elites so probably not the best value. I own the 7’ mf all-around spinning rod, and don’t regret buying it, that whole silver surfer aesthetic ain’t doing it for me, I like the ninja look of the kages.

[Boomstick]

On 5/8/2021 at 5:14 PM, lynxcat said:

I've been eyeing the Ish Monroe 7’4 frog rod (H/F) with the AGS guides. It’s pretty darn expensive though at $280. 

I have the Tatula non-elite frog rod. If you are looking for rod that serves a sole purpose of pulling bass out of the heaviest cover, look no further. But it's a little too stuff to double as a flipping stick.

[lynxcat]

Update: I ordered the Daiwa Tatula Elite 7’4 Ish Monroe Frog Rod H/F and am pairing it up with a Daiwa Tatula Elite 8.1:1 and 50lb PowerPro SuperSlick V2. 
 

I’m going to use it for pitching jigs as well from the bank and I’m interested interested in the sensitivity that comes with the AGS guides. 
 

I really wanted to try to Shimano Expride 7’3 XH but I didn’t find one on deal. I got everything listed above for 20% off on a Memorial Day sale so $450 total.

 

This is my third Tatula Elite rod but first with AGS...let’s see if it’s worth the extra dollars

 

I was very close to giving the 7’3 H/F Daiwa Rebellion a try. It’s so hard to get a decent read from the lack of reviews online and I never got to see one in person. Handful of reviews talked about the sensitivity being just OK and so I went with the more commonly reviewed Daiwa option.