Baitcasting beginner: how is this rod lineup so far

[JimT]

Just wondering if I'm missing anything really obvious, I've managed to put together four rods with five reels. The rods so far:

 

Lew's TP1 black speed stick TP1B73MH, medium heavy, fast action 7'3"

Dobyns Fury 705cb medium heavy, mod fast 7'0"

Dobyns Fury 734c heavy, fast 7'3"

St Croix MJC71MHM, medium heavy, moderate 7'0"

 

for reels it's all Lew's so far:

Tournament MP 5.3:1

Tournament MP 7.5:1 (have 2 of these)

Tournament Pro 6.8:1

Tournament Pro 7.5:1

 

Mostly interested in hearing about rod suggestions beyond what I have. It's been a bit of a challenge given the inventory situation with most local retailers. I'm a tall guy but will be mostly kayak fishing.  If anyone has strong thoughts about pairing any of the reels to rods, I'd love to hear it. fwiw I've got 14lb mono in the 5.3:1 MP and 12lb Yo-Zuri in the rest.

 

thanks.

Jim

[throttleplate]

get yurself a uglystick carbon 6-6 for your kayak.  Join the ugly club, i think there is only myself and one other on this forum in it.

[KP Duty]

The only thing that sticks out would be a M or ML mod fast rod (1/4-5/?  for throwing jerkbsits/topwaters/small cranks.  One of my most used rods.

[Deephaven]

35 minutes ago, KP Duty said:

The only thing that sticks out would be a M or ML mod fast rod (1/4-5/?  for throwing jerkbsits/topwaters/small cranks.  One of my most used rods.

Two rods there for me, both missing from his list.  M mod for small cranks and a M XF for jerkbaits/topwaters.  Add a longer MF for Trigs.

[bulldog1935]

My experience, Lew's centrifugal brake is choice on heavy lures, and hugely reliable on all lure weights, but costs distance with lighter weights.  

 

It still surprises me that the clean spool and simple linear mag brake on Lew's Super Duty has better distance and wind control than most reels, and excels at both with weights down to 1/8-oz.  

 

@JimT

I will add I have Air-HD bearings in the Super Duty, and had similar bearings in Tournament Pro and SP.  What really surprised me was that Super Duty out-distanced lighter-spool SP with 1/8 oz and both with the same bearings.  

I didn't believe the result at first, and kept reducing centrifugal brake setting until I finally got start-up backlash with 1/8 oz (tough to do - you really have to try). 

The rod I was using on Super Duty was only rated down to 1/4 oz., vs. 1/8 oz fast ML rod I was trying with both TP and SP.  

Edited June 22, 2021 by bulldog1935

[JimT]

6 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

My experience, Lew's centrifugal brake is choice on heavy lures, and hugely reliable on all lure weights, but costs distance with lighter weights.  

 

It still surprises me that the clean spool and simple linear mag brake on Lew's Super Duty has better distance and wind control than most reels, and excels at both with weights down to 1/8-oz.  

 

 

this is interesting that you say this, I have had this vague sense with my reels so far--good distance on 1/2 ouncers but hard to throw the lighter ones. I'll try to round up a Super Duty at some point to compare them. 

 

Decided to add one more rod today using the suggestions above (roughly) for guidance. Pickings are a bit slim at the three major retailers near me, but I picked up another St Croix Mojo MF 7'0". Basically following the t-rig idea above. No mod, mod fast, or XF actions to be found, each store is waiting on new arrivals in July. But I have plenty to play with right now.

 

What do you guys think of Phenix rods? the manager at the shop today was very high on Phenix rods and compared them favorably to Dobyns and St. Croix. Just curious if anyone has any experience with them. I might have tried one but all they had were heavy rods.

[dodgeguy]

I have zero issues with Lews 27 point centrifugal externally adjustable brake with Ned rigs

Dobyns Sierra micro rods are awesome.so are bps Johnny Morris Signature series.

[JimT]

Have found myself in the weeds and near submerged logs and trees more than I expected originally, so have decided to add a punching setup that should let me use braid more effectively and basically just have another tool in the toolbox. So I'm planning on adding a Dobyns 805 and another Lews reel, this one will be a Super Duty G in 8.3:1. Eager to try this out next trip to the gnarlies.