Best casting rod at the 150-180 price point?

[SlaunchDonkey]

I’m looking to get a new casting rod but I’m not sure which one to go with. I know I want a medium heavy fast action between 7ft-7’2ft, but with so many options I’m not sure which one is best. The one that seems the most intriguing to me right now are the new line of  curado. Any thoughts?

[papajoe222]

There a just to many to choose from. Personally, I'd check out the St.Croix line. The Mojo, Bass X and Premier  series are in your price range. The best way to determine which  rod may suit you is to take the reel you intend to pair it with along with you and put it on a few rods. There is a comfort factor than many overlook when purchasing a new rod, similar to buying a shotgun. when it feels right, you know it.

[Glenn]

Worth a read...

 

 

[CrashVector]

Abu Garcia veritas tournament edition.

 

I own several.  They are as sensitive as rods that cost twice as much.

[Bluebasser86]

You might be able to find a deal on them right now and score a St. Croix Victory in your price range? I've enjoyed fishing mine.

[Catt]

Diawia Tatula ?

 

[NickBender]

I've been asking myself the same question for the past couple months. The rods I considered were St. Croix Victory, Daiwa Tatula, Dobyns Fury/Kaden/Sierra and the New Shimano Curado. I aimed to pair it with a Shimano SLX XT and was leaning toward the Victory or Curado. I ended up getting a Dobyns Champion 734C... deep discounts and a gift card allowed me to punch above my price range. The holidays sales may allow you to do the same as well!

[Finessegenics]

Mojo Bass or look for a sweet deal on the Victory. You won’t be disappointed, St Croix is also backed by excellent customer service. Worth the price 

[T-Billy]

ARK Tharp, or Invoker pro over the Curado for sure. No experience with the Victory. I also prefer the Ark blank over any Dobyns up to and including the Champ XP for bottom contact. 

[dodgeguy]

Dobyns Sierra Micro or regular series.serious rods at that price.

[Functional]

Comparing the 3 most recently mentioned I have a Dobyns sierra micro 7' heavy, ARK Tharp Hammer and St Croix Victory Marshal.

 

The Dobyns while a nice rod is not as sensitive as the Victory or Tharp. Has a slower tip and I've put it as a dedicated spinner bait rod and it performs excellently at it.

 

The Victory and Tharp are both paired with a SLX MGL 70 and both feel good in the hand palming it. The Victory offers a little more room for bigger hands but the Tharp's trigger pushes your hand forward a bit more if like me you palm and put a finger on your line. (For reference I typically am in size medium gloves). They are both very sensitive and I have no problem knowing what I'm dragging a jig/trig/shaky head over. Heres the weird parts...I feel i get better bottom feedback from the Tharp overall but I get more pronounced strikes transmitted through the victory. The Tharp you can certainly tell you got a hit but its more of a thud rather than the sharp Tic of the Victory. My feeling is that if the Victory had the blank exposed on the underside of the reel seat (it has covering it) I'd get more pronounced bottom contact feel than I do with the Tharp. The Tharp has a good portion of blank exposed to contact with your hand and I feel that helps get a bit more feedback. Overall I believe the Victory has the better blank, but total execution puts them about even. The Tharp also has a mildly slower tip than the Victory, but ST Croix is known for very fast tips so it makes sense.

 

With the black friday discounts the Victory is at the upper end of your price point and the Tharp will run you about $95 with TW 10% and then BF 20% stacked. While I love my Victory I'd pick up another Tharp before a Victory simply because I dont believe the $80 or so price gap is worth feeling a "tic" over a "thud", I still know I got bit. Had I not picked up a Expride for BF to see what the hype is about I would have gotten a Tharp B-hitty and Money Maker if that says anything.

 

Disclaimer: I have not fished anything above the Victory to say how these stack up agains Exprides and MB rods.

[Mike L]

Tatula 

Dobyns Kaden 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[BrianMDTX]

It’s a bit below your price point but I love my Falcon Lowrider All ‘Round Fast. 

[new2BC4bass]

Can't comment on new models.  Really like my OG Tatulas.  I've read that the Falcon Expert is light and sensitive.  In your budget if on sale and would probably be my first choice.  Picked up an Amistad, but won't get a chance to use it until next year.

 

Haven't used my  Tharp or iRod Genesis rods enough to give an opinion of my own.  Others have given them good reviews....which is why I invested in them. 

[roadwarrior]

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Okuma_Psycho_Stick_Casting_Rods/descpage-OPSCYC.html

 

PSY-C-751MH

 

Pretty close to your pricing ceiling with Black Friday discounts.

[new2BC4bass]

12 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Okuma_Psycho_Stick_Casting_Rods/descpage-OPSCYC.html

 

PSY-C-751MH

 

Pretty close to your pricing ceiling with Black Friday discounts.

Can you give us your opinion on this rod?  A short review.  I'd like one just for the sick name! 

[roadwarrior]

I am in the process of writing an in depth review and will post it next week. I like this

rod and its compliment in a spinning version. As a preview, this is a review of the

Okuma Helios from a few years ago:

 

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/okuma-helios-tcs-rod-reel.html

[T-Billy]

10 hours ago, Functional said:

Had I not picked up a Expride for BF to see what the hype is about I would have gotten a Tharp B-hitty and Money Maker if that says anything.

I picked up a second Money Maker and two B-Hittay's on the BF sale. That puts me at 9 Tharps, and I'll probably buy a second One Eyed Jack as well.

10 hours ago, Functional said:

The Victory and Tharp are both paired with a SLX MGL 70 and both feel good in the hand palming it.

Picked up one of those MGL's a couple months ago. I'm a fan. Smoooth as butter and pitches light baits very well.

[NorthernBasser]

15 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

Dobyns Sierra Micro or regular series.serious rods at that price.

Was going to say this.

 

I have the Sierra 734 micro-guide. Amazing rod for it's price point. I actually enjoying using it as much or more than some of my higher end rods.

[dodgeguy]

42 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Was going to say this.

 

I have the Sierra 734 micro-guide. Amazing rod for it's price point. I actually enjoying fishing as much or more than some of my higher end rods.

Same exact one I have .Definately buying more.

[Chaos10691]

On 11/23/2021 at 10:59 PM, papajoe222 said:

There a just to many to choose from. Personally, I'd check out the St.Croix line. The Mojo, Bass X and Premier  series are in your price range. The best way to determine which  rod may suit you is to take the reel you intend to pair it with along with you and put it on a few rods. There is a comfort factor than many overlook when purchasing a new rod, similar to buying a shotgun. when it feels right, you know it.

100% this right here. When buying a new a new rod I do exactly what he said. A good example of this is I had a bunch of people praising the St Croix Victory Rods to me. I was gonna blind buy one but a local shop had the exact model I wanted so I took my Curado and paired it up. I found, for me, the handle was too small and it felt a bit too heavy. Those are great rods I’m sure and many people love them but they just weren’t right for me.

[Smalls]

14 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

Haven't used my  Tharp or iRod Genesis rods enough to give an opinion of my own.  Others have given them good reviews....which

It surprises me that you don't hear much about iRod, other than their swimbait rods. I absolutely love my genesis rods, and the lineup offers a rod for practically every technique and every situation imaginable. 

[Columbia Craw]

Kaden 714C.  If you want foam handles and a split grip, something else.  

[Hammer 4]

2 hours ago, Smalls said:

It surprises me that you don't hear much about iRod, other than their swimbait rods. I absolutely love my genesis rods, and the lineup offers a rod for practically every technique and every situation imaginable. 

Same here. The Irod Gen. III fish's way above the price points on these rods. And customer service is second to non, Matt is a great guy to deal with if need be. I should mention that these rods have EVA split grips.

[Smalls]

25 minutes ago, Hammer 4 said:

Same here. The Irod Gen. III fish's way above the price points on these rods. And customer service is second to non, Matt is a great guy to deal with if need be.

I haven't needed their customer service, but everything I've heard echoes this. 

 

I wish they would expand their Crusher lineup, I really like it.