Megabass Daemos vs Dobyns dc735cb glass

[TimTheGearNerd]

I can’t believe the Dobyns Champion dc735cb glass was so much better than the Daemos for chatterbait.  
 

Both had 3/8 oz chatter with Yamamoto zako tied on. I think total weight is about .75oz
 

Rod: Dobyns Dc735cb glass 7’3”

Reel: Daiwa Steez A 6:1

Line: 14# fc sniper flouro 

 

Rod: Megabass Destroyer Daemos 7’2”

Reel: 2020 Shimano Metanium 6:1

Line: 12# invisix flouro 

 

The dobyns felt heftier with the glass and the bulkier steez A but for some reason, I felt the chatterbait blade much more on this set up. 
 

The Daemos on the other hand felt weightless in hand which was awesome but for some reason, despite being a fully graphite blank, I hardly felt the blade at all. Isn’t graphite expected to be more sensitive ?
 

Not sure what’s the cause for the difference in feel but there is a huge price difference between the rods so I would have expected more out of the Megabass at almost twice the retail price. 

 

I was mainly out playing around with my new Steez A and for fun tired on different colored chatterbaits to see if the bass had a preference. 
 

I just felt very little from the Daemos on retrieve but the Dobyns was vibrating like crazy using the same exact zman Chatterbait. 
 

I typically use the Daemos on swim bait, dark sleeper, swim jigs but I’m a bit surprised at the finding. 
 

Anyone else have experience with Megabass rods? Are Megabass destroyers over hyped or are Dobyns champions just punching above its weight class? 

[softwateronly]

I'd be as surprised as you, to be honest.  I have a Tequila Bacarac and an Onager, and they both seem rather sensitive for big bait rods.  I also have a few champions that I like a lot, but sensitivity isn't what I would consider their strength.

 

scott

[TimTheGearNerd]

@softwateronly, I’m on same page as you. 
 

I have a few Dobyns Champs (734c, 736c) and a champ extreme 745 for dragging. 
 

Dobyns rods always have great balance but it’s not even close when it comes to sensitivity. My NRX and my old Kistler KLX is way better. I was just confused by what I discovered about the Daemos. 
 

I’m curious whether a bottom contact presentations might flip the script on the two rods. I’ll tie on a tungsten t-rig and see what happens later today. The glass rod should feel like a limp noodle  ? but I’ll let you know. 

[softwateronly]

Maybe there's a resonance with the chatterbait and the 735cb glass, either way, sounds like you found a sweet niche for a single hook bait and a glass rod.  I'm sure that the glass rod will put em in the boat if they hit it.

 

scott

 

[TimTheGearNerd]

Just got back throwing some bottom contact presentations on both rods. It definitely doesn’t make sense to have a Texas rig on the glass rod, the Daemos is slightly more sensitive but nothing impressive. 
 

 

[Tommy3407]

I’ve been considering the Daemos for chatterbait too. A lot of folks want a more softer action rod for chatterbait but I honestly like a faster rod to rip and pop the chatterbait out of grass with little effort and to be able to do it from the far end of a cast. 
 

I’ve tried the Kistler KLX Feel n Reel but not sensitive enough, I throw my chatterbaits on the Shimano Poison Adrena 73MH and it’s super sensitive. I feel every little vibration to be able to pop the chatterbait to start vibrating again at the slightest feeling of when it hits grassn and stops vibrating. I think that’s key to triggering reaction bites. Too soft a rod and you can pop the chatterbait quick enough to keep the cadence. Unfortunately I’ve broken the Shimano Poison Adrena twice and sent in for replacement. First one broke at the tip on a cast and the replacement rod they sent broke at the base of the blank on a cast. I take good care of my rods but don’t expect to have to “baby” a rod when fishing so as much as I like the sensitivity of the rod and how it fishes a chatterbait. I don’t want to risk another rod breaking, so sold that rod off after Shimano sent a second replacement. Now I’m trying to find an alternative. 

Would be interested to hear your experience again now after more uses with those two rods. Also I’m wondering how then Daemos stacks up to the Dark Sleepr Rod. They’re almost identical in specs. I would want the more faster and sensitive out of the two. 

[Tatulatard]

I don't want a rod the makes fishing a chatterbait feel like I am running my yard trimmer.  I want to know that the blade is moving but not more.  I expect a dedicated moving bait rod to filter the feedback to the point that the rod is not violently shaking as I work a chatterbait.  This is actually one of my big complaints on a moving bait stick.  I want to feel the bait and less of the blade.  At the price of the megabass rod and assuming it is a moving bait rod I would reckon that this "lack of sensitivity" to the blade of a chatterbait is by design.

 

[Tommy3407]

Personal preference. For me I prefer the feed back and sensitivity for then areas I fish a moving bladed bait whether it be a chatterbait or spinner bait. Tell me which rod your tested that you’ve got your biggest complaint on with feeling the blade move? I might end up picking up that rod haha

[WRB]

A good crank bait rod should have tip bounce to indicate what the lure is doing, big advantage for glass-composite rods. Chatter baits are similar  feeling the blade bounce. When the tip stops bouncing it’s a weed or bass.

Bottom contact is all about line movement and pressure change where high psi rods transfer feedback far better then glass-composite.

Choose your brand and budget. Compare apple and apples not graphic to glass-composite.

Tom

[Tatulatard]

3 hours ago, Tommy3407 said:

Personal preference. For me I prefer the feed back and sensitivity for then areas I fish a moving bladed bait whether it be a chatterbait or spinner bait. Tell me which rod your tested that you’ve got your biggest complaint on with feeling the blade move? I might end up picking up that rod haha

72M zodias gen 1.  The whole rod violently shook when retiving a chatterbait.  Its all you could feel.  It dominated every other subtle feedback I would get from the bait such as touching grass or bottom.  I want to feel the blade moving but I don't want the rod to shout it at me at 100 db.

[TimTheGearNerd]

I really liked the violent shaking. When the shaking stops I pop the lure which is either a bass or triggers the bass. 
 

I didn’t realize this is a feature of glass rods but I’m a fan. 
 

 

[TimTheGearNerd]

13 hours ago, Tommy3407 said:

I’ve been considering the Daemos for chatterbait too. A lot of folks want a more softer action rod for chatterbait but I honestly like a faster rod to rip and pop the chatterbait out of grass with little effort and to be able to do it from the far end of a cast. 
 

I’ve tried the Kistler KLX Feel n Reel but not sensitive enough, I throw my chatterbaits on the Shimano Poison Adrena 73MH and it’s super sensitive. I feel every little vibration to be able to pop the chatterbait to start vibrating again at the slightest feeling of when it hits grassn and stops vibrating. I think that’s key to triggering reaction bites. Too soft a rod and you can pop the chatterbait quick enough to keep the cadence. Unfortunately I’ve broken the Shimano Poison Adrena twice and sent in for replacement. First one broke at the tip on a cast and the replacement rod they sent broke at the base of the blank on a cast. I take good care of my rods but don’t expect to have to “baby” a rod when fishing so as much as I like the sensitivity of the rod and how it fishes a chatterbait. I don’t want to risk another rod breaking, so sold that rod off after Shimano sent a second replacement. Now I’m trying to find an alternative. 

Would be interested to hear your experience again now after more uses with those two rods. Also I’m wondering how then Daemos stacks up to the Dark Sleepr Rod. They’re almost identical in specs. I would want the more faster and sensitive out of the two. 

I have been using both rods for a few months now. I basically keep a chatterbait on my glass rod and the Daemos has a swim bait tied on which it’s great for. 
 

I don’t really feel like Megabass has a great warranty so I’m more careful with my MB rods. I rather get a bunch of dobyns but I do think the Daemos is a very enjoyable toy. 

[Tommy3407]

On 4/14/2023 at 6:54 PM, TimTheGearNerd said:

I really liked the violent shaking. When the shaking stops I pop the lure which is either a bass or triggers the bass. 
 

I didn’t realize this is a feature of glass rods but I’m a fan. 
 

 

Same here. On another note, how is the Dobyns rod tip? I’ve had issue with softer rod tips where it took more effort to pop off grass.