Most Sensitive Jig Rod ~$300?

[Jmurphy87]

19 minutes ago, MiceNReets said:

I second that Orochi xx perfect pitch.   Such an awesome rod.   It’s heavier but doesn’t feel heavier because it balances so well.   

Yes exactly, I have had 894 glx, NRX+, poison adrena, conquest 844. And the perfect pitch is just as good.

[WRB]

ALX Zolo Deputy 7’1” MHF is a very good bottom contact rod with excellent customer service and warranty.

Tom 

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, MontclairDave said:

7’ is my preferred length cause I fish out of a kayak and beat the bank in close quarters mostly. Reel is a Zillion. Preferred line is straight fluoro (Abrazx 15-17 lb) but I sometimes throw braid to leader (40 lb PP to 15 lb Sunline Sniper).

Ha! I have a Falcon Expert Head Turner and it’s a pretty sweet rod. More of a moving bait rod that bottom contact though. Always wanted to try a Cara. 

are you looking for heavier or lighter than the head turner?

[JN94]

Another vote for Expride here. Nothing that compares in that price range imo

[MiceNReets]

26 minutes ago, JNorman said:

Another vote for Expride here. Nothing that compares in that price range imo

Maybe I’ll have to try an expride again.  I used to have a 7’2 MH.   Was not a fan of it.    Maybe I expected more from all the hype.   What model do you recommend?

[NorthernBasser]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

ALX Zolo Deputy 7’1” MHF is a very good bottom contact rod with excellent customer service and warranty.

Tom 

Very versatile rod. I mostly throw spinnerbaits on mine, but can easily double as a bottom-contact rod.

[Puggz]

Megabass P5 Destroyer spinning. Either a Flyssa or a Windbuster, depending on the weights you're throwing.

Worth the wait while you save up a few more shekels..

 

 

[JN94]

54 minutes ago, MiceNReets said:

Maybe I’ll have to try an expride again.  I used to have a 7’2 MH.   Was not a fan of it.    Maybe I expected more from all the hype.   What model do you recommend?

Haha the 7'2" MH is what I've got! I love it. It may just not be for you

[Derek1]

I have two exprides and two falcon Cara’s. I feel like I like the Cara’s more than the exprides. They seem to fit my hand better ( big hands).   I don’t love the 7’2” mh expride as much as I hoped I would. Not sure why. Only had it for one season though. I definitely can’t seem to go fishing without the 6’11” heavy Cara (eye crosser). I’ve throw from a 3/16th t rig 3/8’s to3/4 jigs. 3/8’s and up chatter baits 3/8’s weight and 8” bull worm. Big spinnerbait. All the way to a 6” magdraft freestyle on a 3/8’s 8/0 beast hook. I know it’s all personal but that rod just feels right to me. I can count grains of sand dragging a jig. It just seems to keep me engaged. 
I’m sure all the rods mentioned at this price point are great. It’s  really gonna be what you like in a rod. 

[txchaser]

I have both poison adrena and kistler helium in heavy. I have a preference for the kistler, IMO the tip (softer, just my preference) and the locking nut (PA is terrible if you are trying to choke up and feel the line) are far better. I just don't see a way to get in the sensitivity range of the helium at $250, unless maybe you can get a St Croix legend X at 40% off. I have one of those too, but it's a mod/f that I use for mid and deep cranks. From experience with it on that application I'd be willing to bet the fast is a really nice rod. 

 

[MontclairDave]

4 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

are you looking for heavier or lighter than the head turner?

A tad lighter than the Head Turner. Compact/finesse jigs up to 3/8 ounce.

[islandbass]

@NorthernBasser: WRB is right on this. The sensitivity does come from your hands. And yes, even an ugly stik is sensitive in my hands. No joke. 
 

If you are able or get the opportunity, try hand/line fishing. This means fishing with just the line and hook. Much of the world fishes this way. I was doing this in Mexico for fun (as I had my rods) since my wife’s nephew was fishing this way and it blew my mind. I really felt everything, including every wave my that passed through my line. The feedback was incredible, and better than any rod out there. Why? Probably because the feedback is DTC… Direct to consumer. No middle man, (ie, the rod) lol. And it was a blast. I sucked at it by the way. You spin it around like a lasso and you let it go and I had know idea where I was going to cast. 😂 He smoked me 7-0 and we only fished for about 30 minutes. 

 

It was on this day I discovered the sensation of sensitivity comes from my hands/fingers. I think we all kind of know this but we still love our rods, myself included. 
 

Granted, the rod can make casting easier and possibly farther, some leverage and improved line control and a rod’s ability to give you feedback — can make the fishing experience more fun.

 

Lastly, bring a resident of the Pacific NW, we love Lamiglas. I live about 2 hours away from their factory. Probably one of the most underrated bass rods out there. 👍😎

[Columbia Craw]

I’ve never owned a Kistler Helium. Kistler outsourced blanks from Lamiglas for a time.  Then they built off of NFC blanks.  I understand Kistler now rolls blanks in house.  I have a few NFC Edge rods and the MBR 736-1C Silver Widow is the most sensitive rod I’ve fished with. If a new Helium is even close at $247.00, that would get my attention fast.  

[rangerjockey]

5 hours ago, MontclairDave said:

A tad lighter than the Head Turner. Compact/finesse jigs up to 3/8 ounce.

Cara finesse jig rod.

[Derek1]

2 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

Cara finesse jig rod.

Agreed. Great rod from pitching sencos to 3/8’s jigs. 

[Functional]

While I love my MHF Expride I wouldnt say its leaps and bounds better than my Victory or ARK Tharp rod. The reel seat is a lot more comfortable for my hands. I'm half in agreement with Tom, keeping a finger on the line helps me with bite detection when working the lure slow or when stopped but I feel the blank quality helps when you are moving the lure and identify between a bite and a twig/rock/weed. 

 

After saying all that Id still spring for an Expride, ALX Zolo or a Megabass. The build quality alone is worth the price increase even if the Victory and ARK are comparable. 

[DogBone_384]

I've switched most of my rods to Kistler over the last few years.  My go to rods are Heliums in MH/F and HMH/F.  They're light, very sensitive, and made in Texas. 

 

To me, they just feel right in my hand, but because there are a number of great rods in your budget, I'd suggest handling as many rods you're interested in as possible. 

 

Best of luck picking out your next jig rod. 

[Str8BraidPowa]

After having tried many Jig rods my line up below is mostly Expride's and I can not be happier with them. With that being said these rods do double duty. I use them for jack hammers, spinner baits, medium size swim baits, etc. What I like about them is having a higher end feel while being fairly versatile. After trying St Croix, Dobyns, IMX pro's, and a couple others it is where I have landed for most of my line up.

 

7' 2" ML Expride- Micro jigs

7'2" MH Expride- 3/8" finesse jigs

7'2" H Expride- 1/2" finesse jigs, football jigs, 3/8" grass jig around a little bit of grass

7'5" Orrochi Brailist- 3/4" jigs, or around heavier grass of lots of cover.

[Bass Rutten]

5 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

I understand Kistler now rolls blanks in house.

Copy pasta’d from their website:

“Extremely High Modulus Blanks - 100% Japanese Carbon by Toray.”

 

The blanks are made by a Korean manufacturer from what I’ve read.

[casts_by_fly]

8 hours ago, MontclairDave said:

A tad lighter than the Head Turner. Compact/finesse jigs up to 3/8 ounce.

 

Cara Swim jig.  7'2", MH/F.  Ignore the posted weigh range.

 

3 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

Cara finesse jig rod.

 

I agree its a great rod, but my initial through was the swim jig.  Just a bit more length, about the same light tip, but a bit more backbone.  I've gone down as low as 1/16 oz and a light plastic with it on 30 lb braid and of course it will throw 3/8 swim jigs.  Either is a good choice and I have both here (the FJ is in the expert series) but if I'm doing what he's saying, I'm picking up the swim jig rod.

 

P.S. I wish they would change the rating on the rod.  I know the 1/8-3/8 rating is to describe the swim jig weights it was designed for, but the rod is more versatile than just swim jigs and I think that rating puts people off considering it since that's the rating for a 'light' most of the time and this is definitely a MH/F.

 

Rick

 

[Lead Head]

I will recommend going custom, especially if you haven't had one in the past. If you can swing something built on a Point Blank rod blank, they are really special. The PB731MHXF is my absolute favorite 3/8oz jig rod.

[rangerjockey]

2 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

Cara Swim jig.  7'2", MH/F.  Ignore the posted weigh range.

 

 

I agree its a great rod, but my initial through was the swim jig.  Just a bit more length, about the same light tip, but a bit more backbone.  I've gone down as low as 1/16 oz and a light plastic with it on 30 lb braid and of course it will throw 3/8 swim jigs.  Either is a good choice and I have both here (the FJ is in the expert series) but if I'm doing what he's saying, I'm picking up the swim jig rod.

 

P.S. I wish they would change the rating on the rod.  I know the 1/8-3/8 rating is to describe the swim jig weights it was designed for, but the rod is more versatile than just swim jigs and I think that rating puts people off considering it since that's the rating for a 'light' most of the time and this is definitely a MH/F.

 

Rick

 

I personally like the finesse rod more for any jigs. The swim jig rod is a really versatile rod and You could use it for ball heads but I like the rod that was designed for them.

[rangerjockey]

8 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

I’ve never owned a Kistler Helium. Kistler outsourced blanks from Lamiglas for a time.  Then they built off of NFC blanks.  I understand Kistler now rolls blanks in house.  I have a few NFC Edge rods and the MBR 736-1C Silver Widow is the most sensitive rod I’ve fished with. If a new Helium is even close at $247.00, that would get my attention fast.  

Kistler has his blanks made overseas now. When he was using the NFC blanks he had a great niche

And made some outstanding rods. Even if he would have raised the prices and stayed with NFC I feel like he would have been better off. 

Now with the Helium and Z bone using the same blank the whole line up seems kinda muddy to me.

[MontclairDave]

Amazing feedback as usual. Leaning towards getting another Falcon, probably the Finesse jig model in Cara line, since I am curious to see gain in sensitivity over Expert.

 

Also thinking of Expride but a bit outside the box: the 6’ 10” Medium, which the TB boys say of course is their fav jerkbait rod but could also double as a finesse jig rod. Anyone use that model for finesse jigs?

 

Or I can save $$$$ and just hand-line for bass 🙃

[KP Duty]

Sleeper pick- Savage Gear Black Ops.  42T blank with Titanium fuji guides and SiC's...

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-SVGRODS.html?from=basres