!What’s your absolutely favorite high end flipping stick ?

[Bandersnatch]

Think 1/2 - 1 1/4 ounce, thick grass & cheese. Does the extra leverage above 7’3 make a big difference ?

 

What is it? Why? Do you prefer longer or shorter ? I’ve been using my 73xh expride because I just couldn’t get a feel for my 711xh expride. I’ve been considering the 7’6xh & 7’7h expride. Overall rod weight matters to me, I’ll balance the butt end with a balancer combined with a light reel. Let’s hear it! 

[casts_by_fly]

I have a 7'6" and a 7'3" in that power range, plus another 7'4" in 1/2-1oz.  None have extra long rear grips, so its a roughly fair comparison (14-14.5").  For me, I prefer the shorter end for pitching.  I love a shorter rod yet for pitching lighter stuff (6'10") as the shorter length just works with my pitching style I guess.  For overhead bombing I like the longer rod, but not as much for pitching.  My 7'3" is a Cara Amistad (1/2-1.5) and previously I had the expert version (1/2- 2oz).  More or less the same power between them.  I use them primarily for pitching grass as that's what we have here mostly.  Its about as long as I want to go for that purpose and I love it for that.  I fish my 7'4" for a slightly lighter version of the same and it fishes similarly.  I can notice the difference in length and fish it, but the shorter feels just a bit better to me.  

[FishTank]

The NRX+ 895C. This is more powerful than I need but I want to throw something in heavy cover or vegetation, this is the rod. For as beefy as it is, it's light and sensitive.  

 

My second choice, Megabass Valkyrie 7'4'' H+. Great all around heavy rod. I have used it for jigs, A-rigs,  swimbaits, and big crankbaits.  It's heavier and not as sensitive as the NRX+ but it makes up for it in versatility.  

 

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

7’6” and up give you better reach when actually Flipping and they move a lot of line on the hookset. You can get a hook in them and moving up before they bury themselves. Extra important when punching the slop. 

[softwateronly]

@Bandersnatch  I have the rods you're considering, but don't actually flip often enough to know the ins and outs.  EX 7'3XH, 7'6XH, 7'7H and a PA 7'6XH.  My assessment is the 7'6XH feels exactly like a longer 7'3XH should.  Tip is the same, but now there's a little more mid section and butt to use, so overall it feels slightly more powerful.  The 7'7H is the most moderate of these moderate/fasts.  I feel like it loads up too deep when I'm horizontally fishing jigs in cover, so I can't control how they pop free.  But I see a lot of people loving softer Mod/fasts for flipping and this rod does have power after the midsection.  The PA 7'6XH feels like what I imagine a 904.5 mbr would feel like, except lighter and perfectly balanced with a Bantam.

 

scott

[Bandersnatch]

36 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

@Bandersnatch  I have the rods you're considering, but don't actually flip often enough to know the ins and outs.  EX 7'3XH, 7'6XH, 7'7H and a PA 7'6XH.  My assessment is the 7'6XH feels exactly like a longer 7'3XH should.  Tip is the same, but now there's a little more mid section and butt to use, so overall it feels slightly more powerful.  The 7'7H is the most moderate of these moderate/fasts.  I feel like it loads up too deep when I'm horizontally fishing jigs in cover, so I can't control how they pop free.  But I see a lot of people loving softer Mod/fasts for flipping and this rod does have power after the midsection.  The PA 7'6XH feels like what I imagine a 904.5 mbr would feel like, except lighter and perfectly balanced with a Bantam.

 

scott

Do you have a weight on the 7’6xh?

[softwateronly]

3 minutes ago, Bandersnatch said:

Do you have a weight on the 7’6xh?

Neither, I gave up the gram scale in college.  For other reasons.

 

scott

 

**I should add my exprides are all A series**

[Bandersnatch]

2 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

Neither, I gave up the gram scale in college.  For other reasons.

 

scott

Booooo

[softwateronly]

Just now, Bandersnatch said:

Booooo

I just moved to the buying side....

[KP Duty]

I have the Poison Glorious in 7'6"H (121g) and 7'4"XH (146g).  I rarely if ever flip, so I can't tell you how well they do in that regard.

[Bandersnatch]

I’m interested in what other options guys use 

[KP Duty]

Forgot about one...Savage Gear Black Ops 7'11"H (156g).  I have limited time with it, but it's nice and fishes well for a nearly 8' rod.

[CountryboyinDC]

I don't do a lot of flipping, just not that good at it.  When I know that I'm going to be fishing a lot of grass or laydowns, I might bring the flipping stick for it.  Mine's a 7'6, XH/F from ALX called the Brawler.  It's stout, and not light (but considering how much rod's there, not really all that heavy).  I'm sure you could use it for a big spoon or heavy football jig.  I've used it for pitching and I tried a smaller A-rig with it (no fish with it, though).  For me, it's a rod with 65 lb braid that handles the relatively few times a year that I end up fishing close up.  I have no other rods to compare this to - it's the only one remotely like it in my collection.  

 

 

[king fisher]

I use a 7' 6" Diawa Tatula Flipping Stick.  Not really high end, but it gets the job done for me.

[WRB]

10 hours ago, Bandersnatch said:

Think 1/2 - 1 1/4 ounce, thick grass & cheese. Does the extra leverage above 7’3 make a big difference ?

 

What is it? Why? Do you prefer longer or shorter ? I’ve been using my 73xh expride because I just couldn’t get a feel for my 711xh expride. I’ve been considering the 7’6xh & 7’7h expride. Overall rod weight matters to me, I’ll balance the butt end with a balancer combined with a light reel. Let’s hear it! 

Your 7’11” rod is good for flipping and suggest you watch Gary Kline video on flipping. The 7’6” may be OK for pitching but you can pitch with the longer rod. The difference in weight will be minimal as the added length is in the light weight tip.

Tom

[dave]

High end maybe years ago but, I will never part with my Castaway HG40 Bud Pruitt Flippin' Stick.  7'6" Heavy Slow.

[crypt]

I made an 8 foot MHX blank heavy act. rod that I love. also have a 7'6" MHX that is part of my 3 rods for flipping, punching and pitching. I do a lot of that down here.

[Columbia Craw]

Dobyns Xtreme 795 F/P

[PBBrandon]

Daiwa Tatula Elite AGS 7’6” HF flippin stick

 

I don’t flip a lot but when I do, this does a good job. The alconite guide version of this rod is alright too but a little tip heavy. The AGS guides really lighten the rod up and balance it out

[NorthernBasser]

I'm in the same boat as you re: the 7'11 Expride. I like it, but just don't love it for some reason. I have the A, BTW. Maybe the B is a little lighter?

 

I got the 7'3 XH Expride B few months back. I know many use it for froggin', but I'm planning on jigs/t-rigs in heavier grass. I know Brian form PunchFishing on Youtube mentions using it for punching as well. I just think that may be too short for my liking...at least for dedicated punching. I'm assuming you feel the same since you're looking at other options? 

 

I also had my eye on the 7'6' XH Expride B as well.

 

As of now my punching outfits are the 7'11 XH Expride A and the 7'6 H 13 Fishing Envy Black III. Light punching I sometimes use an ALX IKOS Thunder (7'6 XH/MF).

[T-Billy]

Not high end maybe, but I've been very happy with the Ark Invoker 7'6" XH. The 40 ton blank is plenty sensitive and has proven durable. It's a lot of rod for $150 IMO.

[Bandersnatch]

6 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

I'm in the same boat as you re: the 7'11 Expride. I like it, but just don't love it for some reason. I have the A, BTW. Maybe the B is a little lighter?

 

I got the 7'3 XH Expride B few months back. I know many use it for froggin', but I'm planning on jigs/t-rigs in heavier grass. I know Brian form PunchFishing on Youtube mentions using it for punching as well. I just think that may be too short for my liking...at least for dedicated punching. I'm assuming you feel the same since you're looking at other options? 

 

I also had my eye on the 7'6' XH Expride B as well.

 

As of now my punching outfits are the 7'11 XH Expride A and the 7'6 H 13 Fishing Envy Black III. Light punching I sometimes use an ALX IKOS Thunder (7'6 XH/MF).

I’m right there with you. Yes, I’ve seen Brian’s videos but with that said I don’t think he’s done a ton of punch. Can you do real punching with the 7’3xh, yes, I’ve done it in Florida but as Bobby barrack says, once you’re hooked up you’re just reeling and praying. You don’t have the leverage to move a fish. I bought the 7’11 a back when tactical bassin said it was the best punching rod ever. I fish in Florida quite a bit and punch a lot of hours on it but just didn’t like it. It was just too big and heavy in my opinion. Maybe I’m a wimp. At 6 ft 225lbs I don’t think it was too much of being a wimp. At for the 7’6, yes, I’m hoping it’s the same as the 7’3 but provides the extra torque will punching into heavy grass. I wish someone had the weight on that rod. 

[NorthernBasser]

3 hours ago, Bandersnatch said:

 I wish someone had the weight on that rod. 

I wish rod weights were accessible on websites like reel weights are. Some companies like ALX and Kistler list the weights on some of their stuff, but I've found even some of those were inaccurate. 

[MN Fisher]

12 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

I wish rod weights were accessible on websites like reel weights are.

St Croix USE to list the rod weight....now they don't. Why remove a piece of data that some of us would like to have?

[NorthernBasser]

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Why remove a piece of data that some of us would like to have?

Yeah, I don't get why companies don't give us this info. Well, I can see why some may not want it out there if their rods are really heavy. 

 

I don't know if you saw my post last night about Thunderhawk rods. After I posted I sent them a Facebook message asking what the weight was on a few of their rods. He/she said he didn't know offhand but that they're perfectly balanced. How do you not know this info if you're the rod builder?

 

They did get back to me right away and gave me a 20% off code, so that was nice.