Another frog rod question

[Mich. St8 Spartan]

Here in Michigan I fish a lot of heavy weed areas in the summer.  I have always used a spinning reel and rod for frogs and always did fine with it.  I broke my reel and am looking at getting a BC Reel/Rod to replace it.  I have tried to narrow things down but am not sure what to get.  I am looking at the following rods:

St. Croix Slop-N-Frog

Dobyns 736C

Powell  735

Quantum Dean Rojas Frog Rod

I have read a lot and all seem to get good reviews.  IYHO's, what would you all suggest?  I do a lot of frog fishing so I want as comfortable rod as possible.

Also, what type of reel would you pair with it?  Looking to spend up to $200.  Was looking at the new Quantum Smoke.  Any thoughts?

[Triton Bob]

Spend 3/4's on a great reel and 1/4 on your rod. Cheaper to upgrade the rod later..Good reels well taken care of last forever..

JMHO

[SeanW]

Any decent MH 7+ footer is more then enough. I am using a 7'3 MH Veritas. Heavy action rod and 65lb braid destroyed my shoulder in the past. The Veritas is also lighter then all of those mentioned.

[BrianinMD]

Of the rods you have listed, I would go with the Dobyns.

[TBendBassin]

Of the rods you have listed, I would go with the Dobyns.

x2

[Nibbles]

Dobyns.

I don't think the reel matters much as long as it can handle braid and can chuck a 1/2 oz bait. Since frogs are typically heavier baits and rely more on casting distance than pinpoint pitching accuracy I'd say go with a Shimano. I personally am a Daiwa fan but I've found from my experiences that Shimanos will almost always beat Daiwas in terms of pure casting distance with baits 3/8 oz and over.

I'd say get either a Caenan or a Curado E7 and upgrade its drag to Carbontex.

[repper]

get the Dobyns 736, and a shimano Curado 200e7. 

[Craiger12]

Another vote for the Dobyns 736C. But I prefer Daiwa, so I would put a Zillion on it. The Zillion is an excellent powerful reel that is built like a tank and handles heavier baits very well.

[Craiger12]

Just read your original post again. the Zillion will run you more than $200 new, but you can easily find one lightly used for around $175 - $185 if you look.

[Nibbles]

And if you can't, you can always get the TD Advantage HSTA, which is essentially a Zillion without CRBB's but with extra bearings in the handle to make the retrieve even smoother.

[Craiger12]

And if you can't, you can always get the TD Advantage HSTA, which is essentially a Zillion without CRBB's but with extra bearings in the handle to make the retrieve even smoother.

True, but it won't fit my hand like a Zillion 

[David P]

Dobyns 736C hands down. I'd opt for a Revo STX , 09 Models can be had for quite cheap and have the best drag out of all the reels that have been mentioned.

[Mich. St8 Spartan]

Thanks for all the feed back.  Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods.  Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod.  Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes 

[Vinny Chase]

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort. 

[OHIO]

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort.

Everyone likes different things. I prefer split grip for the comfort as well.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

You'll open up new possibilities by looking beyond rods labeled "Frog Rod". 7'> MH/F are widely available at many price points

[Vinny Chase]

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort.

Everyone likes different things. I prefer split grip for the comfort as well.

I never questioned the fact that people like split grips. My question was WHY?? do people like split grips for these techniques...

[Dockhead]

Make sure you consider just how thick the cover is that you will be fishing.

I have a Mojo Slop and Frog rod, and that thing is a broom stick. But many times that is exactly what is needed to get fish to the boat if the cover is really thick.

I think about upgrading it (just because, I guess), but it casts well, and extreme sensitivity is not needed for frogs, so I have stuck with it.

In thinner stuff you may be able to get away with a mh, but I still opt for at least a "light" heavy rod, just to be on the safe side.   

I have been using a Powell 734 in more sparse cover lately.

[Hooligan]

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort.

Everyone likes different things. I prefer split grip for the comfort as well.

I never questioned the fact that people like split grips. My question was WHY?? do people like split grips for these techniques...

I like split grips because the rod is less likely to rub a scar where I had surgery on my distal biceps tendon, for one.  It rests on the inside of my arm where a rod typically hits, and can be rather irritating, if not painful, on a full grip rod.

[OHIO]

Thanks for all the feed back. Still undecided between the Powell and Dobyns rods. Leaning to the Dobyns but prefer a split handle rod. Guess I got some time until the ice comes off the lakes

Just curious, why do people like split grips with techniques that require you to chuck the bait around all day>?

IMO full grip handles allow me to throw all day with more comfort.

Everyone likes different things. I prefer split grip for the comfort as well.

I never questioned the fact that people like split grips. My question was WHY?? do people like split grips for these techniques...

My answer was comfort.

[J Francho]

My answer was comfort.

What is comfortable about it?  How do you hold the reel?  Palm it, two or three fingers ahead of the trigger?  Two handed casts - where are your hands?

Those are the inferred questions.

[OHIO]

My answer was comfort.

What is comfortable about it? How do you hold the reel? Palm it, two or three fingers ahead of the trigger? Two handed casts - where are your hands?

Those are the inferred questions.

I have two fingers ahead of the trigger with my thumb and index finger on the reel.

I make two handed casts most of the time with my right hand on the reel and my left holding the rod where the handle splits.

I feel like I have more control of the cast with a split grip for some reason.

[J Francho]

My answer was comfort.

What is comfortable about it? How do you hold the reel? Palm it, two or three fingers ahead of the trigger? Two handed casts - where are your hands?

Those are the inferred questions.

I have two fingers ahead of the trigger with my thumb and index finger on the reel.

I make two handed casts most of the time with my right hand on the reel and my left holding the rod where the handle splits.

I feel like I have more control of the cast with a split grip for some reason.

So, you're holding the blank?  If so, that's weird.  And by weird, I don't mean its wrong or bad.  Just different.  Never seen that, even from the n00bs in my kayak classes.

[OHIO]

Yeah I have been told that a lot, but it works for me.