Return My Vendetta And Replace With What?

[kennyo]

I picked up a Abu Garcia Vendetta, in MHF 6'6' to use as a jig rod. Typically i fish 1/4 to 1/2 oz jigs around woody cover. I've fished the rod twice and caught several fish up to 3.5 pounds.

I really like how the rod balances, looks, and feels in my hand. It has great backbone and I'm getting good hooksets with the Jig. My problem is it just doesn't seem very sensitive. I'm catching fish with it, but I'm just feeling like there isn't enough sensitivity and that i'm missing the initial pickup too often.

I'm within my 90 day return policy at gander mountain, and I'm really considering returning it for something else. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Kennyo

[Fat-G]

Shimano Crucial, Dobyns Savvy.

I would definitely get a 7' rod. It will give you more power and leverage to pull them away from heavy cover.

[Shane J]

Yeah, the Crucial is waaay more sensitive than the Vendetta (and like half the weight), but it's also twice the price. If you can do it, then I would for sure, but if not, check out the Shimano Compre for just a few more bucks. It's a great rod for the money. Going to a 7 footer is a good idea, too.

[BASSclary]

Shimano Crucial, Dobyns Savvy.

I would definitely get a 7' rod. It will give you more power and leverage to pull them away from heavy cover.

Not to be a buzzkill, but I thought shorter rods were more powerful, while longer rods let you play the fish better?

That's why they use shorter rods when fishing for big, fighting, saltwater fish.

I may be wrong though

[Fat-G]

Not to be a buzzkill, but I thought shorter rods were more powerful, while longer rods let you play the fish better?

That's why they use shorter rods when fishing for big, fighting, saltwater fish.

I may be wrong though

Those salt rods are very stiff.

A longer rod has a lot more leverage an power. That's why flipping sticks and frog rods are all long, if you stick a 6+ in pads, slop, or wood cover you can get her up and out a lot quicker.

You also get better hooksets. For baitcasters I rarely use under a 7'2 rod.

Try using a 6'6 MH rod for flipping and you will immediately know what I'm talking about.

[WdyCrankbait]

Try a Shimano Compre if $$ is a question. I have a couple of Cruicals and a Compre. The weight more then the senistivity is what I notice most between the two rods.

[BassThumb]

Not to be a buzzkill, but I thought shorter rods were more powerful, while longer rods let you play the fish better?

That's why they use shorter rods when fishing for big, fighting, saltwater fish.

I may be wrong though

No, you're correct. This comes up every couple years. Google "Fishing Rod Leverage" and you'll find lots of people claiming longer rods have more leverage, but they don't. Longer rods have many advantages over shorter rods, but leverage isn't one of them.

"...You'll see that a fishing rod is an example of a Class 3 lever. Class 3 levers always have a MA < 1, therefore they would not be used to gain output force. In fact, the further the load (rod tip) is from the point of "input force" (you holding down by the reel) the more effort is required on your part. Subsequently, the longer the rod, the less leverage you have over a fish. In fact, the fish actually gains leverage on you. This may not be apparent to the average basser hauling in 3 and 4 pound bass over weed mats, because the loss is small relative to the size of and force applied by the angler, and easily compensated for in such instances. It becomes much more obvious at the extremes, for example deep water ocean jigging."

"To test out this long rod/leverage thing, here is a simple experiment you can do. I learned this one in grade school. Get an old fashioned straw broom and lay it on the floor. Put a small canned good on the straw part using it like a platform. Now, grab the broom handle right next to the straw and lift. Not too difficult really. Now move your hand halfway down the handle and try again. A little more of a struggle. Lastly, slide down and grab the very end of the broom and try to lift the canned good off the floor. Could you even do it? The weight of the small can didn't change. Bass on the end of your rod are no different...the longer the rod, the less leverage you have and the more leverage the bass has."

http://www.bigindianabass.com/big_indiana_bass/long-rods-and-leverage-it-aint-so.html

[Bass_Fanatic]

No, you're correct. This comes up every couple years. Google "Fishing Rod Leverage" and you'll find lots of people claiming longer rods have more leverage, but they don't. Longer rods have many advantages over shorter rods, but leverage isn't one of them.

"...You'll see that a fishing rod is an example of a Class 3 lever. Class 3 levers always have a MA < 1, therefore they would not be used to gain output force. In fact, the further the load (rod tip) is from the point of "input force" (you holding down by the reel) the more effort is required on your part. Subsequently, the longer the rod, the less leverage you have over a fish. In fact, the fish actually gains leverage on you. This may not be apparent to the average basser hauling in 3 and 4 pound bass over weed mats, because the loss is small relative to the size of and force applied by the angler, and easily compensated for in such instances. It becomes much more obvious at the extremes, for example deep water ocean jigging."

"To test out this long rod/leverage thing, here is a simple experiment you can do. I learned this one in grade school. Get an old fashioned straw broom and lay it on the floor. Put a small canned good on the straw part using it like a platform. Now, grab the broom handle right next to the straw and lift. Not too difficult really. Now move your hand halfway down the handle and try again. A little more of a struggle. Lastly, slide down and grab the very end of the broom and try to lift the canned good off the floor. Could you even do it? The weight of the small can didn't change. Bass on the end of your rod are no different...the longer the rod, the less leverage you have and the more leverage the bass has."

http://www.bigindianabass.com/big_indiana_bass/long-rods-and-leverage-it-aint-so.html

Im pretty sure that yall are talking about two different things. A longer rod will take more force from the angler, I agree, but it also moves more line, which equates to a better hookup percentage and it allows the fisherman to move turn the head of the fish because of this. This is why a longer rod lets you pull fish out of cover better.

Picture this, a fisherman using a rod as long as a pencil. While it would take much less power to set the hook, the fisherman is only moving about six inches of line, which will result in lost fish. Also, as the fish gets close to the boat, moving the rod as long as a pencil from side to side will not hardly move the fish. But it the rod is 7ft. long, you could move 7 ft. of line which results in better hookups. Also, when the fish is by the boat, the angler can move the fish several feet just be moving the rod.

[BassThumb]

Sorry for sidetracking the thread.

I would recommend a Dobyns Savvy. I've seen them go for around $110-120 shipped recently on eBay with just the single minimum starting bid. I think a 704 or 734 would suit you best, but here's a 703 for sale right now for $112.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DOBYNS-SAVVY-SERIES-SS-703C-CASTING-ROD-NEW-/230609582093?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b166f80d#ht_500wt_922

[slonezp]

Fenwick HMG. 'nuff said.

[Pantera61]

No, you're correct. This comes up every couple years. Google "Fishing Rod Leverage" and you'll find lots of people claiming longer rods have more leverage, but they don't. Longer rods have many advantages over shorter rods, but leverage isn't one of them.

"...You'll see that a fishing rod is an example of a Class 3 lever. Class 3 levers always have a MA < 1, therefore they would not be used to gain output force. In fact, the further the load (rod tip) is from the point of "input force" (you holding down by the reel) the more effort is required on your part. Subsequently, the longer the rod, the less leverage you have over a fish. In fact, the fish actually gains leverage on you. This may not be apparent to the average basser hauling in 3 and 4 pound bass over weed mats, because the loss is small relative to the size of and force applied by the angler, and easily compensated for in such instances. It becomes much more obvious at the extremes, for example deep water ocean jigging."

"To test out this long rod/leverage thing, here is a simple experiment you can do. I learned this one in grade school. Get an old fashioned straw broom and lay it on the floor. Put a small canned good on the straw part using it like a platform. Now, grab the broom handle right next to the straw and lift. Not too difficult really. Now move your hand halfway down the handle and try again. A little more of a struggle. Lastly, slide down and grab the very end of the broom and try to lift the canned good off the floor. Could you even do it? The weight of the small can didn't change. Bass on the end of your rod are no different...the longer the rod, the less leverage you have and the more leverage the bass has."

http://www.bigindianabass.com/big_indiana_bass/long-rods-and-leverage-it-aint-so.html

What kind of lever has a continually shifting fulcrum?

[Siebert Outdoors]

Loomis IMX 843 for what you have described.

[jignfule]

Loomis IMX 843 for what you have described.

844 is also an excellent jig rod imo

[skunked_again]

I picked up a Abu Garcia Vendetta, in MHF 6'6' to use as a jig rod. Typically i fish 1/4 to 1/2 oz jigs around woody cover. I've fished the rod twice and caught several fish up to 3.5 pounds.

I really like how the rod balances, looks, and feels in my hand. It has great backbone and I'm getting good hooksets with the Jig. My problem is it just doesn't seem very sensitive. I'm catching fish with it, but I'm just feeling like there isn't enough sensitivity and that i'm missing the initial pickup too often.

I'm within my 90 day return policy at gander mountain, and I'm really considering returning it for something else. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Kennyo

what line are you using?

[Sam]

Verdict!

[SirSnookalot]

Bass Thump explained it well, shorter rods do have more leverage but that is applicable only to your target species and where you are fishing. I don't want to get into a explanation of saltwater equipment only to say that inshore saltwater fishing, via boat or bank is very similar to freshwater fishing, offshore different rules apply.

[kennyo]

I'm using 20 lb fireline with a floro leader.

[Chaz Hickcox]

Those salt rods are very stiff.

A longer rod has a lot more leverage an power. That's why flipping sticks and frog rods are all long, if you stick a 6+ in pads, slop, or wood cover you can get her up and out a lot quicker.

You also get better hooksets. For baitcasters I rarely use under a 7'2 rod.

Try using a 6'6 MH rod for flipping and you will immediately know what I'm talking about.

I have to second that. I was pitching with a 6'6" MHF last year (had no choice at the time) and could not get the fish away from the trees, nor could I get any decent hook sets. Too many lost fish. I went out the next week (and didn't forget my 7'6" flippin stick and didn't lose a single one. That extra leverage means a hell of a lot. Also, those sort saltwater rods are for bottom bouncing heavy, heavy weighted rigs One pound plus weights and 100+ pound fish. That's when you almost need a 2x4 so you don't lose the rod.