Choosing a Rod

steve.chick · 01-03-10, 03:30 PM

I purchased a Revo Premier reel, but now I want to make sure I put it on an appropriate rod. For general Large Mouth Bass fishing (spnnerbaits, jigs, cranbaits) what is recommended, i.e. medium or medium heavy and 6'6" or 7'? I cannot afford the real expensive rods, but how about a Scheels rod? I also saw a good buy on a 6'6" medium action Ugly Stick. How does it stack up as a bass rod?

Thanks

NEPiker

nofearengineer · 01-03-10, 04:12 PM

There are a lot of variables to take into consideration...type of cover you will be fishing, weight of your lures, depth of your crankbaits, etc. Also, the length of rod you are comfortable using is also a factor.

But generally speaking, a good rod for jigging will be 6'6" long, somewhat stiff, say a MH, with a fast action tip.

A spinnerbait rod will usually be a lot like a jig rod, M-MH, and 6'6" - 7'0" long, but sometimes a bit more towards the medium-fast action, depending on your personal taste. A spinnerbait is a reaction bait, which is to say you're not trying to detect the strike so much as ensure a good hookset.

A good crankbait rod is typically a bit more flexible than a jig or spinnerbait rod, because you are using treble hooks. Again, a reaction bait, so making sure those hooks sink in is the most important thing. Depending on the depth of the crank, you may want a heavier power rod, but you will probably want a medium action.

If I could only fish one rod, and had to use it for all three, I would get a 7'0" MH rod with a medium-fast action, try to control my hooksets with the crankbaits, and concentrate a little harder on detecting jig strikes.

An Ugly Stik is a good rod if you're hard on your tackle; it is hard to break, and pretty inexpensive to replace should you do the impossible and mangle it. However, I probably won't be the only one to tell you that using that Premier with an Ugly Stik is like performing brain surgery with a stone axe. Rather than buy a rod that I bet you would find annoying in 6 months, take a look at these:

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descpageABUCR-AGVCR.html

Pretty decent entry-level rods. I'm sure others on here will post other good choices for you.

bassackwards · 01-03-10, 04:51 PM

maby it's just me but i don't like ugly stick's for bass they just seem to stiff for me.
im with nofear 7ft mh fast action tip they got some good ones at bps if ya look, that wont kill your wallet. heck i got a couple of berkley cherrywoods from wallmart and i love them (and they were cheep) don't know if this helps.

TN_Bassin · 01-03-10, 05:38 PM

I would say for a rod suited to many different things, go with a MH action with a fast tip.
A rod that would go very well for your Premier would be the Abu Vendetta. They are supposed to be specifically designed to go with the Revo series. They are around 90$ at Bass Pro.

How much are you looking to spend on a rod?

steve.chick · 01-03-10, 05:58 PM

You guys were really helpful. I was hoping to keep it under $100 and looks like the Abu Garcia Abu Vendetta is a great way to go. Thanks for your help.

NEPiker

steve.chick · 01-03-10, 06:04 PM

I shared your comments with my wife and she responded with I think you should take the Revo Premier Reel back and match a reel to the Ugly Stik rod. Thank goodness she was just kidding -- I think.

NE Piker

TN_Bassin · 01-03-10, 06:16 PM

I would start hiding my fishing gear at that comment...

Bassboss · 01-03-10, 06:18 PM

Ya, I agree with a Vendetta, I hear it's a really good rod. Feels pretty solid (although I don't like the reel seat to much, it puts my fingers to close together). You could also get the the skeet reese rods buy Write and Magil, they seem really good too, lighter. IMO 6'9" is the best all around length. But if you fish a lot of jigs and pitch and flip a lot, 7' will probably do you better, same if you through cranks a lot! But if you fish spinner baits and top water a lot, 6'6" - 6'9" will do you best. MH action.

Put some 10lb p-line cxx (breaking strength of about 17lb), on that reel and you'll have a good everything combo.... really good!

keithdog · 01-03-10, 11:59 PM

I think Nofear hit it right on the head. Very good advice. The only thing I would add is another rod you might want to take a look at. It's a Shimano Compre rod. It's right around $100.00. And you can get it in a 6 1/2' Medium heavy power with a medium fast action tip. I would think that woould be a great rod for what your looking for. It's available through Cabelas.

BigBassin144 · 01-04-10, 09:33 AM

No fear has pretty much got it down.

Jigs - 7' MH and a Fast action.

Spinnerbaits - I prefer a shorter rod, from 6'3"-6'6" in MH and Fast action. But a longer rod can be used just fine.

Crankbaits - Longer rods are good, 7" up to about 7'6". For most cranks, a M to MH rod will work (I prefer the M) and the most important part with cranks is a slower action. a Moderate action in best IMO, but a Moderate Fast would work too, especially with heavier cranks.

With your price range, you're in luck. $100 is what they call the "Value Market" for rods and it has been slammed this year with multiple new rod from many different companies.

It seems as though the Abu Garcia Vendetta is the perferred rod in this market by most on here. And as for the ones I've looked at, the Vendetta has seemed the best. But here's some more you may want to check out. W&M Skeet Reese Tessera, St. Croix. Mojo, BPS Carbonlite, Falcon Bucoo, Shimano Clarus and Compre, Lamiglass has a new value market rod out too, the Cabela's Prodigy (I think that's what it's called), and I'm sure there's more. But if I had to pick three rods in this list (and this is on feel in the stores alone, I haven't fished any of them) I'd say the Shimano Compre, AG Vendetta, and Falcon Bucoo.

BB

Bubba_Bruiser · 01-04-10, 05:51 PM

Steve, never relinquish tackle information to the significant other. It wouldn't matter if you could make a jig curve around 2 trees and land like Luganis in the deep end, they won't understand. Don't lie about it, but don't volunteer it either.

Are you boat or bank fishing? If your bank fishing, a long rod can be good or bad depending on the bank. If you have to go through a bunch of brush or side cast, a long rod could be hindering and backlashes out the wahzoo for hitting brush. A short boat, 10-12', with 2 people can be a recipe for danger, too with long rods. You have to stay on your toes with your buddy or he will be slapping your rod or vice versa (LMAO, y'all know what I mean) and broke rod tips from encroaching in the others tackle area.

bamabassman · 01-04-10, 06:25 PM

Ok.......i might be a little biased here, but gonna say it anyway. THROW AWAY THE U G L Y STICK. Go back to wally world and find the ABU TOURNY SERIES rod. 7', mh action with a fast tip. Good all around rod for the money. I have this rod myself and use it every time i hit the water.But i have a garcia goldmax on it. I too have very little money for the expensive gear. So i know the quality of this set up. It works great in my opion for the money.

01-03-10, 03:30 PM	#1
steve.chick BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 6	Choosing a Rod I purchased a Revo Premier reel, but now I want to make sure I put it on an appropriate rod. For general Large Mouth Bass fishing (spnnerbaits, jigs, cranbaits) what is recommended, i.e. medium or medium heavy and 6'6" or 7'? I cannot afford the real expensive rods, but how about a Scheels rod? I also saw a good buy on a 6'6" medium action Ugly Stick. How does it stack up as a bass rod? Thanks NEPiker

01-03-10, 04:12 PM	#2
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	There are a lot of variables to take into consideration...type of cover you will be fishing, weight of your lures, depth of your crankbaits, etc. Also, the length of rod you are comfortable using is also a factor. But generally speaking, a good rod for jigging will be 6'6" long, somewhat stiff, say a MH, with a fast action tip. A spinnerbait rod will usually be a lot like a jig rod, M-MH, and 6'6" - 7'0" long, but sometimes a bit more towards the medium-fast action, depending on your personal taste. A spinnerbait is a reaction bait, which is to say you're not trying to detect the strike so much as ensure a good hookset. A good crankbait rod is typically a bit more flexible than a jig or spinnerbait rod, because you are using treble hooks. Again, a reaction bait, so making sure those hooks sink in is the most important thing. Depending on the depth of the crank, you may want a heavier power rod, but you will probably want a medium action. If I could only fish one rod, and had to use it for all three, I would get a 7'0" MH rod with a medium-fast action, try to control my hooksets with the crankbaits, and concentrate a little harder on detecting jig strikes. An Ugly Stik is a good rod if you're hard on your tackle; it is hard to break, and pretty inexpensive to replace should you do the impossible and mangle it. However, I probably won't be the only one to tell you that using that Premier with an Ugly Stik is like performing brain surgery with a stone axe. Rather than buy a rod that I bet you would find annoying in 6 months, take a look at these: http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descpageABUCR-AGVCR.html Pretty decent entry-level rods. I'm sure others on here will post other good choices for you. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after. Last edited by nofearengineer; 01-03-10 at 05:22 PM. Reason: fixed typos

01-03-10, 05:38 PM	#4
TN_Bassin BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bon Aqua,TN Posts: 1,013	I would say for a rod suited to many different things, go with a MH action with a fast tip. A rod that would go very well for your Premier would be the Abu Vendetta. They are supposed to be specifically designed to go with the Revo series. They are around 90$ at Bass Pro. How much are you looking to spend on a rod? __________________ Other anglers are tough, but the fish are the real competition.

01-03-10, 05:58 PM	#5
steve.chick BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 6	Rod Selection You guys were really helpful. I was hoping to keep it under $100 and looks like the Abu Garcia Abu Vendetta is a great way to go. Thanks for your help. NEPiker

01-03-10, 06:04 PM	#6
steve.chick BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 6	Rod Selection I shared your comments with my wife and she responded with I think you should take the Revo Premier Reel back and match a reel to the Ugly Stik rod. Thank goodness she was just kidding -- I think. NE Piker

01-03-10, 04:51 PM	#3
bassackwards BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: hampton va Posts: 408	maby it's just me but i don't like ugly stick's for bass they just seem to stiff for me. im with nofear 7ft mh fast action tip they got some good ones at bps if ya look, that wont kill your wallet. heck i got a couple of berkley cherrywoods from wallmart and i love them (and they were cheep) don't know if this helps.

01-03-10, 06:16 PM	#7
TN_Bassin BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bon Aqua,TN Posts: 1,013	I would start hiding my fishing gear at that comment... __________________ Other anglers are tough, but the fish are the real competition.

01-03-10, 06:18 PM	#8
Bassboss BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Shawano, WI Posts: 7,761	Ya, I agree with a Vendetta, I hear it's a really good rod. Feels pretty solid (although I don't like the reel seat to much, it puts my fingers to close together). You could also get the the skeet reese rods buy Write and Magil, they seem really good too, lighter. IMO 6'9" is the best all around length. But if you fish a lot of jigs and pitch and flip a lot, 7' will probably do you better, same if you through cranks a lot! But if you fish spinner baits and top water a lot, 6'6" - 6'9" will do you best. MH action. Put some 10lb p-line cxx (breaking strength of about 17lb), on that reel and you'll have a good everything combo.... really good! __________________ If you can't fix it with heavy squats or fish oil, you're probably going to die. Last edited by Bassboss; 01-03-10 at 06:23 PM.

01-03-10, 11:59 PM	#9
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	I think Nofear hit it right on the head. Very good advice. The only thing I would add is another rod you might want to take a look at. It's a Shimano Compre rod. It's right around $100.00. And you can get it in a 6 1/2' Medium heavy power with a medium fast action tip. I would think that woould be a great rod for what your looking for. It's available through Cabelas.

01-04-10, 09:33 AM	#10
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	No fear has pretty much got it down. Jigs - 7' MH and a Fast action. Spinnerbaits - I prefer a shorter rod, from 6'3"-6'6" in MH and Fast action. But a longer rod can be used just fine. Crankbaits - Longer rods are good, 7" up to about 7'6". For most cranks, a M to MH rod will work (I prefer the M) and the most important part with cranks is a slower action. a Moderate action in best IMO, but a Moderate Fast would work too, especially with heavier cranks. With your price range, you're in luck. $100 is what they call the "Value Market" for rods and it has been slammed this year with multiple new rod from many different companies. It seems as though the Abu Garcia Vendetta is the perferred rod in this market by most on here. And as for the ones I've looked at, the Vendetta has seemed the best. But here's some more you may want to check out. W&M Skeet Reese Tessera, St. Croix. Mojo, BPS Carbonlite, Falcon Bucoo, Shimano Clarus and Compre, Lamiglass has a new value market rod out too, the Cabela's Prodigy (I think that's what it's called), and I'm sure there's more. But if I had to pick three rods in this list (and this is on feel in the stores alone, I haven't fished any of them) I'd say the Shimano Compre, AG Vendetta, and Falcon Bucoo. BB __________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

01-04-10, 05:51 PM	#11
Bubba_Bruiser BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South MS Posts: 3,659	Steve, never relinquish tackle information to the significant other. It wouldn't matter if you could make a jig curve around 2 trees and land like Luganis in the deep end, they won't understand. Don't lie about it, but don't volunteer it either. Are you boat or bank fishing? If your bank fishing, a long rod can be good or bad depending on the bank. If you have to go through a bunch of brush or side cast, a long rod could be hindering and backlashes out the wahzoo for hitting brush. A short boat, 10-12', with 2 people can be a recipe for danger, too with long rods. You have to stay on your toes with your buddy or he will be slapping your rod or vice versa (LMAO, y'all know what I mean) and broke rod tips from encroaching in the others tackle area. __________________ \,,,,/ ROCK ON! HRN4L!

01-04-10, 06:25 PM	#12
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	Ok.......i might be a little biased here, but gonna say it anyway. THROW AWAY THE U G L Y STICK. Go back to wally world and find the ABU TOURNY SERIES rod. 7', mh action with a fast tip. Good all around rod for the money. I have this rod myself and use it every time i hit the water.But i have a garcia goldmax on it. I too have very little money for the expensive gear. So i know the quality of this set up. It works great in my opion for the money. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

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