Rod selection help

[jwm2201]

Needing some help on rod selection, for flipping and pitcing also top-water applications.I have researched three rods, what do you guys think.

1. Lews tournament speed stick 7'6" Med.Hvy Ex fast $80.00
2. TFO Loomis signature cast 7'6" Hvy Fast $100.00
3. St.Croix mojo cast 7'9" Hvy Fast $130.00

I like the lifetime warrenty on the Loomis but never owned one, I am primarley looking for sensitivity, I'm 6'3 280 weight is not an issue. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I have learned alot from reading all of your opinions on different topics.

[bamabassman]

i say number 2. jsut my opion though.

[bassboogieman]

I don't think a flip/pitch rod will work for topwater applications - other than a hollow bodied frog - for poppers, walking baits a shorter rod (6'6") in a M/f would be better suited and also work for jerkbaits. Of the 3 you list I agree on #2 as my choice for a flip/pitch rod. For slightly more money you could get better (expecially on the secondary market) if you're looking for a rod with good sensitivity. Around the same money.

At your price point and buying new I would also recomment a couple Abu Garcia rods:
1) Varitas VRC76-6 (same price as TFO) it's a MH/f but a good rod that will handle 25# line and lures up to 1.25 oz. That is a similiar range as a lot of H/f rods.
2) Vendetta VCC76-6 (same price as Mojo) same description as the the Varitas
3) Vendetta VCC76-7 (same price as Mojo) 7'6" H/f will handle 30# line and 1.5 oz lures.

I have not heard ANY negative comments about the Abu rods, IMO they are about the best rods you can buy at their price point. NO - I am not sponsored by Abu, nor do I use them (the rods I use are a bit higher up on the food chain) but I have handled them and honestly, my opinion is mostly based upon comments from friends and what I've read about them and the other rods you've listed. Several individuals I know use them, my nephew does and they all rave about the rods. If Keithdog sees this, he also has an Abu rod or two and can comment also.

[keithdog]

I would first need to know a couple things. Are you planning on both pitching and flipping or just pitchin. The reason I ask is that I prefer a shorter rod for pitchin than for flippin. A 7'6" or longer rod is great for flippin, but I find it far easier to pitch a rod in the 7 foot range. Also, what kind of water do you usually fish in? If it is like mine where there is a lot of vegitation and brush then your going to want something in a heavy/fast or extra fast action. If your fishing more open water with minimal cover, then a medium heavy/fast would work well. Most any casting rod can be used for pitchin, depending on what your pitchin. But the lure weights your planning to pitch as well as the type of cover your pitchin in will determine the rod you need. I would steer away from using the same rod for fishing most topwater. As Bruce said before me, a 6'6" med/fast rod is by far a better choice for topwater and much easier to use when fishing topwater. One other thing in a pitchin/flippin rod. You want a rod that has good tip action. YOu can get a good strong rod with plenty of backbone that still has a softer tip action. The softer tip action makes it MUCH easier to pitch with. In the price range your looking at I also agree with Bruce that the Garcia Veritos and Vedetta are great rods. I have a Vedetta rod that I use for froggin. And even that rod has enough action in the tip to allow easy pitchin of a frog bait into heavy cover. Not recommeding that particular one for general all purpose pitchin/flippin, but they do perform very well and are light enough to allow all day pitchin without getting a sore wrist. And they are strong and have good sensitivity. You can get a Vendetta from BPS in 7'6" H/F or 7' MH/F that should work well depending upon your needs. The Veritos has a 7'0" H/XF that I think would be perfect for what your wanting to do. With the Garcia rods, I find that their rods listed as having extra fast action are actually more like between extra fast and fast when compared to other rods I've handled.

[Highhawk1948]

I flip and pitch with a 7 foot MH rod and have caught fish up to 7 pounds flipping and 10 pounds pitching. A lot of people like a 7'6" H for flipping but I use mine for both. But then a gain I still use mono!

Just a thought, but are all your rods from the same company. Several years ago I went to same reel/same rod brand and have really enjoyed picking up a rod/reel that feels the same.

Of the rods you listed I like the first one.

[Bassboss]

I'd just like to point out that the TFO Loomis signature is not a Loomis rod. To my knowledge they are simply made to the action and power specifications of Gary Loomis. I could be wrong about that, but I'm sure they're not Loomis rods.

As far as rod selection, I think I'd go with any of the offerings by Abu Garcia or Falcon BuCoo. They've built a very reliable name for themselves over the last couple years, I don't think you can go wrong!

[jwm2201]

most of my rods are the old Berkley IM-7 rods, I have been rebuilding my aranel after being sidelined for a couple of years from fishing. I am just doing it one peice at a time and trying to get a setup that works and comfortable to use.

[Rebbasser]

Have you handled these rods? If not I'd highly recommend doing so. I know in an instant if I will like a rod or not as soon as I pick it up. That has saved me buying rods I don't like on more than one occasion.

[b.a.s.17]

I had one of the Abu Garcia Veritas rods and I really liked it until it broke after a long rough boat ride. Not sure exactly what happened don't know if the handle from the net hit it and broke it or if it was just the rough ride. Either way it was gonna cost me about $60 to replace through warranty so I just took the money and put it towards a Falcon Cara.

My partner uses some of the Falcon BuCoos for crankbaits and carolina rigs. He really likes them might be worth giving them a look.

[fish4942]

Originally Posted by bassboogieman

I don't think a flip/pitch rod will work for topwater applications - other than a hollow bodied frog - for poppers, walking baits a shorter rod (6'6") in a M/f would be better suited and also work for jerkbaits. Of the 3 you list I agree on #2 as my choice for a flip/pitch rod. For slightly more money you could get better (expecially on the secondary market) if you're looking for a rod with good sensitivity. Around the same money.

At your price point and buying new I would also recomment a couple Abu Garcia rods:
1) Varitas VRC76-6 (same price as TFO) it's a MH/f but a good rod that will handle 25# line and lures up to 1.25 oz. That is a similiar range as a lot of H/f rods.
2) Vendetta VCC76-6 (same price as Mojo) same description as the the Varitas
3) Vendetta VCC76-7 (same price as Mojo) 7'6" H/f will handle 30# line and 1.5 oz lures.

I have not heard ANY negative comments about the Abu rods, IMO they are about the best rods you can buy at their price point. NO - I am not sponsored by Abu, nor do I use them (the rods I use are a bit higher up on the food chain) but I have handled them and honestly, my opinion is mostly based upon comments from friends and what I've read about them and the other rods you've listed. Several individuals I know use them, my nephew does and they all rave about the rods. If Keithdog sees this, he also has an Abu rod or two and can comment also.

I second the Abu Garcia Vendettas. I want a 7’6” H for pitching too but that’s getting quite lengthy to transport in automobile all the time. I have a 7’3” MH I use for pitching as well as frogging. But I would love to have the stiffness and length of the 7’6” H for pitching. I think the Vendettas are excellent especially at their price point.

[rangerrider]

Honestly none of those would be on my short list.. Your really talking 2 different rods a 7ft 6 heavy won't make a walking bait rod... The Falcon bucoo was mentioned and those are nice in that price range. I would also suggest looking at the Denali Jadewood series ,some really really good rods .. Also a 7ft 6 heavy flippin rod is pretty much a 1 trick pony other than maybe throwing the a-rig. If you stay with a 7ft MH you will have a much more versitile rod.... good luck

[jwm2201]

ordered new reel, took Keiths advice with a little research and got the Revo SX HS with the TFO Loomis rod should be here later today.

[WTL]

Havent handled these particular models, but I will say that I had TFO replace a rod I broke last summer in 2 places for $25...was very happy with their customer service.

I think when comparing/contrasting different rod makes, perhaps people are starting to fixate on it too much. Buying rods is fun, no doubt, and most of the time all of these rods are very good compared to what people were using just a few years back (so long as you don't have a carrotstick with breaking issues).

I do think Reb's advice is good, get the rod in your hand, cause there can be differences in the weight/action that the manufacturers recomendations on a website just dont capture. There is no real standard for what a 1/4 power rod feels like, its just sorta a ballpark guestimate. I bought a lamiglass excel rod with I think a 3/16 weight rating, thinking it would be on the light side of 1/4 - nope, it should be rated 1/4 or a bit heavier. Was a good rod for some applications, but not quite what I was looking for.