Looking for recommendations on solid sensitive rods for a good deal.

Sensitivity is too subjective from person to person. Try as many brands as you can then pick what feels best to you.

The most sensitive rod I own is a G.Loomis NRX.

Elite Rods

I guess when I say sensitive I mean being able to feel those soft bites. Or is that going to be more dependent on the line I've got on the reel?

combination of both and other factors.

Going to depend on technique and set up in my opinion.

What kind of other factors we talking about?

Not only is it subjective but I think a persons skill can also come into play. If you buy a higher end rod I think it may not matter so much what brand you pick. They are all good. If any one rod was vastly superior to any other rod most everybody would use that rod only. Its going to come down to you personally and how much you may be willing to spend for a quality rod.

Loomis NRX!

ugly stick

you can feel your 12 year old snap it in the tailgate and it bounces right back

G Loomis. Nothing else

I have a rogue blank with graphite handle that's about as sensitive as it gets.

Loomis!!

As mentioned above, LOTS of factors go into what you can feel, mostly setup, line and rod combinations (technique you are fishing plays a lot into that). As mentioned, G.Loomis is a very overall sensitive rod, so are some custom built rods and even Dobyns makes a very sensitive rod, as well. Most of those are going to cost some money, though, but you normally get what you pay for, for the most part. Until I moved up to Dobyns, the most sensitive rod I had off the shelf was St. Croix rods, but a G.Loomis or Dobyns blows that sensitivity away. One thing you will want to look for, is a pure graphite rod, for the most sensitivity. A composite rod and a glass rod just don't have the sensitivity, IMO, as do the graphite rods. Just some things to think about. Hope this helps.

Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

You hit that one out of the park! #1 selling rod in world!

Cheers,

George

I really like my Kistler Z-bones

There is no right answer to this question. If you want the best solid sensitive rod you can find. What you have to do is.
1) Take someone with you. You can not pick out a sensitive rod by yourself.
2) Find a rod you really like the feel of.
3) Place the tip of the fishing rod against the person you brought with you throat.
4) have them say your name

If you can feel the vibration of the person talking through the other end of the fishing rod. You sir, have found a sensitive rod. Don't fall for some of those over expensive rods. Some of the most sensitive rods I have ever bought cost me about 60 dollars.

loomis

I would use to say Loomis. Right now I haven't found anything that compares to the Kistler Z-Bone. I've experienced it to many times when I can feel or since the slightest pressure with soft plastics. These rods have taken a lot of use and some abuse with no issues.

G-Loomis gets my vote too

Most sensitive rod I own, and I have several brands and I don't have a favorite brand, although Falcon is probably my top brand. That being said the most sensitive,
Light, balanced rod I own is a G Loomis NRX.

I use specifically for off shore worm and jig fishing. I had a thread about this a few months back and the consensus was a high end G Loomis. They are expensive but amazing.

Pretty wide open on that... A snoopy rod can detect a bite pretty well...

This is very true! Go fishing with different friends and try their rods. You might find that you prefer different brands for separate presentations.

Phenix Ultra Classics are the most sensitive rods I've ever fished

Power Tackle
G. Loomis
Shimano
Quantum
ABU Garcia
Dobyns
Falcon
Castaway
Loomis Edge
St Croix
Kistler
I rod


and many many many more .....

I also like Kistler Z-Bones but it is more individual preference.

Whatever the most expensive one is. Or whatever the rod sponsor is on this forum...lol.. Will be the general consensus.

Actually sensitivity is 100% quantifiable so its not as subjective as a lot of people are making it seem.

This Falcon Cara Micro is so sensitive that even Micheal Jackson would have been jealous. Lol

No one mentioned the Shakespeare Ugly stick.........

I just got an iRod Air and it is crazy sensitive.

I got an old falcon HD its the most sensitive rod I have ever owned. I go through some rods id say 4 a year and the falcon keeps on getting it done done.

Loomis rod + Fluorocarbon line and lots of experience.... So sensitive I can read the label on a beer can laying on the bottom.

This is NOT a good test of sensitivity. You can do the same thing with a broom handle (a plain ole wooden stick) and feel him talk.
The more expensive rods use higher quality graphite and better components that make them more sensitive. Usually they are better balanced also.

It was talked about twice on page 1

I have been buying G. Loomis for many years. They offer I think 4 types of graphite in each rod style.

I have learned NOT to get the highest grade because while it's more sensitive it's also more brittle. I broke off 2 tips during normal use. I switched to the 3rd most sensitive type (GL2) and haven't had the problem since.

I would still turn off the ceiling fans in any room you work on them.

MBR783C is the style I prefer for baitcasting.

This is accurate as well as the type of weight. The line is just as important as the rod. I bought 2 experienced Bucoos and like them. I use Seaguar Invizex in 20 and 15 pound and use tungsten for the weights.

Dobyns Champion



For the price, you won't find a better rod.

Sorry but "pssh" really for that price?.

A custom made bayou kustoms rod

Get a rod like a lightening rod or an allstar and use the extra money or go fishing. Nothing beats the experence you gain by more time on the water.

Ya, he asked how important "time on the water was to you". :-) Honestly you will get very few people (or none) who have experience with all the rods you listed in original post. People can only give you their experience for the brand they have experience which will not be a true comparison of all listed. Personally I have been blessed with a handful of Dobyns Rods and they are very light, balanced and SENSITIVE. The champion series feels quite a bit more sensitive than the Savvy series but I felt no difference in sensitivity between the champion and champion extreme. While Dobyns are very nice they are certainly not "critical" to my fishing. I would go just as often and possibly catch as many fish if all I had was Academy Allstar rods in my boat.

Falcon..original, low rider, cara
Kistler Helium
Shimano Crucial
Loomis, GL2, IMX, GLX
Powell, Max, Endurance
Duckett Micro magic
Dobyns, Savvy, Champion, Extreme
Power Tackle
6 different custom rods (4 different rod builders)

Allstar and Castaway in my younger years.(Back when they were THE top of the line rods on the market)
StCroix also


I have owned and used all of these. There are a lot of good rods on the market these days. Lots of choices.

I currently have more Dobyns rods than anything but from that list I think the Powell and the Shimano's are the best rod for the money. I like Dobyns and Kistler better but you will pay more for them also., and yes, they are worth it.
If I werre in the market for another rod it would be a Powell Max 3D, a Kistler KLX, or a Dobyns Champion. If I had more to spend It would be a Dobyns Extreme or Power tackle rod.

I bet if you put a blindfold on a man and handed him a Cara, Denali, Irod, Ducket etc etc and have him drag a jig he wouldn't be able to tell much of a difference.

Go put your hands on them and buy the one that feels the best for you. The lighter the better is typically where its at when it comes to sensitivity. I think the blank materials are very similar once you get into $130-$200 range. Competition is thick in the rod game all the popular brands are making great rods at good prices these days! If you can afford the $200.00 + rods have at it but I wouldn't feel under gunned with the sub $200 rods!

well...was your question answered?

now that's funny right there.

"Good deal" is super subjective.

Under $200? Blank sensitivity is about par across the board. Weight and durability can vary a bit there though. I like a Crucial for under $200, also had good experiences with Falcon and St. Croix.

$200-$300? Its a Falcon Cara or a Loomis IMX for me.

$300-$400? I haven't fished anything more sensitive than the new Shimano Exprides here, the Megabass Orochi XX is pretty close.

$400++++ NRX, Poison Adrena or Steez.

It is quite entertaining to see all the different opinions, but I'll give a vague yes that the question has been answered because I know much more now than I did before asking the question. However my choice in getting a new rod has been made even more difficult. It seems as though if money were not a factor, a G Loomis NRX or a Dobyns Champion would be the one to go with. At the moment, I have nothing more than rods that came with combos from Academy.

What I meant by "good deal" is if a person feels that the rod they bought was truly worth every penny they spent on it. For example, it seems as though I need to get my hands on an NRX to experience how it handles and see if I think it's truly worth the $500 that it's priced at. Or if I can find one that may be used at a discounted price, it may be worth just trying out.

Ok. Best rod for a "deal"!

Get a Falcon Bucoo Micro. $129. Very good rod. Out performs most at $200.

Load it with flourocarbon or braid. Use tungsten weights. It will blow away any pre packed combo you have ever owned. Get the Lizard dragger. It is stiff. And light. Around 4-5 ozs. Has a great warranty. Is Made in USA. It also works great with most techniques. It has a sanded blank, Fuji seat and guides. And that OH SO COOL made in USA and the American flag predominately placed between the split grips. It has compressed foam grips for better sensitivity. I have owned several of them. When I upgraded , I had to spend $250 a rod to get a better rod. And, again, it was a Falcon.

Now I will not compair it to a Steez rod or a Megabass rod. Because it isn't. The better rods use titanium guides and silicon carbide inserts. The Bucoo uses the standard Fuji Micros. The differences start to come in deminishing returns for the money with rods beyond what a Bucoo has to offer. The cost difference are mainly in a rods build quality with regards to longevity. The higher end rods use much better resins and guides. Sensitivity doesn't change drastically, again, beyond the Bucoo with a sanded graphite blank and Fuji parts. Expensive rods just get stronger/lighter with ability to last for more trouble free years. And some are tailored a bit more specifically to braided lines. Etc.

I totally understand the step up between $130 to $200+. I'm all about buying great quality and certainly having it last longer. Somewhat like buying a TV. That is a pretty good explanation of what comes with that jump in price.

GLX but those jokers ain't cheap. If you are on a budget get you a TFO

And I am NOT saying a Bucoo wouldn't last a very long time. You'd just have to be careful about using aggressive lines on it. The alconite guides can groove over time with some braid. They can groove with worn out flourocarbon and mono as well. Las a line gets dirty or worn it becomes abrasive. If you used a Bucoo and kept the line in good condition and cleaned the rod often, it should last a lifetime. If you are abusive, and by that I mean USE IT A LOT without cleaning and fresh line, you might need a rod with SiC guides.

Ah. Well I don't fish braid very often and I tend to change out my fluorocarbon quite often. So it should last me a while then.

I really liked my St. Croix 7' baitcasting rod until all the eyes started to rust.

I found a GLX for 1/2 price in excellent condition that's the only reason I have one. $550 for a rod is too steep for me. I got lucky and found one for a great price and I've been very pleased with it.

Everyone has opinions. Many people are so brand loyal that it skews their opinion. I'm not
Particularly brand loyal. I have several different quality rods.

Take it for what it's worth, IMO most of the rods being talked about are good.

Me too. Bought a new GLX drop shot rod yesterday. Regular price was $455. Paid $233 for it, a sock, some jigs, and weights

Gotta love the clearance rack at southwest service.

Now just gotta decide between the Stella or the Steez.