I really find posts like this a little amusing. I'm an old. (here come the flatbills! LOL!) And when I started really bass fishing a lot, 99% of all rods were probably a medium to medium heavy. Surprisingly...they caught fish! I get it that there are many applications and many different models now that apply. Heck, i've got 30 rods now so I bit! But in general, I'd say it's kind of like finding a good gal. If you find one that feels good and fits...keep it!

Fivebites I've messed with guitars for most of my life as well even though I don't play much anymore, and its the same deal you just have to find the one that feels right. Even Identically made guitars are different, the same with rods. I've got about 2 dozen and some of mine date back to the late 80's and I still use them because they perform perfectly in what ever situation I bought them for, my biggest fear is breaking one of them and then trying to find something with the exact same action.

Ogles...I'm a picker as well. Played professionally for years. Semi-retired now but still manage to annoy the neighbors and wake up their newborns whenever possible! LOL!!

Lee,

THAT is called experience, and it comes with time and time ono the water. I can pick up a rod and not look at anything and pretty much tell you what you would want to know/ You get that with time and time on the water. The more you handle, the better your understanding is. Say you are looking for a Medium rod with a fast tip with some backbone. I would go to the Medium rod section and start picking up rods, until one feels light or just right or heavy. If it does not have enough backbone for you, do not get it. Try to gettheh rod that feels like the ne you are looking for. This MASS selection process gets you a LOT of knowledge quickly. Ask experience anglers what their choick would be giving gteh situation you are looking for. You will probably get a bunch of answers. The more rods you handle, the better your observations will be. I fish mostly MH or H rods, so I start their and handle rods in that category. Once you have developed a good understanding with experience, you can go pick any rod you want with ease. BEFORE I make a decision, I read the specks n the rod to make sure it is what I am looking for. See if the store you are buying from has a return policy. PROBABLY not, but you can ask anyway. Sales reps can be GREAT, GOOD or BAD or VERY BAD, so shop around, if you can. I put the rod thru a test, what is the bend at different sections for the rod, how much tip does it have for the presentation/s I am buying it for, comfortable fit in my hand and arm,, does it feel light, heavy or just right, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE LINE SIZE AND LURE WEIGHTS, Build your own library to use whenever go to pick another rod. It doesn't take long, once you get it. Pay attention to what you FEEEL as your important features If it helps, make a list to take to the store with you. Even better, find a fisherman that is able to tell you what to look for in a rod. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains