Help finding a rod for heavy poppers?

[branover]

I'm looking for a casting rod minimum 7'6" but I'd prefer closer to 8' for casting large topwater poppers, about 1oz-2oz. Fishing from a dam in the river for striper. Right now I'm using a Daiwa Z200 with 30lb braid and a 40lb FC leader on a 7' MH rod and it's just not getting the job done casting distance wise and it definitely feels out matched by the current, not to mention when you get a decent size fish on there.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks

[civicrr]

Take a look at the Dobyns 795MLSB. Although I have both this model & the (shorter rear handle) 795SBMT, I almost always use the the 795ML. I just feel more comfortable/more in control when casting the larger/heavier lures with the longer rear handle. During the Fall run, I use this rod for stripers on the Cal Delta. I throw anything from Lunker Punkers (wood & injected 6"), Bullshad (5" & 6"), MS Slammers (7" & 9") & Cotton Cordell Pencil Poppers on the rod.

I've been playing around with my new Champion 804C for small swimbaits. Although I've yet to catch anything on it of any real size, it has cast the Small Cracker & Bullshad (5") very easily. Listed as a heavy power rod, it is much more powerful than the Champion 734 which is also listed as a heavy power. If the 795ML is more rod than you were looking for, you might check this one out.

[froteur]

try the phenix recon 796. i have it and have been throwing an a-rig on it. should work for your heavy poppers.

[Casca]

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Okuma_Gu ... GSBBR.html
i like the 7'-11" mh for what you want to use it for.

[branover]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I was looking at the Dobyns 795ML so That might be the direction I go. I was planning on getting one for swimbaits anyway.
The Okuma looks like a nice rod also at a good price, I'll check into it further. I like the looks of the Recons but for all the positive reviews I see I still notice a few bad ones.
Still open to other suggestions, thanks everyone

[jmatsuoka]

+2 for Phenix Recon 796 or a Recon 804. Those are awesome sticks and i have been fishing those for quite a while i have never had an issue. If your worried about negativity on those sticks give a UMBX-707H a try there more than capable of handling your big poppers.

[TheDarkKnight]

I'm not sure how big the stripers run in your waters and am not familiar w/ that Daiwa reel (not sure how well it handles large fish & heavy current) but this could work for you...

http://shimano.fishing-store.us/shimano ... g-rod.html

It is a little on the heavy side, but it is as tough as a junkyard dog and relatively inexpensive..... .. I'm thinking medium heavy musky bucktail rods may be a good alternative , too. These outfits match well w/ larger low pros such as the Curado 300 or the wider capacity round reels...

[Pen3]

I am loving the Orochi X4 line of rods and have you consider the Black Python FX-81x4?

[Tokugawa]

Just do the right thing and go get a White Python. Don't put that Z on a lesser rod.

[Pen3]

Or the Deps H3S-81RF.....

[branover]

wow, more great suggestions. I've been looking for a reason to try an Orochi but I didn't think about getting one of them for this application. I was actually thinking about a 7'11" kistler z bone umbrella rig rod as well. I thought the moderate bend would be beneficial. By the time I decide on a rod the striper will be done running around here. Had decent success so far this year but i'd really like to find a better rod for the situation. I'm using a 7' rod currently and it's just not the right tool for the job

[BigG]

I just got the Kistler 7' 6" Ala rig rod and the action is great. I thought the moderate action might be too soft, it is not soft by any means. I can think of a lot of big bait applications for this rod.