Pitching/Paddletail/Frog Rod (Replacing Powell 765 Max)

[djd]

I have (4) Powell Max 765s that I currently use for pitching/froggin/paddletail swimbaits/carolina rigging. I'm looking at replacing them with more sensitive and more balanced rods as I find the 765s to be quite tip heavy and not as sensitive as I would like for fishing with fluoro. I'd prefer rods 7'4" - 7'8". I've been considering Dobyns Champ Extreme, Megabass Orochi XX, Kistler KLX, 13 Fishing Envy, and ALX. Criteria for a decision as follows:

1) Sensitivity
2) Balance
3) Prefer standard sized guides, MACRO are OK but not a fan of RECOIL or MICRO guides.
4) Prefer plain, non painted, boring blanks.
5) Price

NOTE: I can purchase Dobyns Champ Extremes for $250-$300 and the 13 Fishing ENVYs for 10% off.

I don't say this to offend anyone, but please let me know if you are affiliated with a particular rod company.

[djd]

Should also mention I don't want to spend more than $300 per rod.

[DavidSA]

my 2 cents

I have a Powell Endurance 764 flip. Balance is outstanding. Must have some weight in the handle in fact to get the balance it has. This rod has fast tip at best, not ex-fast. This makes it good at many things (topwater,paddletail, frog, pitching). The rod is very sensitive. The next level up that is definitely better is a NRX loomis. Many rods exist in the middle price wise but I'm not sure they would provide much better sensitivity then my Endurance. Great deal of value in those Powell rods.

Never fished a 765 powel max but I own an old 703cef. Not as balanced as the endurance but equally as sensitive which is excellent at the price point. I don't believe for a moment paying $100 more for a rod would guarantee any improvement in sensitivity which is my 2 cents.

[njbasscat]

The only one on your list that I've used is the DX but they fail your criteria #4. If you want a "plain, boring, unpainted blank" than you can cross it off your list.

[nickp]

Give a xx a try, I just picked up another (Diablo spec r) and it's extremely close to my nrx 893 in both action and power. I've fished four dobyns rods (2 champion and 2 champion extremes) and those rods are worth half of what they cost. Your not even in the same category as an megabass xx, daiwa zillion, a Loomis glx or Loomis nrx. Sorry if I offended anyone, I know a lot of you are officiated with kistler and dobyns (in which case you buy rods for 50% of msrp and at that price I feel they're worth it). Id put the old lta kistlers higher then either dobyns series, can't speak about the current models.

[civicrr]

Pretty sure the 13 Envy rods have recoil guides.

Are you set on having one model for all four techniques?

Honestly, I haven't fished the other brands. I have owned/fished several Zillions but they were the last series not the current rods. I've owned/fished lots of rods including: St Croix Legend Elites & Xtreme, GLoomis IMX, GLX & NRX. Personally, I find the Champion Extremes plenty sensitive. To each there own.....

[Finnz922]

For the lengths your looking for Dobyns looks like your best bet. My only experience with Dobyns was a Champion cranking rod and I thought it was pretty good.

I have the X4 Destruction (open water to light cover frogging and heavy carolina rigging), IROD Fred's Magic Stick (heavy cover frogging dedicated), XX Jig/Worm (pitching jigs everywhere; it took me a bit to get used to this rod but now I love it), and the XX Tour Versatile ( paddletails, t-rigs, and swimjigs) for these techniques. I have yet to fish the IROD or the TV yet, but I will definitely update throughout this next season.