Jigs: Conquest 904C vs Legend X 7'6" Med Hvy vs Steez SVF AGS 7'6" vs NRX 894C JWR

[freelancer27]

Hi all,

I am looking for the ultimate Jig rod (3/8-3/4oz) and I here is what I boiled it down to:

* Shimano GL Conquest Cast Rod 7'6" Heavy 904C MBR
* St. Croix Legend X Series Casting Rod 7'6" Med Hvy
* Daiwa Steez SVF AGS Casting Rod 7'6" Heavy
* G. Loomis NRX Casting Rod Blue 7'5" Heavy 894C JWR

Important to me:
* Weight
* Balancing (with Steez SV TWS)
* Sensitivity

Thanks for your thoughts!

[DavidSA]

Me thinks you missed a key option in your search, the Kistler zbone 7'3 Heavy
before I make another comment, I should note that I fish 30# braid much of the time. I don't think a rod suddenly becomes non-sensitive fishing FC line but which line you use has impact on overall speed of the hook set and can alter our results.
I also fish magnesium reels on every bottom bouncing rod I own and feel they transmit vibration better then alum or composites. OK, to you question

Between the NRX and zbone, the zbone is .2oz lighter and better balanced. I require a balancing kit on the longer 894 and don't apply it on the Kistler in part because the length is shorter. The Kistler in my hand underwhelmed initially but I came to learn it transmits the light bite better then any rod I've ever fished including my MH rods. With braid in short line applications, the zbone may be a touch too fast for me vs the 894.

A sleeper rod in the market right now is the Kister Helium 7'3H. Marginally less sensitive then the 894 or zbone but an action to die for and I can't even explain it. Imagine a guy throwing a 5/16 spinnerbait on this rod. It is super senstive and I actually land fish. When I tested the Helium, zbone and 894 side by side with a 1.5oz punching weight the helium deflected the least I was totally confused and did not expect this. Take branding out of the equation and give all three rods to 100 guys and I don't know what the outcome would be.

My last two trips the zbone is my hand 70% of the time. maybe that says something different then what I type above

[freelancer27]

Me thinks you missed a key option in your search, the Kistler zbone 7'3 Heavy
before I make another comment, I should note that I fish 30# braid much of the time. I don't think a rod suddenly becomes non-sensitive fishing FC line but which line you use has impact on overall speed of the hook set and can alter our results.
I also fish magnesium reels on every bottom bouncing rod I own and feel they transmit vibration better then alum or composites. OK, to you question

Between the NRX and zbone, the zbone is .2oz lighter and better balanced. I require a balancing kit on the longer 894 and don't apply it on the Kistler in part because the length is shorter. The Kistler in my hand underwhelmed initially but I came to learn it transmits the light bite better then any rod I've ever fished including my MH rods. With braid in short line applications, the zbone may be a touch too fast for me vs the 894.

A sleeper rod in the market right now is the Kister Helium 7'3H. Marginally less sensitive then the 894 or zbone but an action to die for and I can't even explain it. Imagine a guy throwing a 5/16 spinnerbait on this rod. It is super senstive and I actually land fish. When I tested the Helium, zbone and 894 side by side with a 1.5oz punching weight the helium deflected the least I was totally confused and did not expect this. Take branding out of the equation and give all three rods to 100 guys and I don't know what the outcome would be.

My last two trips the zbone is my hand 70% of the time. maybe that says something different then what I type above

Interesting! I have the 7 HXF Helium 3 and I love the rod. Super light and sensitive. Just a bit too short (I should have gone with the 7'3). "The Kistler in my hand underwhelmed initially" what do you mean with that?

I should prob get the Zbone into the equation...

[njbasscat]

I use an NRX 894 for jigs. I have a 5 power Zbone which is great as well, I just like the 894 a little more. I used to pair them both with Steez 103's but have switched to SV103's. I like an aluminum workhorse reel for jigs and heavier Texas rigs. They are heavier but smoother in my opinion.

[TommyG]

Was just looking on the Kistler web site, the 5power Z-Bone is available up to 7-11. In the build your own section.
I was leaning toward the Conquest, but I think I will go with a 7-6 full handle Z-Bone.

[freelancer27]

Was just looking on the Kistler web site, the 5power Z-Bone is available up to 7-11. In the build your own section.
I was leaning toward the Conquest, but I think I will go with a 7-6 full handle Z-Bone.

May I ask you to share your thought process?

[DavidSA]

Interesting! I have the 7 HXF Helium 3 and I love the rod. Super light and sensitive. Just a bit too short (I should have gone with the 7'3). "The Kistler in my hand underwhelmed initially" what do you mean with that?

I should prob get the Zbone into the equation...

on the underwhelmed, clearly the zbone was a sexy looking rod. after about three weeks of ownership I take new rods out and compare them head to head with other rods I own using the same reels, lines and baits. I most often drag small jigs over shallow rip-rap in a local pond where small bass and panfish feed. The chunk rock and shallow water make contact with the bottom strong. In this environment of hitting hard rocks I felt the zbone no better then the NRX or even the Helium. As I started fishing the zbone on the river with a mix of mud, rock and wood my opinion changed dramatically in one day. First I started to feel things that I had never felt before. Actually I set the hook a few times on things that were not bass and may not be fish. As I fished on, I was missing fish then I landed a 5 inch panfish on a 5inch plastic. since that time, I have fished the zbone with plastics on Okeechobee for several weeks. I continue to believe I am able to detect very light deflections and bites that I am not able to on other rods.

I've also discovered that I like the 7'3 length more for worm and jig fishing when my boat is 20ft or so from the shoreline. If I am fishing offshore structure like maybe pulling a big jig off a ledge that is 15ft below or throwing a C-Rig then I like 7'5. I don't have any intent in selling any of my NRX 894's but the bait monkey does talk to me about a longer customer full handle zbone from time to time

[TommyG]

Was just looking on the Kistler web site, the 5power Z-Bone is available up to 7-11. In the build your own section.
I was leaning toward the Conquest, but I think I will go with a 7-6 full handle Z-Bone.

May I ask you to share your thought process?

I like the full cork, but not so much the split reel seat. If the conquest had a full reel seat I would be on board.
Plus I have a Z-Bone, so I know how it fishes. While I'm sure the Conquest is a fine piece of graphite, have not had an opportunity to test one. Spending that amount of cash, think I'll stick with what I know I like.

[goldrod]

I don’t know why but maybe it’s brand loyalty (i’ve yet to see the roles reversed) but people are really asleep on that H3 rod
it’s the reason why i got the medium rod in that lineup. simply superb. My NRX 894 has a cap and two quarters in it for balance with a
D7 reel and i only use the rod for crigs but i’ll find some other uses soon. If i would have known at that price point i would have to add
weight just to balance it out i would have just gotten two H3 rods

[DavidSA]

putting the weights on the 894 and pitching with it all day and making some casts, I don't physically sense that the rod is heavier then the HE3 in total. Only when I think about the HE3 being 4.3oz and the NRX at 5.4oz with my cap do I get a little sad.

Last week I had one of my Met MGL's with my 30# braid on the HE3 instead of a 13met. Honestly the smoothest casting rig I have ever pitched or casted. Something about the guides on the HE3 that plain rock with braid.

I need to land a couple of +8lb bass on the HE3 or zbone before I will have the confidence I have in the NRX 894. I've seen the NRX handle with precision a 12.55lb as she went crazy under the boat. I lost a 6 or 7 on the zbone in November but may be a simple one off poor hookset deal. I'm sure I've lost fish in the NRX but prefer to think of the 2 double digits and 2 9#'s I landed.

[Tigerbass]

I need to land a couple of +8lb bass on the HE3 or zbone before I will have the confidence I have in the NRX 894. I've seen the NRX handle with precision a 12.55lb as she went crazy under the boat. I lost a 6 or 7 on the zbone in November but may be a simple one off poor hookset deal. I'm sure I've lost fish in the NRX but prefer to think of the 2 double digits and 2 9#'s I landed.

I need to come fishing with you!!!!!

[DavidSA]

I need to land a couple of +8lb bass on the HE3 or zbone before I will have the confidence I have in the NRX 894. I've seen the NRX handle with precision a 12.55lb as she went crazy under the boat. I lost a 6 or 7 on the zbone in November but may be a simple one off poor hookset deal. I'm sure I've lost fish in the NRX but prefer to think of the 2 double digits and 2 9#'s I landed.

I need to come fishing with you!!!!!

I'm sharing the days that were good; not the tail whipping I got last week on Okeechobee. I fish south florida 85% of my time so when you fish in the land of giants for a number of years you get lucky every now and again.

[goldrod]

I need to land a couple of +8lb bass on the HE3 or zbone before I will have the confidence I have in the NRX 894. I've seen the NRX handle with precision a 12.55lb as she went crazy under the boat. I lost a 6 or 7 on the zbone in November but may be a simple one off poor hookset deal. I'm sure I've lost fish in the NRX but prefer to think of the 2 double digits and 2 9#'s I landed.

I need to come fishing with you!!!!!

I'm sharing the days that were good; not the tail whipping I got last week on Okeechobee. I fish south florida 85% of my time so when you fish in the land of giants for a number of years you get lucky every now and again.

I could come down there if you tell me what’s good for you I love to I can always take leave but check your private message

[DavidSA]

pm replied

Just a note on big fish. The first big fish that I thought was a 10 was actually like 9'6 and I caught it on a MBR 844 glx. the rod actually was not ideal for such a fish so when I say the 894 is proven to me as a big bass rod I really mean that.

a note on fishing south florida, it is often boom or bust and highly weather related. The day after Trump was elected was the best fishing day in my life. We went 3 hours and I was a zero, my Dad had 2. Stock market was down like 1000 points. Then about 11 we came upon a group of bass busting shad. We caught literally +100 fish and could have been 200. My first 10+. we had no lunch with us and little supply as we planned to fish to only noon. At 3pm we were still catching fish every other minute but hung it up. Last week I don't think I caught over 20 bass all week. weather and timing. I'm certainly no pro just get lucky every now and then

[freelancer27]

Purchased a used ​Kislter Z-Bone model LEXF-5H-73 Heavy X-Fast 7'3" 1/2 - 1 1/2oz for 270 USD. Seems to be in a very good shape. 

I think that this was too good of a deal to pass... Will see how I like it and maybe switch my 7 foot H3 HXF against a St. Croix Legend X Series Casting Rod 7'1" Med Hvy or Shimano GL Conquest Cast Rod 7' Med Hvy 843C MBR to have a super sensitive rod that I can throw 1/4-1/2 oz Jigs with.

What ya guys thinking?