Fishing Rods

Hey guys and gals

I watch the FLW tour a lot and the pros who are sponsored by kistler seem to always have a LTA in their and hand rather than LTX. Espeacially Scott Martin. Is it just by chance or do the pros really prefer the LTA over the LTX? Is it the grip?

I'm no pro... but I prefer the LTA over the LTX. I don't like that hard grip on the LTX. I know one guy who bought a couple LTX and put cork handles on them.

hi seymour,

i find that LTX grip fantastic and for no reason HARD....it is actually very comfortable.
then i do my sales in europe by telling people (you should give it a try) to understand the FEEL that ltx handles deliver. actually you can feel better the bites trough that handle than the blank itself....
i think it depends by the material.
try it....ltx is great and very light....extremely lightweight and sensitive

I know a Kistler Elite Series Pro, and from what I have heard is they prefer the LTX, LTA, as well as the Magnesiums. The reason you see some Pros with more LTA rods is because the action is just a little bit different than the LTX. I imagine they throw certain baits on certain models just because they like the way they can work the bait, or the feel of a certain rod for a certain bait. I know I am the same way.

I've fished with one... it's just a preference thing. I prefer cork.

I really like the LTX handle, I was very impressed by the rod period- I know a Kistler pro who fishes the FLW tour and he uses all the rods in the kistler line up- it is a personal opinion on what the action is and handle is like split grip vs non split grip etc. I have every model and they all are great.

You can soften the handle by putting on a "What A Grip" from any dept store that carries tennis wrap...I have them on all my 9 Kistlers...also they protect the cork. I like.

Quankist,
This is obviously a matter of personal preference. I have, and use all models of Kistler rods from the Graphite Plus to the LTX's, but most often prefer the LTA's due to the solid cork handle. I like to make long, powerful casts, and can accomplish these casts more efficiently with a strong two-hand grip on a solid cork handle. I find this is especially true with the longer 7' to 7'6" rods.

Having said that, my absolute favorite rod is an LTX He2MC70 which I had "customized" by having the Kistler factory put a solid cork handle on it for me. I am a crankbait nut, and love to throw small hand-carved, custom-painted balsa crankbaits (made by my good friend, Jim Gowing up in Arkansas) with this rod and an Ardent XS1000 reel. I enjoy letting folks use it, and feel how light and sensitive this rig is; I actually feel every movement of that bait (and can immediately tell if it has been fouled by a small piece of grass). The overall weight and sensitivity is where I can feel a difference between the LTX He2MC70 and the LTA He70MC; both of which I use exclusively for different sized crankbaits.

I have found the split-grip models are most comfortable for me when flipping since I'm only casting with one hand anyway. One of my "latest" favorites is flipping a 3/8 oz Jewell Finesse Flippin' Jig on a Magnesium TS Heavy Cover Fish Snatcher 6'8" (MgHCFS68).

As for the Graphite Plus series, two of my favorites are the 7'3" Frog and Slop Special (KFGS73), and the 6'3" Dock Skipping Special spinning rod. The Dock Skipping Special is a "blast" to use, and a very efficient tool for this technique.

I can also recommend the LTA He76MHC for buzzbaits (with 17-20# line), and try the LTA He76HC (with 20-25# line) for the best swimbait rod I have ever used. The extra length of these rods give me exceptionally long casts, and better control when fighting these fish.

God bless, and good fishing,

Scott Burns
Kistler Pro Staff

I use the LTA series for most of the baits I cast... I wouldn't fish any other rod for c-rig, texas rig, and stuff like that. For pitching and flipping I use the LTX series. I love the LTX 6'9 for senkos. For heavy jigs and plastic baits I use the 7' LTX med-heavy.

I watch the Scott Martin Challenge and see him use the LTA's all the time, but whenever he flips he uses the LTX and for spinnerbaits...way more sensitivity probably. I still don't have an LTX but have 1 LTA and 1 MgTS for cranks and love them both. I'm still anxious to get one...Christmas is coming!

p.s. What do LTA and LTX stand for?

Unless you need the long one piece rear cork grip against your forearem, the ltx is comfortable and I believe light bites are felt better because of the hiigher modulus materials in the upper 1/4th of the blank
:D