Fishing Rods

I would like some help in finding a good pitching stick. Ive been looking at the 6'8" Heavy cover fish snatcher and the 7' Jig n' Toad Special. I have also been looking at Powell Rods too.

[b]Not knowing your height, preferences, budget or the length of rod you normally like, here are some general rules:

1. In pitching, since it is a pendulum based technique, go with the longest rod you can because it will give you a better "pitch", and if needed, more accuracy at longer distances and when that "HAWG" hits, much better power and leverage to move him out from the cover.

2. The biggest mistake I see guys make is that they spend too little on their rods and two much on their reels. In applications where sensitivity is needed, such as pitching soft plastics or jigs, go with the most sensitive rod you can afford. And if you are tight on the budget, hold off and save if you can, to get at least the next model up from where you were thinking.

3. I know there are alot of brands out there that look like Kistlers, say there better than Kistlers, etc... but remember who was the first to do many of the things you are now seeing standardized in the industry today, 5-10 years later. Trey Kistler was on the cutting edge when there was no edge and I think he continues to be, both in his designs but also just as important, in his quality control. Sensitivity, power, backbone, the right parabolic bend, control and castability dont just happen by accident and just cant be mimiked through look-a-likes or by changing the color of the blank. There is a reason, even in down economies, why Kistler Rods fly off the racks!

All that being said, I love the one piece He76MHC, many ask why the Medium Heavy and not Heavy, it is another mistake I see alot of guys make, especially if they are braid users, as am I. You will sacrifice very, very little in power and hookset by utilizing the MHC but you can so much more in accuracy, distance and controlling the fish boatside, where so many guys lose fish because the fish surges and a heavy rod cant cushion that power run.

All in all, there our tons of options out there, I respect that - I hope you choose Kistler as I did almost 10 years ago and if you do, you will not be sorry. There is much more to the Kistler Rods than just the rod, it is the company, the man, and what those stand for that seperates Kistler from anyone else!

If I can help with anything else, just let me know?

Good Luck and Gods Continued Blessings for your upcoming 2009 fishing season!

IAN[/b]

Well, I would prefer a shorter rod because i can cast much more accurately and it fits into my rod lockers a little bit better. I would also use this for a frog rod or possibly swim jigs.

Yes, if you are talking about overhead casting, not pitching, then yes, a shorter rod may be the way to go!

Swimming an All Terrain jig is an awesome technique and it is very versatile, I can use a custom Helium dock skipper I have to put it way under a dock and then swim it back (if it even makes it back) or rollcast it on a Kistler pistol grip very accurately tight to cover like most people would a spinnerbait, great technique and Kistler has the rods to do it well!

My favorite frog rod happened to be the now discontinued model Graphite Plus Carolina Rig rod because it had just the best parabolic action and I could throw the frog a mile with that tip yet with braid, it had the backbone to stick the fish yet the forgiveness to keep the fish from using the stiffness of a heavier action rod to get off boatside or when I had to go to them to get the fish out of a mat, so it just goes to show that ultimately, picking a rod comes down to what you are most comfortable, that fits your particular need and more importantly, what instills the most confidence in you. Based on the intelligent way you are looking at this, I dont think you will go wrong with any Kistler rod!

IAN

I too am thinking about buying a new pitching rod. I currently use a 6'9" Carrot Stick but since I own several Magnesium Kistlers, I was looking at the 6'8" Heavy cover fish snatcher and the 7' Jig n' Toad Special.

I really don't do any flipping. For me, the smaller rod seems easier to pitch with. That said, does it make sense to get the 6'8" Heavy Cover fish snatcher?

If you like a little shorter rod to pitch with then the Heavy Cover Fish Snatcher might be better for you. I like the Jig n' Toad rod, but I am 6'3" so the longer rod does not bother me. Either way they are both great rods.

IAeliteangler

I have fished both rods. I also am not tall (5'9") and prefer a shorter rod for better control. The fishability of the 7' Jig n' Toad rod is phenomenal. It is definately one of my favorite Rods. I flip a lot of different cover on the Mississippi River (i.e. rock, wood, grass, pads...) and love this rod. Both are good, but the Jig n' Toad is my favorite.

thanks for the advice iowabassguy, i think that i will settle with the 7 footer and pair it with a revo sx