first Kistlers on the way

[javelin]

Well, I bought my first Kistler rods this past weekend. I got one on e-bay, and bought the other from this website. Both rods are helium LTA's and both are 6'6" MHC. I am excited to get my hands on these rods, I have never spent this much $$ on a rod that I never picked up before. I hope they are everything I want them to be.

Will use for senkos, spinnerbaits, texas rigged worms, basically anything with a one hook application. I will let everyone know my thoughts and opinions when I get the rods. CANT WAIT.......

[Lightninrod]

Welcome to Kistler's family. Though I don't have that specific model, I'll bet you will not be disappointed . Let us know how they felt/worked after you'ved used them.


Dan

[teambass]

Hello,

Good decision on a great rod...you will be impressed. I believe the He66mh will do a nice job for the techniques described. Welcome to the Kistler family.

Good fishing,

Demetrius

[javelin]

Thanks for the welcoming guy's. My new Rod from this site is due to be delivered today!!!!! I can hardly focus on work. I have a 20ft bass boat for the weekends, but usually go pond fishing locally after work. I cant wait to get a reel on that rod and go to the ponds tonight.

Hopefully the rod is at least as fast as a St. Croix Avid Medium action rod (which is the stiffest rod I own currently). I dont do any grass fishing, and dont fish baits heavier than 3/8 ounce usually. However I do go to Lake Champlain and upper Saranac lake every year and bang some HUGE smallies, and the occasional pike. Hopefully it can handle a 36"+ pike.

Anyway thanks again for the welcome.

-Mike

[javelin]

Well I went home for lunch and got there just as the UPS guy was dropping off my rod. Brought it in and unloaded it.

Now I am not trying to insult anyone here, but my initial reaction is dissapointment. I compared it to my St.Croix Avid 6'6" Medium action and that rod has about the same action as the Helium. The helium feels like a 2X4 compared. It does not seem to be balanced at all. And feels heavy to me. I then tried both rods with a Shimano Chronarch 101A on them. Same feel, St.Croix is way lighter and way better balanced than the Kistler. I was expecting this magnificent feather light superbly balanced rod, and that in my opinion is not what this rod is at all.

I will fish the rod tonight after work and get a feel for how sensative it is compared to the Avid. Man I just spent $400.00 on two rods I never held before cause I have been hearing so man great things about them, and at this point I am dissapointed (in myself ) and at what I got.

My wife was yelling at my "I cant beleive you are spending that much money on these rods without even knowing if you like them or not". And I said dont worry they are the best!!!!! Boy, there is no way I can tell her I am not impressed now. I might as well go apartment shopping while I am at it.....

-Mike

[TTCal]

Javelin,

Sorry to hear of your disappointment with initial impressions. Hopefully, this will change once you fish the rods.

Just a comment on the balance issue. Most factory rods, that are lacking a foregrip do have a tendency to be tip heavy. Those with a split rear trip can be even more so. I am surprised, though, that you still had this sensation with a Chronarch 101a mounted on the rod. I fish my Heliums with much lighter reels than that and find them to feel just fine, but everyone has a different preference.

Look forward to hearing what you have to say after fishing the rod. Again, hopefully your impression will change then.

[Andy]

Javelin,
I too am sorry for the first impression of the Helium, and also surprised!!! I've been fishing with the Heliums for 3 years now and love them. I also fish with a lot lighter reels than the Chronarch 101 and have not experienced the sensation of unbalanced rods, and at 4 ozs. the avid can't be that much, if any, lighter. I certainly hope that after fishing with them you feel differently. One suggestion I may make is to fish with them more than once before counting them out, it may just be because you are used to a different "feel". Good luck, and let us know!!!

[teambass]

Hello Javelin,

I am surprised at your first impression. I will say that there is a marked difference in the feel of a Kistler rod from the first time you use it. It may feel a little top heavy initially but, once balanced with the right reel, it is readily apparent that it is much lighter than any other comparable rod. I believe that it does take some time and use to realy appreciate it....till now your body compensated for using another brand of rod.
I am not a salesman but, rather an aggressive tournament fisherman. I have been sponsored by two other major rod companies in the past and can honestly say that hands down Kistler rods are the best rods that I have ever used.
I hope that you have a good experience fishing with your new rod. Give it some time and shortly it will feel like an extension of your arm.

Good fishing,

Demetrius

[javelin]

Thanks for all the input guy's. I hope when you say that I may need to find the right reel you dont mean like a Daiwa TD-Steez, or a TD-Z Custom, or TD-Z type R+... That aint gonna happen. I will try one of my my Scorpion 1501's on the rod, that reel is heavier than the Chronarch.

I did go out and fish the rod at some local pond's this evening and was impressed with the way the rod felt. It is a little stiffer than my Avid, but not too much. I really enjoyed fishing with it and did not notice any probs feeling light bites (fishing senkos). I'll be on the Potomac Sat and Sunday, and I will make sure the rod gets a good workout. In reality I was comparing the LTA MH action to a Medium action Avid. I think if I had the MH Avid there would be a slight advantage to the LTA for overall weight. But the balance is still not there. We'll see what happens with a little heavier reel.

I'll let you know how it goes this weekend.

By the way, the quality and workmanship in the rod is OUTSTANDING.......

-Mike

[creationfish]

Mike
Give it time You won't be disappointed
God Bless and good fishin!!!
Mike

[teambass]

Hello Mike,

Glad to hear of your good fishing report. I hope that you got to load up a bass or two with it also. I think that the more you use it, the more you will enjoy it.


Good fishing,

Demetrius

[javelin]

Well I tried putting the scorpion 1501 on last night and I definitely like it better with the Chronarch 101a. The 1501 made it even more unbalanced.

I definitely caught about 12 bass last night with the rod, (2 hours fishing) had 1 jump off after a little fight. Nothing over a pound though Tomorrow will be a different story on the river, unfortunatley (for the Kistler) I believe the bass will be on a Crankbait bite, but I may get to use the Kistler some for senkos if the crank bite isnt working or slows.

I'll let you know how it goes, hopefully the rod will get some extended use tomorrow, and Sunday. And maybe I'll get to load up on a couple 5 or 6 lbr's

-Mike

[Andy]

After thinking more about your post I went and weighed both the HE66MHC and the Avid and here are the results: HE66MHC 3.9 oz., Avid 4.9 oz. Another test I did is the Helium with a Daiwa Pixy. It balanced out 1" in front of the reel seat and That reel only weighs 5.8 ozs. I just fished a tournament yesterday on Toledo Bend in the worst weather you could imagine, tornado warnings, 25 to 30 mph winds, absolute downpours all day, lighning etc. etc..... Threw the He2MC with the Pixy pretty much all day with jerkbaits and can't imagine anybody thinking the rod is not balanced. I said all that to say this; I think that maybe you are just used to the feel of a different rod and I definetly think you should give it a little time. Andy

[javelin]

well went to take the boat out and wouldnt you know it, the darn powerpack went bad. So needless to say I didnt get out on the river.

Andy, I have been playing with the rod alot (and pond fishing alot). I notice that if I hold the rod like I am accustomed to which is in between my four fingers, it is unbalanced. If I hold the rod in between my pinky and ring finger it is very well balanced. So to me the rod is unbalanced. If I hold it in an unconventional (to me) manner it balances out well. I am very happy with the rod overall. It is very sensitive, and well made. For me it is unbalanced, but can be overcome. I think if the handle on the rod were 1" longer this rod (for me) would balance out alot better.

Good Fishing,

-Mike

[Andy]

Hey Mike,
I do hold the reel between my pinky and my ring finger, the "unbalanced feeling" may be because your used to another particular line of rods. That is why I said to give it a little time. I know anglers that swear by other brands, (like I do by Kistler) and those rods are not at all comfortable to me. You said maybe a longer handle and I try to get shorter handles. I believe that if you just fish with it, you will come to love it as we do. The comment about it feels like a 2x4 next to an avid made me go and weigh them both to check!!! I like to stay informed also! LOL!!! Good luck and good fishing