Getting down to the nitty-gritty rod-wise

Helluva breakdown. Which two really stand out for you the most? Which one(s) do you keep instinctively reaching for? 

I updated my original post re:  "Real Control" 7'3" and "Top Gun"

Posted by: @rise

↑

Helluva breakdown. Which two really stand out for you the most? Which one(s) do you keep instinctively reaching for? 

1.  From an "old favorite" point of view #1 would HAVE to be Daiwa JDM "Real Control", C70MH-LM (Low Modulus Carbon).  From my first years of fishing it's been crankbaits and jerkbaits.  My first "good" reel was an Ambassadeur 5500C, which I traded for a 4500C ten years later.  First good rod was a Fenwick Eagle something or another 5'6" pistol grip.  A Big "O" or a Rapala Fat Rap.  

It works great with all types of cranks, topwaters, blade jigs from 1/4 oz - 3/4 oz and blade jig/w trailer is probably close to 7/8 oz.  I think I posted a pic of the 4lber about a month back, the fish was pinned solid and deep, like stapled on.  I would probably buy one more for topwaters.

2.  I really like the Baltoro II "Heat".  It's quite possible the most versatile rod I've ever owned.  Blade jigs, jig/trailer, Gravity impact size swimbaits, 2.5 size cranks, Blitz DR sized cranks, everything short of finesse baits.  It's handled everything I've thrown with it EXCEPT 170/180mm soft swimbaits.

Posted by: @blitzdr

↑

Posted by: @rise

↑

Helluva breakdown. Which two really stand out for you the most? Which one(s) do you keep instinctively reaching for? 

 

1.  From an "old favorite" point of view #1 would HAVE to be Daiwa JDM "Real Control", C70MH-LM (Low Modulus Carbon).  From my first years of fishing it's been crankbaits and jerkbaits.  My first "good" reel was an Ambassadeur 5500C, which I traded for a 4500C ten years later.  First good rod was a Fenwick Eagle something or another 5'6" pistol grip.  A Big "O" or a Rapala Fat Rap.  

It works great with all types of cranks, topwaters, blade jigs from 1/4 oz - 3/4 oz and blade jig/w trailer is probably close to 7/8 oz.  I think I posted a pic of the 4lber about a month back, the fish was pinned solid and deep, like stapled on.  I would probably buy one more for topwaters.

2.  I really like the Baltoro II "Heat".  It's quite possible the most versatile rod I've ever owned.  Blade jigs, jig/trailer, Gravity impact size swimbaits, 2.5 size cranks, Blitz DR sized cranks, everything short of finesse baits.  It's handled everything I've thrown with it EXCEPT 170/180mm soft swimbaits.

 

Great breakdown, brother. Thank you for sharing all that.

1 2+ lber, 1 3+lber, 2 dinks on the Real Control 7', it truly is the new "One"!  No pix on the 3+ lber, it was possibly tongue hooked, I didn't want to play.

Posted by: @blitzdr

↑

I was a Daiwa (JDM and USDM) rod guy for many years, in between and alongside, Megabass, Evergreen and RAID Japan.  I'm down to the final choices (for now, at least) and it stands like this:

 

3.  Daiwa JDM "Real Control", C73H-SV/ST

Rod Type: Baitcasting Rod
Item Length: 2.21 m 
Number of Pieces: 1 and Grip 
Folded Length: 190 cm 
Item Weight: 107 g 
Rod Power: Heavy 
Rod Action: Extra Fast 
Lure Weight: 3/8-1.1/2 oz 11-42 g 
Line Weight: 12-25 lb PE MAX #4 

Still undecided, limited oppotunities in my locale for pitchin'/flipping/punching

4.  Daiwa JDM "Real Control", C70MH-LM (Low Modulus Carbon)

Rod Type: Baitcasting Rod
Item Length: 2.13 m 
Number of Pieces: 1 and Grip 
Folded Length: 183 cm 
Item Weight: 95 g 
Rod Power: Medium Heavy
Rod Action: Fast 
Lure Weight: 1/4-1 oz 7-28 g 
Line Weight: 10-20 lb PE MAX #4

Undecided BUT likely keep, Casts well for accuracy and distance, excellent action performs under pressure.  Crankbaits, Jack Hammer, spinnerbaits

3. Daiwa JDM "Real Control", C73H-SV/ST 

This is moving back into the "KEEP" column for at least a while longer.  I remembered how impressed I was with the RAID Japan "Power Nose" spinning rod's sensitivity because of the solid tip.  I want something like that for jigs and soft plastic applications.  With winter coming up, jig and pig, grub and hula grub season is coming up.  I want to see how well this works.

4.  Daiwa JDM "Real Control", C70MH-LM (Low Modulus Carbon)  

Move from "Undecided" to "I would have been out of my f**kin' mind to even consider getting rid of it!".  It's not quite in the Tak Omori 7' Elite Tatula but damn near.  I won't forget how I saw that Jack Hammer w/trailer was hooked and more recently how well a bass was hooked in the face.  I DID NOT take a pic because I was more concerned with releasing a fish unharmed than photo legacy.

73H and 70 MH LM are absolutely keepers for me. They are nearly as fun to fish as the Racing Designs…nearly.