So looking for kind of a do all fishing rod as I dont have the room or money for multiple high end rods. I like the idea of a 2 piece for travel purposes as I dont own a truck but it isnt a dealbreaker. I also am looking for something that can handle many different lure types, ideally 1/4 to 1oz so i can drop shot a worm and all the way to using deep cranks, jigs and spinnerbaits.
I'm considering the following options
Point Blank Rod Blank PB701MHF 7ft | 8-20 lb. | 1/4 - 3/4 oz. | Fast MH | 1 Piece
Bushido Mag Bass Rod Blank MB73-2/10-17 7'3" | 10-17 lb. | 1/4 - 1 oz. | Fast MH | 2 Piece MHX 7'3" Elite-X Rod Blank NMB873.5-MHX 7'3" | 10-20 lb. | 3/8 - 1 oz. | Fast MH| 1 Piece
RainShadow Revelation REVS72MH-2SB 7'2" 10-17lb. 5/16 - 3/4oz. Fast MH 2 piece
rainshadow IMMC72MH 7'2" 12-20lb. 3/8 - 1oz. Fast MH 1 piece
rainshadow IMMP70MH 7'0" 8-17lb. 1/4-3/4oz. mod fast mh 1 piece
nfc Hybrid CB 705 Zentron (Delta LMX) 7' 10-16 1/4-1oz mod mh 1 piece
nfc MB 765-1(X-Ray NEO) 7’6? 12-25 5/8-2oz mod fast mh 1 piece
nfc say the neo is the kistler fish n feel rod and kistler rate it at 1/8oz to 1oz fast mh which
is way different than the lure rating NFC gives the rod. Not sure why.
off the rack dobyns DC 704SF or DX 704SF 7'0" 10-20 1/4-1oz fast mh 1 piece

A rainshadow builder is telling me their rods are "the best in the world" and perform "well above their lure ratings". Though I'm sure some competitors are better as i dont see much talk of their rods on this site.
If you guys had to choose 1 rod which would you pick? If its not listed feel free to let me know what it would be, as i haven't found any good off the shelf 1/4-1oz medium heavy fast action rods aside from the dobyns but its not 2 piece. I like the kistler feel n reel specs but not sure why kistler's ratings for the rod are so much different than nfc's rating. The rod is useless to me if it cant handle weights less than 5/8oz.

Chad, you may be much better off with two low end rods, one light power and one heavier power

not looking for 2 low end rods that offer low end performance

Chad, I felt the same way 2 years ago. Don Morse, from American Tackle, went out of his way to help me get started, so i used some of his rods, great rods. Then I was looking for some thing else that their brands didn't quit fit so I tried some others. And I'm proud to say all of those venders on left of page have quality equipment. The beauty is you get to be very selective to fit your needs, so that's my suggestion, pin point what the ap is then choose. Good luck, I've never been the same after taking this up!!!

Terms like “better, high end, and low end” are not that useful to me when I choose a blank for a build. I look more towards what I plan on doing with the finished rod (and it’s reel), and let that set a rational price point. I built a rod last year on an SCV blank that cost much more than another I built on an Immortal blank. I am equally happy with both results. The SCV blank is one that I might cast 3/4th’s of a fishing day, during much of the season. It features lighter, more expensive, higher performing guides. It was built for a more expensive reel. I cast lighter, more wind resistant lures with this rod. It’s typically used much more, and under far more difficult parameters.

The Immortal rod still features good guides, but, they cost a lot less while weighing a bit more. It’s a much heavier rated rod so a bit of extra guide weight isn’t noticeable. The lures this rod will cast naturally fly like bullets, regardless of wind direction. The 5/8’s to one ounce range is typically very easy, unless you get to big billed, big profile crankbaits. Strikes are visible on top water lures or very evident on vibrating jigs and heavy spinnerbaits. I put a far less expensive reel on this rod. It is a good reel, but it doesn’t need to have the performance parameters of the one on the other rod. This outfit performs its intended duties just as well as the other one that costs much more. The more expensive outfit’s performance would be noticeably lessened (hopefully) by shaving costs. It does seem like two outfits might be better what you are describing. One might not need to cost nearly as much as the other. The medium-heavy to heavy portions of your 1/4 to 1 ounce range hits what I think of as the easy button. The 1/4 to 3/8’s ounce end may not. Even sponsored, tournament anglers often match needs with cost. Light, light-medium, and extra heavy gear usually costs more than that easy range that lies between.

Revs72MH-2 maybe. I wouldn't be afraid to push it to an ounce.

You want one rod to drop shot, big crank,jig and spinnerbait with? You are expecting too much from one stick. Drop shot is one rod, jig is another (some use same for larger spinnerbait) spinnerbait should be another and big crank requires yet another. I understand you only have funds for one but pick the one you use the most and build a dedicated stick for that. Decide what attributes are important is it being built for functionality, weight, best components , form and fit? Utilize the components that best suite your criteria. It seems as though you are looking for the holy grail of rods. I wish you well in your search.

Tom

the holy grail of rods is the kistler if it can actually handle weights of 1/8oz
many others are rated for 1/4 to 1oz
I'm looking for opinions on the particular blanks i listed. Anyone used Bushido or the nfc Hybrid?

Chad, the only thing wider than the selection of blanks available to builders is the number of opinions those same builders will have about blanks. You have listed some of the best blanks around according to many in the "know". I hope you have the chance to build every one of them in the future. Then you'll know.

You won't find the holy grail of rods that casts well with 1/8oz and 1oz.

You are looking for at least 3 rods based on your description. If you buy from any of the manufacturers of rod blanks on the left, you are not buying a low end rod. If you stick to the mid-modulus and high modulus offerings, you are going to get the performance you need.

The closest blank you come to a do it all rod that you want is a typical 1/4-3/4 oz mag bass blank. It won't be great for finesse presentations, and it won't keep fish buttoned up well on cranks, but it will cast the full range of weights you want fairly well. Any of the blanks you listed in this range will work out just fine. Mine is currently an MHX MB843. I have no qualms with it. If budget is the biggest issue, the MHX line of blanks is a great place look. They are good mid-modulus blanks that won't break the bank.

To round out your starter set, I would look at the IMMS610MXF Titanium Chrome 6'10" 6-14lb. 3/16-1/2oz for finesse presentations. I use its predecessors the RX8+S822.5 and RX8+S823 built as casting rods and they are phenomenal. Rainshadows blanks will stack up with some of the best out there. Finesse presentations are where I like to have high modulus blanks, although I do have a mid modulus blanks from other manufacturers in this range and they fish just fine.

To round it out for crank baits I use a Seeker s-glass BS706. Something tells me that you are likely to balk at a glass blank, but that is my preference. There are some nice graphite blanks out there, but it takes at least 2 to cover the versatility and weight range of the 706.

Throw in a 1/4-1oz mag bass and a flipping stick, and you have a complete 5 rod co-angler set that will do just about anything you need in bass fishing aside from large swim baits and A-rigs.

Good luck in your search.

Sorry read the post wrong, pre-coffee. Eyes getting as bad as my ears I guess.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2021 04:41PM by Spencer Phipps.

so update. snagged a local buy/sell brand new Rapala Walleye Team Issue 7'2'' Spinning Rod. Med light, fast action 1/8-3/8. HM-40 graphite fuji guides. Cost $25. Do these rapala lean more toward medium power than ML? Says 4-10lb so figured it would be more of a medium. Should handle all my small plastics fishing.
So guess im looking for 3/8-1 1/4 oz now. Mainly for crankbaits and the odd spinner bait.

4 to 10 is in my ML wheelhouse, 6 to 12, 6 to 15 is a medium to me, and throwing at least 1/2 oz. stuff. Haven't fished any Rapala rods for a while, last was 8 - 10 years ago, and was a Canadian only import, it was a very nice rod.

I agree with Spencer as to what recommended line weights he would consider a medium light, and medium power rod to be. As far as what you're now looking for, and that being a crankbait rod. A crankbait rod if that is what the main purpose the rod will be used for, is an entirely different animal than a rod I would use for some of the other baits you mentioned, so I won't suggest a blank.

Of all the blanks you listed in your initial post, I can tell you what blank I WOULDN'T use for a crankbait rod. And that would be the Immortal IMMC72MH. I have built 2 rods on that blank and it is no way a blank for fishing crankbaits. It is way too powerful and its' action is way too fast for treble hooked baits. What it is, is an awesome blank for pitching and flipping Texas rigged plastics to any kind of cover, for bass. It's a great blank for fishing hollow bodied frogs over slop. It's great for bigger spinnerbaits, It's great for Carolina rigs .... it's just not a blank I would use to build a rod for throwing crankbaits.