Rod Power (Weight) Vs Material Used In Terms Of Sensitivity? 2024

Anohaakten reply :

I think I used the correct terms. But I was wondering, if I was fishing for bass and intended on catching them in the 2-6 lb range, would I be better off with a 7' Ugly Stik Ultra Light or a 7' St Croix Avid Medium Heavy in terms of feeling the bite (sensitivity)?

I mostly use senko worms to fish, so I really enjoy the sensitivity factor.

What is more important, the material the rods are made of or getting the correct power (weight)?

The reason I ask is because I see so many great deals I can get on rods that are in the Medium Heavy power range.

I know that buying the proper weight and buying a high end material is the best, but as I said, I can get a lot better deals on Medium Heavy rods.

For instance, I can get an Abu Garcia Veritas rod for $40 in medium heavy or I can get an Ugly Stik Lite Pro in Ultra Light for $37, which would you choose for fishing senko worms?

Really appreciate any input,

Scott

Diggy reply :

1.The Avid

2.Veritas

3.Ugly Stick

Capt.Bob reply :

The Avid will give you far better feel than the others you mentioned regardless what power they are in. It is materials over the power, and not just the material a blank is made of, there are many components that determine a rods sensitivity. You can take the most sensitive material there is to build a rod, and build it with cheap junk components and it wont be as sensitive as a rod with mediocre material for sensitivity built with high quality components and great balance. The Avid is a very well built rod and quite sensitive, in my opinion it is the best rod built for the money. I think you would have to pay over $300.00 to find a better rod.

Catch and Grease reply :

I would choose the St Croix but I'm not you...

Anohaakten reply :

Thank you for the replies.

I don't really plan on getting a Avid Series from St Croix but I was just trying to determine whether I was better off on getting a higher end rod that was made of quality components vs. a rod that was within the power range I needed.

I was trying to determine which is more important in terms of sensitivity.

IAY reply :

Rod being thin has nothing to do with sensitivity of the rod. Its all about the material transmitting the vibration to your hands, so higher quality is always better imo.

Anohaakten reply :

Great, thank you for the information IAY!

Any other input from others?

Maxximus Redneckus reply :

IMO a light weight rod regardless of price is more sensitive then a heavy rod.that being said using braid and sharp hooks you can still use a heavy rod and feel more and also make better hooks sets...but just like diff caliber firearms its all about shot placement .a dull hook, stretchy line and a weak knot on a 500$ rod is worthless

Anohaakten reply :

Thank you for your input.

Anohaakten reply :

Maxximus,

So you think an Ultra Light Ugly Stik would be more sensitive than a Medium Heavy Abu Garcia Veritas?

Jrob78 reply :

On 8/5/2014 at 12:20 PM, Anohaakten said:

Maxximus,

So you think an Ultra Light Ugly Stik would be more sensitive than a Medium Heavy Abu Garcia Veritas?

All things being equal, rod power doesn't effect sensitivity. Buy the best rod you can afford in whatever power you need. An Ugly Stik isn't going to be as sensitive as a Veritas, in any power.

Anohaakten reply :

Thanks for the input Jrob78!

Slade House reply :

for sensitivity in that price range, don't go with the veritas, i broke 2 of those and they weren't very sensitive.

Maxximus Redneckus reply :

Rod weight is about the same for both ..but I'm thinking some how say using 2 lb PP on that ultra light with a 1/32 oz jig in 3 foot of water vs the other combo without braid in 15 fow .edge goes to ugly stik.I can not only feel a horsefly land on my rods (graphite and fiberglass) but I can tell if they are male or female.

Tywithay reply :

On 8/5/2014 at 12:20 PM, Anohaakten said:

Maxximus,

So you think an Ultra Light Ugly Stik would be more sensitive than a Medium Heavy Abu Garcia Veritas?

An "ultra light" Ugly Stik probably weighs double what a comparable Veritas weighs. The Veritas isn't an overly sensitive rod, but it's leaps and bounds above the Ugly Stik in that department. The fiberglass in the Ugly Stik is essentially a dead material. It transfers very little vibration. If you think of fishing rods in terms of tools, an Ugly Stik is a rubber mallet. Rod power has some, but little, bearing on the weight of the rod. You can buy heavy power rods that weigh less than light power rods. It's based on the materials used and usually comes with a price. Overall weight can have an influence on sensitivity, but it's likely more than 90% based on materials used, with less weight just being a bonus. I'll take a properly balanced rod over a light rod.

Tywithay reply :

On 8/5/2014 at 12:29 PM, Jrob78 said:
All things being equal, rod power doesn't effect sensitivity. Buy the best rod you can afford in whatever power you need. An Ugly Stik isn't going to be as sensitive as a Veritas, in any power.

Not entirely true. You're going to feel more with a stiffer rod, all things equal. A very limber rod will absorb a lot of the vibration before it reaches you, even if the material has the same transmission.

Sam reply :

Ano, interesting question.

The lighter the rod with more graphite in it's construction the more sensitive it will be.

You need to think about the bait weight and line tests you will use the most and look at the rod's parameters stamped on the rod to determine if it meets your needs. Be sure your reel can match the line test, too.

Ugly Sticks are good rods but they are not up to the level of the major bass rod manufacturers.

To understand rod construction please obtain the two last copies of Bassmasters Magazine to read and see the photos of rod construction in the magazine. If I have the wrong magazine I expect the guys to let me know and let us know which magazine has the articles.

Take your reel with you to the store and put it on the various rods you are considering and close your eyes as you move the rod and reel around and bounce it up and down to get the feel of the combo.

As for medium or medium heavy that is your personal choice. Most of my rods are medium heavy. I do have a few mediums as they are "technique specific."

For anyone to tell you to get a specific brand may not work for you. You will have to do your homework; visit various web sites for the manufacturers and retailers to read what they are saying about their rods; and decide which rod is best for you.

I will add that I think you need to graduate from the Ugly Stick to a brand name rod.

As for Senkos, I fish them on both spinning and baitcaster rigs. I use a medium heavy spinning rod with 8-pound fluorocarbon line and throw the Senkos both wacky and Texas rigged. You can "skip" the Texas rigged Senkos easier with a spinning rig.

And check out the upcoming Labor Day sales to find a good deal.

Let us know what rod you select and why.

Sam reply :

And by the way, you will need to keep your finger on the line coming off the spinning reel or baitcaster when throwing plastics.

Your finger on the line gives you the best feel if you have a bite as you are now in touch with the bait via the line.

Watch your line with Senkos. Many bass will pick them up lightly and swim away slowly. If you see your line move SET THE HOOK!!!

If the Senko stops on the way down to the bottom for no reason, SET THE HOOK!!!

There will be times when you will not feel the hits on your line/finger so always watch your line for all plastics.

Slather all plastics with MegaStrike or JJ's Magic.

Have needle nose pliers with you to remove the hook.

starcraft1 reply :

I'd save my dollars and buy a Powell or something simular. "Best bang for your buck" In my experance (some 45 yrs.+) I first reserch the rod on cabellas or Bass tackle depot - both on line (look at the reviews). Then just get the "feel" of the rod. If you already have the reel, take it with you to get the proper balance of the two together and unbalanced combo will wear you out quickly! Ulgy stick? Do you plan on setting on the bank drinking beer with your buddies? Save your money and get quality. As for senkos, a 2 or 3 power rod would be my choice (lite to med. lite) 6'8" to 7'

Delaware Valley Tackle reply :

Sensitivity in a rod blank is a function of weight/stiffness, weight being actual weight not the power rating. The components and layout of the rest of the rod affect balance and sensitivity based on the weight and placement. The lighter the guide train, especially on the tip, the better the performance will be. So the weight savings on rods come largely from materials and are meant to increase sensitivity. Light in hand is a by product.

BobP reply :

Balance is a "human factor" in rod sensitivity that is often overlooked but shouldn't be. You sense strikes and hold the rod with hands filled with fine motor control muscles and sensitive nerves. If your rod/reel line combo is unbalanced, your hand becomes less and less able to detect strikes as the hours pass. I'd rather use a well balanced $100 rod versus a poorly balanced $400 rod when fishing plastic baits or jigs because after an hour of fishing, the balanced rig will have more perceived sensitivity. If your fatigued hand isn't transmitting sensory data to your brain, the rod vibrations that signal a bite might as well not have happened. The most sensitive MH rod I've fished was a Bass Pro Extreme with balance weights installed. It was much heavier but more sensitive than the St Croix Legend Elite rod I use now because I was too chicken to add weight to balance the high end, super light St Croix. Vanity can be a *****.

Smallmouth Hunter reply :

Where can you get a veritas for $40??

Droppingshot reply :

I would go for the veritas hands down. Especially at that price! I paid $100 bucks for my mh veritas that i used. And I was happy with its performance. They are sensitive for that kind of money for sure. Most would use a mh for senkos anyways. At least for the 4" and up seems to be a common thing. You want enough power to set the hook on a decent size hook like a 4/0. Most people don't care a whole lot about sensitivity on senko rods because it's more about watching your semi slack line on the fall for any jumps. Since you want the senko to fall freely you will not have a very good connection to the bait, although fluorocarbon has the best slack line sensitivity. I'd say go with a medium heavy with maybe 12lb fluoro.

Not to hate on ugly sticks, I hear their durability is great but I recently took a trip to my brothers house that lives in Oregon. I couldn't bring any rods with me due to the flight, so I used his medium ugly stick while I was there. It was incredibly frustrating. Not enough power to set a decent size hook. Terrible sensitivity. It felt more like a crankbait rod.

Anohaakten reply :

Wow, thanks for all the great information guys!

fishballer06 reply :

How can you even compare an Ugly Stick to a St. Croix Avid?

Maxximus Redneckus reply :

Your right.If you put both on a wall hanging the st Croix is pretty and attracts.But on the water both are tools

Anohaakten reply :

Hey fishballer,

You cant really compare the two. Ultimately I was trying to discover how detrimental the thickness (power) of a rod is to the sensitivity, so I ended up throwing a high end rod out there and a low end rod.

Thanks for the responses guys!

Anohaakten reply :

Ended up getting a Shimano Crucial 6'8 Medium XF for $80, just to update you guys. Thanks for all the input, really helped!

Anohaakten reply :

Sorry, forgot to add why I chose it. It was within my budget and I was debating between the crucial and a veritas. I figured a lifetime warranty was well worth the extra $40 alone. I also obtained greater materials with this rod so hopefully it will lead to better sensitivity.

However, I am thinking about picking up a veritas as my tube bait/jig rod and keep my crucial as my senko rod.

The veritas is on sale for $40 and I can get either a 7' medium or medium heavy. I am trying to decide which to choose...

Then again, would I be better off just buying another crucial for $40 more to use as my tube bait/jig rod?

Tough decisions...

Slipknot_Fan666 reply :

On 8/7/2014 at 2:09 AM, Anohaakten said:

Sorry, forgot to add why I chose it. It was within my budget and I was debating between the crucial and a veritas. I figured a lifetime warranty was well worth the extra $40 alone. I also obtained greater materials with this rod so hopefully it will lead to better sensitivity.

However, I am thinking about picking up a veritas as my tube bait/jig rod and keep my crucial as my senko rod.

The veritas is on sale for $40 and I can get either a 7' medium or medium heavy. I am trying to decide which to choose...

Then again, would I be better off just buying another crucial for $40 more to use as my tube bait/jig rod?

Tough decisions...

That depends on how much you are going to be using the rod. If you won't be using it and relying on it too much, get the Veritas. If it's going to be one of your main setups that you plan to use every time you go out, get the Crucial. Just my opinion, but I have a $180 for my main setup, and I think under $100 for my backup.

gramps50 reply :

When I fished on the bottom or with a bobber I liked the Ugly Sticks, didn't worry about how sensitive they were & I can't really say I knew the term when fishing. When I started fishing for Bass I fast discovered that the US was like fishing with a broom stick. I still have mine just in case, but never use them anymore.

Anohaakten reply :

Thanks for your input.

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