fishing with the ExprideB: • The Struggles Of The U... my email: ifishcatfish@gmail.com amazon: www.amazon.com/shop/i_fish paypal donations: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted...
I have the 6'8" medium B model spinning rod and it has a fairly moderate action actually. It's probably moderate-fast action and the medium power spec is accurate. I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you for the very useful review. I took your advice and used braid to leader with 1/2 oz lure on a 3000 size Vanford . Using this setup I am very able to fully load the bank and get a good long cast. I also opted to learn and use the narrow profile FG knot to allow the knot to pass through the smallish eyes. Agreed it is more Medium than Medium Light. Happy to have landed several small to medium bass so far. It can certainly handle bass in the 2 to 6 lb class.
I really liked watching you bass fish and catch that Flathead on that rods. When you changed it up and put the boat between him and the root I learned something new.
i have BFS medium light baitcaster i love it..also a older expride.. exprides are power rods style on the heavy side to power fish . throw lures on the heavy side more and have stronger back bone..
Longer reel seat is designed to choke up, putting the reel stem between pinky and ring finger. In the bass world 7’2” is average length by most standards. My 7’11” is one piece even.
Maybe if SHIMANO took the advice of some US bass anglers... thats possible. But thats obviously wrong and SHIMANO and DAIWA don't like to do things wrong just because someone told them because its embarrassing and hurts their image. Your index finger needs to be right next to the line roller to hold the line properly during the cast. That's a law of biology and physics. If u put your hand high, then your index finger is higher than the line roller and u cant grab, cant hold the line properly. Popular in US, but considered embarrassing in Europe and Aisa
Thanks for the review, weighted wacky rigs and lighter shaky heads in my river for smallies is the plan. Just have to see! Thanks again. PS if your a veteran and wait for sales at tackle warehouse save crazy money!
@@ifishcatfish Exsence found a home on another rod. Pulled my 3000M Vanquish from a rod I gifted for it. It has 10lb braid to 7lb leader on it now have to see? Did ICAST let you down? The best in categories were 😵💫
@@davidrauschenbach6871 That will do just as good. Sent me some picture with it and a nice fish. Put them on the ground and take a nice pic for my channel.
I have this rod, your review is spot on! It’s a medium rod with lots of power. I use it for bass tournaments just like you said. I just ordered the 7’ light and am going to try it for drop shots and Ned rigs.
@@Dropshot1 no it’s not… not even close to a noodle. Still more powerful than advertised. I have the L sitting right next to me, you’re flat out wrong.
@@jeffreymceloryjr4155 thanks I was thinking of getting one but have not held one yet. Glad action is lighter! Would you say it would be good for light rapala’s?
Great video, I would put the 7’2” ML between a true ML and M leaning toward a M. I also have the 6’10” ML Expride B and it feels like a noodle in comparison. Perhaps you would prefer that, although the short length kills casting distance drastically.
For the price, they are excellent rods. My only complaint is the location of the hook keeper. Should always be in front of the reel seat. In the spinning, I have an A 6/8 med and in the B I have a 6/8 m and a 6/10 med lite. The 6/10 is great fun for pannies and I also use it for bass. It cast 1/8-3/16 a ton. I still believe the nrx+ is the greatest rod ever made, but for the price point, the expride B is a very good right, light, sensitive and fun. Nowhere near the higher end rods that are out there , but it’s still fun.
hello Victor .. thank you for this great review.... I mainly fish for crappie from lake shore bank.... all about 11 to 12 inches ... do you think this light rod might not not be a perfect choice for this situation as it may be a little too strong.
I have a zodias 6'9" medium & I've been very happy with it. I just ordered a Expride B 7' light. I was looking for a med- light spinning rod. All the reviews I've read, say the same thing you are. That the B series is little on heavier side of power range. So whatever action you want, get the next step down. Hopefully that is correct. I'm kayak fishing for largmouth, striper & crappie on occasion. I needed a light- med light spinning rod for light baits like neds, small drop shots, small swimbaits.
I take offense to that. No other reviews say the same things i do. I don't know why a kayaker would get a 7 foot rod. I fish from boat and its still too long. And lastly, this is ABSOLUTELY not a crappie rod. I thought i made that clear in the video. This is a rigid stick for driving hooks through the mouth - something u will not be able to do from a kayak. There are no other reviews with the detail in this review, you should have paid attention and but a softer, shorter rod for your fishing.
@@ifishcatfish everything I've watched & read is basically saying same thing... 7' to long? I'm confused. I'm sure I'll love the Expride B spinning ike my casting
@@jordanramirez4185 I'm loving the 7' light, it's incredibly sensitive & yes very versatile! All reviews about Expride B series I read says thier little on heavier side in comparison to original Expride A. It is a little heavier than I expected, in a good way. Its good for ned rigs, dropshots, wacky, neko rigs, any weightless plastics, even crappie baits. I got it for light finness & a crappie rod combo. It does that job almost perfect. I can throw a 1/ 16oz crappie jig with zman micro finness shad fryz a very long distance. I have the rod paired with a Shimano 2500 vanford & 7lb floro. Get one if you're thinking about it!
I'm using the 7' light. Which is still alot stiff for you. Not where near ultralight. It's more of a ML for me. Also any of this line is geared towards bass I would say. They make UL versions in asia which I would say is still more stiff than the rods you are used to
@@ifishcatfish if you really want a 7’ light, get the Expride A 7’ light. The Expride B 7’ light is closer to ML, maybe ML+ (I own both A and B light). I’ve heard, not from your helpful vid, that the ML is more like a M.
yup! Zman baits is most interesting for me right now. I tried to contact the company for some kind of partnership, but they refuse to recognize I exist : )
I don't fish much ultra light or light so I may be bias as well, but exprides sem to be petty good, their medium are real nice and crisp compared to there rods
@@xibfwmz the Expride B light spinning is definitely ML power and not light. A totally different power than the Expride A light spinning, which is a true light power.
@i_fish I have the 4000 fk anyways. But I need a new rod. It's either the Poison Adrena or The Expride in the medium or medium heavy series... what do u tbink?
stiff broomstick haha... Those guys from TacticalBassin are talking about the casting model 6'10M for jerkbaits. I'm still thinking about getting one. Using Zodias 270M2 and Poison 7'6M atm
I use Expride 72 ML for Neko and Wacky rig fishing. I use St. Croix Legend Elite 7 ML for dropshot, great rod for 3/16 -1/4 oz noise hook worms. I mostly fish for large and spotted bass.
it bends easier in the middle, where u otherwise have an inflexible connection. But in high end rods, the connections are pretty good. For people with boats, there is no need to fold the rod to transport. U just put it in the boat. Nobody folds rods for transportation, if they have a boat, so the connection just adds risk. For people fishing from the bank is different though, as they need to transport it in the car, and need to fold it usually
Yep that’s right but on digitaka 2500 sxg Stella it was $541.75 last month they went up on there price to $641.20 the exist LT 2500 is $605.66 but the exist is lower and the Stella is higher what’s up with that
I'm with you on being somewhat unimpressed with the Exprides. They are nice, but I think it is hard to justify the nearly $300 price point except to say that they are worth more than some other rods which are also overpriced. I do a lot of bass fishing, and the two extra-fast rods I have are really just fast (St. Croix), and I like them. True extra-fast rods cast poorly, and hard fighting fish can more easily either throw the hook or--in the case of finesse hooks--simply tear them out. I'm not sure why bass anglers love extra-fast rods so much. Honestly I just think that as a group, dedicated bass anglers may be the least discerning tackle consumers.
maybe 'extra-fast' just sounds positive and appealing to them. You have to admit it sound much better than 'slow' action rod. Who wants to buy slow anything.. : )
Bass fishermen like fast and extra fast rods so it is easier to drive a 4/0 hook through a piece of plastic into a bass's mouth. Plus its easier to pull a bass out from under a dock or laydown with a stiffer rod. The exprides are designed for bass fishing, that's why they are all fast and extra fast. Bass fishermen as a group are very discerning. Most of the fishing industry in the US is driven by bass anglers. Go to any outdoor store and 90% of the tackle is geared towards bass fishing. $500 reels, $600 rods, $90,000 boats- all for the discerning bass anglers. Unless you are a true enthusiast, nobody in the panfish, catfish, carp or other fish world spends that kind of money on a normal basis. Look on the deck of just about any bass boat and you likely see the latest and greatest gear.
@@Henry-xh8ec I literally mostly fish for bass, and it isn't that hard to set even huge hooks lmao. The fact that someone will splurge on tackle also doesn't mean anything about how discerning they are as a customer. Bass-oriented tackle is predominant because in the United States, it is where the money can be made. Even most pros who talk about new products say stuff that anyone who can read can find out themselves without even using the gear in question.
@@Henry-xh8ec I agree with everything except the extra fast action. The power comes from.... the power of the rod... not the action. Extra fast means the tip is much softer than the body of the rod. What good is that for setting hooks?
@@ifishcatfish extra fast does NOT mean that the tip is softer than the rest of the rod. It means that the backbone of the rod kicks in closer to the tip, say 15% down the length of the blank rather than 20% for a fast action. The sooner the back bone kicks in, the stronger the hook sets because the hook set is not being absorbed by the rod bending as much as slower rods.
Reviews are not for everybody. You intelligence and also u have to put some time. I am actually lazy and don't like to do many reviews but this is some high end tackle and I couldn't say no. You probably don't know even know what high end tackle is because in catfishing there is no such thing as high end tackle. Its all ugly sticks and winches
@@ifishcatfish I don't care for jdm or expensive fancy gear. Most expensive reels I have are Calcuttas and I hardly use them. If I go catfishing which is rare I use my daiwa back bays. Only time I use heavy tackle is when I fish for alligator gar, sharks and bull reds. Only expensive reels I have interest in is van staal might get a pair for wade fishing in the surf. Also I don't like ugly stiks I use ocean masters, fenwicks, tsunamis etc etc
@@ifishcatfish I actually go higher end with channel catfishing rods as I would with any other rod. That doesn’t necessarily mean top of the line or exotic. Doesn’t mean that with UL either. I prefer a stiffer but parabolic bend that lets me feel the vibration of the fight. I don’t want to muscle anything. I want to enjoy the fight as much as see it out of the water. I’m fishing for the fight big or small fish. I pt a lot of time into every rod I buy and a lot of times it ends up a mid high rod that honestly fits better regardless of cost. I don’t use ugly sticks. Used to but bought a Fenwick for $130 and that changed the catfish rod game. Still use it and have much higher end that I also use. I have a LEGEND ELITE MH that is awesome.
I have older Expride 68M medium and it fishes like heavy...way to stiff.
very helpful to people considering the rod - thank you!
I have the 6'8" medium B model spinning rod and it has a fairly moderate action actually. It's probably moderate-fast action and the medium power spec is accurate. I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you for the very useful review. I took your advice and used braid to leader with 1/2 oz lure on a 3000 size Vanford . Using this setup I am very able to fully load the bank and get a good long cast. I also opted to learn and use the narrow profile FG knot to allow the knot to pass through the smallish eyes. Agreed it is more Medium than Medium Light. Happy to have landed several small to medium bass so far. It can certainly handle bass in the 2 to 6 lb class.
i think it can handle anything, with the right line.
I really liked watching you bass fish and catch that Flathead on that rods. When you changed it up and put the boat between him and the root I learned something new.
if anyone is new to my channel, I am mostly fishing Ultralight, so my perceptions may be a little distorted..
i have BFS medium light baitcaster i love it..also a older expride.. exprides are power rods style on the heavy side to power fish . throw lures on the heavy side more and have stronger back bone..
I have that model in Expride A... Excellent rod. 172ML+BFS. Best all around baitcaster paired with a Shimano Metanium. Heaven...
Longer reel seat is designed to choke up, putting the reel stem between pinky and ring finger. In the bass world 7’2” is average length by most standards. My 7’11” is one piece even.
Maybe if SHIMANO took the advice of some US bass anglers... thats possible. But thats obviously wrong and SHIMANO and DAIWA don't like to do things wrong just because someone told them because its embarrassing and hurts their image. Your index finger needs to be right next to the line roller to hold the line properly during the cast. That's a law of biology and physics. If u put your hand high, then your index finger is higher than the line roller and u cant grab, cant hold the line properly. Popular in US, but considered embarrassing in Europe and Aisa
The faster the rod, the better the transmission of strikes or bottom feel to the fisherman. Usually used for Texas-rig or Jig fishing.
No. The faster, the more transmission is absorbed and killed by the tip
Nice examination, thank you, i fish.
Thanks for the review, weighted wacky rigs and lighter shaky heads in my river for smallies is the plan. Just have to see! Thanks again. PS if your a veteran and wait for sales at tackle warehouse save crazy money!
Thanks Dave. Will mail Monday. Some of these Exsence reels will look very nice on this!
@@ifishcatfish Exsence found a home on another rod. Pulled my 3000M Vanquish from a rod I gifted for it. It has 10lb braid to 7lb leader on it now have to see? Did ICAST let you down? The best in categories were 😵💫
@@davidrauschenbach6871 That will do just as good. Sent me some picture with it and a nice fish. Put them on the ground and take a nice pic for my channel.
I have this rod, your review is spot on! It’s a medium rod with lots of power. I use it for bass tournaments just like you said. I just ordered the 7’ light and am going to try it for drop shots and Ned rigs.
thank you - i appreciate that!
7 light is a noodle.
@@Dropshot1 no it’s not… not even close to a noodle. Still more powerful than advertised. I have the L sitting right next to me, you’re flat out wrong.
@@jeffreymceloryjr4155 thanks I was thinking of getting one but have not held one yet. Glad action is lighter! Would you say it would be good for light rapala’s?
@@davidrauschenbach6871 it’s a advertised as a Light but it’s not a traditional L. It’s must close to medium action.
Great review. I like your unbias observations.
thank you
Great video, I would put the 7’2” ML between a true ML and M leaning toward a M. I also have the 6’10” ML Expride B and it feels like a noodle in comparison. Perhaps you would prefer that, although the short length kills casting distance drastically.
im sure i will prefer the shorter rod then
For the price, they are excellent rods. My only complaint is the location of the hook keeper. Should always be in front of the reel seat. In the spinning, I have an A 6/8 med and in the B I have a 6/8 m and a 6/10 med lite. The 6/10 is great fun for pannies and I also use it for bass. It cast 1/8-3/16 a ton. I still believe the nrx+ is the greatest rod ever made, but for the price point, the expride B is a very good right, light, sensitive and fun. Nowhere near the higher end rods that are out there , but it’s still fun.
yes
A humble request to get this guy one of those newer pflueger supremes.the specs are promising but they are unproven. Best of wishes.
I think a good application for this rod, regarding your description, will be fishing for zander. I think. Thank you for video!
feels too stiff for zander to me but ... who knows
hello Victor .. thank you for this great review.... I mainly fish for crappie from lake shore bank.... all about 11 to 12 inches ... do you think this light rod might not not be a perfect choice for this situation as it may be a little too strong.
No! Absolutely NO for crappie! This is a stiff bass rod! If you have this kind of money, buy the 7'6 Shimano Soare XR, tubular. Watch that review
I was thinking of the shimano poison adrena .
I have a zodias 6'9" medium & I've been very happy with it. I just ordered a Expride B 7' light. I was looking for a med- light spinning rod. All the reviews I've read, say the same thing you are. That the B series is little on heavier side of power range. So whatever action you want, get the next step down. Hopefully that is correct. I'm kayak fishing for largmouth, striper & crappie on occasion. I needed a light- med light spinning rod for light baits like neds, small drop shots, small swimbaits.
I take offense to that. No other reviews say the same things i do.
I don't know why a kayaker would get a 7 foot rod. I fish from boat and its still too long.
And lastly, this is ABSOLUTELY not a crappie rod. I thought i made that clear in the video. This is a rigid stick for driving hooks through the mouth - something u will not be able to do from a kayak.
There are no other reviews with the detail in this review, you should have paid attention and but a softer, shorter rod for your fishing.
@@ifishcatfish everything I've watched & read is basically saying same thing... 7' to long? I'm confused. I'm sure I'll love the Expride B spinning ike my casting
@@maxcole3930 how are you liking the 7”0 light man? Would you say it’s a versatile spinning rod for finesse fishing or is it to light?
@@jordanramirez4185 I'm loving the 7' light, it's incredibly sensitive & yes very versatile! All reviews about Expride B series I read says thier little on heavier side in comparison to original Expride A. It is a little heavier than I expected, in a good way. Its good for ned rigs, dropshots, wacky, neko rigs, any weightless plastics, even crappie baits. I got it for light finness & a crappie rod combo. It does that job almost perfect. I can throw a 1/ 16oz crappie jig with zman micro finness shad fryz a very long distance. I have the rod paired with a Shimano 2500 vanford & 7lb floro. Get one if you're thinking about it!
Well,in Europe i have the 2-7g Version coupled with Stella C2500S that you recommended,it is a Stellar combination 🎉
Thats a great match.
Great info
beautiful...
What models of major craft rods were comparing it to when you were talking about the balance of the expride?
Ultralight rods.. Mebaru Truzer (reviewed on my channel) and... Go Emotion (discontinued). But they are always like that
I'm using the 7' light. Which is still alot stiff for you. Not where near ultralight. It's more of a ML for me. Also any of this line is geared towards bass I would say. They make UL versions in asia which I would say is still more stiff than the rods you are used to
thanks. I got other feedback pretty much saying the same thing
The new expride 7light fishes like my daiwa 7' ml compile x steez.
Nice, try to get your hands on the 7 light. It's a nice stick.
i would definitely get the L, if I buy this rod
@@ifishcatfish if you really want a 7’ light, get the Expride A 7’ light. The Expride B 7’ light is closer to ML, maybe ML+ (I own both A and B light). I’ve heard, not from your helpful vid, that the ML is more like a M.
Thank you for the great review. Exactly how much does the rod weigh?
Sorry, i didnt get weight, but it feels like nothing due to perfect balance
Nice review. Are you kinda disappointed by ICast 2022? There really is nothing to be excited for except maybe the new Z-Man Baits.
yup! Zman baits is most interesting for me right now. I tried to contact the company for some kind of partnership, but they refuse to recognize I exist : )
That's how you make a review.
here here
You may be too used to ultra light gear, I think exprides power rating is pretty dead on, I own a few myself, good points on the review tho
thats fair
I don't fish much ultra light or light so I may be bias as well, but exprides sem to be petty good, their medium are real nice and crisp compared to there rods
@@xibfwmz the Expride B light spinning is definitely ML power and not light. A totally different power than the Expride A light spinning, which is a true light power.
the b are stiffer than the a
I've watched u before.. nice videos. I wanna pair this rod with the 2022 stella fk... I think that will be a serious setup
Oh yeah. 2500
@@ifishcatfish 4000 fk... or the poison adrena rod. But I'm not sure yet 🤔
@@miketorre16 well this rod doesnt need a 4000 size reel. Thats too much. And the poison adrena evel less so
@i_fish I have the 4000 fk anyways. But I need a new rod. It's either the Poison Adrena or The Expride in the medium or medium heavy series... what do u tbink?
@@miketorre16 oh wow.. i dont know nothing about that size of tackle.. thats not even for bass.. maybe for some big saltwater fish
stiff broomstick haha... Those guys from TacticalBassin are talking about the casting model 6'10M for jerkbaits. I'm still thinking about getting one. Using Zodias 270M2 and Poison 7'6M atm
no, im pretty sure they showed exactly this model - 7'2 spinning ML. Well they showed both..
@@ifishcatfish ah havent Seen all vids. Thnx 4 the insight tho mate
Does it have enough tip
To drop shot? The exprides are stiffer. The ml+ is too soft and this is too stiff. What’s the best expride to drop shot with?
oh yeah... it has tip alright... it's perfect for dropshot..
Cool seems like the best option. I like the 7’2 length! I think ill
Geta pair. Thanks
@@Dropshot1 its good to have a pair
I use Expride 72 ML for Neko and Wacky rig fishing. I use St. Croix Legend Elite 7 ML for dropshot, great rod for 3/16 -1/4 oz noise hook worms. I mostly fish for large and spotted bass.
What do you think about the shimano miravel?
nothing yet. Will have to see it first
nice video
thanks doc
For What is one piece rod good for? Seems like it for a specific reason
it bends easier in the middle, where u otherwise have an inflexible connection. But in high end rods, the connections are pretty good. For people with boats, there is no need to fold the rod to transport. U just put it in the boat. Nobody folds rods for transportation, if they have a boat, so the connection just adds risk. For people fishing from the bank is different though, as they need to transport it in the car, and need to fold it usually
@@ifishcatfish ok cool tnx for the explenation
Them rods was $250 6 months ago they put $40-50 on all there rods hell every company did
Strange. Yen has been dropping off a cliff. Many Japanese products actually went down in terms of US dollars
Yep that’s right but on digitaka 2500 sxg Stella it was $541.75 last month they went up on there price to $641.20 the exist LT 2500 is $605.66 but the exist is lower and the Stella is higher what’s up with that
I'm with you on being somewhat unimpressed with the Exprides. They are nice, but I think it is hard to justify the nearly $300 price point except to say that they are worth more than some other rods which are also overpriced. I do a lot of bass fishing, and the two extra-fast rods I have are really just fast (St. Croix), and I like them. True extra-fast rods cast poorly, and hard fighting fish can more easily either throw the hook or--in the case of finesse hooks--simply tear them out.
I'm not sure why bass anglers love extra-fast rods so much. Honestly I just think that as a group, dedicated bass anglers may be the least discerning tackle consumers.
maybe 'extra-fast' just sounds positive and appealing to them. You have to admit it sound much better than 'slow' action rod. Who wants to buy slow anything.. : )
Bass fishermen like fast and extra fast rods so it is easier to drive a 4/0 hook through a piece of plastic into a bass's mouth. Plus its easier to pull a bass out from under a dock or laydown with a stiffer rod. The exprides are designed for bass fishing, that's why they are all fast and extra fast.
Bass fishermen as a group are very discerning. Most of the fishing industry in the US is driven by bass anglers. Go to any outdoor store and 90% of the tackle is geared towards bass fishing. $500 reels, $600 rods, $90,000 boats- all for the discerning bass anglers.
Unless you are a true enthusiast, nobody in the panfish, catfish, carp or other fish world spends that kind of money on a normal basis. Look on the deck of just about any bass boat and you likely see the latest and greatest gear.
@@Henry-xh8ec I literally mostly fish for bass, and it isn't that hard to set even huge hooks lmao.
The fact that someone will splurge on tackle also doesn't mean anything about how discerning they are as a customer. Bass-oriented tackle is predominant because in the United States, it is where the money can be made. Even most pros who talk about new products say stuff that anyone who can read can find out themselves without even using the gear in question.
@@Henry-xh8ec I agree with everything except the extra fast action. The power comes from.... the power of the rod... not the action. Extra fast means the tip is much softer than the body of the rod. What good is that for setting hooks?
@@ifishcatfish extra fast does NOT mean that the tip is softer than the rest of the rod. It means that the backbone of the rod kicks in closer to the tip, say 15% down the length of the blank rather than 20% for a fast action. The sooner the back bone kicks in, the stronger the hook sets because the hook set is not being absorbed by the rod bending as much as slower rods.
That rod looks good for a shaky head or Drop shot rod I tell you another awesome rod it’s a daiwa steez STZ761MMLFS AGS
Best dropshot rod on the market...IMO
Hi,What is the weight for SHIMANO Expride B EXS72MLB ? Would you mind to tell me if you could weigh this Rod.Please...
it was not my rod and i already mailed it back. It is very light and very well balanced for such a llong rod
Thanks
3.7 ozs
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
: )
Hi shawon🇧🇩
Seliam aleikum!
@@ifishcatfish
hi
You should change your name to i_review since you upload more gear reviews then actual fishing videos
Reviews are not for everybody. You intelligence and also u have to put some time. I am actually lazy and don't like to do many reviews but this is some high end tackle and I couldn't say no. You probably don't know even know what high end tackle is because in catfishing there is no such thing as high end tackle. Its all ugly sticks and winches
@@ifishcatfish I don't care for jdm or expensive fancy gear. Most expensive reels I have are Calcuttas and I hardly use them. If I go catfishing which is rare I use my daiwa back bays. Only time I use heavy tackle is when I fish for alligator gar, sharks and bull reds. Only expensive reels I have interest in is van staal might get a pair for wade fishing in the surf. Also I don't like ugly stiks I use ocean masters, fenwicks, tsunamis etc etc
@@ifishcatfish I actually go higher end with channel catfishing rods as I would with any other rod. That doesn’t necessarily mean top of the line or exotic. Doesn’t mean that with UL either. I prefer a stiffer but parabolic bend that lets me feel the vibration of the fight. I don’t want to muscle anything. I want to enjoy the fight as much as see it out of the water. I’m fishing for the fight big or small fish. I pt a lot of time into every rod I buy and a lot of times it ends up a mid high rod that honestly fits better regardless of cost. I don’t use ugly sticks. Used to but bought a Fenwick for $130 and that changed the catfish rod game. Still use it and have much higher end that I also use. I have a LEGEND ELITE MH that is awesome.