Looking at buying a pitching rod for the river and looking at a mid to high end level. What models are good choices and the pros and cons of each?? Prices?? I want to feel everything that blade is doing and just looking at taking the next step. thanks in advance as i tried doing a search and was unable to come up with much
I had Dean set me up with a St Croix Legend Xtreme 69MLXF rod, rigged with a Pflueger reel and 8/3 fireline crystal. UNBELIEVABLE combo for fishing blades, but so versatile that I find myself doing just about everything (pitching, dragging, even casting cranks) with it. I’ll be adding another copy of this exact set-up soon!
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I had Dean set me up with a St Croix Legend Xtreme 69MLXF rod, rigged with a Pflueger reel and 8/3 fireline crystal.
Dean has the try before you buy program at Evert’s if your ever up this way. 
This exact setup is the one that Dean had me try for a day and its quite a setup! 
I won an Avid 69MLXF from Dean this spring and it’s awesome. I put a Pflueger President on it. If the Avids are out of your price range, look at the same model in the Mojo series. I have one of those as well. Still an awesome rod. I’ve been pitching 1/8 oz jigs to wing dams with both of them all summer. I used them both for blades this spring as well.
If there was ever a time for you to consider a premium product, this would be it.Hands down,the 69mlxf xtreme is the lighest and most sensitive rod made.The rod will do the selling,not me,once you fish with it. 
Of course that price is just not doable for everyones budget,hence the other model suggestions mentioned here,and they perform well.
Deano set me up with the Avid 69MLXF this spring and it’s been an awesome fishing rod. It’s my ‘go to’ rod for pitching light jig’s and was a very nice blade rod this spring. I would have liked the xtreme but this was a better fit for my budget and serves its purpose very well.
That being said, I’m afraid to try the Xtreme 
Hold em’ all and fish with them if possible. From what I’ve experienced, the quality of rod speaks for itself. If you get the opportunity to swing though Everts Resort sometime and talk to Dean, do so; it’s well worth the trip
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I had Dean set me up with a St Croix Legend Xtreme 69MLXF rod,
Amazing set up! This rod rocks…
If I dare might ask how much does an extreme cost??
Wallerboy, I don’t know where you fish. I live in Iowa as well and I must say that I have found no fault in loomis rods. It’s what I use. Try the BSR802GLX- a medium 6’8″ rod that is lightning quick and light as a feather. I am, however, a fan of shorter rods, even for throwing jigs. I find my WJR742-GLX a great rod for about everything. It’s a 6’2″ rod that is UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Cost is relative- top shelf rod is gonna run around 360 bucks. I would look at it as an investment, though. It’s not just a Wal Mart cheapy, it’s something you’ll own forever. Lifetime guarantees on both, so try my suggestions, try some Croixs, and figure out which you like.
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If I dare might ask how much does an extreme cost??
You did ask for the “perfect” rod…..
$360,Loomis top end are similar in price, the extreme is a product that will be second to none.The Avids are in the 160 range and the same action is offered in the mojo line at approx 89.We also have several anglers fishing the Limit Creek smoothie for similar dollars.
Dean is right on the money here.
I tried the St. Croix Premium, then the Avid.
Now I have the legend elite model.
Hate to say it, but this is one specific application where the more sensitive the rod, the better off you are. Just the honest way it is.
This is coming from a guy who normally pitches plastics and hair jigs with a $50 Berkley Bionic Blade rod….
But for pitching blades, it is a different ball game. If you search, you will find a ton of technical information as for products to use and why.
Dean is the “blade man” around here. He has probably tried every type of rod set up that would be “ideal” for this technique. And, this rod is it!
Take this advice from my buddy AJ—-dean sent him out the door with the Legend Extreme “try before you buy”, when we went back to the baitshop for a pizza (gotta love that baitshop pizza oven, think dean made 500 bucks off me last year) there was AJ buying a new rod and reel–think dean cut him some slack on the line purchase.
The legend extreme rocks,, don’t try it-sometimes ignorance is bliss. 
There is quite a big difference(to me) between an Avid 69MLXF (Dropshot rod) and the Extreme 69MLXF… The Extreme is much faster, more sensitive, and has a tad more backbone too.
If your budget puts you in the Avid…the 8/3 Fireline or PP Braid is a must to “help” the Avid work a lot better when pitching small blades.
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