from what I understand I am looking for a med-light fast action around 7 feet long, what are the real benefits of breaking the bank ($250+) for a rod, vs more of a budget rod (<$120) mostly looking to fish pool 4 and pool 2.
What are some good rods in both categories that I should look into, and more importantly are there and that I should stay away from?
I would take a hard look at the classified ads and the St. Croix rods that are listed. I have bought numerous used high end rods and they still produce just the same as the new ones.
The peak of fish biting “feelness” maxes out at those $150-180 rods IMO. The component quality and weight difference on the expensive rods is about the only thing you gain on those. But then again you may have several others tell you quite differently to subconsciously justify their over priced gear. 
Rods are all feel for that individual. No advice will equal going into the store and feeling for yourself. With that said, my favorite rods for pitching jigs is St. Croix 610mxf Rage, and the fenwick bass elite 69mlxf. Rarely vertical jig so your rods may vary.
If your budget rod is $120 life must be good man! 
IDO Pros-
I am interested in hearing what rod/reel/line combos you use for jigging/rigging/trolling for Walleyes? If money was no object.
Thanks!
Rick
Limit Creek ‘Smoothie’ is the best deal for the money in my opinion. Pair it with 6# suffix 8-32 and you have a great combo.
The peak of fish biting “feelness” maxes out at those $150-180 rods IMO. The component quality and weight difference on the expensive rods is about the only thing you gain on those. But then again you may have several others tell you quite differently to subconsciously justify their over priced gear.
Got any facts to back up your opinion? If not, it is just your opinion and you should let people figure out where the peak of feel is for themselves. Maybe you have no ability to feel a difference, but other people may. On a good bite, not much difference in a high end rod and a medium end rod. When the fish are negative and the bite is very light, a quality rod will outfish a low end rod 10 to 1 in some peoples hands. Of course, that is just my opinion, not based on anything but experience.
There is a big difference between a $250 and a $120 rod.
Never mind all the sales mumbo jumbo. You take a rod like the St. Croix walleye tournament or elite verses a St. Croix Avid or a $120 is the speed of the blank as far as sensing the hit. You combine a rod like the Elite or Legend with a braid and the feel is right now. The lower end rods are slow or dead in feel. For pitching or casting I prefer a fast action but, for vertical jigging the extra fast action is right now, the tick is instantaneous.
Do you deer hunt?
A guy will spend $1000 for a gun and scope for deer hunting and used for a couple days and maybe a couple shots.
A high quality rod will deliver a lot for a longtime.
For pitching, casting look at 6’9″-7′ MLXF
For vertical jigging look at 6’3″-6’9″ MLXF or MXF, depending on the weight of the jigs.
A rod is a tool in your box.
Good Luck, Doug
Got any facts to back up your opinion? If not, it is just your opinion and you should let people figure out where the peak of feel is for themselves. Maybe you have no ability to feel a difference, but other people may. On a good bite, not much difference in a high end rod and a medium end rod. When the fish are negative and the bite is very light, a quality rod will outfish a low end rod 10 to 1 in some peoples hands. Of course, that is just my opinion, not based on anything but experience.
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Well said John! They make the biggest difference on a tough bite. I can confirm that from experience as well.
Got any facts to back up your opinion?
Isn’t that what an opinion is? That’s why I wrote “IMO” in post.
My hands are fairly calloused, have issues with carpal tunnel and past surgeries for almost cutting off fingers, so yeah I have some pretty good experience of fishing with a certain lack of “feel”. Never have I been overly impressed fishing the Legend extremes, tourney, gloomis, etc of the fish world. Does the bite feel more pronounced, sure I’ll say that, but it still is felt on the lesser rod.
Just my opinion, if a guy wants to drop serious dough on rods go for it. I’d start at the medium range for the OP and work your way up if need be.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>nhamm wrote:</div>
The peak of fish biting “feelness” maxes out at those $150-180 rods IMO. The component quality and weight difference on the expensive rods is about the only thing you gain on those. But then again you may have several others tell you quite differently to subconsciously justify their over priced gear.Got any facts to back up your opinion? If not, it is just your opinion and you should let people figure out where the peak of feel is for themselves. Maybe you have no ability to feel a difference, but other people may. On a good bite, not much difference in a high end rod and a medium end rod. When the fish are negative and the bite is very light, a quality rod will outfish a low end rod 10 to 1 in some peoples hands. Of course, that is just my opinion, not based on anything but experience.
So you jump on a guy about giving his opinion and then in your own post give your own opinion? Seems a little odd to me… Just because his is different doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
Anyway, I think that Paddlefoot hit the nail on the head as far as the difference between the higher end rods. You’ll get the instant feel of the hit and speed of the blank. Whether or not that’s worth the money is up to you. I really love St. Croix rods and think they’re worth spending the extra $.
To the OP, what kind of jigging will this rod be mainly used for? Dragging jigs with livebait on Leech all day, slipping current vertically, pitching, etc?
Couldn’t do without my XF tips for river. River fish IMO inhale your bait the vast majority of time. Lake fish can nip at it bc of the nature of the water conditions. XF may very well feel that tick faster as stated by Paddle, but those milliseconds are second to the fact once you lift that rod to stick em you have instant backbone. River fish suck and blow more than a porn star so the need for instant hookset is very important, lakes they can sit there and look at it before they commit. In those conditions id opt for F action, lets the fish bite your bait without them feeling you. Start combining stiff rods with braid and youd better feel em right away because they’ll feel you to! That I have seen as well, gets pretty funny watching guys swing and miss because of too much feel and late reflexes.
well I am new to river fishing, but that is where I am looking to start, however I do have a trip to Canada planed this spring, where we will be mostly vertical jigging. the most use it will most likely see would be dragging and maybe pitching on pool 2 and 4, unless I find another good use for it too, lol
Limit Creek is still the way to go – alot of the P4 guides use them. St Croix makes great stuff but for the price, it’s a great rod to start with on the river.
I really like my St. Croix MJS610MLXF which is $120. It’s the nicest rod I have so I haven’t compared it to anything higher end but (to me anyways) it’s ridiculously sensitive. Only downside is that it says “Bass” on it 
i use eyecons for vertical jigging walleyes. 6’3″ ML. I pair it with 1000 presidents or saharas. a combo under 200 that pretty much foots the bill for the novice once a monther like me.
however, i vertical jigged lotw one year with a 6’10” ML legend elite and it was a completely different experience. it was like i was holding nothing. the feel was night and day as i held 1 in 1 hand and the other in my other hand.
that being said, to justify the near $500 dollar combo i was using would require i be fishing for money almost every weekend for me anyways.
Limit Creek ‘Smoothie’ is the best deal for the money in my opinion. Pair it with 6# suffix 8-32 and you have a great combo.
X2
I’ve had this rod (paired with a Pflueger President reel) for several years and love it for Pool 4 fishing. about $100 as I recall.
Do you have any facts to back up your opinion ? Here is my factless opinion… huh ???? what ???? meh……. 
I’ve got 2 legend tourney 6’3″ MLXF, an extreme 6’6″ MXF, and my goto is $120 Fenwick elitetech 6’9″ MLF
Same reel and line on all 3. The Elite tech is my vote. Snapped the tip off it this summer pulling it out of the rod locker. Pi**ed me off!
My favorite all time jig rod is a 6′ 10″ mlxf st croix extreme. I have 2. It is a very versatile rod. my second would be 6’8″ mxf extreme. Next and probably best all around blank would be a 7′ mf. I have made a lot of rods over the years and st croix are very light and sensitive. Loomis are nice too but the weight was always a bit more. As for cost there absolutely is a difference. A good rod to start would be the Eyecon series form st croix good bang of the buck. It is hard to fish with a lower end rod once you have used better. As for the smoothie it is ok i have broke too many and not go that way. they were an over the counter replacement but no anymore. I’m sure it was getting out of hand three buddies also had same issues with smoothie. Just hook sets not abuse.
I use a 6’10” St. Croix legend elite (the 2016 model) and can’t imagine a more sensitive rod. There is a large gap between that and my avid. That being said, I would look at the avid x or mojo bass from st.croix. The avid x is the avid with a split grip and improved eyes (the eyes are smaller so freezing up would be more of a concern). Now the mojos, while I know they say bass (heaven forbid) are offering the best bang for your buck in my opinion. They have the SCIII graphite just like avid and are $130. You have to make sure you get the new model with the mojos thought. They are a huge improvement in from the old mojos. The biggest difference is the lifetime warranty with a regular avid, 15 year on the avid x, and 5 year on the mojo. This is all said by someone who is very partial to st.croixs.
edit. I like the longer length cause I can pitch better with it and still vertical jig. I came to a 6’10” from a 6′ and like the length. And an xf tip is the way to go for jigs imo.
My favorite all time jig rod is a 6′ 10″ mlxf st croix extreme. I have 2. It is a very versatile rod. my second would be 6’8″ mxf extreme.
These are also my 1-2 punch. I also have an older LTW Walleye 6-3 MXF “Vertical Jig Rod” I like and has served me well.
Weight is a huge difference in high end rods. That in part translates into sensitivity.
Some guys only fish for a few hours, and weight won’t make a.lot of difference. I will often get in my boat and fish for 10 to 18 hours at a time. I also have ripped ligaments in my shoulders. The reduction of an ounce or just grams can save me from fatigue.
Berkeley series one if their good as the old ones buy two. Fenwick
HMG, thous long telescoping limit Creek rods are great. Ml action.
I’ve got 2 legend tourney 6’3″ MLXF, an extreme 6’6″ MXF, and my goto is $120 Fenwick elitetech 6’9″ MLF
Same reel and line on all 3. The Elite tech is my vote. Snapped the tip off it this summer pulling it out of the rod locker. Pi**ed me off!
Almost all my rods are now Elite techs and my favorite for jigging is the “bass” rod and for rigging is the “walleye” rod.
If you snapped your tip take it back to the retailer for warranty. If they still have your rod on their racks they will replace over the counter.
Check out the Scheels brand walleye series rods as well. I bought a 6’9″ MXF last year and paired it with a president, impressed so far. It has good sensitivety and price is in the $100-130 range.
Anyway, I think that Paddlefoot hit the nail on the head as far as the difference between the higher end rods. You’ll get the instant feel of the hit and speed of the blank. Whether or not that’s worth the money is up to you. I really love St. Croix rods and think they’re worth spending the extra $.
This is what Paddlefoot said “You combine a rod like the Elite or Legend with a braid and the feel is right now.”
I am by know means a rod expert as I still use some old Gary Roach “Mr. Walleye Series” rods I got some years ago. Low end for sure, but my fishing budget has to spread out for so many things!
Anyway, this is more of a question than a statement…but doesn’t just about any rod when spooled with braid give you the tap, or feel right now?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bonawitz07 wrote:</div>
Anyway, I think that Paddlefoot hit the nail on the head as far as the difference between the higher end rods. You’ll get the instant feel of the hit and speed of the blank. Whether or not that’s worth the money is up to you. I really love St. Croix rods and think they’re worth spending the extra $.This is what Paddlefoot said “You combine a rod like the Elite or Legend with a braid and the feel is right now.”
I am by know means a rod expert as I still use some old Gary Roach “Mr. Walleye Series” rods I got some years ago. Low end for sure, but my fishing budget has to spread out for so many things!
Anyway, this is more of a question than a statement…but doesn’t just about any rod when spooled with braid give you the tap, or feel right now?
Imo, yes and no lol. If just speaking with line choices, than yes the braid gives you that instant feel. But I have a cheaper rod spooled with braid and my st. croix is also spooled with braid. If memory serves, they are the same length and same action. But I can feel a noticeable difference when fishing the st. croix compared to the lower end rod. To the OP’s point, I’ve never had a $250+ rod so I’m not sure of the difference between those and the rods in, say, the $120 range. This is just what I’ve experienced.
It is too bad the days of Dean Marshall letting you test out rods to see what you liked are done on pool 4. That is how I ended up with a few legend xtreme St. Croix’s. Now with Dean selling Warrior’s he will probably get me to buy one of those too, since he just sold a new warrior to a good friend of mine. I look forward to fishing out of it.
It is too bad the days of Dean Marshall letting you test out rods to see what you liked are done on pool 4. That is how I ended up with a few legend xtreme St. Croix’s. Now with Dean selling Warrior’s he will probably get me to buy one of those too, since he just sold a new warrior to a good friend of mine. I look forward to fishing out of it.
Dean recommended my LE 6-8 MF to me for pitching the jigs I use. He was spot on.
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