Most durable rod?

I'm on the prowl for a tougher rod after breaking my BnM Sam Heaton. I mostly vertical jig brush from the banks of creeks. I'm looking for a rod that is durable and maintains some sensitivity in order to detect light bites. Preferably 11 or 12 feet in length with a good amount of back bone. Can anyone suggest something that suits my needs? I've heard that Southern Crappie rods are tough rods, but I've read online that they are a bit hefty to be used as a jigging pole. Can anyone attest to how sensitive the Southern Crappie rods are, or their effectiveness as a jigging rod?

Any helpful input is appreciated. I'm not a brand loyalist by any means, so I'm open to pretty much any brand that meets my needs and is under $100.

Thanks,

Cole

:twocentsYou might try looking at the Uglystick saltwater rods, they are in your length and are tuff rods.

I like the 10' pro angler rods. Never fished with their longer ones. I use the southern rods for spider rigging, I wouldn't single pole fish with them, too heavy.

I would have said Ozark rods till a year ago. If Ugly stick ever came out with a 10 ft crappie rod it might rule the market.

What is the trouble with Ozark rods, Duckman?

The 10' pro angler is very very light. Great backbone. Very fast light tip. About $50you can order replacement tips or bases for half that. Haven't found a rod yet that will hold up to tail gate closing on them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by warnerwalter

What is the trouble with Ozark rods, Duckman?

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I have had two of them break at the handle on hook sets in the last year. Rock solid until then but after a couple of years Ozark won't do anything… would buy a couple more but they are getting hard to find outlets and that along with some eye lit problems have me wondering.

Ozark's were the best rods available when Tony Edgar still owned the business. He has since sold. I've been told by others the new owners have cut some corners the new rods are just not what they used to be, I don't personally own any of the new rods though. I have some of the original Ozark rods and you just can't beat them for the money I paid $50 a rod I bough 3 and have broke one, we hit something I almost fell in dropped my rod and a buddy stepped on it in the boat. I've been jigging with one of them going on 10+ years now and I'm hard on rods. Stick them in the brush to free jigs and fight fish up through the brush and I've landed some nice catfish 10# plus as well as some 5# plus wipers. You can buy the new ones real cheap from Tony Edgars store in MO he will ship them too. It's edgarssports.com I think you can get 2 11' rear real seats for $77. A guy I work with just bought some so I'll get a report from him on how they are but he doesn't fish a whole lot for crappie so it will probably be this spring.

Another jigging rod that I have is the norseman ESP power jigging rod in 12'. Definitely the most sensitive rod I have ever held. It's a little on the heavy side for an all day hold. The tip doesn't appear to be as strong as the Ozark so I mainly fish open water with it like jigging spawning crappie out of 2-4' of water along the rocks. It's got a big backbone just like the Ozark rods. One more thing on the Ozarks I'm not sure what length Duckman had but the 10' and less rods always felt a lot weaker to me than the 11 and 12 rods especially in the backbone. On the ESP rods I don't know where to tell you to find one at. I bought mine from Cabelas a few years back they had them on clearance because they were not going to carry them anymore. They retail at $99.

Cabelas used to carry Ozark rods 6-7 years ago. I was in there and asked the guy why they quit carrying them. Said he didn't know they were probably the best rod and best selling rod they carried at the time and had the great online reviews. When cabelas quit carrying the ESP they also had great reviews. Some times I wonder if those 2 rods not being there had to do with BnM not wanting them there. BnM has gotten so big and popular that they can probably pull their weight around and have the good competition removed from the shelves. I've held some BnM's you couldn't pay me to put my Ozark down and fish with one.

You are not going to find a better 12 foot rod then the Pro Angler.

10' Slab daddy works for me.

outlaw rods for me.

I use an 11' B'n'M Brushcutter with 20# braid when fishing spots where I'm worried about breaking a rod. It's a little heavy, but so is $20 to buy another Heaton tip.