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Best Chatterbait Rods: In-Depth Comparison and Reviews for 2024

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Looking for the best chatterbait rod? In this comprehensive comparison, we review top chatterbait rods, including the Evergreen combat sticks, Shimano X-Bride, Daiwa Tatula, Dobbins Champion, and G. Loomis NRX. We cover various price points, materials (fiberglass vs. graphite), and specific actions to help you find the perfect rod for your chatterbait fishing needs. Whether you prefer a heavy power glass rod or a lightweight graphite option, our detailed analysis provides insights into performance, balance, and value for each rod. Discover the ideal chatterbait rod to enhance your fishing experience and increase your landing percentages.

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Introduction to Chatterbait Rods:

  • Overview of popular chatterbait rods based on customer feedback and sales data.
  • Comparison of fiberglass vs. graphite rods and their price points.

Rod Reviews and Comparisons:

  • Evergreen Combat Sticks:
    • New combat stick: 7'3" heavy power, slow moderate action, priced at $229.
    • Super combat stick: Luxurious version, 7'3" heavy power, moderate action, priced at $450.
  • Shimano X-Bride:
    • 7'2" medium heavy glass rod, priced at $280, lightweight at 4.7 ounces.
  • Daiwa Tatula:
    • 7'4" heavy bladed jig rod, priced at $150, versatile with a moderate action.
  • Dobbins Champion 736:
    • 7'3" heavy power glass rod, priced at $220, extremely light at 5.5 ounces.
  • G. Loomis NRX BJR:
    • 7'4" fast, medium-heavy graphite rod, priced at $650, ultra-lightweight at 4.2 ounces.

Key Features and Benefits:

  • Performance insights for each rod, including power, balance, and action.
  • Recommendations for different fishing techniques and environments.
  • Expert analysis on the best chatterbait rods to enhance your fishing experience.


Video Transcript


Okay, folks, we're here with another comparison video. This time, it's with the chatterbait. We've received a lot of requests about different actions, styles, materials, price points, and techniques for rods. We're still figuring out the best way to efficiently test and compare them without favoring any one rod. So, we picked our most popular chatterbait rods based on price point and fishing report information provided by Brad.

I should note that neither of these two rods were on the initial list because they're new, but I included them for a reason. Brett Heit, who popularized the jackhammer in the United States, and Marizo Shimizu, a Japanese angler, both contributed to the jackhammer's design. Brett Heit has won many tournaments with it, and he's been a significant figure in the blade jigging scene. He designed some rods for them, including the new combat sticks, which are priced at $229. This is a 7'3" heavy power glass rod with a slow moderate action, weighing 6.5 ounces. It feels a bit tip-heavy, but that’s typical for glass rods.

The other rod is the super combat stick, my personal rod, gifted to me by friends. It's priced at $450 and is a more luxurious version of the combat stick, also 7'3" heavy power, moderate action. It has beautiful aesthetics with green aluminum pieces and silver wraps. This rod feels lighter in hand despite weighing 6.8 ounces due to better balance, thanks to the carbon fiber grips.

We'll be bending both rods and comparing them against our most popular chatterbait rods, addressing the debate between fiberglass and graphite rods and their price points.

Now, we’re back with the 7'3" heavy glass slow moderate jackhammer rod from the new Evergreen combat sticks. Paired with my usual 80-to-2 reels, it’s still a bit tip-heavy and bends significantly, making it a slow moderate action rod. This rod should increase your landing percentage as it allows the fish to take the jig deep in their mouth. It has more power than expected for a slow moderate action rod.

Next, let's check out the super combat stick. It feels much lighter due to better balance, despite being slightly heavier. It has a similar action to the combat stick, but feels crisper and more responsive. Both rods were designed by Brett Heit and are excellent options for a high-end chatterbait rod.

Now, let's move on to our most popular chatterbait rod based on customer feedback and sales data. The Shimano X-Bride 7'2" medium heavy glass rod, priced at $280, weighs 4.7 ounces. It feels lighter and softer, making it suitable for open water and sparse cover chatterbait fishing. It bends easily, but still offers enough power for single hook baits.

Next is the Daiwa Tatula 7'4" heavy bladed jig rod, priced at $150. This rod is versatile, used by Seth Feider, an Omnia angler. It weighs 6.4 ounces and has a moderate action with significant backbone. It’s a great value for the price, performing well above its price point.

Now, let's look at the Dobbins Champion 736, a 7'3" heavy power glass rod weighing 5.5 ounces. It feels extremely light for a heavy power glass rod and bends similarly to the Evergreen rods. It’s well-balanced and has impressive power.

Finally, we have the G. Loomis NRX BJR, a 7'4" fast, medium-heavy graphite rod, weighing 4.2 ounces and priced at $650. Unlike the others, this rod has a fast action, allowing you to feel the bait and get a good hook set. It bends more moderately when loaded, making it a suitable chatterbait rod despite its fast action label.

In summary, we’ve compared some of the most popular chatterbait rods based on various criteria. If you have any suggestions for other models we should test, please let us know in the comments. We’ll continue to provide more information on rods, actions, powers, and weights as we test more models here at Omnia Fishing. Stay tuned!

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