Dobyns Rods News & Updates |
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Stay up to date on all the latest and greatest from Dobyns Rods! |
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We’re finally getting a break from East Texas rain storms. It seems like most of the country could use some rainy weather, but here we’re tired of it. As I write this it’s mid-June and we’ve had two and half months of steady rain. The ground is like a sponge and it’ll be a while drying out. All the lakes are brimful with gates open trying to get rid of some water.
Speaking of water, there are some places that are into the critical stage. The west is really bad with the giant reservoirs looking at all-time lows this year. Here’s a few to think about: Mead is 36% full, Powell is 34%, Shasta is 41%, and Oroville is 35%. Lake Oroville was my hometown lake in California. As I write this on June 14th, it’s exactly 200 feet low. This is really early in the year to be at this water level. In 2020 on the same date, it was 113 feet higher, and in 2019 it was 194 feet higher, or almost full.
I love to talk water levels because here in Texas, if a lake like Fork is 5-6 feet low people act like it’s dry. The west uses so much water as they continue to build and turn desert land into farm ground or cities, but never think about the added water that’ll be needed. California needs more reservoirs badly and several have been on the books for many decades, but they still ignore the problem. Just think, two years ago, the big water holders in California were considered full or near it, and now they’re at critical stage and will break the all-time lows this fall. Still, they’ll never build any of the dams that have been on the books forever. If California hits a drought like in the late 1970’s they will be toast. It’ll happen sooner or later, too. Weather history always repeats itself given time.
Here in Texas, they’re still building large reservoirs and are currently finishing a big one just a little ways from Sulphur Springs. It’s like Texas and Oklahoma learned from the “Dust Bowl Days” and have prepared and continue to prepare, so it doesn't get to the issue it did in the olden days. The west will never prepare for anything until they have no water and it’s starting to look like this could be in the near future for them. Then they’ll more than likely look at desalinization because they won’t build dams and it’ll be faster to desalinate than build dams anyway. As a fisherman, we’d love to see some new reservoirs in the west and we know the need, but it’s not going to happen. But here in Texas, most of us are really glad to have the rain stop for a while. We have plenty of water to fish right now!! Tight lines!!
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Dobyns Fury Series FR 704C Review by Pete Robbins |
As a writer for Bassmater, Field & Stream and other publications, I'm supposed to stay impartial about different brands. I'm also able to use a wide variety of gear. At the same time, I think it's important to tell someone when they've done a good job building a product and then help them spread the word. After keeping rods down at El Salto for nearly a decade I needed to refresh my collection a bit, and the one I was most excited about bringing was the Champion DC 795SB swimbait rod. I'll be writing more about that in the future, but in the meantime I thought you'd be interested to know that at the last minute I threw in a Fury FR 704C. It's important to have some "all-around" rods down there. I typically only take 5-6 in the boat and the bite is changing constantly. All I can say is "Wow." I wasn't sure what to expect but I found myself grabbing for the Fury over and over and over again. I used it with a trap, with smaller spinnerbaits, flukes, squarebills and it excelled at all of them, but its best use was casting a Texas Rig. With a 10" worm and 3/8 ounce weight, I could feel every limb and rock at 30 feet deep in a heavy wind with fluorocarbon. With an 1/8 ounce weight and a brush hog I could pitch it a mile and thread it through branches. No matter what I threw or where I threw it, it was exceptionally comfortable and had the backbone to muscle big fish out of heavy cover Just an incredible stick. The only problem, as I see it, is that you're not charging NEARLY ENOUGH. At 120 bucks, it's far better than many other rods costing two or three times as much. Thanks for recommending it. I'm impressed and I don't impress easily.
Pete Robbins
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"Bassmaster writer Pete Robbins has been a longtime friend of Dobyns Rods and his better half Hanna is also an avid angler. They've been leading trips to lakes like El Salto and Picachos in Mexico for a while, as well as the Amazon, and now they have a new website called Half Past First Cast about fishing travel. They also represent world-class lodges in Alaska (trout/salmon/halibut), Panama (topwater tuna and inshore species) and Guatemala (incredible sailfishing). Feel free to email them any time at [email protected] to discuss fishing travel. They'd love for you to join them on a hosted trip, but they're glad to give out FREE advice to fit any budget or fishing dreams. Anything that Pete and Hanna do will be awesome. They’re first class people that I’ve known for 20 plus years. I definitely stand behind them."
-Gary Dobyns
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Five Rods I Can't Live Without |
By Clark Reehm
I’ve been fortunate to be associated with Dobyns Rods since 2007, and if I haven’t tried every rod in the lineup then I’ve come pretty darn close. Between my guiding, my time on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and my fun fishing, I’m on the water all the time and I put my tackle through the ringer. I’m sure I could use any rod Gary makes, up to the most costly Xtasy sticks, but I think you’ll be surprised that’s not always the direction that I go. In fact, many of my favorites are far less expensive.
Here are five I can’t live without:
I do a lot of fishing for crappie and red ears when I’m not competing, and I still love to go pond and creek fishing whenever I can. This is the perfect rod for that, but it’s not just limited to panfish. It goes with me to quite a few tour level events as well. You know how a lot of anglers have what we call an “Oh crap” box or a “panic box”? This is the rod that comes out when those baits are in play. When fish get finicky and I need to throw a little Rapala or a Beetle Spin, this is the one I use. Don’t laugh – I’ve made top tens with a Beetle Spin and you can’t do it without the right rod.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that this rod is my moneymaker. If I had to go on tour anywhere in the country with just one rod, this would be it. It’s the one that I wacky rig Senkos with and it has the perfect action to skip them a mile up under docks but also enough backbone to wrestle big fish out of the hydrilla. I probably wouldn’t use it to dropshot finicky bass with light dropshots, but when I’m using a heavier dropshot here in East Texas this one gets the call. I always carry multiples of this model – and writing this reminds me that I need to order a couple more.
I only have one Sierra Rod, but this Mag Heavy model gets a workout. You can frog with it, and it’s incredible with a Horny Toad. It also gets the call when I’m using swim jigs with a heavier hook, or with heavy cover swimbaits like Skinny Dippers. On tour, I almost always match this rod up with a reel spooled with braid. At home I can also use it on guide trips with Carolina Rigs or when I want my clients roll casting an Alabama Rig like you would a spinnerbait.
It’s hard to choose just one model form the XP lineup because this is the value range of technique-specific tools that put Dobyns Rods on the map. Nevertheless, one that stands out for me is the 805 CB. I know lots of guys on tour who are not sponsored by Dobyns (some of whom are even sponsored by other rod companies) who buy this model with their own cash. It’s just better at fishing deep crankbaits like a 6XD, 8XD or a DD22 than anything else in its class. You can even throw a 10XD on it, although the 806 is generally better-suited for that.
This is a universal rod for several very important big bass tactics. It’s the one I reach for when I’m throwing a football jig, a Carolina Rig or a big Texas Rigged worm, anywhere from Guntersville to Rayburn to California. It’s the perfect mix of sensitivity and power and it’s light enough to fish all day. I’ve even used it to throw certain swimbaits. If big bass live on structure where you fish, you can’t live without this beast.
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GYLL Lifepower Lithium Batteries |
Dobyns Rods is now a stocking dealer for the GYLL Lifepower 100AH lithium batteries. This is a great partnership and one of the best things is they’re located in our hometown of Sulphur Springs, TX. So if any warranty issues pop up, it’s super easy to handle. These batteries come with a 5 year warranty and weigh in at 22 pounds. I’ve personally been using these for about 8 months but several guides here on Lake Fork have been using them for well over a year and they use them daily. Just a note, these are NOT cranking batteries. These are for trolling motor, electronics, accessories, and everything but cranking the outboard engine. These are a Group 24 size battery. These can be used with standard charger as well. Retail is $549 and we can FedEx them to your door. There will be a straight 36 Volt battery coming within the next month and the specs are 20.5” x 9.5” x 8.6” and weight is 67 pounds. We will have the 36 Volt chargers for these batteries as well. Anyone needing further info please email us at [email protected].
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How To Choose A Dock Rod With Rich Lindgren Of HellaBass |
Skipping & fishing docks is a favorite technique of mine, sharing my thoughts on choosing the best dock skipping rods for you & buying guide for all budgets. Plus I share my two favorite Dobyns Dock Fishing combos:
1. Dobyns Fury Series FR 703SF Spinning Rod 7' Medium Fast
2. Dobyns Champion Extreme Series DX705C 7' Mag Heavy Fast
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DX 744C – This rod has been a top seller for us since day one. It is mostly used as a jig rod where ultimate feel is needed. It’s super popular in the west and northern states. Many guys in the south use it as well but a bunch of southern anglers opt for its big brother, the DX 745C. The sweet spot of the DX 744C is jig weights of 1/4 to 1/2 oz., but many guys use 3/4 oz. also. Another popular technique is using it to crawl paddle tail swimbaits across the bottom in the same weights. Many guys will throw spinnerbaits and buzzbaits on it as well. It will certainly fish these, but the materials used in this rod are overkill for these techniques. This 7’4”, 4-power rod comes in both full and split handle versions giving the angler choices that suit his needs best.
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Crappie Chatter with Jeff Lowdermilk |
My name is Jeff Lowdermilk and I’m a veteran member of the Dobyns pro staff, a Crappie USA competitor, and an all-around avid outdoorsman from North Carolina. My goal with this column is to regularly share some of my knowledge with you so that everyone else can enjoy this magnificent gamefish.
I know that this time of year many of you struggle to find crappie and to catch the ones you find, so I’ll give you my recipe for success. I hope it pays off with bigger catches. Right now our local water temperatures are in the mid- to upper-70s, and my go-to strategy is deep brush piles. Spend some time with your electronics to find the best ones – sometimes they are known to other anglers, but if you have a few to yourself that’s even better. Once you locate the fish, the best all-around setup is a Dobyns Sierra Trout and Panfish series STP 700SF. It has the perfect action and sensitivity to fish a 1/32 ounce crappie jig with a Bobby Garland Baby Shad Swimmer on 4lb test Gamma fishing line (Optic Green) in depths of 8 to 20 feet.
You’ll want to tailor your jig colors to the water clarity and local forage. Because the lakes I fish are fairly clear, this time of year I am generally using the following colors: Blue Shiner, Blue Thunder, and Monkey Milk. If your lake is murky, rely more heavily on brighter colors like Bobby Garland’s Bone N Chartreuse, Outlaw Special, or Green Banana. If you live in areas where muddy water is a constant, you want to try BG’s Lights out or Black Knight for best results.
If you have not tried the Sierra Trout and Panfish rods, you need to do so. They will change your success rate and substantially increase your confidence. They come in a wide range of lengths from 6’2” up to 7’9” and Gary Dobyns has maximized their sensitivity beyond that of any other rod I’ve tried -- It is super light and ultra-sensitive, but strong enough to flip a 1-pound crappie in the boat. I also love the cork grips. For me, they simply enhance the sensitivity of an already extremely sensitive rod. You have to fish them to believe them.
If you have questions or topics you would like for me to cover, please feel free to email me at [email protected]. My goal is to share my knowledge and to make you a better crappie angler.
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Drew Cook Takes Top 10 At Bassmaster Classic |
Congratulations to Dobyns Rods Pro Drew Cook for finishing 9th place at the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic. Drew weighed in at 38lbs. 7oz.
This is Drew's 3rd season competing on the Bassmaster Elite Series. Cook won the 2019 Bassmaster Rookie of the Year award. Cook has finished 7th and 18th in the Angler of the Year race in his first two years.
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Dobyns Rods Pro Staffer Of The Month |
Chase Nicely
Hometown: Midlothian, VA
Home Water: James River
How long have you been with Dobyns and what attracted you to the company? I have been with Dobyns Rods for 3 years, I was initially attracted to the company’s products when I borrowed some Dobyns Rods from a few of my buddies. I would pick them up and the balance, sensitivity and overall feel just blew my mind. They are incredibly durable and extremely affordable.
Bucket list fishery: The one body of water I would love to fish more than any other is Lake Baccarac in Mexico. This is my bucket list because it is the best big fish fishery in the world.
Biggest fishing accomplishment: My biggest fishing accomplishment was to be named as an Honorable mention from the Bassmaster High School All-American team. As high school fishing grows throughout the country this is an increasingly competitive program and while on-the-water accomplishments are recognized it’s about more than just that.
Most memorable fish: I caught my most memorable fish last year. I was throwing a Fish Everything Hater during a big one of my first big tourneys. It was an extremely rough day and I was on the James river and cast the swimbait parallel to a log and got slammed. After a gut-wrenching fight, I finally got it to the boat and it was a 6.8 pound largemouth. Not only was it my personal best at that time, but it also won me the big fish award and closed out the win for me.
Go-to technique: My go-to technique is definitely fishing a Carolina rig deep during the summer. Not only does this presentation catch big fish, but it’s particularly effective because it excels when other things struggle. I always pair is with a Zoom Ol’ Monster big worm.
Biggest weakness: I’m still young and I continue to work on the gaps in my game – I need to improve my finesse fishing and resist my tendency to fish too fast. Sometimes when I’m fishing during the slower months I get quite frustrated and start to speed up to cover more water. Rather than helping, this often kills my chances of catching more fish.
Dobyns Rod I can’t live without: The Dobyns Rod I cannot live without is definitely the Dobyns Fury FR 705CB. This rod is both affordable and versatile. For example, I love this for jerkbaits. Allot of people like using a shorter rod for jerkbaits but I get a lot more casting distance and comfort when using a 7’ rod. It is also my go-to popper and walking bait rod. It excels with a Megabass Pop X, one of my favorite topwater, because it is super sensitive and parabolic. Lots of anglers may discount the Fury Series because they’re bargain-priced, but it’s one of the best rods I’ve ever picked up, just an incredible value.
Dobyns Rod I need to use more: A Dobyns Rod I need to use more would be the Dobyns Champion DC 806CB. I haven’t really messed around with giant deep-diving crankbaits, even though I know that it is a technique that catches giant fish. One of my goals going forward is to improve my cranking game.
Hobbies/interests outside of fishing: Some things I enjoy doing when I’m not fishing include hanging out with family and having cookouts on the grill. I don’t get many of those days because whenever I’m not working I’m outside fishing or doing something fishing-related. When I do have those days to enjoy the company of my family I cherish every moment.
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Dobyns Rods Breakdown By Strategic Angling |
In this episode of Strategic Angling, Dobyns Rods Pros' Brady Hanna, JJ Patton and Chuck Fiser break down all things Dobyns Rods and which rods they use the most. Be sure to follow Strategic Angling for more great tips!
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Nick Welton Finishes Top Ten At
Clear Lake and Wins Big Fish
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On April 14-16, I competed in my first Won Bass California Open on Clear Lake.
The field consisted of 214 boats with anglers from all over the West Coast and Mid-West attending.
During the first day of the event I was able to land big bass of the event weighing 10.43. She was caught on a Dobyns XTASY DRX 723SF split-shotting a Roboworm. That rod is a work horse for its design. The sensitivity and strength is amazing.
After catching some other stout fish to go with the big one, I landed in second place after day one.
Day two brought another great day! I was able to land a 6.62 with a couple of 5+ pounders to finish my day. A Champion Extreme DX 743C was my go to on this day. Drop-shotting a Roboworm in spawning areas was key. After day two, I found myself leading the event.
Now day three started. Going out boat number one with 213 boats to follow was humbling. Again, I utilized my XTASY 723SF and DX743c catching several fish. Unfortunately, I was only able to secure one fish just over 5 pounds and finished the event in eighth place.
Although winning an event of this size and notoriety would have been an all time high in my bass fishing accomplishments, I have no complaints. My equipment performed flawlessly and I met some great people along the way. Maybe next year I’ll get it done.
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Dobyns Rods Fan Of The Month |
Katherine Field
Hometown: Ivins, Utah
Home Waters: Sand Hollow – Hurricane, Utah
Bucket List Fishery: Lake St. Clair
Largest Fish: 23 Inches (kayak tournaments go by length) caught on a Dobyns Champion XP DC 703C
Favorite Dobyns Rod: Dobyns Champion Extreme HP DX 764SF. This rod is just straight amazing. It is extremely versatile. The length of the 764SF allows you to throw small, lightweight baits a long distance, but it has the backbone to take that long cast and lay a heavy hookset on a massive, hard-fighting smallmouth and keep it pinned. I have used this rod for marabous, small swimbaits, creature baits and senkos. I never leave the ramp without it.
Go-To Technique: I would say my favorite technique would be small swimbaits. They are so versatile and pretty much anything will eat them. It helps me locate finicky fish, I can skip them and work through any level of the water column. My favorite rod for this is the DX764SF.
What is it like being a female kayak Bass angler in a male dominated world? – I love competing in tournaments across the country and, for the most part, I have been treated very well on the water. I am a friendly person and treat others as I would like to be treated, with respect and good sportsmanship. Sometimes I may run across an angler who asks if I know how to back down a boat ramp or says something a bit off, but that is very seldom.
I believe in earning my way in this sport and I am traveling across America, working extremely hard to improve my skills and compete against the best in the sport. As women, we are under the microscope when it comes to public perception on the water. I am very transparent in what I am doing and I share my journey along the way. I don’t ask for help on where to go fish, I don’t ask for help on what lures to use or what technique. I break down water myself, I find my own fish, I live and die by my own decisions and I work hard in trying to earn my way in this sport. I will get there on my own hard work and effort. The fish don’t know who is on the other end of the line and I encourage other female anglers to not be afraid to follow your passion in fishing. You can do this! It is all about time on the water and getting out there, putting in the work and having fun!
What got you into fishing? As a young girl I fished with my parents and grandparents for primarily trout and salmon in the Pacific Northwest. I got a kayak in 2019 and started learning to fish for bass. I jumped into local kayak bass tournaments in 2019 and then jumped to the national trails in 2020, though Covid did dampen that a bit. This year I have transitioned to traveling and fishing tournaments full time; it has been a leap of faith but I have been having a blast! Life is too short so I am following my dream and competing as hard as I can on the tourney trails.
Boat: Hobie Pro Angler 14 360
Electronics: Garmin powered by Dakota Lithium
Kayak Bass Tournament Trails:
Hobie Bass Open Series – Currently 23rd in AOY standings out of 467 anglers, with two recent top 20 finishes. Working to qualify for the Tournament of Champions this fall.
Kayak Bass Fishing Trails – Qualified for the 2021 Kayak Bass Fishing Championship.
Kayak Bass Bracket Tour – Qualified for the 2021 National Championship.
Texas Kayak Championship Series – Qualified for the TKC Championship.
All American Kayak Series – Recent top 10 finish. Working to qualify for the AAK Championship.
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The popularity of this rod still baffles us a bit. It’s the single #1 seller in the company. Usually, a technique specific rod is not a top seller because it’s made to throw certain baits only, in this case crankbaits/jerkbaits. The Fury Series FR 705CB has a split handle which is also different from almost all the Dobyns CB rods. It has a cork handle, but an EVA butt. The action is a true Moderate-Fast which most anglers look for in a crankbait rod. At 7 foot it’s still an ideal length for a jerkbait rod as well. The rod is very light with an incredible balance. It’ll throw a wide range of baits and handles all but the biggest deep divers. If you’re needing a great crankbait rod and not wanting to break the bank, the Fury 705CB should be a perfect fit for you.
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More Versatile Than Advertised - The DC 795SB |
By Pete Robbins
The original plan was to bring six new rods to Anglers Inn El Salto to replenish my aging arsenal, but at the last minute I added another stick to make it a total of seven. Regardless of the final number, the one that excited me most was the first one in the tube, a dedicated swimbait rod. Specifically, it was a Dobyns Rods Champion XP DC 795SB, 7’9” and rated for 1 to 5 ounce lures. While I certainly hadn’t dialed in the big bait game in Mexico (or elsewhere, for that matter), I reasoned that part of the problem was not having the right gear—with the proper equipment I’d be more apt to confidently and efficiently chuck the big stuff around.
Of course, swimbaiting is often a high-risk, high-reward game. The true addicts have the same DNA as big buck hunters and musky freaks. They’re not looking for bites, they’re looking for the right bites.
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Grennan Brothers' Australian Adventures |
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Nate and Wade are youth anglers out of Australia who are big fans of Dobyns Rods. They caught these Australian Bass on the Fury 661SF and also enjoy targeting Murray Cod. Great catches guys!
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