The Dobyns Fury was one of 11 different rod models in our Best Baitcasting Rods test. While it fell short of taking home an award, the Fury was impressive at pulling big bass out of thick cover. And it was in these close-quarter situations where the rod stood out from the rest of the pack. The overall build, power, and action of the Fury make it a jigging machine.
For $130, I am very impressed with what this rod has to offer. After our big test, I spent more time with the Fury from both my kayak and bass boat. The more I fished with it, the more I liked it. This also gave me the time to dial it in as a jigging rod and the results were great. Here's an in-depth look at how the Fury performed on the water and what you can expect from this value rod.
The Dobyns Fury: First Look
Out of the box, the Dobyns Fury has a nice look and feel to it. The foregrip is made of AA cork with a dense EVA foam butt. I’m usually not a fan of bright colors on rods and reels, but the green accents on this rod are sharp and set it apart from other models. The Fuji reel seat is pretty basic, but that’s not a knock. It goes along with the no-nonsense design of the rod as a whole, pairing well with the quality and sturdy guide train and the high modulus blank.
I was caught off guard when the specific Fury I ordered came in the mail. I selected a 7’6” medium heavy casting rod with a fast action for testing. The plan was to test it as a football jig rod—rigging it with a 3/4-ounce jig and fishing in 20 feet of water. What I failed to realize was Dobyns also lists this specific model as a flipping/punching, which makes a big difference. This specific Fury is too big, strong, and heavy for a typical football jig. But it is perfect for flipping big, heavy jigs. So I changed my plans and paired it with a MACH I SS Gen 3 Casting Reel spooled with 50-pound Sufix 832 braid. Then I tied on a big jig and hit the water.
Specs
Rod Type: Casting (Flipping/Punching)
Pieces: 1
Rod Length: 7’6”
Rod Power: Medium Heavy
Rod Action: Fast
Line Rating: 12-25 pound
Lure Rating: 1/4-2 ounces
Other Noticeable Features
9 casting options
High modulus graphite blanks
Performance balanced
Fuji reel seats
Kevlar wrapping
AA-grade hi-density cork grips
Hi-density EVA butt
On the Water Performance
I took this setup onto a local lake to flip some willow grass beds that pepper its shorelines. I found that this rod is balanced really well, which makes a big difference when flipping and pitching a 3/4-ounce jig around all day. The rod and reel combo was a little heavier than the other casting rods that I was testing. But, in an apples-to-apples comparison with other flipping and punching rods, the Fury is on par with most.
I managed to get a few bites with this setup over the course of the two trips despite August water temps hovering around 90 degrees here in Alabama. The most notable catch came from a little patch of water willow in about a foot and a half of water. I pitched my jig in the middle of it and the fish was sitting on the jig when I picked up on it. I stuck the bass deep in the vegetation, and one about 3 1/2 pounds came rolling to the surface. The rod rocketed the bass out of the grass with ease, and I flipped it right over in the kayak before the fish could do anything else.
That’s what you want to see out of a flipping and punching rod—immediate and reliable performance. After catching this fish, a small keeper, and another 3-pounder, I’m confident enough in this rod's ability to pull fish out of the thickest cover imaginable.
The 7’6” medium heavy also makes for a great punching rod. It is rated for baits up to 2 ounces, and most of my punching is done with a 1-½ ounce weight. I like the bend and power of the rod for punching, too. It loads up well and has more of a parabolic bend than a stiff pool cue feel to it. This is ideal for springing fish out of mats and keeping the line from developing slack, which can lead to lost fish.
Fury Casting Series
The Fury series has nine models, ranging from a 6’6” medium heavy/fast to an 8’ heavy/fast. Eight of these rods are priced at $130, with the 8-footer being the only rod in the lineup that costs $140. I assume the smaller Fury rods are a good bit lighter than the flipping stick I tested and that the power ratings are more like those of other rod companies. As for the flipping rod, I was extremely impressed.
For $130 to $140 dollars, the Dobyns Fury is a heck of a deal. Some people complain about them snapping, but I didn't experience any issues with the rod's durability. I stuck a few big bass (see for yourself in this video) with this thing, and it didn't blink an eye. As for handling, I flipped a 3/4-ounce jig with this rod for several hours without becoming fatigued. The overall build is solid and fairly attractive to the eye. All in all, if you're looking for a rod to handle big fish in thick cover, the Fury is for you.
