Megabass Levante Leviathan Intel/Info

[DEPS_250]

I am thinking about getting a Megabass Levante Leviathan as a dedicated 2-5oz glide bait rod. Some questions...

1. How long is the handle from the back of the reel seat to the end of the foam butt cap/end? 
2. Are the guides considered small, average or big for a rod of its size and intended purpose? I prefer guides on the smaller side for glide bait fishing. Smaller guides lessen line slap on the retrieve. Less line slap makes each handle turn feel a lot more responsive.
3. Does the rod feel balanced, light and ergonomic when paired with the right reel weight and size? I am planning on pairing the rod with a Daiwa Tatula 300. Do you think it will feel tip heavy or just right? I actually prefer my rods to be a little tip heavy for fishing glide baits. Having the rod be a little tip heavy actually helps with 'Rod English' when working glide baits and helps put slack in the line in order to make the bait glide from side to side. I am actually hoping that a Daiwa Tatula 300 will be small enough and light enough, so that it will make the rod feel a little tip heavy.
4. What's the sweet spot as far as lure weights are concerned?
5. Does the rod bend enough on the back cast with baits on the lighter end of its weight range? Can it handle casting and working a 1oz bait or would the rod feel too overpowered/overkill? 

 

Edited April 23 by DEPS_250

[Jerkbait22]

The sweet spot is about 3-6oz. I would say the guides are average size. For 2-4oz glides I prefer my leviathan omega heavy.
 

Rod pairs well with a 300 size reel. I fished the tranx 300 on mine and primarily used it as a wakebait rod.  The megabass is a good value do it all rod at that price point. 

[DEPS_250]

20 hours ago, Jerkbait22 said:

The sweet spot is about 3-6oz. I would say the guides are average size. For 2-4oz glides I prefer my leviathan omega heavy.
 

Rod pairs well with a 300 size reel. I fished the tranx 300 on mine and primarily used it as a wakebait rod.  The megabass is a good value do it all rod at that price point. 

That's weird. Your sweet spot sounds different from what I have seen and heard from other people's review on the rod here on SU and other sites.

A Deps 250 is right around 6oz. According to your sweet spot, it should do 'OK' with a Deps 250. On the other hand, I have heard some guys say the rod is underpowered/outgunned for a Deps 250 and they would never even think about swinging a Deps 250 on the Megabass Levante Leviathan. I was hoping the rod can handle the Deps 250 but I guess I will just have to find out for myself. 

A DRT Tiny Klash is right around 2oz. According to your sweet spot, the rod might feel a little overpowered/overkill for the DRT Tiny Klash. On the other hand, I have heard a lot of guys say the rod can cast and fish the Tiny Klash exceptionally well and can cast and fish glide baits around the 2oz mark really well. 

With all that said, I understand that lure weights are very subjective and most people will be using different kinds of reels, lines and baits on the rod. Therefore, everyone's experience is going to be a little different and everyone's opinion on what the rod can handle is going to be slightly different. Looks like I will just have to bite the bullet and get one in my hands so I can experience one for myself and make my own conclusions. I am hoping I can snag a used one on SU or maybe Ebay.

Do you know how long the handle is from the back of the reel seat to the end of the butt cap/foam? 

[DEPS_250]

On a side note, I fish braid to leader, therefore I like a rod that is pretty soft and moderate. What's the action like? Is the action soft enough and slow enough for braid? 

Lots of dudes say the rod is definitely made for fishing treble hook baits so I am assuming its going to be pretty soft and moderate. Since braid has no stretch, I am hoping the rod is soft enough to absorb head shakes. Since braid is very sensitive, I am hoping the rod is slow enough to 'deaden' the bite a little bit so I don't get trigger happy and pull the bait too soon on a hookset. I get very trigger happy and I haven't yet learned how to wait/be patient on my hooksets, therefore I need a little help from the rod. 

Edited April 24 by DEPS_250

[maine y yak]

I'd suggest getting the rod and leaving others impressions to the side because almost everyone's experience is different. 

 

You will be the best judge of what the rod can and cannot throw comfortably. Everyone's mechanics are presumably as different as there are fisherman. 

 

My 2c  is probably worth exactly that. Or less. 

[Jerkbait22]

2 hours ago, DEPS_250 said:

On a side note, I fish braid to leader, therefore I like a rod that is pretty soft and moderate. What's the action like? Is the action soft enough and slow enough for braid? 

Lots of dudes say the rod is definitely made for fishing treble hook baits so I am assuming its going to be pretty soft and moderate. Since braid has no stretch, I am hoping the rod is soft enough to absorb head shakes. Since braid is very sensitive, I am hoping the rod is slow enough to 'deaden' the bite a little bit so I don't get trigger happy and pull the bait too soon on a hookset. I get very trigger happy and I haven't yet learned how to wait/be patient on my hooksets, therefore I need a little help from the rod. 

To be honest with you I don’t own a Deps 250 but have thrown up to the phoney on it which is around 5 I believe and it did fine. There is a video review of it through the hookup tackle and I thought that Geoff said it will throw a 250 but I could be mistaken. 
 

It’s not as parabolic as the leviathan rods which are like big crankbait rods but it’s definitely more a treble hook bait rod IMO. I throw fluoro and copoly and it’s perfect for that. It can definitely throw the tiny klash and down to about 1/1.5oz but it’s not ideal or in the sweet spot. I can’t really comment on how it will do with braid since I’ve never fished it with braid and only throw straight fluoro or copoly. 
 

you’ll want a different rod for the tk vs Deps 250. 
 

I would also consider the leviathan XH if you have the cash which is slightly more parabolic and lighter in weight but more money. I don’t really throw my levante leviathan anymore now that I have the leviathan omega rods. I have the heavy and the extra heavy. The heavy is great for 2-4oz and extra heavy can do 3-6. The leviathan heavy is rated 2-6 but I wouldn’t go over 4.5/5oz on it. 

[Jm Apostolakes]

All I can say (sorry, not really helpful) is that I own 3 Leviathan rods and they are really nice. I throw all sorts of baits on my Omega heavy and it pretty much does it all. Jerk bait 22 is 100% with not going over 5oz on the Heavy. I have the Xtra Heavy but haven't used it a ton. I throw the TK on my Omega heavy all the time and its great. Where  the Omega really shines is with jig hooks imo. Buying rods is tough though.....Ive made some mistakes in the past but there's nowhere to demo rods(that I know of). Sometimes just jumping in is your best bet to see what YOU like. Leviathan rods aren't cheap but I'm not sure you can go wrong with one. 

[Jerkbait22]

If you do decide to get a leviathan omega there should be discount codes out there just search the forum

[OCSwimbaiter]

I had the Megabass Levante Leviathan and would say the 250 felt a bit too heavy, but just barely. Was throwing hawghunters and huddleston 8 inch a country mile on it though paired with a 400b

[scojangles]

I'd spend a whole lot less time online speculating and more time out there just experiencing this stuff for yourself...  Peoples advice and opinions are all over the place you're setting yourself up for disappointment taking the advice of others so literally.  Best way to figure this stuff out is try things for yourself, form an opinion for yourself an build from that.