Picking your three favorite rods is like picking your favorite kids — but Falcon Pro Jason Christie did it anyway. Here's what he chose, why he chose them, and what else he throws on each one beyond the obvious applications.

Christie has access to every rod in the Falcon lineup, and when it came down to three he'd never leave the dock without, the Cara series swept the list. The common thread isn't brand loyalty — it's versatility. A rod that only does one thing well doesn't earn a permanent spot in the deck. Each of these three covers multiple techniques without compromising on any of them.

The Principle: Versatility Over Specialization

Before getting to the rods, it's worth understanding how Christie thinks about rod selection. When he picks up any rod, his first question is how many different things it can do well. A spinnerbait rod that can't handle a bladed jig or a finesse setup in a pinch is a rod that takes up space. His three favorites all double up — sometimes triple up — across different presentations, which is why they're always in his hand.

Rod 1 — Cara Head Turner: The Spinnerbait Weapon That Does More

Christie has thrown the Cara Head Turner CC-6-1610 for more years than he can count. It's a 6'10" rod that he describes as fitting him perfectly — the action is exactly what he wants for spinnerbait fishing. It has plenty of backbone but enough tip that fish can get the bait all the way into their mouth before he feels the bite. That tip is what separates spinnerbait rods from heavy-action sticks: you need the fish to commit.

The versatility angle: in the winter, he spools it with 10 lb fluorocarbon and uses it as a finesse jig rod. The action that works for a spinnerbait — good tip, loaded midsection — translates directly to light jig fishing where you want to feel the bait moving through structure without overpowering the presentation. One rod, completely different technique, zero compromise.

Rod 2 — Cara JC Flippin' Stick: The Rod That Earned Its Name

The Cara CC-7-1710 has Christie's name on it for a simple reason: he used it so much in the early part of his career that Falcon put his name on it. He didn't design a rod and ask them to name it after him. He picked up a 7'3" Cara rod, fished it obsessively through flipping situations, and that's how the JC Flippin' Stick got its label.

The specs matter: a little tip — not a lot — so it still has the feel to detect bites when fish are holding tight to wood or grass. Super light in hand. Long handle so he can pin it in his ribs on the hookset and drive the point home without relying on arm strength alone. Unless he's punching heavy mats that need a dedicated punching setup, this is the rod he's holding when he's flipping.

Extra applications: big worm fishing offshore, glide baits on the smaller side. The 7'3" length and the action that works for flipping transitions naturally to anything where you need a longer blank and control over a heavy bait.

Rod 3 — Cara Swim Jig: The Braid Rod

Christie's honest about this one: seven or eight years ago it wouldn't have made his top three. But the way he fishes has evolved, and the Cara CC-5F-172SJ has worked its way into permanent rotation. When he describes it, the tip is the first thing he mentions — it loads so much that he says you could almost use it for cranking. That's by design.

The logic behind the extra tip: when you're fishing braid, something has to flex. Braid has no stretch, the hook has no give, so if the rod is stiff and a fish bites on the reel, there's nothing absorbing the load and the fish pops off. The rod tip is the flex point in the system. The more it flexes on the hookup, the more time the fish has to commit before you react — and the less likely you are to rip the bait away from them.

What Christie throws on it: swim jig (it's right there in the name), buzz bait, whopper plopper-style topwater, reeling toad baits, anything where he's moving the bait and needs the fish to chase and catch it. Basically any presentation on braid where the rod's tip needs to do work.

The Bottom Line

Three rods. Six or more techniques covered. That's Christie's approach, and it's driven by the same versatility principle he applies to every rod he picks up. The Cara Head Turner, JC Flippin' Stick, and Swim Jig aren't just his favorites because they're well-built — they're his favorites because each one punches above its weight in terms of how many ways he can use it on a given day.