The Bull Bay Stealth Sniper Inshore Fishing Rod Ultimate Review
- By: Luke Simonds
- on
- Found In: *Tackle & Gear, Fishing Tips, Product Reviews, Rods, Weekly Newsletter: 6-21-20
It’s rod review time!
I’ve been using this rod for a while and it’s a great setup for inshore fishing.
But nothing is perfect.
So in this video, you’ll learn the top pros and cons of the Bull Bay Stealth Sniper inshore fishing rod.
Check it out below!
Bull Bay Stealth Sniper Review [VIDEO]
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Pros & Cons Of The Bull Bay Stealth Sniper
Pros:
- Good blend of power and action
- Great for many different lures and species
- Tangle-free guides
- Casts amazing (this is the rod I use for our lure contests)
Cons:
- EVA grip material
- The split-grip (personal preference)
- Hook keeper does not secure a weedless soft plastic
This inshore rod is strong enough to get a good hook set with soft plastics but light enough to cast little crab lures for sheepshead in the winter.
I also use this with paddletails and topwaters for snook and redfish.
There are only a hand full of rods that have a great combination of both power and action.
And the Bull Bay Stealth Sniper is one of them.
That’s why we used the Stealth Sniper blank to create our custom inshore rod.
You can get our custom rod here:
Note: Click the “Notify Me” button to get the alert when we have our custom rod back in stock!
Conclusion
Overall the Bull Bay Stealth Sniper rod is a great inshore fishing rod.
The pros definitely outweigh the cons.
But there’s always room for improvement and that’s why we used the Stealth Sniper blank to create our Salt Strong custom rod.
You can get our custom Bull Bay Salt Strong rod here.
And you can get the Bull Bay Stealth Sniper rod here.
If you want 20% off all of the tackle in our shop plus access to our custom rod, click here to join us in the Insider Club.
Have you used this rod?
Let me know what you think down in the comments!
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For throwing soft plastics using 1/16 weighted hooks up to 1/4 oz jigheads, knowing I want to be able to fish the flats and around structure, what would be better overall, medium (6-12#) or medium heavy (8-17#)? I’ll be pairing with a 2500 MQ.
I usually go with the medium assuming for that unless I’m fishing an area with high current flow where more power is needed.
Thank you Luke. I asked mainly because you were using what they now have rated as medium heavy (8-17#) but used to have labeled as medium.
Philip did you ever make a selection and if so which did you choose and why. I’m purchasing and having a tough time choosing. BB rates there 6-12 at 1/4 oz and the 8-17 at 3/8 which I never use as my top weight is 1/4. 6-12 seems a bit light and 8-17 seems a bit heavy when compared to my other rods of similar size and action and yes I noticed this on the evaluation rod Luke had in the video too
Topic for weekly news letter.
The B.B. Assault Rod.
I`m curious about the design of this particular rod. The BB Assault rod i have is a 7′ 12-25 heavy fast. The guide spacing is like no other on the market, never seen anything like it in 40+ years of fishing. Is this design made to target a certain species or certain type of presentation? I personally think it may be a manufacturing flaw! It has a very restricted casting ability. Any thoughts or anybody have this particular rod care to comment. I have had a very prominent captain here in south west florida scratch their heads on this one. It is not just the rod i personally have, they are all manufactured this way.
I’m puzzled by the guide spacing too… it seems to go against what I learned when going through a rod building program as well.
You guys should review the Bull Bay Banshee Rod!
I picked up a Bull Bay Sniper a couple months ago and love it. First thing I noticed was the fact that I was now putting my baits on to people’s lawns on the other side of my canal. It is very light and responsive and so far I really enjoy the grip. I like the rod so much I bought a second one. I have a Stradic 3000 on one of them and a Certate 3000 on the other. No problem handling the bull Jacks that have shown up in the canal. One last comment: I love the hook keep being set 90 degrees to rod’s spine. Steve
Thanks for reviewing the sniper. Will you consider reviewing the bull bay rods Banshee soon?
Yes. I’ll make sure to buy one to see how it performs on the water. I did feel one at a store, and it felt like a nice rod. But it seemed better suited for live bait than for artificial lures because the tip felt softer than the sniper (making it tough to set hooks when using weedless soft plastics). Also, I don’t like split grips so it definitely won’t be a rods that I use on a continuous basis.
Made in USA right? I’d say that’s another ‘pro’ for sure.
They used to be made in the USA, but I believe they are made overseas now.
I actually have several Bull Bay Sniper rods which costs only a few dollars more than the Stealth Sniper and have the split cork. Love the rods. We fish mostly artificial and agree with Luke that the MH in both 7’6” and 7’ are probably best choice for inshore reds and snook, but I also love the 7’ Medium (6-12 lb). It’s a great finesse rod, light as can be, and can handle good sized reds and snook.
Thanks for making time to leave the helpful comment Gary!
Have you had instances where you feel the medium heavy would make a big difference vs medium? Thanks.
Gary do you own both ? I’m torn on which to buy. The 6-12 is rated for the lure size I throw but have concerns about it getting a good hook set and 8-17 seems a bit more robust than my other 8-17s and I never fish the preferred weights it’s rated for
How does it compare to their Reel Animal Model?
The Reel Animal rod is a more heavy-duty rod that’s better suited for live bait fishing. The Bull Bay Stealth Sniper is the better choice for using artificial lures because it’s more lightweight which enables more effortless casting and better feel of strikes.
Thanks.
I picked up the Stealth Sniper for a steal, recently. The only one available was the 7’6 Medium Fast 6-12. I was cautious at first because that is a lot lighter than any rod I own. Mind you, I own 2 TFO Pro 7’6 MF. They are rated 6-12. But they have a much thicker backbone. That said, I hooked a 33 inch Snook today at the Spillway. I played the fish a little lighter than normal but the rod handheld the fish beautifully. This rod is a lot of fun. I have it paired with a 2500 Fuego LT w/10lb braid. Casting distance is comparable to the TFO rod. I get a little more distance over the TFO. I am able to launch a 3/16oz jighead with the Sniper. So far, it is a great rod so far. I’ll write a better review once I’ve put more time in.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience so far with the Stealth Sniper!
I looked at all of the BB rods at a local tackle shop and was really interested in the Bolt. It is the most expensive of the BB rods. Can you do a review of that rod Luke? Can you sell BB rods on the shop page? I know this is off subject, but I agree with you on the split grips. I have a hard time cleaning the cork on my rods. What is the best way to clean cork without tearing of chunks of it?
I have felt the Bolts in stores, and I haven’t been impressed enough to spend that much more money for a rod that doesn’t feel any better than the Stealth Sniper blank… especially since the Bolt has a more defined split grip which will definitely get caught in rod holders even worse than the other split grip rods that I’ve used.
As for cleaning cork, I have actually have never done that before so I’m not sure what the best method is… I just let it ride so that it’s eventually protected by a layer of fish slime:)
Magic easier cleans cork handles well. Get it wet and it will take off the dirt. Then use U-40 cork seal to protect the cork for the future.
Magic eraer
Try using simple green on it and or a Mr. Clean magic eraser.