I use a 10'6" st croix 2 piece sc106mh conventional . It has never ever come apart throwing 4.5 and 5 oz jigs . I have had this rod for a # of years . I am trying to get a good 9 ft one piece for the ditch too , its just to be an addition to what I already have .
Smokey uses a 2 piece Allstar 1266. Its pretty good. No more than 5 oZ. I don't know about chunking with it? I guess you could but i wouldn't exceed 5 OZ total. It will cast 4 a mile. Its 10.5 feet.