Anybody have any feedback on this rod for fishing local calico, halibut, seabass, etc.?

Good rod!!! Good choice for the light line like 15 and 20# for livebait. If it's a seven foot light line livebait rod you want, this is the one. I tend to like longer rods for most applications like 8 and 9 foot, but if you're not addicted to long rods, this is a good one.
-Brian

Hey Brian
Don't you think the 700L is a little heavy for all around? I haven't seen one but if it's anything like the 800L and 900L which I have it might be kinda stiff. Do you have one, I can't remember?

Rob,
I've got a 700M and a 700ML. The ML is a 25, 30# stick and the M is a 40# stick. The XL would be a really light rod, like 10-15 and the L would be 15-20. The L is rated 15-30 but if you want to fish anything over 20 on it, you might as well get an ML as it's rated 20-40. The XL is rated 10-25 which would make it about right for 15. There are some gray areas in between the blanks, like you could fish 20 on the XL, L or ML (according to the ratings), but the XL is more of a 15, or even 10# stick IMO, while the L is 15-20, and the ML is 25-30 (I've actually seen the ML rated for 20-30 before). When you think about it, they are graphiters, so it's just like the 900XL or 800L or 900L. The 900XL is a light action rod, but since it's so long, it compensates. A 7 foot rod of the same type action wouldn't have the length or backbone to compensate for the light action, so it would be way lighter (you can fish 20 on a 900XL but it would be tough on a 700XL). So, it all depends on the use. As an "all around" rod, I'd say it's pretty darn good. Might be a little heavy for 15, but it is nice to be able to resort to 20 with no problem. It's tough to pin one rod (especially graphiters) as an all around rod, as they're all so specialized for ratings and techniques, but the 700L is a sweet rod. It's different than the longer rods, like I said, because it doesn't have that extra one or two feet which make it seem like it's heavier because of the huge backbone. This is all of course my opinion, I've never fished a 700L but I've pulled on em in the shop, and I've got 3 graphiters (2 seven foot models) so I've got some idea of the graphiter action, so I think I can draw a somewhat logical conclusion...
-Brian

I wouldn't want a 700L for butt and WSB fishing, too fast of a tip. You'd rip the bait out of their mouth, but I don't know a durn thing about calicos so I can't help you there. I know that a lot of people like a 900xl fot them though. Try a Gx7 for butts and what not. Its a moderated taper rod so its more forgiving, granted its only rated upto 20#, with 12-15# be the optimum.

Brian, I don't see how you would fish 15# on s 700L, I have an 800L with 25# that has lots of backbone, I wouldn't hesitate to use 30# on it if I had to, but lucky for me I'm a ho and have a 700ML for that. The way I fish my graphiters are like this:

Gx7-12#
700xl-15#
800xl-20#
800l-25#
700ml-30#
700m-40#

That's just how I do it.

Leif

Brian
I'm backing the 700L as being a 20-30lb rod, not a calico 12 and 15lb type rod.
To the original question, if you want an all around So Cal saltwater rod, I would go with the 900XL or the 800XL if you don't like the really long rods. The 900XL is awesome, if I wasn't so in love with my old Sabre 190-9 I would probably have to buy one.

30, I don't know, 20 for sure. It may be a little heavy for 15, like I said, but it really is just right for 20. The way I'd do it is this-
700XL- 15#
700L-20#
700M-25-30#
700M-40#
If I had a choice between the 700L and 700XL for light inshore, I'd say 700L but that's just me.
-Brian