All-Around Spinning Rod Help...

[Mike2841]

Mojo bass or veritas 7' mf, I've used both to toss weightless trick worms all the time and you'll never haver to worry about having enough backbone with either rod.

[hatrix]

If your worried about one getting behind a tree then throw on some braided line and crank down your drag. It can only go as far as your line. Plus letting a fish take drag is for the birds. That's like playing tug of war and your loosing to a little tiny fish! You gotta let them know who is boss and show them who wears the pants around here. Crank them in non stop no matter how big the fish is so they know you mean business.

[Catch and Grease]

Why do many of you prefer a XF over a F?

[deep]

Just make sure the power/ action you're getting in a particular model is what you're looking for. I once had a ML/F St. Croix Triumph. Decent rod, but definitely not a fast action. IMO, it was close to moderate actually. Plenty of folks here fish Croixes, ask for their opinions on the particular rod before buying it. Good luck!

[EvanT123]

I'm 50/50. It's a compromise. The brand I'm most familiar with right now (st.croix) but it might be the same with other brands. As you step up or down in powers regardless of brands you are going to gain or lose versatility and you have to live with that and decide where in your fishing that fits in. Do you want a rod that is going to be better at throwing a 5 inch senko or a rod that is going to be better at throwing a 3 inch twitch tail minnow and a 1/8oz drop shot weight? A medium light and a medium spinning rod can do both but one will be better than the other. If it was me I'd chose the spinning rod that was on the opposite end of the spectrum from my casting rods.

[Catch and Grease]

The more I think about it the more I am leaning towards ML/F, The people that brought up the point about having a spinning rod that can do stuff you cant do on your casting rods is getting to me...

 

Its either getting a spinning rod and reel or getting a heavy action rod for flipping, pitching and jigs, they would both help me become more well rounded but I believe the spinning rod and reel would be a better choice for now and I can just get a heavy rod later down the road.

 

I was looking at the Abu Garcia Vendetta 2  6' 9" ML/XF and it seems like a decent rod, would this be a decent choice for drop shotting in shallow water 7ft or less while still being able to present other light lures?

[EmersonFish]

Why do many of you prefer a XF over a F?

I can only speak for me in that with Medium power spinning rods, I'm happier with one with an extra fast tip because I feel like it allows me to still cast lighter baits well, and those rods usually have that soft tip that is sensitive and fairly versatile for finesse applications, but allows me to move fish fairly quickly as well. To me the medium fast rods are more difficult to cast accurately, and I don't think I get all of those light biters that I am targeting that led me to use spinning gear in the first place. Of course, extra fast and fast can be a lot different from rod to rod. With ML rods, I don't mind a rod that is rated "fast."

I have a St. Croix Rage M/XF Spinning Rod. That thing is pretty sweet. I can use it for just about any spinning application. It's out of your price range, but there is surely a Mojo equivalent. I know there is a fairly significant difference in the blanks, but a lot of people like the Mojos. In any case, it might be interesting to see what $100 can get you during the Holiday sales. They will be here very soon.

[fishindad]

The more I think about it the more I am leaning towards ML/F, The people that brought up the point about having a spinning rod that can do stuff you cant do on your casting rods is getting to me...

 

Its either getting a spinning rod and reel or getting a heavy action rod for flipping, pitching and jigs, they would both help me become more well rounded but I believe the spinning rod and reel would be a better choice for now and I can just get a heavy rod later down the road.

 

I was looking at the Abu Garcia Vendetta 2  6' 9" ML/XF and it seems like a decent rod, would this be a decent choice for drop shotting in shallow water 7ft or less while still being able to present other light lures?

One look at that photo of yours and the last thing that comes to mind is spinning gear. If that's the typical cover and lake you fish and typical size bass you catch (nice one BTW!) then I wouldn't be caught without a heavy action setup like a Falcon Amistad! JMO. I can send you a photo of St. Clair or Lake Erie and I guarantee you won't see anything like that cover, it's mostly all open water fishing, so most regulars use M and ML spinning rods. 

[aavery2]

The more I think about it the more I am leaning towards ML/F, The people that brought up the point about having a spinning rod that can do stuff you cant do on your casting rods is getting to me...

 

Its either getting a spinning rod and reel or getting a heavy action rod for flipping, pitching and jigs, they would both help me become more well rounded but I believe the spinning rod and reel would be a better choice for now and I can just get a heavy rod later down the road.

 

I was looking at the Abu Garcia Vendetta 2  6' 9" ML/XF and it seems like a decent rod, would this be a decent choice for drop shotting in shallow water 7ft or less while still being able to present other light lures?

I have that rod, a Gen 1 in a Veritas.  It feels more like a medium power rod compared to several others that I own.  I prefer the St. Croix ML power to this one.

[Catch and Grease]

A lot of people are saying I should just drop the idea of spinning gear and just stick to casting... Maybe I should, I just feel dropshotting on casting gear is a pain...

The main reason I want a spinning setup is because I want to drop shot more and I feel that that's hard to do on casting gear because it calls for light line sometimes, and I don't care for 20lb braid on casting gear unless I'm cranking and I'll never put 6lb flouro on one....

The only dropshotting I do ATM with my casting gear is pitching with 50lb braid and 14lb flouro into heavy grass, and that works fine but I'd like something I can use more in the lighter cover..

[Catch and Grease]

l've been reading a lot of stuff lately on spinning gear/ light line techniques around moderate/heavy cover And the more I read the more I think I may be able to get away with ML spinning rod and light line here where I fish...

Here is a piece from bass resource article which itself is a piece of a EBook called "how to catch more and bigger bass on light line

"I'm sure that some guys who consider themselves power fisherman might disagree with me when I say that you can even be successful with light line in heavy cover. Of course, you need to gain experience in fighting a big bass in this type of cover, but it certainly is not impossible to win some battles, and after you gain experience, most of the battles.

   I'm a firm believer that you have to put baits in front of bass where they live. If they live in nasty places, then you must go in after them. Many anglers refuse to put their baits into locations that may break their line. I made a living early on slinging light tackle jigs into the worst possible snags and most of the time I won the battles. I always reasoned that I would rather have fought and lost a big fish then never had that fish bite my lure at all.

   The only disadvantage you may find is that you can't horse a fish on light gear as if you were using 60-pound braid and a 7-6 flipping stick. If you approach your fishing and respect the gear you are using, you will find that it is possible to handle fish that the average angler may lose even on heavy tackle.

   In truth, with experience, you can learn to adapt to heavy cover when fishing light gear. It is possible to hang up or break off if you choose the middle of a submerged tree as your battle ground. At the same time, these nasty places are also some of the areas where you will generate more strikes. So, if you fail to fish around these spots you may be limiting your action for the day. It is a compromise that you must consider. I would rather have lost a fish in heavy cover than never have hooked it because I failed to throw my bait there. You can't expect to be successful if you go out on the water and fish scared.

   I've used light gear for many years. I know that you could have a hard time in heavy cover if you lack experience of fighting bass around it, but I think as you progress, you learn what not to do and what limitations your lighter line may have. You make up for it, you can cheat a little. You may have to put a little extra pressure on a fish to lead them out of heavy cover. You may pop some line. In the long run, you will be a better schooled angler.

   Experience will be your guide as to how you approach each fish in heavy cover. Each bass is an individual and contrary to what many others will say, each fish has different habits, characteristics and certainly fighting ability. As you gain experience, you will learn to anticipate what each fish is doing or about to do on the end of your line. Take mental notes before you even hook into a fish. What will you do once you hook one? Be prepared and have a battle plan. It will pay off for you in the long run. Take note of your surroundings when you are working an area. Plan exactly what you want to do if you happen to hook up with a big fish.

   If there is money on the line, perhaps light line might not be the best way to winch a bass out of a jam if you lack experience with it, but if you utilize heavier line and lures, you may miss out on the strike altogether. If that is the case, I'd take my chances on lighter gear any day!"

[aavery2]

Good post, I would add that the lighter the gear you fish, the better your equipment needs to be. Your line, your hooks, your rod and reels, all need to be in tip top shape. Small nicks in your line, cheap hooks that are not sharp or bend easily, a rod or reel in disrepair, can all spell disaster on light tackle. Light gear pushes fishing and your gear to an extreme, maintain your rods and reels and use good quality tackle and it had the possibility to be very rewarding.

[EvanT123]

I know this guy is the master but I'm sure you would have no problem using a spinning rod where you fish. Ml or medium

[Mike2841]

I've had both abu and at croix ml rods and I prefer st croixs. Also if you do get a croix their ml is labeled fast, but it's not its got a pretty parobolic action to it. I've been thinking of getting a croix ml xfast to replace it but I caught a lot of fish on that rod this year.