Ideal Midwest Finesse / Ned Rig Rod Under $150 ?

[ChrisD46]

I believe the above application favors a drop shot rod - perhaps something in a 6'8" - 7' ML spinning rod which handles from 4lb. to 10lb. line and lure weights from 1/16th oz. to 3/8th oz. * While there are a number of spinning rods in the above specification and $ range - the problem with most is they are a 80/20 XF action and lack a good parabolic 60/40  rod bend which better allows for a: "reel set" (i.e. reel down on a fish and ease back the rod to set the hook) . I find all the ML drop shot rods I have checked out so far in the price range to have good tip flex but alas they are a stiff  XF action and have that 80/20 rod bend make up which is poor for the requirments of a MidWest Finesse / Ned Rig working with small jigheads which have a #4 or #2 hook . Can anyone suggest a good drop shot rod with the action and performance I am looking for at $150 or less ? ... Thanks in advance !

[Tim Kelly]

I like a rod built on an MHX S842-MHX blank. It's faster than moderate, but not super tippy and bends nicely. Seems to throw half a zinker on a 1/15 shroom very nicely with 6lb mono. So far I can't find anything to dislike about it.

 

[smalljaw67]

I disagree with you on the rod requirements for fishing a ned rig, I actually like an extra fast or even a fast action with a medium light to medium power. We've been doing this a long time in the waters I fish, there are some slight differences but for the most part it is the same deal with 1/16oz to 1/8oz jig heads with size #2 hooks and dead sticking 2.5" to 3" soft plastics. Most of the time we use 6lb mono and now a lot like fluorocarbon, but on occasion we use 1/32oz head with a size #4 hook with 4lb line. A medium light spinning rod has a lot of flex to it, and so does a medium power as well, even with an extra fast or fast action it has forgiveness and because of that it lets me get a good hook with just a flick of the wrist. Drop shot rods that are extra fast typically have an extremely soft tip that flexes with the slightest movement in order to see the strike without the fish feeling resistance, then all you have to do is reel down and because the rod is into the backbone at that point, the hook sets itself. When you take a spinning rod with the lower power but a stiffer action what you get isn't a visual cue, but a vibration, you typically feel the light bite better and a simple wrist snap will get the hook to penetrate and the rod will flex during the fight to keep the fish pinned. With a parabolic action on a medium or medium light spinning rod, you have to hope the fish inhaled the bait and didn't bite down because you are right, with the lower power spinning you have no choice but to reel set and if a good bass has the bait tight, that rod isn't going to get the hook to move, what will happen is the fish will feel it and spit it. As I said before, we've been fishing this type of set up a long time and I personally, have used a lot of different rods and actions for it and a medium light, fast or extra fast is probably the best set up for it, I like a medium power, extra fast action as it allows me to fish a little heavier and it gives me more control if I hook a large fish. Now, just because I disagree with your choice doesn't make me right, you might have had a different experience using different equipment, I just think the way I use the rig, my choice of equipment is better, and this is why you have different drop shot rods and different shaky head rods as we all have different styles and what works for one may not work for others.

[rippin-lips]

I use a med/fast 7' spinning rod. I throw 1/16-1/8 heads using TRD worms or 1/2 of a zinker. #6 yozuri ultra soft. Hasn't let me down yet.

[jtesch]

the St. Croix Eyecon spinning rods are exactly what you are looking for and in your price range

[Team9nine]

As you can kind of tell from the above posts, there is a pretty wide variety of rods and rod actions that will work for Midwest Finesse/Ned depending on personal preference. I've used everything from ML parabolic rods to fast & extra fast action sticks, L, ML and M, all with success. There are differences in how they feel and the related hook setting, but nothing that will cause you to lose or miss fish unless your basic technique is off. The one thing I will add though is that if you use the smaller #4 and #6 hooks (Gophers) like many of us do, you might find the more moderate or parabolic action rods better for keeping the tiny hooks stuck on a hard pulling fish. If you use the larger hooks in jigheads like the Z-Man SchroomZ though, the rod action doesn't seem to matter nearly as much. If you want a baseline, keep in mind that Ned Kehde still uses mostly six-foot, medium-action Shakespeare Synergy spinning rods which sold for $20 at the time you could get them.

 

-T9     

[ChrisD46]

Thanks for the comments Smalljaw , T9 and others ... I have both Gophers and Zman SroomZ in 1/16th  #4 & 1/15th (not sure the Zman hook size ) . I am going to continue to study a bit further . Currently I have a 6'6" BPS Extreme ML F and a 6'6" BPS Microlite L moderate action . Most of the rods I'm looking at by the popular manufactures are ML to M and F or XF actions - perhaps for a reason !

[Steveo-1969]

I like a rod built on an MHX S842-MHX blank. It's faster than moderate, but not super tippy and bends nicely. Seems to throw half a zinker on a 1/15 shroom very nicely with 6lb mono. So far I can't find anything to dislike about it.

 

 

Is this the UK version of a yellow perch?  Looks like you dipped her fins/tail in red Spike-It!!   

[Tim Kelly]

Yes, European perch. The fins aren't really that bright, it's just how the camera recorded them. I think it was trying to match the reel!

[cbass12]

Thanks for the comments Smalljaw , T9 and others ... I have both Gophers and Zman SroomZ in 1/16th  #4 & 1/15th (not sure the Zman hook size ) . I am going to continue to study a bit further . Currently I have a 6'6" BPS Extreme ML F and a 6'6" BPS Microlite L moderate action . Most of the rods I'm looking at by the popular manufactures are ML to M and F or XF actions - perhaps for a reason !

Check out the Shimano Crucial 7' M/F the St Croix Rage 6'10" ML/XF. I use a black Shimano Crucial 7'1" ML/F for the ned rig, very well suited for the finesse baits. The newer crucial has about the same action to me.

[ChrisD46]

I will look into some of these rods - I stumbled upon a Phenix Maxim I read about which seems to have technology beyond it's price point .

Hard to go wrong though with Shimano (new Zodia ?) and St. Croix .

[frogflogger]

I've been fishing this technique  for many years - I use a 30 yr old ML rod with almost parabolic action - any of the above named rods will suffice - Kehde uses inexpensive old spinning rods. Those small lures work better with small hooks and a soft action will keep a hooked fish hooked. The beauty of this style of fishing is its simplicity, don't over think it, light line, light action rod, light jig head - go fishing.

[frogflogger]

I should have stressed there are several rods for less than $50 that will do just fine for this technique.

[ChrisD46]

Speaking of inexpensive - Cabela's has their : Tourney Trail IM8 ML  Moderate / Fast spinning rods on sale for $35 .

Not sure of their quality , or if IM8 is too high of modulus to have the right action for Ned Rig ... At least the price is right .

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I'm still tinkering with this rig. I have a creek smallie/trout rod that is 6' L/F glass with a small President spooled with 15# braid and leader. This has been working well enough but my next experiment will be with an 841 or 842,  graphite in 7' length. 

[ChrisD46]

After additional research - I believe the 6'9 ~ 7'0 ML Fast / XFast spinning rods may allow for a quicker hookset (i.e. smalljaw67) which reduces deep hooking (which I hate) . Most 1/16th mushroom style jigheads sporting 1/2 a ZinkerZ are more often than not easily inhaled thus increasing  deep hooking concerns . Some even suggest a drop shot rig presents less deep hooking concerns than a Ned Rig . If that's the case , even though a ML Fast / XFast spinning rod feels a little stiff to me - if it helps me with better bite indication and more easily get a good hook set in the mouth versus deep in the belly of a bass - then I am all for learning  to like a ML Fast / XFast spinning rod for the Ned Rig !

[rangerjockey]

After several years and different rods I've settled on a zodias ML . Just about perfect for it. I too like a fast action..

 I wouldn't worry too much about belly hooking them.. I've had one all year.. Of course its regrettable when it happens but in my experience its rare.

[ChrisWi]

Powell Inferno 6101 or 702

[ChrisD46]

I traded some work to help out a buddy with a bad leg in exchange for a brand new, steel blue, one piece, full cork handle , 7'0" ML Fast  Cabela's Tourney Trail IM7 (still in plastic wraps - must be from around 2013 which was never used ) ... The rod blank is perfectly straight as are all the rod guides when you look down the rod at eye level . I had seen this same rod in an IM8 blank recently (split grip) in the store   - but I like the feel of this older model IM7 better (go figure) ... We will see how it performs soon mated with a Abu Garcia Cardinal 300 series 301 spinning reel with 10lb. braid .