Hogsticker Posted December 8, 2015 Posted December 8, 2015 I'm looking for a spinning rod under 7 ft to toss 3 and 4 inch keitech paddle tails with. 1/8 and 3/16 Oz swimbait heads, nothing heavier - open water only. I'm using a custom built casting rod right now. It's a 2 power mhx high mod popping blank. I'd like to also have a spinning set up for this technique. The Mhx custom could use a little more hook setting power imo, so I want something with a little more umpgh, but not too much. I'm looking at the Avid X 6'8 medium extra fast rated up to 12 lb line and 5/8 Oz. I'm the type of person who will only use a rod I know something about the blank used. Do St Croixs generally fish a little heavier or lighter than advertised? I don't want to spend more than 2 hundred dollars on this particular rod. I would generally go custom, but I don't think I could get it built and shipped for 2 bills. Any other suggestions are welcome and appreciated. Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted December 8, 2015 Super User Posted December 8, 2015 St Croixs do fish heavier than advertised. I use a Loomis IMX hot shot spinning rod 9000 S HSR. It's 7'-6" though. Quote
Super User smalljaw67 Posted December 8, 2015 Super User Posted December 8, 2015 Mark, I'm a big fan of that rod and I'm getting the 7' ML-F for hair jigs and small tubes. I have used that rod as well as the 6'9" ML-XF and I was just looking at the 6'8" M-XF at Cabelas this weekend and it felt similar to the 6'9" ML-XF except for the action. The 6'9" ML-XF will work but if I was going to use a swim bait head with a hook that had a little heavier wire diameter, I'd go with the 6'8" M-XF, that extra backbone is going to drive the larger hook better but it isn't going to be too stout that you overpower smaller fish, it will still have some play. These seem to fish spot on to the rating and even though they claim it is the same blank as the Avid, it feels a lot more responsive, just a very nice stick and if I were you, it would come down to the hook you are going to use, heavy wire hook go for the medium, lighter hook the ML. Quote
Hogsticker Posted December 8, 2015 Author Posted December 8, 2015 St Croixs do fish heavier than advertised. I use a Loomis IMX hot shot spinning rod 9000 S HSR. It's 7'-6" though.If I'm not mistaken, I would have thought that was more of a finesse rod. No problem with hook sets fishing them on a somewhat stout hook? Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted December 8, 2015 Super User Posted December 8, 2015 I fished the St Croix LTB TBS71MF this summer. It's a 7'1" stick that I've come to really like. Like you, I have a well stock arsenal of rigs & this is the one I'd use to fish the bait & conditions you've described. It's Rated as a Medium up to 5/8 oz and 6-12 lb line. We both know that by & large the manufacture's "Rating" is more or less a suggestion at best. No trouble with hook sets ~ I use 10 - 20 lb braid. Landed a U-Boat of a Pike with it last time out. A-Jay Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted December 8, 2015 Super User Posted December 8, 2015 If I'm not mistaken, I would have thought that was more of a finesse rod. No problem with hook sets fishing them on a somewhat stout hook? The rod I have is the previous generation of IMX. I originally bought it as a walleye rod but it accells for great lakes smallies as well. It is rated up to 1/2 ounce. It will handle slightly heavier baits. I use it with owner twistlock weighted hooks designed by Gary Yamamoto. They are a rated as light. Use both the 5/0 & 6/0 (5167W-705 & 5167W-706.) Those same hooks work well for Florida bass for me with big EZ swim baits. No bending or straighening problems from my experience. The "Hot Shot" rods have light to medium tips and magnum butt-sections. Hope that helps. Quote
fishindad Posted December 8, 2015 Posted December 8, 2015 I don't have that Avid rod but my fishing partner does. His open water grub rod is the 7' MLF though. My opinion is since you are presently using a popping blank rod, moving to an XF action rod would not be a good idea. I had the LTB tube rod and agree with A-Jay it would be what you're looking for (other than being over 7 foot). Dwight's choice is even better using braid because the longer rod would give longer casts as well as keep the fish buttoned up at boatside. If you're dead set on an under 7 foot rod for tossing those baits, I would go with the Falcon LFS-4-166 Open Hook special (have used this for 10 years; great grub rod) or Dobyns Champ 682SF (you can get it on sale for under $200). Quote
Super User tomustang Posted December 8, 2015 Super User Posted December 8, 2015 I have a avid 6'8mxf, if I was throwing what you listed that's what I'd use. If it was an open hook situation I'd use a ltb or higher up mlxf since they have a bit more crispness in the action. What size line and hook presentation are you using? Quote
k3bass Posted December 8, 2015 Posted December 8, 2015 I fished the St Croix LTB TBS71MF this summer. It's a 7'1" stick that I've come to really like. Like you, I have a well stock arsenal of rigs & this is the one I'd use to fish the bait & conditions you've described. It's Rated as a Medium up to 5/8 oz and 6-12 lb line. We both know that by & large the manufacture's "Rating" is more or less a suggestion at best. No trouble with hook sets ~ I use 10 - 20 lb braid. Landed a U-Boat of a Pike with it last time out. A-Jay I have that exact rod plus many medium power avids. That 7'1" rod feels more like a medium heavy imo compared to any of my medium avids. 1 Quote
Hogsticker Posted December 8, 2015 Author Posted December 8, 2015 Thanks fellas. I'll be using some 3/0 swim bait heads smalljaw67 poured me. Likely 30 lb Seguar Smackdown as a main line. I actually drove out to Cabelas this morning. They had the previous version Avid in the same model. I'll be honest, the blank didn't do a lot for me. Not as crisp as I'm use to, and yes, I'm looking for something a touch slower. So I don't think this is the rod for me. I think to get what I'm after it shall be the custom route. Hard to find a spinning rod with just a little more power than the typical medium and a little softer tip to fling these lighter baits out there. I beat the bank quite a bit and fish tight quarters so 7 ft. is outta the question, otherwise I'd bite the bullet and get a 7 ft medium heavy Steeze XT! I guess I could step up to the legend elite for a more crisp blank, but 400 bucks is pushing it. Quote
Tim Kelly Posted December 8, 2015 Posted December 8, 2015 I have that MHX popping blank too. Built it as a spiral wrapped casting rod, and it's great, but just stripped it and waiting for the bits to arrive to turn it into a spinning rod. I think it is a superb blank, That said, the St Croix MXF rod is fantastic too, especially in the SCV version. Just hate the way St Croix put them together and paint them! Quote
fishindad Posted December 8, 2015 Posted December 8, 2015 You're on the right track with something less fast action. You don't need to drop that kind of coin on a rod for what you want to throw, especially with braid. That said, if you can get your hands on one, check out the 6'10" *** Finesse rod. Rated ML but fishes like a powerful meduim, fast action rod. Plenty crisp (40 ton Toray) and I guarantee it will excel at throwing plastics. I have the 7'2" version and I prefer it over my DX742SF and LEX70MLF for open water plastics fishing. Quote
Puggz Posted December 8, 2015 Posted December 8, 2015 I've had that rod on my wishlist for some time now and I just found one on Kijiji for $200 Canadian and I'm awaiting a reply on my offer :-). My application list for this rod is Small - Med Jigs, wacky, shakey head, topwater, smaller Jerks, smaller/shallow cranks. Quote
Hogsticker Posted December 10, 2015 Author Posted December 10, 2015 I have that MHX popping blank too. Built it as a spiral wrapped casting rod, and it's great, but just stripped it and waiting for the bits to arrive to turn it into a spinning rod. I think it is a superb blank, That said, the St Croix MXF rod is fantastic too, especially in the SCV version. Just hate the way St Croix put them together and paint them!Mine is spiral wrapped as well. I really like the way the blank handles. I'm tempted to jump up to the medium heavy built as a spinning rod for these baits. I think it would be about perfect. Maybe take 2 inches off it. Quote
DelcoSol Posted December 10, 2015 Posted December 10, 2015 I have both Avid 7MF and Avid X 68MXF. They both fish heavier than a typical medium to me but I think you would be fine. The XF feels like a totally different rod to me. Much more crisp. The Avid X has micro guides so braid and leader may be an issue. I would go with a regular Avid 68MXF. Quote
Hogsticker Posted December 10, 2015 Author Posted December 10, 2015 I have both Avid 7MF and Avid X 68MXF. They both fish heavier than a typical medium to me but I think you would be fine. The XF feels like a totally different rod to me. Much more crisp. The Avid X has micro guides so braid and leader may be an issue. I would go with a regular Avid 68MXF.What are you fishing on the 6'8 XF? I'm not to concerned about the guides. I'd base my reel size choice off the size of the stripper guide. Quote
DelcoSol Posted December 10, 2015 Posted December 10, 2015 Mostly weightless plastics. Senkos, flukes, beavers etc but will prob try finesse jigs too. Quote
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