What to do with a 7' MH spinning rod?

[DaileyLimit]

So, I recently acquired a brand new 7' spinning rod.  Medium heavy/fast action.  St. Croix Avid.

What should I use it for?  I mainly fish LM and SM (rivers) and typically use casting outfits, but everything is usually medium power rods.  This MH feels STIFF compared to my mediums.  For now, I through a Lew's speed spin on it and have it spooled with 12lb Berkely Nanofil.

It's kind of difficult to cast lighter baits, like Texas rigged worms.  Is there any special application for a MH?  I think I'm just thrown off by how much stiffer it is than my current rods.

Thanks.

[Raul]

54 minutes ago, DaileyLimit said:

It's kind of difficult to cast lighter baits, like Texas rigged worms.

WHUT ?!? 

I don´t see how it can be difficult to cast a Texas rigged worm with a a 1/4 or more oz sinker with a MH rod.

[lakeannaangler]

You could use it for tube jigs and bigger jerkbaits

[RyanDR]

From what I've read and experienced. St. Croix rods are rated lower then they actually are. So that MH rod may be closer to H. I have a MH BPS extreme that I use for plastics and Texas rigs and it works great. 

[new2BC4bass]

Mine sits in the basement while I use a baitcaster for those weights.  Also happens to be the nicest looking rod I have.  Had I paid full price it would also be my most expensive rod.

[DaileyLimit]

51 minutes ago, Raul said:

WHUT ?!? 

I don´t see how it can be difficult to cast a Texas rigged worm with a a 1/4 or more oz sinker with a MH rod.

I think I'm mostly comparing it to my other medium rods.  This one just doesn't seem to flex as much during the cast so I feel like I'm getting less "fling" off of it.

10 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

Mine sits in the basement while I use a baitcaster for those weights.  Also happens to be the nicest looking rod I have.  Had I paid full price it would also be my most expensive rod.

I kid you not, the only reason I have this rod is because I was browsing Gander Mountain and saw this rod sitting there with a $59 price tag on it.  I knew right away it wasn't correct, so I took it up to customer service, asked them if it was right, they said "No, it's $199.99, but pricing errors go in favor of the customer.  Would you like it for $59?" 

I felt like I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough.

[IndianaFinesse]

16 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

Mine sits in the basement while I use a baitcaster for those weights.  Also happens to be the nicest looking rod I have.  Had I paid full price it would also be my most expensive rod.

If you're not using it, I could take it off your hands.

[roadwarrior]

Why not just sell it?  I would have no use for the rod, it doesn't fit anything I do with spinning tackle.

 

[Fishin' Fool]

35 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Why not just sell it?  I would have no use for the rod, it doesn't fit anything I do with spinning tackle.

 

Agree. If it doesn't work for you sell it for $150 and find something that does.

[Janderson45]

It's all a preference thing, you could do just about anything with a MH spinning rod as you could a MH casting rod, there's just some differences in the way you operate the rods obviously... 

A few of my friends are spinning rod only types, they use MH spinning rod for Texas rigs, spinnerbaits, larger top water plugs and jerkbaits, etc.. 

It wouldn't be a rod I'd pick for reasons mentioned above, I'd prefer a baitcasting rod for all of those types of techniques and lure weights, but I couldn't of passed it up at 59$ either.  What a  steal for a nice sensitive blank. 

[Raul]

5 hours ago, DaileyLimit said:

I think I'm mostly comparing it to my other medium rods.  This one just doesn't seem to flex as much during the cast so I feel like I'm getting less "fling" off of it.

I kid you not, the only reason I have this rod is because I was browsing Gander Mountain and saw this rod sitting there with a $59 price tag on it.  I knew right away it wasn't correct, so I took it up to customer service, asked them if it was right, they said "No, it's $199.99, but pricing errors go in favor of the customer.  Would you like it for $59?" 

I felt like I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough.

WHUT, again ?!

Of course you aren't getting more flex out of it, it's MEDIUM HEAVY, obviously it's stiffer than a Medium.

[DaileyLimit]

27 minutes ago, Raul said:

WHUT, again ?!

Of course you aren't getting more flex out of it, it's MEDIUM HEAVY, obviously it's stiffer than a Medium.

Let me try it this way: it's not what I'm used to.  

I'm going to take it out and fish with it a couple of times before deciding to keep or sell. 

[KP Duty]

Use it to skip baits into cover.  

[Kevin22]

I have used that rod. Its a STIFF stick for sure. I borrowed it for jigging 1oz walleye jigs as don't have any spinning rods that could handle that. I can't think of any time I would use it for bass fishing, only thing I can think of would be if you wanted to frog fish with a spinning rod. Stick a size 40 reel on it full of 50# braid and frog fish I suppose. 

I'd sell it and pick up a rod you will enjoy using. 

[MickD]

1/4-1/2 oz jigs, like the ones Siebert on the right makes, fished with trailers in the weeds for largemouths.  Long casts, let it sink, they often hit on the fall, aggressive hook set.  Works great for snapping the jig off the weeds.  Try it, you'll like it.

[ranger7717]

most of my rods are spinning and more than half of those are 6-10 to 7 ft.mh.....i use them for almost anything 1/4 - 3/4 oz  unless i need something softer, then i go to med....it doesnt hurt having the extra backbone for bigger fish

[BobP]

Well, I built a spinning rod on a similar 7' MH blank and experienced the same thing you have -  it's just too heavy a power for just about any freshwater presentation for which I want to use a spinning rod.  I used mine as a light duty saltwater surf rod for a few years, at which it excelled, then more recently stripped the rod down and made it into a baitcasting rod - which is a more rational choice unless you are one of those guys who use only spinning rods and need something heavy for jigs and such (which I don't).

[BassThumb]

I have that same exact rod. It's an unusually stout spinning rod, so I have trouble finding use for it since I prefer baitcasters for anything other than very light finesse baits. Frankly, it sits in my boat locker 90% of the time, although it's a quality rod.

However, it shines in one certain area: skipping wacky-rigged 5" Senkos under docks. I use an O-ring to attach a 1/0 Gammy wacky-rig hook to the bait to limit ripped baits. 

It's perfect for this, and it also works well as a multi-purpose rod for guests who cannot use a baitcaster.

[Fishes in trees]

I have a couple of rods very similar to the one you have.   I like them.  They are great for the aforementioned slinging wacky senkos under docks.   They are a good jig rod.    If you carolina rig very much, you might want to try it as your primary carolina rig rod.   I find it much easier to cast a long ways than with a bait casting rig, and it is just as sensitive.   You can drop down in weight and mojo rig with a quarter ounce or so.    To echo a couple of other posters, if you don't like it, I'll take it off  your hands.   I have a 7' St Croix Heavy Action bait casting rod that I'd swap even up, right now - a couple of different ones actually.   

But if I were you, I wouldn't swap it, learn how to use that rod and you'll be a more versatile fisherman.

[nascar2428]

I also have this rod, it's great for spinner baiting and skirted jigs, which is what I bought it for. Being land locked, spinning gear is the way to go IMO. I have it paired with an Okuma trio high speed. Can easily cast 30 yards.

[DaileyLimit]

I'm definitely going to get at least of few sessions with it and try some different things to see if it will fit my arsenal.  Even if it only fits a few select applications, I wouldn't worry about it too much since I got it so cheap. 

 

This may lead to me buying another St.  Croix at full price though, lol. 

[jerzeeD]

I use that exact same rod to throw frogs, carolina rig, and Bottom fish. I don't use baitcasters. I have a 35 size pflueger medalist with 15 lb. P-line CX on it. It has worked remarkably well the past 3 seasons.