Fast or Extra Fast

[Lunker88]

Hey guys, I'm looking at St. Croix Avid X  Medium spinning rod for senkos, should I go Fast or Xtra fast??

[new2BC4bass]

I usually opt for Fast figuring it to be a better all-around action, but would probably opt for an XF if Senkos were going to be my primary bait.  However, either should work.

[Cgrinder]

Extra fast with fluoro, fast with braid.

[Lunker88]

What about with Mono>?

[Cgrinder]

Extra fast there too.

[smr913]

I like XF for most applications.I fish from a kayak the most of the time so I feel I need a quicker action to move the hook faster in the kayak. Just my 100% unconfirmed view on the subject.

[Master Bait'r]

Single hook = extra fast.  

[NYBasser]

44 minutes ago, Lunker88 said:

What about with Mono>?

If you are going to spend the money to get a st. croix, might as well spend the extra $20 and get a spool of braid or fluoro. Well worth it and much more sensitive than mono. Might I dare say that an Ugly Stick with braid is more sensitive than a Gloomis with mono.....

[Lunker88]

37 minutes ago, NYBasser said:

If you are going to spend the money to get a st. croix, might as well spend the extra $20 and get a spool of braid or fluoro. Well worth it and much more sensitive than mono. Might I dare say that an Ugly Stick with braid is more sensitive than a Gloomis with mono.....

Really? Even for weightless senko fishing? I've always used mono. What pound test braid would you use?

Or fluoro for that matter??

[Cgrinder]

Use mono if that's what you're into. SCIII in the Avid is good but it's not exceptionally sensitive. 

Braid has very little sensitivity on a slack line so you're not getting much help there fishing weightless baits like a Senko. You definitely don't have to use braid unless you're tossing Senkos into pads and grass.

Fluorocarbon is very good for Senko fishing but it isn't a huge jump in sensitivity over mono unless you spring for the good stuff. Plus Fluorocarbon is not fun on a spinning reel. 

[Robert Riley]

Xfast. 

[fishnkamp]

The rod you want in that series is the AXS68MXF. I have a buddy fishing that exact rod for tx rigged sencos. He throws it with a 3/16 tungston or 1/4 tungston weights and a 3/ Gamakatsu 3/0 ewg superline hook. He loves it for sencos rigged texas, wacky or unweighted.

[Oklahoma Mike]

1 hour ago, fishnkamp said:

The rod you want in that series is the AXS68MXF. I have a buddy fishing that exact rod for tx rigged sencos. He throws it with a 3/16 tungston or 1/4 tungston weights and a 3/ Gamakatsu 3/0 ewg superline hook. He loves it for sencos rigged texas, wacky or unweighted.

Yup, I have the AXC68MXF and throw senkos (both weighted and unweighted) on it and love it.

As for line, I would recommend either a high quality FC (Tatsu) or a copoly like YZ or McCoy if sensitivity is your concern. The sensitivity of braid is all but negated when fishing semi-slack presentations, and then you have to deal with wind bow as well.

[NYBasser]

2 hours ago, Lunker88 said:

Really? Even for weightless senko fishing? I've always used mono. What pound test braid would you use?

Or fluoro for that matter??

I'd go 15-20lb braid or 12 lb fluoro

22 minutes ago, Oklahoma Mike said:

Yup, I have the AXC68MXF and throw senkos (both weighted and unweighted) on it and love it.

As for line, I would recommend either a high quality FC (Tatsu) or a copoly like YZ or McCoy if sensitivity is your concern. The sensitivity of braid is all but negated when fishing semi-slack presentations, and then you have to deal with wind bow as well.

Not necessarily, and a high-vis braid would also help with watching the line. The only good use for mono is topwater

[EllisJuan]

Go with the X-Fast.  High viz 20lb braid with a 12lb flouro leader is my goto for senko fishing.

[fishnkamp]

My friend Bryan uses a lot of P Line Halo floro in 8 pound test on his spinning reels. Now that line is a hard bodied so much though you can not bite through it. He does put his reels spool in warm water right after spooling it to help it set to the reel. He also suggests  using either Reel Snot or Reel Magic periodically to aid in it use. This line is so strong and abrasion resistant and he needs it because on the Potomac river there is always a chance your next bass is not a bass.  Instead it might be a huge snakehead. They are regularly catching snakeheads in the same structure as bass and they weigh up to 13 pounds or more.

This is a great quality line but you need to maintain it a bit.