Finesse Spinning

[Robert Riley]

When it comes to finesse fishing, two techniques come to mind, drop shot and shakeyheads. I often see those rods marketed differently, but are they that much different? If I had to guess, I'd say that you want a shorter, slower action rod for the drop shot? 

[fishindad]

When I think of finesse fishing, it means line sizes too small for a Med and heavier power baitcast gear, i.e. spinning tackle (I don't have any BFS gear). 8, 7, and 6lb lines/leaders. It also means light cover or open water here in Michigan. Anyone could finesse fish just fine with a M or ML fast action spinning rod but if you are serious about both those techniques, meaning you fish them a lot, then you really would do best with two different rod actions/powers. To me, shakyhead fishing is best with a Med power or heavier rod, depending on the weights of the head and size of the plastic. Dropshotting is best with a Med or ML rod with a softer/faster tip so you can 'reel-set' into the fish. Shakyhead is more like a jig and the hookset is more typically jig-like. At least that's my general thoughts on those two techniques.

[Robert Riley]

Explain what you mean by softer/faster. I assume you mean a fast rod, which would be softer than the shakeyhead rod, which would be extra fast?

[Molay1292]

The action of a rod just describes approximately where the flex point of the rod is.   I does not describe the amount of force required to create the flex.     

You can have two rods both M XF the one with the softer tip will still flex to the same point as the other just require a little less force.

[lakeannaangler]

Drop shot rods have a softer tip, they could be a extra fast action but will have a tip that loads up in the top portion of the rod. I only drop shot in <10 feet of water so I use a medium light with a really soft tip so when I shake the rig I don't move it around on the bottom . This rod is not very powerful, just enough to set a light wire drop shot hook.

A shakey head rod is like a slightly less powerful Texas rig rod for driving that hook home, I throw shakey heads on a medium extra fast for the extra back bone

[fishindad]

On 8/29/2016 at 7:07 PM, Robert Riley said:

Explain what you mean by softer/faster. I assume you mean a fast rod, which would be softer than the shakeyhead rod, which would be extra fast?

The replies above pretty much nailed it. Don't get too hung up on the rod action and power for dropshot unless you're going to use it a lot. Basically, figure out how deep you'll be fishing and thus what weights you'll use. Less than 20 ft you can use ML and say in 40 ft use a M power. The ideal action is a softer (faster) tip but it depends if mainly you're fishing open water or cover. For example, for Erie or St Clair smallies a M or ML power with XF tip is ideal, to me. But for 'powershotting' in weeds for LM, you may want something with a little less tip action. Something like a rod for shakyheads. Guys who fish both techniques a lot typically have two markedly different actions/powers for their setups.

[timsford]

I fish both techniques a lot. I fish both on a couple different rods based on lure weights. I use the same set of rods for all my finesse jerkbaits, topwaters, and plastics. Usually I fish the 1/16-1/8 oz weights on a 6'3" medium xf Fenwick elite tech smallmouth. It has a really light sensitive tip and feels more like a ml. The stuff from 3/16-3/8 I throw on a custom St Croix scv 6'3" med. spinning rod. I use these for drop shots, shaky heads, ned rigs, flick shakes, and other finesse plastics. I like a limber tip but with enough backbone to snap set with light wire hooks and to help guide the fish away from cover. I have rods a little longer like st Croix 6'8 m and 6'10" ml and *** ml for fishing deep water but I prefer the short ones because I'm usually target casting or skipping docks

[rangerjockey]

For me it's 2 different rods. For the drop shot and ned I like ML.For the shakey head I like A medium power 7 ft.. I use a Yamamoto that's been perfect for a 3/16 head and a finesse worm or speed craw.

 The Powell 702 works really well for both as long as you keep the shakey head at 3/16 or less.

 

 

 

[bigfruits]

11 hours ago, fishindad said:

The ideal action is a softer (faster) tip but it depends if mainly you're fishing open water or cover.

careful, a softer tip does not necessarily mean the rod has a faster action and vice versa.