Tipping arsenal Trifecta!(#3?)

[Joshua Vandamm]

 Hey brother tail chasers! Opinion needed...

 

I like to carry three rods. I float (pontoon boat) and bank fish mainly for LM/SM bass (occasionally trout). I'd describe my style on the finess end, but not exclusively.

 

I recently upgrade from cheap old spinning combos, to quality stuff (Huge improvements):

1st a dai-wa 7'1' spinning (fate chrome, ML fast which I love... it's light but stout and really more a medium action) matched to an exceler 2000 reel. 

2nd, a 7'2" tat-ula baitcaster (casting model, MHR) paired to a 8:1:1 tat CT reel...still getting used to baitcasting. I like the feel and extra distance (tho was expecting more...surely my technique will improve), but to me they (baitcasters) still do not have that perfect feel/balance of good spinners. The great accuracy and strength is what's most sets them apart. 

 

Im now looking for the perfect 3rd one to tip the trifecta. 

So, the Question: what rod/reel to choose?? Spin or cast, I haven't decided. Power/action/Strength, also not sure. 

As mentioned , the Fate ML is really a medium, so I could go to a light 13-fishing spin rod (love the feel!). Also am thinking of another tatula, the 6'10" MHxF...Good reviews and the shorter length is nice/more manageable from my little float tube.

I am very open to all other options however! Even perhaps a custom rod..(?)

 

What whould you you get to balance the pair?

 

Please share any and all opinions appreciated!

Thanks all!!

[Fishin' Fool]

It depends on your style of fishing which way you want to head. Are you more of a finesse fisherman or do you enjoy power fishing? I think I'm up to 13 total rods, 7 are casting rods and 6 are spinning rods. Just add as your budget allows. Personally I'm very driven by deals. If you can find a quality rod at 40 or 50% off why not. You'll see that often when a manufacturer is changing out a specific line. The TW Memorial Day sale will be here soon enough.

[new2BC4bass]

Sounds like a true ML (or Light) spinning rod would be a good next choice for you.  Many ML rods list the same low end weight as some Medium rods (1/8 oz.) so you need to pay attention to the rod's rating.  (Although the high end rating is usually less than a Medium.)  Several MLs offer 1/16 oz. on the low end, and that might be the better choice in a ML for how you like to fish.

 

Sportsman's Outfitters has the Tatula 6'11" ML-XF (1/64-1/4 oz.) spinning rod for $110.  That should be a pleasure to use for the really light stuff.  (Maybe I should grab one while they still have them in stock.  )  I don't see a Tatula 6'10" MH-XF spinning rod listed on Sportsman's Outfitters website.  You can find 6'6" and shorter finesse rods if that is your preference.

 

Personally I like baitcast reels.  I have the same Tatula 7'2" MHR.....plus the 7' MLR, 7' MR, 7'4" HF and the 6'10" M-XF.  The last two have seen very little use, but I sure have enjoyed using the other three.

 

As for distance with a baitcast reel...you should see improvement as you get more familiar with the reel.  My brother-in-law (who only uses spinning gear) thinks that baitcast reels cast further than a spinning reel.  

[fishnkamp]

Let's look at your arsenal by techniques.  Too often we get caught up by brands and favorites. 

 

You should really think about the waters you fish. DO you have any chance to fish a crankbait ( is your water too choked with heavy vegetation, do you fish mostly shallow or can you attack water deeper than say 6  to 10 feet) I realize deep is relative, but you said you often either bank or fish from your pontoon, so it is unlikely you would encounter smallies suspended out 30 or more foot deep. Only you can evaluate your waters.

 

 

I believe your spinning setup is going to allow you to fish lots of finesse baits and you should try many of them. I always suggest buying a pack of a new type bait in two different colors along with the correct terminal tackle to allow you to fish it properly.  So you would want to be able to fish some tubes, grubs, small finesse worms,, Sencos, Ned Rigs, and the terminal tackle to fish them unweighted, on belly weighted hooks, texas rigged and even on a finesse carolina rig using split shot weights.I forgot to mention baits like shakeyhead finesse worms and lightweight jigs like the bitsy bug jig combined with a small trailer. 

 

Your baitcaster will cast much better if you learn to set it up properly and you practice more. We can discuss that too.

 

I fish a lot of Daiwa Taulas and Tatulas CTs. These reels work differently so they must be setup correctly.

 

Anyway your baitcasting rod should be a great rod for throwing heavier baits like a 3/8 to 3/4 ounce jig plus a standard trailer, bigger spinnerbaits (3/8 and up to 3/4), and texas rigs with all kinds of plastics.

 

What it will probably not be so good at is fishing treble hook baits like jerkbaits, topwater hard baits, and baits like hollow bodied frogs.  Frogs take a very special tip on a rod and a ton of backbone. The rod needed to fish topwater baits, like Pop Rs can easily fish baits like small to mid sized cranks and jerkbaits. I am talking about baits like rattle traps, wake baits,  square bills, and crankbaits like KVD 1.5s, and Bandits. Mostly cranks that will dive down no more than maybe 0-6 or 8 feet.   My suggestion for a really nice all around setup that would allow you to fish any small to mid sized crankbait, jerkbait and topwater bait would be a rod like the Abu Garcia Ike Delay series jerkbait rod model number IKEC64-5. I would match it up with another Tatula CT in a 7.3-1 speed ( a compromise between the 6.3 I use on my rod for jerkbaits, and what i would use if I was going to set this up for just topwaters then I would use an 8-1)

Another option would be the Falcon Bucoo Micro Trap Caster, it is a 7 foot MH that fishes traps, cranks, spinnerbaits. I fish one of these as well.  Of course my arsenal includes 12 baitcasters and 3 spinning combos, so I am invested a little different than you. I am also fishing off my 11th bass boat, jon boat and canoe.  

[Joshua Vandamm]

Thanks for all the input guys. It's a lot to consider. I fish all types of lures other than big swimbaits. Some of the places I go are deep quarries, others are mostly 6-8 ft mud bottom lakes and ponds. 

 

I have to admit to getting carried away... I ordered another tatula baitcaster

the gold, medium 6'10 MxB with the "flex tip" (rated like 3/32 to 1oz which blows my mind) and paired with the new tatula 8:1:1 SV TW reels of the same weight rating. They say it's a great combo for finesse and power fishing I expect. And I wanted to sort of force myself to master baitcasting. I don't want to get to carried away (5-6 rods at most) so I'm always going for something with range of applications. 

I may take a look at the 6'11 ml tatula mentioned as well. Sounds perfect for exclusive finessing. 

What I have now covers  most applications I think. The *** ml actually is quite stout, handles cranks and poppers nicely. And the 7'2 mhr tatula Im hoping is a good in between sort of rod for most applications other than finesse...,strong but forgiving. 

I guess the real gap now is Heavy side for serious cranking, punching and frogging. 

[new2BC4bass]

The 6' 10" MXB is a rod you never see mentioned.  Try finding a review on it.  If you do, provide a link for me, please.  I bought it for pretty much the same reason you did.....because the weight range intrigued me.  I have to say the tip scares me.  I'd be afraid to cast any weight near the high end unless carefully lobbing it.  I have yet to do the type of fishing this rod was designed for which is why it has been out about once to see how it cast.  I seem to always stick with techniques I already know.

 

I would appreciate it if you could post back your experience with the rod after you have had time to use it for a bit.

[roadwarrior]

 

[Joshua Vandamm]

I will definitely update you. 

 

A few amazon reviews were raving about it as their new fav rod. On YouTube there's a good review on the xF mh version. Originally I was leaning towards that until I read the specs and a few posts hyping the m. 

...I figure with a new warranty if it doesn't perform or handle what the rating is I can exchange it. And if it does....  win win. 

[new2BC4bass]

34 minutes ago, Jvanda1 said:

I will definitely update you. 

 

A few amazon reviews were raving about it as their new fav rod. On YouTube there's a good review on the xF mh version. Originally I was leaning towards that until I read the specs and a few posts hyping the m. 

...I figure with a new warranty if it doesn't perform or handle what the rating is I can exchange it. And if it does....  win win. 

 

The 6' 10" MH is a Fast, not XF and is a totally different animal.  I don't recall ever seeing a 6'10" MHXF Tatula casting rod listed.

EDIT:  And thanks for offering to give me an update on the rod.

[Joshua Vandamm]

Update/review:

So, after using a couple weeks now...I love them! Super light weight/sensitive and easy to cast from shore around brush etc. 

Paired With the oversized spool on the sv tw, it almost doubles as a spinning rod as I can easily cast small lures, even weightless senkos quite well. Yet it has a ton of backbone. No problem swinging up 4-5 lbers or ripping a lure from snagged branches. Work just fine for crankbaits etc as well, tho I haven't yet used anything over ⅝ Oz, I'd have no pause in using up to 1.25 oz swimbaits. I really don't see the speed tip breaking from normal use. I'd have to step on it or jam a rock I think. 

[Joshua Vandamm]

On 5/8/2017 at 11:57 AM, new2BC4bass said:

 

The 6' 10" MH is a Fast, not XF and is a totally different animal.  I don't recall ever seeing a 6'10" MHXF Tatula casting rod listed.

EDIT:  And thanks for offering to give me an update on the rod.

Bump. Just if u missed the review above New2BC

[new2BC4bass]

5 hours ago, Jvanda1 said:

Bump. Just if u missed the review above New2BC

 

Sorry.  Saw it.  Should have said thank you earlier.