Ultra Light setup

[bchase44]

I have been obsessing with creek fishing and my 5' ugly stick with a pretty crappy spinning reel isn't cutting it.

 

Do you think this is a good deal and would it worked paired with a pleuger president 30?

https://www.tacticalwholesalers.com/Daiwa-Laguna-Rods-Spinning-7-UL-F-LAG702ULFS_p_132837.html

 

 Thanks in advance

Barry

[GrumpyOlPhartte]

I haven’t fished ultralight in years, but I have been using a President 3000 on a 6’6” medium spinning rod. Love the reel for the price and quality, but I think it would be pretty large for an ultralight rod. You may want to consider a smaller reel. (Not to mention you’re going to put an awful lot of light-weight line on the reel unless you use backing.). I suspect some guys here will suggest specific reel makes and models that might provide a better-balanced setup. Not sure if this helps, but I never used a reel the size of a 3000 series for ultralight.  The added length of the rod you show may make this less of an issue.

[DaveT63]

I agree with the above poster on the 30 size reel.  A 20 size President would be much better on a UL rod. 

As for the rod,  of course its all personal preference,  but I found a 7' UL rod to be too whippy.  I found a 6' UL to be a sweet spot between the 5' and 7'.

[Bluebasser86]

3 hours ago, DaveT63 said:

I agree with the above poster on the 30 size reel.  A 20 size President would be much better on a UL rod. 

As for the rod,  of course its all personal preference,  but I found a 7' UL rod to be too whippy.  I found a 6' UL to be a sweet spot between the 5' and 7'.

This pretty much nailed it for me. A 5' UL is shorter than I like, while a 7' UL is very whippy, a 6' UL has been perfect. The 30 size President is what you want for bass/walleye, but will be much too large for an UL rod. The 20 is a good UL reel though. I have a few UL combos, my favorite being a St. Croix Avid 6' UL with a Shimano Sedona 750 spooled with 3.5lb DAM Techtan line. I can cast some tiny baits really well, it feels everything, and any fish is a good fight on it. 

[bchase44]

Thank you all for your advice and recommendations!

[standman]

I've caught some of my larger bass on 7' UL Whoopin' Stick from Cabelas.  Yes, it's quite whippy and not very sensitive, but i've had no problem landing 4 pounders (decent size bass for northern IL).  Just recently paired it up with Shimano Sienna 1000 reel and 10lb braid.  Total cost - ~$50.  

[islandbass]

I agree with the reel size with 20 being most likely ideal. 

 

I have an okuma celilo 7’ rod and it is one of my favorite rods. 

 

Yes, UL rods are whippy, and I know as bass anglers, we generally don’t like that. 

 

With that said, I’ve quickly come to learn and realize that it is precisely that action to gives UL its niche. I’ve come to appreciate that and love it too. 

 

It is that same whippiness that enables us to cast tiny inline spinner a country mile, or land a 5lb bass with ease — minus heavy cover of course, lol.

 

I am glad you’re going long at 7’. Unless my area dictates using a shorter rod, I go as long a rod as I can get away with. 

[kcdinkerz]

ive got a few daiwa brand ultralights and they are awsome for the money. Mine are a few years old and still holding up after fighting alot of good size fish. Like others said 6 foot and up seems to have a softer bend but are really good for casting tiny inline spinners or cranks.

[NHBull]

I fish with a guy that uses a few ultralights and I can’t tell you how many fish he looses with bad hooksets 

[Comfortably Numb]

I tried a 7' UL and hated it. Way too whippy. Casting acuracy was hard too. I prefer a 5.5-6' graphite. 

 

On a 7' rod a 20 size reel should work but I prefer a 10 on shorter rod.

 

I use straight 8# Power Pro braid (1# mono diameter)  and love it

[Master Bait'r]

Main themes in advice so far seem to be:  

 

7’ is too long for that caliber blank

30 is too big a reel

 

I’d personally look for something 6’ maybe up to 6’3”ish and an extra fast blank.  Also at MOST a 20 reel if it’s a tiny reel but more likely a 150 or maybe even a 50 size if it’s a micro rig on a short rod.  

[jimmyjoe]

   Creek fishing, eh? Man it's been years since I slogged up the creeks around here. I used a 5' St. Croix Premier with a Penn 4300ss and 4 lb. line. Too stiff. In a creek, fish can use the shallow areas to get their tail under them and increase their leverage by many times. I then used a 7' Daiwa Presso when they came out. Fantastic rod for the price, but a creek rod it ain't. Not by a long shot. IF I were to get back into creek slogging, I'd use a rod NO LONGER than 5'. Later on, I had a Pflueger President 6925, as did one of my friends. We used 4 lb mono, 8 lb Nanofil and 10 lb Stren braid. No problems. The President reels, however, need oil and grease fairly often to perform at their best. Particularly, oil the line roller and grease the drag washer. Close-in fights, like you get in creeks, put lots of stress on a drag. That said, the 6925 would be great for creek slogging. And my opinion of Daiwa rods is that they've always been good for the price. All the shorter Daiwa ultralights, however, are rated 1/8 ounce max lure weight ..... and I found that to be fairly accurate. Are you prepared to fight a fish in close quarters with that tender a rod? Don't get me wrong; I'm not criticizing. If you can answer "yes", then more power to ya. I couldn't do it, though. All my ultralights were rated 1/4 ounce lure weight max. That gets you into a little beefier rod, if you can use the word "beefier" to describe ultralights. You might look into a Fenwick HMX or a St. Croix Triumph. They might be more to your liking. They are both a little more "flexible" than my old Premier was. Whichever way you go, good luck to you. Have a ball, and wear the best protective footwear you can afford.     jj

[Drunkentigerrr]

6” St croix panfish series with any brand 2500 size reel. In my opinion the reel must balance with rod which results in the length but nothing longer then 6”5