Looking for Light CASTING rods

[onenutinthewater]

Looking for light casting rod for lake fishing from boat. I cannot find any american made casting rods lighter than 8-12, 1/4 to 1/2 in casting.

Would like to find something similar to the Loomis 842 IMX but in casting. Any good bass finesse rods for light tackle?

 

I throw mostly 1/4 spoons, tiny crankbaits, bobber/fly using 4-6# line

[RyneB]

check out ALX rods. I prefer the Zolo series. The Zolo Deputy is a great all around rod. I had 3 IMX, currently switching over to ALX. Made in USA and blanks made in house. 

[WRB]

Major Craft Don Iovino finesse casting rod should meet your needs.

Tom

[Tywithay]

The Conquest 842c would probably be the ideal rod, but they're a little pricey. So, I can only recommend the Kistler KLX Crank, Rip, and Twitch. It's 7'0" medium action, but has a nice light tip. It's rated for 1/8 - 1/2 oz, so it's right in your wheelhouse. It's also made in the USA, using blanks designed by the gentleman that created Loomis rods. They're fantastic blanks. I think they're easily on par (actually a little better) with the IMX, for less money.

 

http://www.kistlerrods.com/store/fishing-rods/klx-fishing-rods/klx-fishing-rods/klx-casting/klx-crank-rip-and-twitch-medium-7-0-fishing-rod.html#.WrdOaIjwY2w

[new2BC4bass]

13 hours ago, RyneB said:

check out ALX rods. I prefer the Zolo series. The Zolo Deputy is a great all around rod. I had 3 IMX, currently switching over to ALX. Made in USA and blanks made in house. 

Bought this rod as a Christmas gift to myself.  Hoping it is as great as all its reviews claim.  However, it is not what the OP is looking for.  It is rated 10-18 lb. and 1/4-1 oz.

12 hours ago, WRB said:

Major Craft Don Iovino finesse casting rod should meet your needs.

Tom

Rods listed on TW have a lowest rating of 6 lb. and 3/16 oz.  Not a lot of difference, but maybe enough.  Also possibly they may handle lower than rated.  I don't know.  Also possible they offer more models than TW lists and could have exactly what the OP is looking for.  I did pick up a Benkei spinning rod for Ned Rigs.  Nice looking rod.  My first Major Craft rod.

 

BPS Crankin' Stick comes in 3 lengths with a ML rating.  They handle down to 1/16 oz.  Although rated 6-14 lbs., I wouldn't be afraid to use 4# if desired.  I have the 7' model.

 

My Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth 6'10" MF is rated down to 1/8 oz. and is a favorite rod of mine.  I also use an older 7' ML HMG rated 1/8-1/2.  It is one of the rods I learned to cast 3/16 oz. Shad Raps on.  Gee.  Looking like new is not always better.    These are both out of production. 

[WRB]

I have the Major Craft Slash-It rod and it has a faster tip then the finesse rod that is a little slower but not a moderate, still fast action. I like the Splash-It rod, universal for litghter lures, possibly not for your application?

Tom

[RyneB]

I'm not sure of too many casting rods with the highest rating being a 1/2 oz. I can throw a 1/8 oz shakey head on my ALX Zolo deputy and it handles it better than my Loomis IMX with a lower max weight. It's all about the blank and action. 

[new2BC4bass]

1 hour ago, RyneB said:

I'm not sure of too many casting rods with the highest rating being a 1/2 oz. I can throw a 1/8 oz shakey head on my ALX Zolo deputy and it handles it better than my Loomis IMX with a lower max weight. It's all about the blank and action. 

Super!!!!  I am getting more and more psyched to get out with this rod. 

[DogBone_384]

I’ve got a 7’ Kistler Helium 3 ML/F  casting rod (1/16-3/8) paired with a PXY-68 I throw Ned’s on a 1/16 jig heads and Zoom U-Tails nicely.  

[onenutinthewater]

Thanks for the input guys! I am slowly looking through the rods mentioned but have not yet found the light rod i seek. Closest I have found is the Kistler Magnesium 2 with lure weight of 1/16-3/8 and line 6-12. Seems like a light trout casting rod would be common here in the US but i guess not.

 

[Basseditor]

There are several option in the Kistler line as you found and has been mentioned. The Helium 3 is one great rod.

 

http://www.kistlerrods.com/store/fishing-rods/helium-3-fishing-rods/medium-light/helium-3-medium-light-7-0-fast-fishing-rod.html#.WrhIT1pOmf0

[fishwizzard]

21 hours ago, onenutinthewater said:

 

I throw mostly 1/4 spoons, tiny crankbaits, bobber/fly using 4-6# line

I have like five casting rods with a top end of 1/2oz or lower.  If you are willing to buy JDM your options expande a hundred fold.  

 

In USDM, Phenix has a Light power casting rod, I have the older model and it is a champ with 1/4 spoons and like 3/16-1/4oz cranks.  I think a bobber and fly would be pushing it.  It also is pretty decent for soft plastics as well, so long as you keep your hooks light and your plastics thin.  

[RyneB]

2 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

Super!!!!  I am getting more and more psyched to get out with this rod. 

It does everything. It's gonna be a sweet swim jig and spinnerbait rod as well when the time comes.

[KP Duty]

Sierra trading post has an edge onshore 6"6" light for $149.....that's a $400 rod built on the NFC Im blank.  They have two left....hopefully they have one tomorrow when I get paid.

 

 

[onenutinthewater]

After catching wind of this late last night they have one less now! I have 3 Edge rods for other applications and whenever they go back on sale I will pick up the 711-1 which i have held and it is exactly what I want but i am stubborn and refuse to pay retail.

[FishDewd]

The ML-fast carbonlite 6'6" rod I picked up during the BPS Spring sale loads with as little as a 1/20 oz jig head and a finesse TRD on it. I don't know how much lighter a baitcaster can get, but it works for me! I just wish it came in a 7'. It's rated 1/16-1/2. Tbh, I don't think you'll find a baitcaster much lighter than that, and remember you still need some backbone on it to fight with a powerful fish. A good sized river trout can put up a pretty good fight.

[KP Duty]

On 3/26/2018 at 9:27 AM, onenutinthewater said:

After catching wind of this late last night they have one less now! I have 3 Edge rods for other applications and whenever they go back on sale I will pick up the 711-1 which i have held and it is exactly what I want but i am stubborn and refuse to pay retail.

I posted that edge rod because I chickened out on buying my first bfs rod.  I pond and creek fish a ton, but this requires me to drag and lift fish a lot of times, and I wasn't confident the light would prevail in those situations.