BFS Rod Recommendation?

[Dennis_Rodman]

Looking for a new rod and hoping to get some friendly recommendations...

 

What I want in a new rod:

 

Light lures 1/16-5/8 oz

High sensitivity 

Light weight 

 

Other notes: pairing with my Curado 70, and prefer a full cork handle, although not a deal breaker if the above criteria is met. Intend to use for drop shot, shakeyheads, light Texas rigs, and Ned rigs

[fishwizzard]

How much money do you want to spend and do you really want to be able to throw an actual 1/16oz total weight lure?  

 

 

 

 

[FryDog62]

I use a MajorCraft Don Iovino 6’-10” Medium XF casting rod for Drop-shot, Ned-rigging, Neko, etc.  Extremely sensitive - similar to my NRX in many respects, very light.  Only part of your equation it does not fit is the lower end 1/16 oz requirement - although I throw TRD Ned’s with 1/16 oz nailweights with this rod just fine.  

 

You could also also look at the Phenix Feather rods.  Oddly they don’t have a Medium.  However the 7’-1” ML is rated up to your upper weight of 5/8 oz.  I would have bought it as a second finesse-style baitcaster, but thought it was too similar to my MajorCraft above and went with the MH 7’-1” Feather, that has become my dedicated Neko rod now. 

 

Both are great rods and I’ve used a Curado 70 on them at different times.  Balances well...

 

Good luck!

[Fishes in trees]

Currently I use my Curado 70 on a Falcon 6'10" Low Rider Finesse Jig Special.  This used to be referred to as the Eakins Jig Special - and now it isn't any more, but it seems to be the same rod to me.   I throw quarter or 3/16 Brewer Spider Slider heads and Brewer Slider worms or any of a number of different 5" paddle tail worms, and the reel is filled with 10 lb Abrazx.  I've been know to take an inch or so off the top of the paddle tail worms.   Telling the truth, this bait does weigh more than 1/16 oz, closer to 3/8 IMO, but I've never weighed it so I don't know exactly.  I'll throw this bait anywhere - weed line edges or directly into much more gnarly stuff and haven't had much issues getting the fish out if I get bit.

 

To answer your question, what I use right now for my Curado 70 is a Falcon Low Rider Finesse Jig Special. 

As an aside, I've found my Curado 70 to be extremely "touchy" to adjust, compared to the dozen or so other models of Shimano reels that I own.  I don't know how much lighter line wise I'd want to go with this reel and I really don't know how much lighter bait weight wise I'd want to go with this reel.

 

I know I tried putting 10 lb braid on the Curado 70 on a Med to ML 6'6" bait casting rod and tried to throw 3/16 oz Shad Raps with it and it didn't go well.

[evilcatfish]

What’s your budget?

[JustJames]

You don’t need freaking BFS rod to throw 1/16oz Ned Rig, shakey head or Texas rig. The 1/16oz head plus plastic, that weight almost 1/4oz. Any Medium with soft tip or ML/F rod should be able to handle this. BTW, you gonna have a tough time trying to use regular 70 as BFS reel.

Unless you wanna find an excuse to spend some money, by all mean go for it.

[Dennis_Rodman]

20 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

How much money do you want to spend and do you really want to be able to throw an actual 1/16oz total weight lure?  

 

 

 

 

I’d like to spend somewhere between $200-300 range

5 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

I use a MajorCraft Don Iovino 6’-10” Medium XF casting rod for Drop-shot, Ned-rigging, Neko, etc.  Extremely sensitive - similar to my NRX in many respects, very light.  Only part of your equation it does not fit is the lower end 1/16 oz requirement - although I throw TRD Ned’s with 1/16 oz nailweights with this rod just fine.  

 

You could also also look at the Phenix Feather rods.  Oddly they don’t have a Medium.  However the 7’-1” ML is rated up to your upper weight of 5/8 oz.  I would have bought it as a second finesse-style baitcaster, but thought it was too similar to my MajorCraft above and went with the MH 7’-1” Feather, that has become my dedicated Neko rod now. 

 

Both are great rods and I’ve used a Curado 70 on them at different times.  Balances well...

 

Good luck!

Thank you for the recommendations @FryDog62 You’re comments are super helpful, and while I don’t plan on throwing mostly 1/16 lures, it is helpful to know that the rod can handle it. I’ve heard good things about Majorcraft but never held one. Do you have a recommended dealer?

2 hours ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

You don’t need freaking BFS rod to throw 1/16oz Ned Rig, shakey head or Texas rig. The 1/16oz head plus plastic, that weight almost 1/4oz. Any Medium with soft tip or ML/F rod should be able to handle this. BTW, you gonna have a tough time trying to use regular 70 as BFS reel.

Unless you wanna find an excuse to spend some money, by all mean go for it.

@Bass_Fishing_Socal what do you mean exactly? BTW, you gonna have a tough time trying to use regular 70 as BFS reel.

I’ve been using my 70 to throw light weight lures on 10lb mono without issues. What modifications do you recommend or other reel would you promote above the 70 in the $200 range?

[JustJames]

I think you meant Finesse rod not BFS(bait finesse system). BFS for those that crazy throwing super light lures and they are talking 1/16oz or lower total weight. You need special casting reels or modified reels to achieve casting that weight with some distance. 

You normal 1/16oz jig head plus plastic fall into 3/16 or 1/4oz. I’d look for M or ML with lure weight from 1/8 or 1/16. As a few already give you ideal of the rod. Carbon lite is pretty reasonable price and can handle that weight range pretty well I own one. I normally use shimano crucial drop shots rod 1/8-3/8oz (gen1 and gen2) for this application. I don’t have MC don iovino but definitely wanna try one. A little fancy but reasonable price is Majorcraft line up of Lite/BFS 1/16-1/4oz, either go emotion, benkei, corzza.

[fishwizzard]

1 hour ago, Dennis_Rodman said:

I’d like to spend somewhere between $200-300 range

 

Check out the Megabass XXX Black Themis.  It's a bit stiff for small Ned Rigs, but it will be great for everything else on your list.  I have one and use it for dropshot, 1/8oz Shakeyheads, and 1/8oz bass jigs.  It's about as sensitive to me as the Loomis IMX rods and is a lot of fun to fish with.  It's an true XF action, which is good for hoosets but it's not going to be the best caster at the lower end of it's range.  

[FryDog62]

On 7/24/2019 at 12:54 PM, Dennis_Rodman said:

I’d like to spend somewhere between $200-300 range

Thank you for the recommendations @FryDog62 You’re comments are super helpful, and while I don’t plan on throwing mostly 1/16 lures, it is helpful to know that the rod can handle it. I’ve heard good things about Majorcraft but never held one. Do you have a recommended dealer?

@Bass_Fishing_Socal what do you mean exactly? BTW, you gonna have a tough time trying to use regular 70 as BFS reel.

I’ve been using my 70 to throw light weight lures on 10lb mono without issues. What modifications do you recommend or other reel would you promote above the 70 in the $200 range?

My personal recommended dealer for the MajorCraft and Phenix Feather is TW

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Major_Craft_Don_Iovino_Signature_Series_Casting_Rods/descpage-MCDISS.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Phenix_Feather_Casting_Rods/descpage-PFBC.html

 

[fishwizzard]

On 7/24/2019 at 3:27 PM, FryDog62 said:

My personal recommended dealer for the MajorCraft and Phenix Feather are TW

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Major_Craft_Don_Iovino_Signature_Series_Casting_Rods/descpage-MCDISS.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Phenix_Feather_Casting_Rods/descpage-PFBC.html

 

Have you ever fished the Phenix Recon Elite rods?  I used to have one of the L/F Recon 2 rods and really like it.  It was on the mod side of fast and was a great and very forgiving caster.  I sold it this past winter but kinda miss it and wonder if the Recon Elite rods have the same power/taper.

[FryDog62]

4 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

Have you ever fished the Phenix Recon Elite rods?  I used to have one of the L/F Recon 2 rods and really like it.  It was on the mod side of fast and was a great and very forgiving caster.  I sold it this past winter but kinda miss it and wonder if the Recon Elite rods have the same power/taper.

I haven’t, the Phenix Feather rods are pretty fast... but that could work to the OP’s advantage when Nedding/finessing...

[Dennis_Rodman]

On 7/24/2019 at 3:27 PM, FryDog62 said:

My personal recommended dealer for the MajorCraft and Phenix Feather is TW

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Major_Craft_Don_Iovino_Signature_Series_Casting_Rods/descpage-MCDISS.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Phenix_Feather_Casting_Rods/descpage-PFBC.html

 

I’ve been considering the Loomis IMX 852C JWR, is there much difference in sensitivity between the Loomis and Major Craft?

[FryDog62]

44 minutes ago, Dennis_Rodman said:

I’ve been considering the Loomis IMX 852C JWR, is there much difference in sensitivity between the Loomis and Major Craft?

I don’t have an IMX (I did a long time ago) but do have an NRX 852.  If an NRX is a 10 on a sensitivity scale 1-10, then I would Place the MajorCraft/Phenix at a 7 or 8.  IMX might be in between somewhere but it’s been a long time since I fished one and it’s probably a bit different today.  It’s also more expensive than those other 2 brands.