Spinning rod for wacky rigging

[ChrisD46]

Daiwa Aird - X 7' M / F spinning rod ($54) , a Daiwa 2500 Regal LT ($59) , Power Pro #10 lb. or #15 lb. braid main line (over cheaap mono backing) with a Seaguar InvizX #8 lb. or Sunline Sniper #7 lb.  FC leader . Finish with VMC #1 or 1/0  Neko hooks or VMC 1/16th oz. wacky jigs for 5" Senkos , Yum Dingerss , etc.  .  Real fun  wacky rig set up set up for not a lot of money !

[TBAG]

I too fish from a yak. For my dedicated wacky rigging and weightless Senko rod I use a 68 Avid X M/xf

[SigPig94]

Thx to everyone who took the time to share opinions/ideas....I sincerely appreciate it!  Last week I purchased a St.Croix Avid X, 6’8” M-XF so my search is over.....until my next search starts!

Wishing everyone a healthy, fishing-filled immediate future!

[Pogues2300]

I too fish out of a kayak and my first rod better than a Wal-Mart combo was a 6'8" medium extra fast mojo bass. It worked well for that application. I've since learned for me that i prefer longer roofs even in the kayak (thought i had to use short rods) and now use the 7'1" tatula elite ags and really love it. Congrats on your new rod. Looks nice!

[haggard]

On 4/27/2020 at 4:22 PM, Allen Der said:

my preferred rod is the Premier 6'6" medium fast

Great rod and price point for the quality. There's not a lot that rod can't do. If I had to have only one, that might be it.

 

[SigPig94]

6 minutes ago, Pogues2300 said:

I too fish out of a kayak and my first rod better than a Wal-Mart combo was a 6'8" medium extra fast mojo bass. It worked well for that application. I've since learned for me that i prefer longer roofs even in the kayak (thought i had to use short rods) and now use the 7'1" tatula elite ags and really love it. Congrats on your new rod. Looks nice!

Thx Pogues.....to your point, inevitability everything comes down to what the individual prefers.  I have a 7’ bass rod in my arsenal but over the years I’ve definitely developed a real preference for a 6’6”.  I figured that the Avid X 6’8” would be a nice/doable size change.

[Pogues2300]

11 minutes ago, SigPig94 said:

Thx Pogues.....to your point, inevitability everything comes down to what the individual prefers.  I have a 7’ bass rod in my arsenal but over the years I’ve definitely developed a real preference for a 6’6”.  I figured that the Avid X 6’8” would be a nice/doable size change.

Absolutely, and i didn't intend to convince you to get a longer rod. Just wanted to share how i personally have changed from year 1 in a kayak to year 3. my wife inherited my 2 6'8" mojo bass rods and she loves them!

[michaelb]

All of these seem like great choices, but wacky rigging is also a technique where the rod may matter the least. You are on your kayak, so can approach anywhere you want to be. For the most part, you don't want to cast far, the key is the initial "drop" and you want to put that on the spot, so accuracy is key. Although you will catch fish reeling it back, wacky rigs are notorious for getting snagged, so t-rigging is much better for that. I like using circle hooks, since bass will absolutely swallow wacky rigs, and with a circle hook you don't really need to set the hook (ie any rod will work). I also prefer shorter rods on the kayak, and so 6' 6" or even less would be fine; you can go 7" but you don't need to for this rod. 

[SigPig94]

3 minutes ago, michaelb said:

All of these seem like great choices, but wacky rigging is also a technique where the rod may matter the least. You are on your kayak, so can approach anywhere you want to be. For the most part, you don't want to cast far, the key is the initial "drop" and you want to put that on the spot, so accuracy is key. Although you will catch fish reeling it back, wacky rigs are notorious for getting snagged, so t-rigging is much better for that. I like using circle hooks, since bass will absolutely swallow wacky rigs, and with a circle hook you don't really need to set the hook (ie any rod will work). I also prefer shorter rods on the kayak, and so 6' 6" or even less would be fine; you can go 7" but you don't need to for this rod. 

Thx for some great points.....I have been using circle hooks exclusively but have recently purchased some Finesse Wide Gap hooks......I’m also gonna give the Ned Rig a try this season......really appreciate your opinions on the rod mattering the least....makes a lot of sense the way you explain it.

[Allen Der]

2 hours ago, haggard said:

Great rod and price point for the quality. There's not a lot that rod can't do. If I had to have only one, that might be it.

 

agreed, it's probably my most used rod.  I also love the 7' MH premier casting rods 

[GTN-NY]

I’ve been fishing a wacky rig since before senkos came on the market. I’ve always used a 6’ M rod, 8lb mono, long shank wire hook. 
I liked the short rod for skipping the worm under docks when I had my boat. Now I’m in a kayak so skipping is a little harder. I also noticed I’ve been losing more fish since I’ve been in the kayak and I don’t know why. 
I decided to try a 6’9” ML rod that would be more forgiving in case I was horsing the fish to much with the 6’ M. 
What’s your thoughts on this?

[SigPig94]

On 5/15/2020 at 8:10 AM, GTN said:

I’ve been fishing a wacky rig since before senkos came on the market. I’ve always used a 6’ M rod, 8lb mono, long shank wire hook. 
I liked the short rod for skipping the worm under docks when I had my boat. Now I’m in a kayak so skipping is a little harder. I also noticed I’ve been losing more fish since I’ve been in the kayak and I don’t know why. 
I decided to try a 6’9” ML rod that would be more forgiving in case I was horsing the fish to much with the 6’ M. 
What’s your thoughts on this?

You’ve definitely been doing the “wacky” thing longer than me...so I appreciated reading your thoughts.  I’ve also developed a preference for a shorter rod over the years....I just like the feeling of control it gives me.  I’ve been using 6 or 8lb mono and circle or octopus hooks....I recently purchased the St.Croix Avid X, M, XF, 6’8” rod, so I’m looking forward to getting out and using it with some different hooks (EWGs, etc)....also, I just purchased my first kayak so my fishing approach/style will be changing greatly as well.
(Waiting for my back-ordered kayak to ship really sucks.....but in our current pandemic situation I realize there are certainly more important things to worry about)

[Allen Der]

On 5/15/2020 at 7:10 AM, GTN said:

I’ve been fishing a wacky rig since before senkos came on the market. I’ve always used a 6’ M rod, 8lb mono, long shank wire hook. 
I liked the short rod for skipping the worm under docks when I had my boat. Now I’m in a kayak so skipping is a little harder. I also noticed I’ve been losing more fish since I’ve been in the kayak and I don’t know why. 
I decided to try a 6’9” ML rod that would be more forgiving in case I was horsing the fish to much with the 6’ M. 
What’s your thoughts on this?

what kind of worm are you using?  ML is too light for a 5" senko 

[GTN-NY]

1 hour ago, Allen Der said:

what kind of worm are you using?  ML is too light for a 5" senko 

I found a 1956ish Sports Afield magazine of my Grandfathers that had an article about the wacky worm. They used a Creme 6” Scoundrel worm so I did also. They worked and I’ve never switched to anything else

So the new 6’9” rod I bought handle is like 4” longer then my old 6’ rod. I guess it’s only 5” longer. 
I got to use it today. It casts nicely, but I noticed when I went to lift the worm it felt mushy. I didn’t have any hits on it so I can’t report any more than that. 
Oh I did buy some Owner Wacky Worm hooks to try out