Yet ANOTHER Spinning Rod Recommendation

[Gazz]

Hello,

 

I would like to start by saying that I did in fact use the search bar to research quite a bit but I wasn't really able to find anything that could answer my questions. I know I tend to overthink some of these things but I am getting pretty particular as I grow my collection. I recently finally caved and bought my first Stradic Ci4+ 2500 and now I need to figure out what stick to slap it onto. I'm also not entirely sure if I should go Medium/Fast or Medium Light/Fast. I currently have a decent lower end spinning combo that is a Medium but I only plan to ever carry one spinning combo with me at any given time. This new setup is meant to replace the old one and not to compliment it. I love the idea of a lighter setup for finesse applications as I am mostly getting this setup to encourage myself to use finesse a bit more. I sort of got bored with my old spinning combo and I have wanted a Ci4+ for a few years now. Anyways, I am leaning toward Medium Light but I want to be sure that it will still be effective for some all around spinning gear fishing. I'll be using braid to leader. I have been checking out the Avid-X so I would likely be in the $150-$250 price range. I also like the idea of the Expride ML+or the ALX Maestro ML+. Any experience with the ML+ type power? Any advice on what power I should focus on as well as any rods you think might be worth consideration would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Angry John]

I love a 610mlxf and I fish one regular.  The lower end st croix are 68mlxf from what I remember, and I havent fished those.  My son fishes an avid 68mxf and that rod is very powerful.  He has that to help compensate for his weak 10 year old hook sets.

[Tywithay]

I think ML is definitely the ticket, especially if it's the St Croix. The Expride is a better blank than the Avid, in my opinion. St Croix makes a great rod, but the Avids use the same blank as the $100 cheaper Mojo, so there's not as much value for the performance. The Exprides fish well above their price point. Another to consider would be the Daiwa Tatula Elite AGS rod. The 7'6" is a dream to fish with. I just ordered a second. Never used an ALX spinning rod, but the Zolo blanks are great on the casting rods. 

[bwjay]

I got a Zodias 6'8" ML/MF spinning rod a few months ago and have really enjoyed fishing it. It's got a whippy tip that allows you to cast baits a mile and the rod is soft enough to keep fish buttoned, but there is enough strength to handle bigger fish and it's unbelievably sensitive given the cost and taper. It's great with moving baits but also great for small jigs and I presume small jerkbaits and drop shot. Don't leave this one out of your search! I love mine. It is just plain fun to fish with.

[Stephen B]

Around that price, I recommend the Phenix Recon Elite, St Croix Avid, Tatula Elite AGS, and Shimano Expride. Not a fan of ALX. 

 

Between the ALX and Expride, easily the Expride.

[Gazz]

Thanks for all the input so far. I also meant to ask if anyone thinks that 15lb power pro will work fine with the stradic or if it might be too thin and get caught in some areas. 

[Tywithay]

I have super thin 8lb Sunline Xplasma on my Stradic 2500FL. Other than the fact that it took what felt like 2,000 yards of line to fill the spool, it works perfectly. 

[Angry John]

4 hours ago, Gazz said:

Thanks for all the input so far. I also meant to ask if anyone thinks that 15lb power pro will work fine with the stradic or if it might be too thin and get caught in some areas. 

Have you looked for a shallow spool so you dont need filler and it takes much less line. 

[Gazz]

48 minutes ago, Angry John said:

Have you looked for a shallow spool so you dont need filler and it takes much less line. 

No I haven’t really considered that. I’m not worried about how much line it will take to fill. I can always just use some mono backing if it really bothers me but I have a big spool of power pro on its way and I have no problem filling it almost entirely with braid. I was more concerned with it getting caught somewhere like the line guide on the bail but I think I’m only worried about that because I’ve only had lower end spinning reels. From what I’ve heard, that’s not an issue with higher end reels. 

[Ogandrews]

If your going to get an avid I would just save the money and buy a mojo bass which has the exact same blank, or spend a little more and get a legend tournament which has a way better blank. My do all spinning rod is a g loomis e6x 7’1 medium extra fast which is an amazing rod for the money. Super light and sensitive, and very comfortable. I have mine paired up with a nasci which is pretty much just as good as a Stradic imo and half the price. I have not used the zodias or expride spinning rods but I know that they are both great rods. If I could only have one spinning rod I’d probably go with a medium but that’s just personal preference. For all of my finesse rods I use 8lbs suffix 832, I think it is a better handling line than regular powerpro and gets less wind knots. Don’t buy powerpro superslick it is a complete waste of money, worse line than regular powerpro and doesn’t hold a leader knot well. If your really using your spinning rod for finesse applications than 8lbs braid will be more than enough, especially with a great reel like a ci4+. Whatever rod you end up with I like an extra fast with finesse stuff, helps get a better hook set with light rods but that’s just my preference. My last piece of advice is going to be to use mono instead of floro for your leader material. Floro, especially really light floro, is quite brittle, doesn’t have as good of shock resistance as mono, doesn’t hold a knot as well, costs more, and doesn’t actually have any benefits when it comes to abrasion resistance. Unless you are fishing the clearest lakes in the country then the difference in visibility won’t matter, and the extra stretch you will get from mono will be a benefit when fighting fish on braid to a leader.

[Gazz]

Thanks! I was looking at the mojo bass as well. I might just step it up to $200-$300 and just get a really nice rod for my only spinning setup. I was also considering an Orochi but I’m still not sure. I have 15 lb powerpro on the way with 8lb Sunline sniper for leader. I’m sure I’ll try some different things out and find what I like. The G Loomis E6X really is catching my eye too though. 

[Vilas15]

On 5/27/2020 at 10:48 PM, Ogandrews said:

If your going to get an avid I would just save the money and buy a mojo bass which has the exact same blank, or spend a little more and get a legend tournament which has a way better blank.

 

1 hour ago, Gazz said:

Thanks! I was looking at the mojo bass as well. I might just step it up to $200-$300 and just get a really nice rod for my only spinning setup. I was also considering an Orochi but I’m still not sure. I have 15 lb powerpro on the way with 8lb Sunline sniper for leader. I’m sure I’ll try some different things out and find what I like. The G Loomis E6X really is catching my eye too though. 

You are right the blank is the same. The $80 difference between the same models gets you:

Mojo - Kigan Aluminum oxide guides, made in mexico, split grip

Avid - Fuji Alconite guides, made in USA, full cork

[Dreveal]

I have two of the ALX Zolo rods and really like them. I have fished both the McSmalls and the Maestro rods pretty heavily in the past year or so and they have both performed really well. 

[dodgeguy]

I would go medium fast .

[looking45]

I'm using this rod, with a CI4 1000, but the 2500 would be just fine. It's a light rod, but has plenty of backbone. I'm using 15# braid with a 4# flourocarbon leader

 

https://www.americanlegacyfishing.com/g-loomis-trout-panfish-spinning-fishing-rod-sr781-1-imx.html

[Tywithay]

2 hours ago, Vilas15 said:

 

You are right the blank is the same. The $80 difference between the same models gets you:

Mojo - Kigan Aluminum oxide guides, made in mexico, split grip

Avid - Fuji Alconite guides, made in USA, full cork

He was looking at the Avid X, which has the same aluminum oxide guides as the Mojo, and a split grip.

[Vilas15]

33 minutes ago, Tywithay said:

He was looking at the Avid X, which has the same aluminum oxide guides as the Mojo, and a split grip.

Oops. Missed that.

[haggard]

On 5/27/2020 at 4:33 PM, Gazz said:

I also like the idea of the Expride ML+or the ALX Maestro ML+. Any experience with the ML+ type power? Any advice on what power I should focus on as well as any rods you think might be worth consideration would be greatly appreciated.

I use my CI4+ 2500 on a ML (specifically AVS69MLXF) and find it a near perfect match for light techniques. I like using baitcasters more but this combo works so well I end up using it most of the time. It's usually rigged with a paddle tail worm on a light jig head, or a bitsy bug jig with a paddle tail trailer. Probably would be great for drop shot too, but I don't drop shot much at all.

[Gazz]

I think I’ve realized that I would likely use the setup for pretty much t rig and wacky rig stick baits as well as shakeyheads. I almost never drop shot and rarely ned rig but I would like to mix it in a bit more once I have better spinning gear. It seems like Medium Light may be too weak for most wacky and shakeyheads but Medium might be too stout for drop shots and ned rigs. Am I better off going Medium/Fast to cover it all fairly well or would a Medium Light handle wacky and shakey okay?