Spinning rod under 200?

[Mlau11]

Hello everyone, I’m looking for a new all around spinning rod preferably under 200? I fish for bass primarily here in Florida. I like the rod to be real sensitive. I mostly throw swimbaits and some jerkbaits/jigs/worms every once in a while. I’m leaning towards a Cashion elite or a Cashion crt to save some money for another reel later maybe.

[Finessegenics]

St Croix Mojo Bass, the 7’1 medium/fast or 6’8 medium/xfast should do you well. I’d still recommend you at least feel the rods in store before you buy them though. Everyone who owns a mojo is impressed with them and this new generation (scIII blank) is incredibly sensitive. 

 

What size jigs are you going to be throwing though? Do they have heavy gauge hooks? And the worm weights ? That information can help others suggest rods and their specific models. 
 

[waymont]

Tatula medium action 6'6", 6'8", or 7' choose your length.

[Mlau11]

41 minutes ago, Finessegenics said:

St Croix Mojo Bass, the 7’1 medium/fast or 6’8 medium/xfast should do you well. I’d still recommend you at least feel the rods in store before you buy them though. Everyone who owns a mojo is impressed with them and this new generation (scIII blank) is incredibly sensitive. 

 

What size jigs are you going to be throwing though? Do they have heavy gauge hooks? And the worm weights ? That information can help others suggest rods and their specific models. 
 

I throw 1/4 oz football jigs and also 1/4 oz bullet weights with my 6” worms. I also use 3/16 or 1/4 oz jig heads for my swimbaits.

[AriAngler]

Zodias ML 6'8' rod! Paid $179 and love it! Great trout rod and it's been a nice finesse fishing rod for Bass.

[Finessegenics]

24 minutes ago, Mlau11 said:

I throw 1/4 oz football jigs and also 1/4 oz bullet weights with my 6” worms. I also use 3/16 or 1/4 oz jig heads for my swimbaits.

In that case, I’d even suggest a MH spinning rod which usually still somehow feels significantly “lighter” in power than a MH casting rod. The reason for this is if you think about a 1/4 oz football jig, it is only the head that weighs a 1/4 oz. Add the trailer and skirt and you’re approaching 3/8 oz. That can still definitely be done on a M spinning rod. Same with the 6” worm and the 1/4 oz bullet weights; the total weight would probably be in the 3/8 oz range. It seems like a lot of the baits you would be throwing are in the upper end of what I’d consider throwing on a M spinning rod, unless it was some vertical kind of presentation. Another factor to think about is the power you’ll need to get a good hook set on a jig or Texas rigged worm. With the jig, you’ll have to give enough power to push the weedguard down and drive the hook home. For the worm, you have to make sure the hook comes through the plastic...all this can be done on a M rod no problem, but it might be easier on MH. Also consider the cover you’ll be fishing around. Ultimately it comes down to your choice and this is the way I see it ; 

 

M: - More versatile if you ever want to throw lighter and more finesse baits 

 

MH: - Will get you better hooksets (in theory,on the baits you specified) but less versatile 

 

I didn’t want to make this too complicated so I apologize if I did

[Tywithay]

That Tatula Elite 7'1" MH spinning rod would be excellent for the jigs and swimbaits. 

[RoLo]

 

Dobyns Sierra

 

Roger

 

[Burbot]

6 hours ago, Finessegenics said:

In that case, I’d even suggest a MH spinning rod which usually still somehow feels significantly “lighter” in power than a MH casting rod. The reason for this is if you think about a 1/4 oz football jig, it is only the head that weighs a 1/4 oz. Add the trailer and skirt and you’re approaching 3/8 oz. That can still definitely be done on a M spinning rod. Same with the 6” worm and the 1/4 oz bullet weights; the total weight would probably be in the 3/8 oz range. It seems like a lot of the baits you would be throwing are in the upper end of what I’d consider throwing on a M spinning rod, unless it was some vertical kind of presentation. Another factor to think about is the power you’ll need to get a good hook set on a jig or Texas rigged worm. With the jig, you’ll have to give enough power to push the weedguard down and drive the hook home. For the worm, you have to make sure the hook comes through the plastic...all this can be done on a M rod no problem, but it might be easier on MH. Also consider the cover you’ll be fishing around. Ultimately it comes down to your choice and this is the way I see it ; 

 

M: - More versatile if you ever want to throw lighter and more finesse baits 

 

MH: - Will get you better hooksets (in theory,on the baits you specified) but less versatile 

 

I didn’t want to make this too complicated so I apologize if I did

 

Aren't most M rods rated to 1/2oz or 5/8? I've never had an issue throwing 3/8oz tubes on a medium rod. That said, I spend more of my time in the finesse realm so I fish ML mostly. 

 

At any rate, I think you summed it up nicely at the end.

[Fin S]

You might want to get your hands on a Cashion before you pull the trigger. That weave on the handle isn't for everyone. Some like it, some don't.

 

A medium power rod might work for you, but if you fish small swimbaits (3.8") weedless with a bigger EWG hook, you might want to go MH.

[Finessegenics]

2 hours ago, Burbot said:

 

Aren't most M rods rated to 1/2oz or 5/8? I've never had an issue throwing 3/8oz tubes on a medium rod. That said, I spend more of my time in the finesse realm so I fish ML mostly. 

 

At any rate, I think you summed it up nicely at the end.

I throw 3/8 tubes on a M spinning rod too and up until 3 years ago, I did everything on a spinning rod. And yes most M rods are rated to 5/8 oz and even 3/4 oz but in my experience none of them really do well casting anything over 1/2 oz. the good thing about the tube is you have that exposed hook, so getting a good hook set isnt hard. I’m not saying it’s impossible to do what OP wants to with a M rod but given the tactics OP specified I think a MH would be best since most of them require a good hook set past a weedguard or a soft plastic. 
 

And yeah, a ML rod is also in my hands 90% of the time. I’m a huge finesse guy 

[Mlau11]

18 hours ago, Finessegenics said:

In that case, I’d even suggest a MH spinning rod which usually still somehow feels significantly “lighter” in power than a MH casting rod. The reason for this is if you think about a 1/4 oz football jig, it is only the head that weighs a 1/4 oz. Add the trailer and skirt and you’re approaching 3/8 oz. That can still definitely be done on a M spinning rod. Same with the 6” worm and the 1/4 oz bullet weights; the total weight would probably be in the 3/8 oz range. It seems like a lot of the baits you would be throwing are in the upper end of what I’d consider throwing on a M spinning rod, unless it was some vertical kind of presentation. Another factor to think about is the power you’ll need to get a good hook set on a jig or Texas rigged worm. With the jig, you’ll have to give enough power to push the weedguard down and drive the hook home. For the worm, you have to make sure the hook comes through the plastic...all this can be done on a M rod no problem, but it might be easier on MH. Also consider the cover you’ll be fishing around. Ultimately it comes down to your choice and this is the way I see it ; 

 

M: - More versatile if you ever want to throw lighter and more finesse baits 

 

MH: - Will get you better hooksets (in theory,on the baits you specified) but less versatile 

 

I didn’t want to make this too complicated so I apologize if I did

Thanks so much for the helpful info. I do want to be able to throw some finesse baits if i ever want to. I feel like medium will be my best bet. I have noticed I struggle on the hook sets when i rig weedless or texas rig though, I'll just have to hook set harder lol. I'm seeing a lot of good options in this price point and it feels like I can't really go wrong with any brand I choose like Dobyns/Shimano/Daiwa/St. Croix etc.

[new2BC4bass]

Are you using braid?  Braid should help with hooksets.  Last year I forgot to take a baitcast reel spooled with braid when I visited Florida...other than the reel I was using on my frog rod.  Luckily the spinning reel I took with me (I keep one spinning rod there) had braid on it.  The rod was an older Fenwick Elite Tech 7' MF Jig & Worm rod.  I used it with an EWG and 10" ribbontail (weightless) for fishing in lily pads.  Had no problem setting the hook, and I wasn't setting hard either.

[Mlau11]

4 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

Are you using braid?  Braid should help with hooksets.  Last year I forgot to take a baitcast reel spooled with braid when I visited Florida...other than the reel I was using on my frog rod.  Luckily the spinning reel I took with me (I keep one spinning rod there) had braid on it.  The rod was an older Fenwick Elite Tech 7' MF Jig & Worm rod.  I used it with an EWG and 10" ribbontail (weightless) for fishing in lily pads.  Had no problem setting the hook, and I wasn't setting hard either.

Yes I do use braid. I was using full fluoro for a little bit but I went back to braid and just tied a fluoro leader instead.