Texas rig rod suggestions

[FryDog62]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

Powell Inferno 703C Medium Heavy X-Fast ?

 

I recently got my hands on a Kistler Argon AR703LMH for field testing but a Cat 4 took care of that.

 

7' 0"

Light Medium Heavy 

Moderate Fast

3/16-3/4 oz

Good recommendations... I see one as XF and the other mod-fast.  That’s what I’m trying to figure out when using a light t-rig.... better feel of the weeds/cover with the XF or more forgiving hook-set/retrieve with m-f?  

[Catt]

2 hours ago, Hook2Jaw said:

I don't like one cat, much less four.  On a serious note, I'm sorry you're having to deal with all that mess.  As a tree guy I get to work on the hurricanes and get to see the damage and heartache they cause.  Best wishes, @Catt!

 

Merci Beaucoup! Everyone has pretty much forgotten us!

 

 

48 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Good recommendations... I see one as XF and the other mod-fast.  That’s what I’m trying to figure out when using a light t-rig.... better feel of the weeds/cover with the XF or more forgiving hook-set/retrieve with m-f?  

 

Extra Fast for moving big fish easier, Moderate Fast for using lighter lures & lines.

[Fishingmickey]

On 9/29/2020 at 8:01 AM, FryDog62 said:

I usually use Fast Action rods for T-Rigs, but wonder at 1/8 oz if an Extra Fast would be better.  I throw into weeds/grass and slither the rig in and around the cover.  Maybe XF would help “feel” my way through with a lighter lure?? 

You might find that a MH XF would be too stiff of a tip for casting a light T-rig. I'd stick with the MH F.  The Grande bass air tail rattler has some weight to it. After the first cast the rings/ribs hold water and make it even heavier.

FM

5 hours ago, Catt said:

Powell Inferno 703C Medium Heavy X-Fast ?

 

I recently got my hands on a Kistler Argon AR703LMH for field testing but a Cat 4 took care of that.

 

7' 0"

Light Medium Heavy 

Moderate Fast

3/16-3/4 oz

If your like me Catt, you'll really like the Argon. I have two and just flat excellent rods.

 

FM

[Catt]

2 hours ago, Fishingmickey said:

You might find that a MH XF would be too stiff of a tip for casting a light T-rig. I'd stick with the MH F.  The Grande bass air tail rattler has some weight to it. After the first cast the rings/ribs hold water and make it even heavier.

FM

If your like me Catt, you'll really like the Argon. I have two and just flat excellent rods.

 

FM

 

Since there are no industry standards for rods each manufacturer's Medium Heavy X-Fast is completely different.

 

The Powell Inferno 703C MH leans more towards the medium side.

 

I have a Daiwa Tatula 7'1" Medium Heavy X-Fast, it leans more to the heavy side.

 

Inferno - Texas Rigs 

Tatula - Jig-n-Craw 

[Teal]

If you plan on tossing them into thick stuff go with a MH.  If not super thick you can get away with a Medium power rod with Fast or xf action.   

 

Tatula rods are awesome at the price point 

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

 

Since there are no industry standards for rods each manufacturer's Medium Heavy X-Fast is completely different.

 

The Powell Inferno 703C MH leans more towards the medium side.

 

I have a Daiwa Tatula 7'1" Medium Heavy X-Fast, it leans more to the heavy side.

 

Inferno - Texas Rigs 

Tatula - Jig-n-Craw 

Agreed, manufacturers vary.  I have a 7’1” MHXF Phenix Feather I’ve thought of re-purposing for light t-rigs as well. It’s really more in between a Medium and MH and although a fast tip softer than many. 

[txchaser]

Kistler Helium LMH on sale gets into that price range. As mentioned, the tip is a bit softer. I don't find that I notice anything less because of it though. I don't have quite the right words for it, but the softness is isolated to the very end vs being deeper into the rod. Kistler has a video about it around somewhere.

 

And slightly out of the price range is the Tatula AGS LMH. Much faster tip.

 

The effective casting motion on the two rods is really different.

 

Fished them both with 12lb tatsu. I couldn't see a meaningful different in the sensitivity of the two.

 

 

[FryDog62]

8 hours ago, txchaser said:

Kistler Helium LMH on sale gets into that price range. As mentioned, the tip is a bit softer. I don't find that I notice anything less because of it though. I don't have quite the right words for it, but the softness is isolated to the very end vs being deeper into the rod. Kistler has a video about it around somewhere.

 

And slightly out of the price range is the Tatula AGS LMH. Much faster tip.

 

The effective casting motion on the two rods is really different.

 

Fished them both with 12lb tatsu. I couldn't see a meaningful different in the sensitivity of the two.

 

 

I was thinking of spooling with 12 lb Tatsu... and actually on a number of other rods for Neko, flukes, Senkos, etc. Maybe get a 1000 spool.  Can you get the t-rig with Tatsu through vegetation well enough or does it get hung up easily? Overall, has it held up well for you, strength, abrasion, knots? 

[roadwarrior]

                   Tatsu is THE BOMB!

 

 

 

 

[NOC 1]

On 10/1/2020 at 6:46 AM, Hook2Jaw said:

I don't like one cat, much less four.  On a serious note, I'm sorry you're having to deal with all that mess.  As a tree guy I get to work on the hurricanes and get to see the damage and heartache they cause.  Best wishes, @Catt!

 

On topic, I've been given a St. Croix LTB 7'1" MHF by a friend and I am way less than impressed.  I'm appreciative of the gift, but the rod seems to have 38 guides, weigh six pounds, and feels dead...at all times.  Count me in the group that is firmly against St. Croix.  I'll eventually add a mid-priced stick from 13 or Daiwa, either a Muse Black or another Tatula Elite.  iRod has also caught my eye.

I've got that same rod and feel the same way about it. I bought a Tatula SV TW specifically to try to balance the rod. It didn't. I feel bad dogging on the SC, but I bought 2 of the LTB series and they are both a big disappointment. I've had $100 Falcon rods that were much better performing rods. I will say they are nicely built, but a nicely built broomstick is still a broomstick.

[r83srock]

3 hours ago, NOC 1 said:

I've got that same rod and feel the same way about it. I bought a Tatula SV TW specifically to try to balance the rod. It didn't. I feel bad dogging on the SC, but I bought 2 of the LTB series and they are both a big disappointment. I've had $100 Falcon rods that were much better performing rods. I will say they are nicely built, but a nicely built broomstick is still a broomstick.

I hear ya. I had the same rod at one point too and sold it. Love the power, great for jigs, just tip heavy. I tried a slx mgl on my 6’8” mh LTB today and it seems to fish better, not sure what gives but the reel seems to make a difference. I always had a senko on mine but I think it’s best for jigs.

[Tatsu Dave]

On 9/28/2020 at 10:40 PM, JoshFromBolo said:

Dobyns sierra medium/fast

super good rod for light t rigs, have had a lot of luck with it

Priced right and should be perfect for the weights you intend to use.

[FryDog62]

18 hours ago, Tatsu Dave said:

Priced right and should be perfect for the weights you intend to use.

Does that rod only come in 6’8”?  I thought I remembered a 7 foot version at one point? 

[txchaser]

On 10/2/2020 at 7:32 AM, FryDog62 said:

I was thinking of spooling with 12 lb Tatsu... and actually on a number of other rods for Neko, flukes, Senkos, etc. Maybe get a 1000 spool.  Can you get the t-rig with Tatsu through vegetation well enough or does it get hung up easily? Overall, has it held up well for you, strength, abrasion, knots? 

I really like it on the light t-rigs, senkos, Ikas, d-shad/caffeine shad.

 

But if I had to do it again I'd probably get 15lb - while I only fish a few places with really heavy wood, almost everywhere I fish has heavy grass. A little bit of grass will be fine, but I'm catching fish just above or just off the side of grass that needs a punch weight to get in. I feel like I baby it a lot.

 

Reminder - 12lb tatsu is the same size as 8lb big game or 8lb YZH hybrid so it is going to feel thin if you are used to the oversize line.

 

It holds up great; very rare that I need to retie from a nick. Sometimes from bass teeth. IMO there's only one knot - the san diego jam. I had a post a while back about breakoffs, and I credit the SDJ with at least half of the improvement. "Dressing" the knot matters a lot - I've found that pulling on both the tag end and the main line to get the knot pulled up tight to the line. and then sliding the jam down to the hook. It is worth the extra 10 seconds, and you'll find it is really obvious when it is tied correctly. 

[FryDog62]

2 hours ago, txchaser said:

I really like it on the light t-rigs, senkos, Ikas, d-shad/caffeine shad.

EXACTLY what I’m looking to use 12 lb for... ?