Heaviest Action Spinning Rod You Use For Bass ?

[ChrisD46]

As the title states - I'm curious what is the heaviest action spinning rod you currently use for bass ? In my case , the heaviest action spinning rod I own is a 7' M/F (Dobyns) - then I jump up either to a 703C / 733C MH/F (Dobyns)  bait casting rod . I use my 7' M/F spinning rod with braid + leader for shaky head , finesse jigs , light T-Rigs , flukes and senkos . While I can still toss similar lures with my bait cast outfit , I usually will start increasing the lure or set up weight (jigs / T-Rigs) or move on to more power oriented techniques with the bait casting set up . Some folks may opt for a 7' MH/F (i.e. 704) spinning rod to cross over to the heavier applications while still others using bait casting set ups may elect to go more in a finesse direction (i.e. new Shimano SLX MGL 70 series reel with a M/F action bait cast rod to match). *With the above said , what camp are you in : Go heavier with your spinning rod set up  OR go lighter with your bait casting set up ?

[jimmyjoe]

   If I wanted to go heavier power (not action - action is where the rod bends) for your uses, I would go a heavier power spinning setup. For the 5 uses you named, sensitivity and the ability of the fisherman to react quickly are important. You can react much faster with your strong side. I'm right-handed, so for me that's a spinning setup. Even when I was young, I couldn't react to lighter weight baits and bottom techniques as well with a casting setup as I could with a spinning setup.

   And that's going all the way back to the Mitchell 300.

 

   Which ever way you decide to go, I wish you good luck!        jj

[MN Fisher]

I got a MH/F spinning rig for use this next year. I'm pants at skipping with BCs but I can skip with spinning fairly easily...so I got this rig to skip jigs, T-Rigs, spinners, chatters, etc.

[shimanoangler]

I am the anomaly, in that I use spinning sets up for all my bass fishing applications.  I am just more comfortable with a spinning rod in my hands, and today's spinning reels have tremendous inches per turn capabilities (37 to 40 IPT) and quite honestly the drags on spinning reels (generally speaking) are just better than their bait casting counterparts, so I just keep it simple and have my entire arsenal in spinning rod set ups.  I fish several Medium Heavy, and Heavy, powered rods for all my moving bait applications.  I have several 7'6" MH Fast Action rods for chatterbaits, swim jigs, heavy topwater (whopper ploppers) and wobble/pivot heads.  My heavy powered fast action rods are 7', and I throw spinnerbaits, heavier topwaters (walking baits) and heavier lipless cranks.   All the rest of my 1/2 and below baits are fished on medium powered fast action rods.  And I have three medium powered moderate action spinning rods I throw all my cranks on (admittedly, I don't do any real deep cranking, just doesn't fit my style of fishing, although it should).   

 

Point being, it is all really a matter of personal preference and comfort.  For me, spinning rods have been the choice and I catch fish of all sizes, on all applications, without any problem.  The only exception to that rule is I do use a casting rod for flipping and punching, which I do very RARELY, but I have that set up for that very specific purpose.  There is no one size fits all answers or direction, just go with what works for you.  

[Gary_Snyder]

This may surprise you but you can use a spinning rod for power fishing.......I use a medium-heavy rod rated for up to 17lb. test line for ripping through Hydrilla with spinning tackle....... The technique is called power spinning.

 

Many people don't know that baitcasters have a fatal flaw with some kinds of line (fluoro/mono).....once you get a birdsnest on a baitcaster, the kinks made in line can severely weaken it, and lures can break off on the cast the sail into the sunset, not to mention mysterious breakoffs - and very few people are talking about it. 

 

This isn't as much of a problem with spinning gear, especially with the infinite anti reverse we've had in just the last 25 years or so, so it's kind of new in the world of fishing.....which equates to less tangles than ever before on spinning reels.

 

With a crazy strong knot I can get similar strength to braid line with mono/fluoro and rip through heavy cover with thin 10lb. test mono. And the mono/fluoro is easier to handle.

 

That said, baitcasters still do some things better than spinning and will never be obsolete, especially in a tournament.

 

But spinning tackle can also be better than you think!

[J Francho]

This is the most powerful spinning rod I use for bass.  I have a couple 9' moderate to slow taper rods that are for king salmon, but have never used them for bass fishing.

 

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/pinnacle-DHC5-performa-review.html

[optimator]

Loomis E6X 853s JWR with a Daiwa BG 2500. It's a good setup. 

[Deephaven]

I have a rod built on an Avid 6'6" MH blank that I use for finesse weight baits in cover.  Could be skipping docks, milfoil edges or whatever could sacrifice a fish, but pretty much only when it is a hard situation to toss a baitcaster.

[Fishes in trees]

I have several spinning rigs in that category.  I have a 7' Fenwick HMG MH - ex fast tip spinning rod.   I forget the weight rating on it right now, but it is the same as the same rod in bait casting form.    I have a different Fenwick HMX that is very similar.  I pretty much bought that as a back up when I ran across it in a close out bucket.

Originally I bought the rod in self defense because fishing BFL as a co-angler I was tired of getting back boated and with the spinning rod/braid & leader combo, I had the casting distance I needed, even when the boater was swinging the rear of the boat away from the target.  Bait of choice at that time was a 5/16 oz Eakins jig.   I'd bring the spinning rig on lakes that were known for being windy because it was just easier.   At the time, bait casting gear and windy lakes and my thumb weren't really compatible.

I have a 6'11" Kistler spinning rod ( the blue one - old Argon series?).  Anyway, it says MH on the rod, but it isn't MH at all.  I'd call it a medium or maybe a medium light.    From the handle up the rod shaft, 4 feet or so,  it has quite a bit of backbone, then it gets pretty tippy.  With my 7' Fenwick HMG, I can boat flip a 15 or 16 inch fish no problem, but I don't think I would try that with the 6'11 Kistler.   Currently I have a small spinning reel, probably a Pflueger, spooled with 10 lb braid on the Kistler rod and I use it to throw smaller balsa cranks, like Shad Raps or similar size/weight baits

[NJBasstard]

Mine would be a 6'6" MH/F St Croix Triumph paired with a 2000 size Lews Tournament Speed Spin. I've had that combo for around 7 years now but I'm just not a fan of the rod or reel. The rods action is a lot more moderate than it is fast. It occasionally gets used for small jerkbaits. More often than not it becomes a loaner rod for whoever I'm with.

 

Next in line would be a ML/F Dobyns DC702sf. That rods for drop shots, neds, open water wacky worms and any other small baits with light wire exposed hooks.

 

Everything else 3/16 or more I throw on casting.

[ChrisD46]

5 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

   If I wanted to go heavier power (not action - action is where the rod bends) for your uses, I would go a heavier power spinning setup. For the 5 uses you named, sensitivity and the ability of the fisherman to react quickly are important. You can react much faster with your strong side. I'm right-handed, so for me that's a spinning setup. Even when I was young, I couldn't react to lighter weight baits and bottom techniques as well with a casting setup as I could with a spinning setup.

   And that's going all the way back to the Mitchell 300.

 

   Which ever way you decide to go, I wish you good luck!        jj

*Yes , I meant rod: "Power"  - not action .

[ironbjorn]

ML

 

 

[Finessegenics]

For me it is a M power. Though I imagine if I had the money to really fine-tune and expand my arsenal, I'd buy a MH/F for heavier tubes or any heavy jighead that has a light wire hook.  

[Darth-Baiter]

Medium/Fast for me.  My Phenix Maxim seven foot two rod is MVP. Plenty of backbone, sensitive, lightweight. I love a bass on that rod. 

[BrianMDTX]

Medium. If I need a MH or above, I use casting rods. 

[Log Catcher]

I use a 6'6" MH/F for Senkos, light weight jigs, and other Texas rigs. I use a medium fast for small Texas rigs like centipedes, shaky heads, and split shot rigs.

[Russ E]

I love my baitcasters. I only use a spinning rod for finesse baits. Medium/fast is my heaviest spinning rod.

generally ned rig, shakyhead, neko rig, small jerkbaits or light crankbaits get spinning tackle.

there are usually around 16  combos in my boat at any point in time. there are never more than 3 spinning combos.

[MIbassyaker]

I have a 7' MH-F that gets situational use for heavier tubes and some t-rigs

 

2 hours ago, Finessegenics said:

For me it is a M power. Though I imagine if I had the money to really fine-tune and expand my arsenal, I'd buy a MH/F for heavier tubes or any heavy jighead that has a light wire hook.  

 

Yup. A heavier shakyhead would be good application for this too. Jessie Wiggins designed a MH-F spinning rod for the St. Croix Mojo line for heavy shakyheads.

[Bankbeater]

Heaviest I use is a medium.  I tried a mh spinning rod before, but I didn't care for it.  

[KDW96]

medium for me

[soflabasser]

I like to use heavy action rods for bass fishing since I often fish in areas with heavy aquatic vegetation. 

[VolFan]

I have an LDC spinning rod that I use for swimbaits up to 4ish oz. I can throw a punker forever on that rod with braid.

[roadwarrior]

G.Loomis PR844S

[tander]

I have 4 spinning rigs and all are m/f that I throw small plastics with. I am thinking about getting a H/F and using braid on it for throwing bigger plastics. MLF has an article on Randy Howell doing this. Getting older I think spinning is better on you than casting.

[roadwarrior]

1 hour ago, tander said:

Getting older I think spinning is better on you than casting.

Why is that?