Application specific rods what does it mean?

[WRB]

After bass fishing over 6 decades  now what does application specific rods mean?

The bait casting rod defined as Medium Heavy or 4 power fast action is in fact a general use bass rod.

Length between 6’10” to 7’4” becomes a personal preference. Bait casting bass anglers can use this rod for everything effectively. 

Finesse spinning rods Medium pr 3 power fast action rods are similar to the MH/4 power bait casting rod being universal and used for everything.

Exceptions are application specific swim bait rods used to cast lures weighing over 2 oz and crank bait rods with moderate action for deep diving lures.

I sold 20 combos that were application specific rods and reels I don’t need to catch bass.

I kept my 3 custom MH 5 power Fast 6’10” jig and worm rods and 1 medium 3 power fast 6’8” casting rods. 2 spinning rods and reels 6’8” medium 3 power fast for finesse fishing. 6 combos I can take with me as a back seater and catch bass anywhere anytime.

With 1 tackle bag I am ready to catch bass anywhere.

Tom

[georgeyew]

Simple and efficient....I like it!

[MN Fisher]

11 minutes ago, WRB said:

After bass fishing over 6 decades  now what does application specific rods mean?

I have to agree with you, Tom.

 

Only true application specific I have are my two MH/MF rods - one spinning, one casting - for treble lures. I do have a Light and a Medium-Light for ultra-finesse and general finesse; but those can double for panfish/trout. Only 'personal' application specific is my MH/F spinning rig - because I'm pants at skipping with a baitcaster and I want to skip jigs, spinners and chatters. The rest of my rods are 'general purpose' and can fulfill more than one 'slot' in the technique column.

[Fishes in trees]

It is wintertime - on one level it might be interesting to explore what is and what ain't an application specific rod as compared to a general purpose rod - on another level, that would take a few more IPAs than I feel like consuming right now.  maybe later.

[Catt]

I don't name my rods, that way if I throw a spinnerbait on my jig rod it doesn't get confused!

[Mike L]

The only technique specific rod I own is what I have tied on for what I want to do at the time. 

I have 2 Heavy’s and 3 MH/F rods with different actions that cover it all for my local waters and don’t need any more. 
 

As a permanent co angler yes, I have to take the time to re tie once in awhile, but I’d be doin that anyway. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[roadwarrior]

Well, technique specific gear is certainly not necessary,

but it's fun to fish exactly the perfect rods and reels. 

 

 

[Deephaven]

I don't change my baits, I change my rods.  Doesn't mean they are technique specific per se, but by default of course some are much better at certain things than others meaning when I do need a different presentation I choose which rod to change appropriately.

[snake95]

Enjoy these perspectives from guys who have been at it for awhile.

 

Coming into it relatively recently (past 10 years), it appears to me that there has been a trend towards longer rods at the same time there is a trend towards technique-specific rods (guessing this is something that has materialized over the past 15 years or so, but I don't know).

 

As part of this thread - what is behind the overall trend towards longer rods?

[roadwarrior]

Longer casts with less effort.

[J Francho]

A really good crankbait rod does little else.  It doesn't even do other things badly.  It just doesn't.  When really fast drop shot spinning rods came out, it was apparent they didn't chuck a light bait very well, like a standard moderate fast or fast rod did.  I have a G. Loomis jig and worm rod, that is a little shorter, 6-8 or 6-10 (can't remember) that seems like it would toss bigger hard jerkbaits well, but it doesn't.  At all.  Other than those, most often it's marketing labels to help sell rods and get the buyer in the right rod for what they're doing.  That's not a bad thing - many don't know what to get and it's better for the company if that person is in the zip code for action, power, and length for a certain thing.  Other times it's pure hype, and that rod is probably good for 20 or so things.  With the exception of the crankers, most of my rods I use regularly will be used for at least 3-4 different things, often closer to 6.  My preference is not have to wish I had that other rod that's at home when I can only bring 4-6 at a time.

[Michigander]

Some of it is just marketing, so that's neither here nor there as to whether it's true. However, I think a rod can have attributes that lend themselves to doing a specific technique better than a general purpose rod. Could be as simple as shifting the point of balance in the rod as far to the butt as possible because the technique is a tip up one or as complex as an oddball blank taper to maximize something. Look at walleye rods for instance and you'll see quite different rod properties for many of them because they are for certain techniques that aren't common in bass fishing.

[Catt]

Everyone has their own personal repertoire of confusion!

 

While I agree in part with technique specific theory, I don't think Gary Loomis knows what I like in a worm rod.

 

Now if you're a young angler (not chronological but experientially) ya might wanna follow the theory.

[J Francho]

4 minutes ago, Catt said:

While I agree in part with technique specific theory, I don't think Gary Loomis knows what I like in a worm rod.

My first Fenwick rod I bought back in 1989 was marketed as a Walleye rod, but it was probably the best worm rod I could find in the shop.  I think it had an eye watering (for the time) price tag of $80.  My father thought I was nuts.  In my 17 year old head, a skateboard deck was $40, so a good worm rod for two decks worth of cash seemed reasonable.  Back then I think I made $3/hour.

[Catt]

3 minutes ago, J Francho said:

12 minutes ago, Catt said:

like in a worm rod.

My first Fenwick rod I bought back in 1989 was marketed as a Walleye rod, but it was probably the best worm rod I could find in the shop.

 

My most favorite worm rod ever was a first generation Shimano Crucial 6'10" Medium Heavy X-Fast.

 

Marketed as a spinnerbait rod ?

[Boomstick]

Now that I think about it, I have technically just have one technique specific rods being a frog rod. It's a bit too much of a broomstick to do anything else. My flipping rod is the next closest thing.

 

When I bought a jig rod for this season, I was considering that technique specific as that kind of action was something I was after primarily for jigs but it could also work well for Carolina rigs or heavier T-Rigs, especially dragging them on the bottom.

[J Francho]

My favorite rod for frogs happens to be a VERY expensive jig rod.

[Jigfishn10]

Seems like back in the day all you really needed to know was power and action and you tied on a lure and presented accordingly. IDK maybe  it got dumbed down for a reason?

[Mike L]

When we keep referring to rods as...

“My jig rod, my frog rod, my weightless rod” we’re saying we bought into the technique specific business that must make every manufacturer smile all the way to the bank. 
 

If you don’t own a boat with a rod locker,  deck space and extra disposable income to hold 20 rods, you learn really quick to make do with what you have. 

That’s why I own only heavy and Med/heavy rods making sure they have different actions to make the choice of what to use where a little easier. 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[ironbjorn]

10 hours ago, Fishes in trees said:

It is wintertime - on one level it might be interesting to explore what is and what ain't an application specific rod as compared to a general purpose rod - on another level, that would take a few more IPAs than I feel like consuming right now.  maybe later.

I had 7 last night and I'm waking up to this being the first thing I'm reading. Funny.

 

(Mistakes were made)

[J Francho]

14 minutes ago, Mike L said:

“My jig rod, my frog rod, my weightless rod” we’re saying we bought into the technique specific business that must make every manufacturer smile all the way to the bank. 

Or we're just saying that is the rod we use for what.  I think the last marketing hype I bought into was side imaging, and I bit hook, line , and sinker.  It was delicious, to say the least.

[Fishes in trees]

Every time I'm on my boat and I pick up a fishing rod, odds are I'm going to use it for some fishing technique, which by definition makes all of my fishing rods that I own/ have owned in the past/will own in the future application specific/technique specific rods.

Given that my experiences have been that some rods work better at certain stuff than others do.  I have many rods that various manufacturers marketed for one style of fishing that I find work for other stuff better.   BPS used to make a 7'4" Extreme rod - a Woo Davis model - that I heard him promote at a seminar I attended as a "perfect worm/pitching rod". I bought one & didn't like it because it has too much tip - IMO it sucked as a pitching rod.   Later, on a whim, I tried it as a reaction bait rod and it excels at throwing DC 8 Timber Tigers & Buzz Baits, so when I came across that rod as they were being closed out I bought a few more.

 

Sometimes rods tell you what they are.  MY 6'10" Falcon Lowrider Finesse Jig Rod is a great finesse jig rod.   Just one of many examples about how all the rods in my arsenal choose to be technique specific rods - or they get left home on the back up bench. 

 

[CountryboyinDC]

You guys don't seem to get it - you need a NRX for each technique.  If you try to use a shakey head rod to drop shot, it just ain't gonna work.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, CountryboyinDC said:

You guys don't seem to get it - you need a NRX for each technique.  If you try to use a shakey head rod to drop shot, it just ain't gonna work.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

You wanna give me the money to afford an NRX - sure.

 

Or maybe I'd just get 3 Sierras instead...

[ironbjorn]

There's nothing I can't do with a Dobyns 735C, 704C, 703C, 702SF. 

 

I don't deep crank (squarebills and lipless only), and everything people would normally use a 3 power spinning rod for, I use the 3 power casting rod instead. It could really be that simple for me and I believe anyone unless you're getting into big swimbaits and deep heavy cranking.