Anyone ever used (or use) a MH/MF rod for weightless Texas rigs?

[BrianMDTX]

My last rig purchase was a Daiwa Tatula 100H on a Dobyns Fury FR705CB. I bought it as I had MH/F and M/F baitcasters and though a MH/MF would be good for crankbaits, chatterbaits, etc. But last week, I decided to see what it would do with a weightless TR (in this case, a Fat IKA on a 3/0 hook). It cast the bait effortlessly and it was a pleasure working the bait across the bottom. When the bass struck, I easily hooked it. 
 

The same happened yesterday. I still had the Fat IKA rigged so it was the first bait I cast in the morning after the frog got no takers on my HF rig. Once again, got a strike and the bass was hooked good…and easily. 
 

I know conventional wisdom points to fast action for Texas rigs, but I am intrigued at how well this moderate fast action seems to work. I’m curious if anyone else has or does use one for weightless Texas rigs, especially for heavier soft plastics like a Fat IKA or Neko Macho. I wouldn’t try a weightless Zoom Trick or similar as it’s too light to cast on a MH rod, but those heavier baits really cast well and the hookset seems great. 

[Catt]

I'm assuming the "TX" stands for Texas?

 

Most anglers down here prefer Heavy Moderate Fast to Fast for t-rigs & jigs. 

 

I throw weightless Trick Worms on Powell Inferno 703C Medium Heavy X-Fast coupled with a Lew's Team Lite.

 

A Medium Heavy is supposed to be between Medium & Heavy. That Powell rod leans more towards Medium than Heavy. The only issue I have is with 3# plus bass in vegetation, the rod bows from rod tip to butt. It'll get em out it just takes a minute.

[BrianMDTX]

It’s not the power as much as the action. I’ve always used a MH/F for bottom baits with big single hooks to drive it home. My thoughts on action was that a fast would get into the hookset quicker. But this MF action seems to have no difficulty with that. 

[ironbjorn]

9 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

It’s not the power as much as the action. I’ve always used a MH/F for bottom baits with big single hooks to drive it home. My thoughts on action was that a fast would get into the hookset quicker. But this MF action seems to have no difficulty with that. 

Smaller fish in open water wouldn't be a problem for such a rod. That Fury CB rod is a whip. I only liked it for 1/4oz lipless crankbaits and even then the 703c is better imo. I couldn't imagine the 705cb having anywhere close to the power and action to drive a Texas rig hook through the thick mouth of a bigger fish and get it away from cover.

[BrianMDTX]

13 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Smaller fish in open water wouldn't be a problem for such a rod. That Fury CB rod is a whip. I only liked it for 1/4oz lipless crankbaits and even then the 703c is better imo. I couldn't imagine the 705cb having anywhere close to the power and action to drive a Texas rig hook through the thick mouth of a bigger fish and get it away from cover.

Maybe. From what I’ve seen so far (only two strikes and two catches) is that they hit the bait and run, starting the rod to bend. By the time I sweep back to set the hook, the rod is pretty much at the bend in the action. 
 

Trust me, it’s not going to become my soft plastics rod. It’s just interesting how well it seems to be doing it lol. 

[Bass Rutten]

 It’s a versatile rod, I’m not surprised this worked for you. IMO this rod becomes even better and more versatile with braided line, I was losing fish using mono on it. I haven’t yet used it for plastics but have fished small swimbaits on jigheads and swimjigs without issue and have been thinking about and planning on using for for bubba shotting finesse worms but I just haven’t got around to it.

[Catt]

53 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

My thoughts on action was that a fast would get into the hookset quicker. But this MF action seems to have no difficulty with that. 

 

I understand where you coming from!

 

A couple of years ago my brother left an "inshore" rod in my boat, it was a moderate/regular action. I had no problem sticking fish but like I said a decent fish in any vegetation or brush was a stand off. 

 

I want to be in complete control from hookset to my thumb.

[NHBull]

If I had to choose one action for all my rigs it would be MBR "like". I just get more fish in the boat.  That said it could just be compensation for a quick twitch?. 

 

I throw Fat IKA on a Medium MBR......GLX or Conquest (thank God I have a loomis guide in the family)

[Cravin]

If we are truly honest with ourselves we all know that anything softbait and weightless cast like a dream on a medium rod. I have been leaning this way for years and love to throw weightless on medium power rods. I try to compensate by fishing Fluorocarbon and a razor sharp hook, Sure I would prefer to have a MH/F when hooked up but I tend to spend more time casting than being overpowered by a new PB.?

[Backroad Angler]

You know I was watching a Roland Martin video the other day, and depending on the coverage he's fishing, he goes as far as using heavy action rods for soft plastics.  What it boils down to is what you are comfortable with and what you have the most success with. I don't particularly pay attention to the power/action as much as I use to

[BrianMDTX]

2 minutes ago, JoshFromBolo said:

You know I was watching a Roland Martin video the other day, and depending on the coverage he's fishing, he goes as far as using heavy action rods for soft plastics.  What it boils down to is what you are comfortable with and what you have the most success with. I don't particularly pay attention to the power/action as much as I use to

He does a lot of pitching. I don’t know how far I’d cast a weightless TR on my HF rod! 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

6 hours ago, Cravin said:

If we are truly honest with ourselves we all know that anything softbait and weightless cast like a dream on a medium rod. I have been leaning this way for years and love to throw weightless on medium power rods. I try to compensate by fishing Fluorocarbon and a razor sharp hook, Sure I would prefer to have a MH/F when hooked up but I tend to spend more time casting than being overpowered by a new PB.?

I use M/F for just about anything if I can get away with it.  I broke my new PB throwing a DJ Finesse Swim Jig.  I was at the end of T shaped dock and I had to drag her from the end of the right side all the back to where the dock meets the bank on the left side and there was a thick layer of grass and algae on both sides of the dock that ran to the top of the T.  The 12lb BG was stretching like a rubber band, but I'm glad because had it been 12 Inviz it would have broke for sure.  She was wiped pretty fast.  I was terrified she was going to break off and die from exhaustion.

I bought a 7'2 MH MF Omen Black for ChBs and heavier cranks.  I used it for flipping and pitching t rigs one day in April and its had a Trig tied on since.    

[Hammer 4]

If I'm in reasonably open water, I'm using my 7' m/f spinning  rig for the lighter weight baits. If I'm in any type of cover, then I go heavier, same applies if I change to a heavier bait.

[BrianMDTX]

Well, in a fit of desperation after nada on jigs on a HF, Senko WR’s on a MF spinning rig and a 6th Sense squarebill on the FR705CB, I tied on a 3/0 EWG with a 3/16 oz tungsten bullet weight and a Mann’s Jelly Worm in blackberry on the Dobyns and gave it another shot. Third cast was fish on. Once again, not a big gal, maybe 1.5 lbs, but the rod did a great job of detecting a light bite and setting the hook. It really casted that bait far as well. 

 

Experimentation to continue! 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

3 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

Well, in a fit of desperation after nada on jigs on a HF, Senko WR’s on a MF spinning rig and a 6th Sense squarebill on the FR705CB, I tied on a 3/0 EWG with a 3/16 oz tungsten bullet weight and a Mann’s Jelly Worm in blackberry on the Dobyns and gave it another shot. Third cast was fish on. Once again, not a big gal, maybe 1.5 lbs, but the rod did a great job of detecting a light bite and setting the hook. It really casted that bait far as well. 

 

Experimentation to continue! 

They definitely work pretty well.  As long as you dont use a real heavy wire hook you wont have any  major issues.  When you use worms with thick ribs like Airtail Rattlers or Hoodaddys swing for the fences when you set the hook.

[Bigassbass]

You can catch fish on most any rod and reel, it's fun to have a super nice bass rod but it's not necessary.  I once caught a 30lb carp on a tiny little zebco under-spin on a black ant.  The reel was burnt when I got the fish to the bank and of course when I reached to touch it the line broke.  Real story, not a fish fable!

[MyKeyBe]

Yep. 6'6" Falcon Bucco micro. "Herm". In a pinch with 30 pound braid I've frogged with it too. Not real heavy cover but it worked fine.

[Lead Head]

I have found that overall, I prefer what most people would consider a moderate-fast taper.

For pretty much everything. 

[jimmyjoe]

   If you lined up ten rods that were MH/MF, they might all be different. There is no industry standard.

   Secondly, "action" defines where the rod's upper flex transitions to the backbone. It says nothing about the stiffness of the tip end itself, and that's where you get the initial hookset power. Some rods have their flex closer to the transition point, and some have it further away from the transition point. Not to get off-subject, but some fly rods illustrate this very clearly.

   And "action" says nothing about material stiffness, either. A moderate-fast rod with high  material stiffness and high speed will give you a better initial hookset compared to a fast action that is built with a slow material. There are some fiberglass composite rods that are advertised as fast action that exhibit this very well.

 

   It's always best to try and flex the rod before you buy it to get an idea of what it may or may not do, but that's been mickle difficult for the last year.  ???            jj

[Boomstick]

I personally think a lot of people use heavier rods with their T-Rigs then they really need to. I mean if you're punching that's one thing, but in open water and lighter vegetation, I greatly prefer a M/F rod, preferably one that runs slightly on the heavy side for T-Rigs with no weight or a light weight. They cast like a dream and as long as my hooks are sharp, I have no problem setting the hook. A MH/MF overall should perform very similar to a M/F depending how you do your hooksets.

[Derek1]

On 6/28/2021 at 9:42 AM, BrianMDTX said:

Well, in a fit of desperation after nada on jigs on a HF, Senko WR’s on a MF spinning rig and a 6th Sense squarebill on the FR705CB, I tied on a 3/0 EWG with a 3/16 oz tungsten bullet weight and a Mann’s Jelly Worm in blackberry on the Dobyns and gave it another shot. Third cast was fish on. Once again, not a big gal, maybe 1.5 lbs, but the rod did a great job of detecting a light bite and setting the hook. It really casted that bait far as well. 

 

Experimentation to continue! 

Use it for spinnerbaits and it will become your new spinnerbait rod.