Setup for lighter plastics

[ajschn06]

What do most of you use for your shaky head worms or light t-rigs?  I prefer to fish a worm with a spinning rig but I also want to throw them into trees and use straight fluoro….

[galyonj]

6'9" medium-light with a 2500-size reel. I spool with 15lb braid to a 6lb leader.

 

IME it's useful for just about everything. Shakyheads, any unweighted plastic, ned rigs, etc.

[Fishes in trees]

You can do that - just buy another rig.   I have multiple spinning & bait casting rigs that I use to throw soft plastics.  While I'm a junk fisherman and I like to carry many different rigs for specific circumstances, the vast majority of my rigs can present multiple types & weights of baits should that become necessary.

 

For Instance:  I throw Brewer Slider Heads alot.  Generally a quarter of an ounce, but if you throw Brewer heads very much, you know that there can be a considerable weight variance between one quarter ounce head and the next - nature of the beast.  Soft plastics associated with these heads are either Brewer Slider worms or 5"  BPS stick-o paddle tails.   First choice for throwing these baits is a 6'10" Falcon Low-rider Finesse Jig Rod with aa Curado 50 reel and 10 lb Abrazx.  (This used to be the Eakins Jig rod before Eakins & Falcon parted ways, probably more than a decade ago )

I have any number of spinning rods that also do a good job of presenting this bait.   If it looks like I'm going to be throwing into the wind, or if I'm going to be fishing out of the back of the boat, I go with spinning gear - either an older 6'3" Diawa LT rod that's just labeled as "finesse spinning" or a 5' 9" Fenwick HMG Med/ ex fast tip  that I just like alot.

 

If I have the notion to throw trick worms on a heavier shakey head, like 3/8 or 1/2 oz,   I throw those on one of my jig rods, first choice would be a 7' Fenwick AETOS MH/ ex fast tip that is rated to throw weights up to 3/4 or an ounce, I forget.   Fishing from the back of the boat, I want my shakey head to get deep asap and so the heavier head becomes necessary.

 

These are just two examples - there are lots more - the point is that rigs can be interchangable and you don't know just how hard it is for a junk fisherman to admit that.  In a perfect world with unlimited boat storage, I would have a separate rig for each bait presentation (with spare line spools for each spinning presentation) that I could possibly imagine.    And another couple should I run into schooling white bass and maybe another couple should I decide to  make long drifts over deeper flats for flatheads and whatever else that is living deep might bite.

[ChrisO91]

I'm using an Abu Garci Veritas, 7" Medium, fast, with a Pflueger Supreme XT 30. 15 lb Suffix 832 to a flouro leader. I use it for shakey heads, neds, and weightless presentations.

[FryDog62]

If using straight fluorocarbon, I prefer baitcasting for less line twist. I use a Daiwa Alphas SV reel and 10 lb Abrazx. The rod is a Phenix Feather 7'1" MHXF and fishes more like a Medium+

[Bass Rutten]

Shimano poison adrena 7'3" mh, it's more moderate than most fast rods and the tip loads up more like a medium, combined with the shimano curado mgl reel I can cast a trick worm with 3/16 jig or weight no problem, pretty far too I might add thanks to that mgl spool. Right now I'm experimenting with 12lb pline cxx copoly but I typically run 15lb abrazx or pline tactical.

[Biglittle8]

I've been using my Cashion 7' M/H fast  CRT worm and jig rod lately, but my go to has been a Dobyns 7' M/Fast with a Shimano Sedona.  They both get the job done.

 

[Bluebasser86]

I use a 6' 8" m/f with a 2500 Revros/15lb braid/8lb tatsu leader. Something about a t-rigged beaver with a 1/16oz weight in front of it just gliding down is too much for the fish to stand sometimes. 

[Blaine Donders]

I throw a 1/16oz shakey head with a 3”-4” finesse worm on a *** ML casting rod with a Tatula SV and 10# fluoro.

[Bankc]

With a spinning reel, I can't recommend fluorocarbon.  I've tried it a few different times now, and I always wind up stripping it off after dealing with all of the twists, wind knots, and line memory.  I'd recommend using a baitcaster for fluoro, but with throwing lighter presentations, I really think you'd be better off sticking to the spinning reel.  

 

I've settled on braid with a fluoro leader as the winning combination in this case.  Put on about 8-15 feet of leader, and you don't have to replace it that often.  And it's usually not enough fluoro to give you trouble.  It's the best of both worlds, in my opinion.  I usually go with something like 6# fluoro and then try to find a braid of similar diameter, to make the leader knot easier to tie.

 

As for rod, I think a M or ML fast to extra fast would work.  It all depends on personal preference.  I like the ML/F because it has a bit more tip and is a bit more flexible, which helps to really launch those lighter baits.  But some people prefer the medium for more hook setting power, or the extra fast for better control when working the bait.  

[Boomstick]

I would use my Tatula Elite 7'1" M/F ( Ehrler Dropshot model) for shaky heads with a Tatula LT 2000D with 12# Sunline SX1 and a 6# or 8# leader.  For other lighter plastics, sometimes I will use that and sometimes I will use my Tatula Elite 7' M-MH/XF (Ehrler Finesse model) with a Tatula SV reel with straight 12# fluorocarbon line.

 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I like spinning gear for lighter SHs, but I use braid to leader.  You have to stay fairly light with FC on spinning gear to avoid headaches.  Lighter FC doesnt do so well around cover.

[JLBBass]

I own several I use, pair of Dobyns Kaden 712sf, pair of Dobyns Champion 733sf, and  a Dobyns Champion 702sf. any one of those works great for me. Paired with either a Stradic Ci4+ 2500, or a Daiwa Tatula LT 3000

[Bankbeater]

I have a 6’6” m/f carbonlite, and a 6’6” m/f St. Croix premier. Both rods have a Pflueger president 35 spooled with 10 lb mono. I use one for weightless plastic worms, senkos, and flukes. I use the other one for split shot rigs, and very light t-rigs. 

 

[Cgrinder]

I use an Enox Wizard for more conventional shakey head fishing. For 1/4 oz and heavier heads on 12+ lb fluoro, it's an NRX 853 and an Alphas. A stout Medium or lighter Medium Heavy casting rod of your preferred brand should work fine.

[Dens228]

I can't cast a spinning reel accurately on a consistent basis to save my life. 

I settled on a MegaBass Swingfire with a Tatula Elite, 20 lb braid with 10 lb mono leader. 

[MSlammer]

I have a Lews Hypermag and a 7'1 M/F St Croix Legend Tournament Bass. LTB is tip heavy, but the sensitivity is so much better then a Tatula Elite, that it's worth it to me. Paired with a Hypermag, the combo is feather light, and the hypermag casts 1/8th ned rigs if I want it to.

[txchaser]

Kistler Helium Light Medium Heavy or Tatula Elite Finesse, either with a tatula SV or as of tomorrow a zillion. 

[ATA]

I use 802  Conquest spinning with Expense 3000 with 10lb braid backing and 6lb long leader(10 yards). Usually only use for drop shooting.

Thats my light spinning set up.

You can use BFS casting set up as well(I prefer that for any technique except drop shot).