Fluke/senko/soft plastic rod specs

[N Florida Mike]

I fish these baits primarily. What rod specs to you use for these? ( Mh -fast tip, medium fast, etc…) 

I have used medium with fast or mod. fast tip with best results, but that rod is now broken. That was a Ugly stik , and I caught a Ton of fish , big and small on it. I probably had a 90%hook up and catch rate with it.

Lately, I’ve been using a MH lightning rod. It hooks the smaller fish ok , but it never seems to hook the bigger fish. I have a 0% hookup - catch rate with it on fish over 4 pounds. No more than 60% on smaller fish. I Lost a 5+ yesterday following a good hookset , and it isnt the only one lately.

I  fish flukes and senkos weightless.  worms - I usually use a small weight.

Im not so interested in brands as I am specs. Whatever I buy has to be on the lower spectrum of cost.

 

[T-Billy]

Another Ugly Stick? If it was working for you, why not buy another? 90% catch rate is pretty dang good.

[N Florida Mike]

Yeah, That’s what I’ll probably end up doing. I dont know if it’s more the make or the spec but somethings got to change. The lightning rod has no flex whatsoever. I also have a medium with a mod. tip , and it is the other extreme.  TOO much flex.

By the way, the ugly stik was a 6’’6, and the lightning rod is 7’0.  

[Catt]

When I break a rod I'm like oh well unless it's my worm/jig rod. 

 

I find that sometimes there's a difference in feel within the same brand & model.

 

One thing for sure if I'm not comfortable with it I will return it!

 

Good luck finding a new one, I know how irritating the search can be. 

[tander]

7 minutes ago, Catt said:

When I break a rod I'm like oh well unless it's my worm/jig rod. 

 

I find that sometimes there's a difference in feel within the same brand & model.

 

One thing for sure if I'm not comfortable with it I will return it!

 

Good luck finding a new one, I know how irritating the search can be. 

What worm/jig rod you using, I may be in the market for one this summer. Right now I leaning on a Falcon or Daiwa.

[Catt]

Worm rod: Powell Inferno 703C Medium Heavy X-Fast 

 

Jig rod: Diawia Tatula TTU711MHXB Medium Heavy X-Fast 

[Mike L]

50 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Jig rod: Diawia Tatula TTU711MHXB Medium Heavy X-Fast 

I use the same for all bottom contact in light to moderate cover, weightless or not. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[Catt]

5 minutes ago, Mike L said:

I use the same for all bottom contact in light to moderate cover, weightless or not. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

 

Probably the most underrated rod out there, it fishes way above its price point. Very comparable to Shimano's Crucial in every aspect. Although it's my jig rod it spends a lot of time throwing t-rigs.

 

All though it's a Medium Heavy X-Fast the Inferno throws lighter lures better.

 

Many times I'll throw 3/16 oz t-rigs on the Inferno & a 1/4 oz on the Tatula. And yes many times that slightly different weight matters

[N Florida Mike]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

When I break a rod I'm like oh well unless it's my worm/jig rod. 

 

I find that sometimes there's a difference in feel within the same brand & model.

 

One thing for sure if I'm not comfortable with it I will return it!

 

Good luck finding a new one, I know how irritating the search can be. 

That’s exactly how I feel @Catt Thanks!

[tander]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

 

 

Jig rod: Diawia Tatula TTU711MHXB Medium Heavy X-Fast 

That is the Daiwa rod I was considering.

[OldManLure]

3 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Yeah, That’s what I’ll probably end up doing. I dont know if it’s more the make or the spec but somethings got to change. The lightning rod has no flex whatsoever. I also have a medium with a mod. tip , and it is the other extreme.  TOO much flex.

By the way, the ugly stik was a 6’’6, and the lightning rod is 7’0.  

You don’t say which Ugly Stik you had, but the carbon version is pretty darn nice, and I see they have dropped $20 in price.  

[PhishLI]

5 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Im not so interested in brands as I am specs. Whatever I buy has to be on the lower spectrum of cost.

I use the same rod as @Catt :Powell Inferno 703CEF for senkos and flukes. It's been going strong for years without issue, and I fish ckoked out water. The Inferno line has been replaced by the Diesel line, and they look the same. The closest to that particular Inferno model in the Diesel line is the 723C MHEF. They're feather-weight at 3.3oz, and reasonably sensitive.  $89 at TW minus 20% off if you order by this Tuesday. Qualifies for free shipping. It's really a Medium + and slings light plastic baits very nicely. It's soft enough through the blank to keep fish pinned that I can get away with throwing jerkbaits, shallow crankbaits, and topwater treble baits in a pinch if I'm only carrying one rod. I do this often when I'm wading way out and don't feel like walking in to swap rigs. No issue with blown hooksets for me on worms, flukes, and bitsy bugs. If I end up busting my Inferno I'm definitely getting the Diesel.

 

https://powellco.com/collections/casting-rods

[TnRiver46]

Those are the lures I like to use and I use them on all my rods haha. 

[N Florida Mike]

3 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

New guy on the block:  Okuma PSY-S-721M

 

https://www.tackledirect.com/okuma-psy-s-721m-psycho-stick-spinning-rod.html

Nice rod, but it’s about 150.00 out of my price range, lol.

3 hours ago, OldManLure said:

You don’t say which Ugly Stik you had, but the carbon version is pretty darn nice, and I see they have dropped $20 in price.  

It’s over 20 years old , so all the specs are worn off. 

[Aaron_H]

7 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I fish these baits primarily. What rod specs to you use for these? ( Mh -fast tip, medium fast, etc…) 

I have used medium with fast or mod. fast tip with best results, but that rod is now broken. That was a Ugly stik , and I caught a Ton of fish , big and small on it. I probably had a 90%hook up and catch rate with it.

Lately, I’ve been using a MH lightning rod. It hooks the smaller fish ok , but it never seems to hook the bigger fish. I have a 0% hookup - catch rate with it on fish over 4 pounds. No more than 60% on smaller fish. I Lost a 5+ yesterday following a good hookset , and it isnt the only one lately.

I  fish flukes and senkos weightless.  worms - I usually use a small weight.

Im not so interested in brands as I am specs. Whatever I buy has to be on the lower spectrum of cost.

 

 

I fish my weightless senkos on a 6'10" M/XF SLX with braid to leader. If I were to throw all three techniques on one rod I'd probably bump up to MH, but keep the 6'10" length. Interesting that you're experiencing poor hookup ratio with the MH Lightning.... My father has a few of them and they seem to hookup fine.

[N Florida Mike]

16 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

 

I fish my weightless senkos on a 6'10" M/XF SLX with braid to leader. If I were to throw all three techniques on one rod I'd probably bump up to MH, but keep the 6'10" length. Interesting that you're experiencing poor hookup ratio with the MH Lightning.... My father has a few of them and they seem to hookup fine.

Yeah, I dont understand it either. That’s never been a problem until I got the lightning rod. It also doesn’t have a good feel with the reel. (  Shimano Nasci   3500) It feels unbalanced .

[PhishLI]

On 11/27/2021 at 12:21 PM, N Florida Mike said:

It also doesn’t have a good feel with the reel. (  Shimano Nasci   3500)

I didn't realize you were talking about a spinning rig. In that case take a look at the Tatula XT spinning:

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-DAIWAROD.html?from=basres

I have both the 6'6" MF and 7' MF. $80 right now if buy you during the TW BF sale.

 

I've caught 7+lb fish on both rods, and a ton of fish in total. They haven't been babied and nothing has gone wrong after 4 years. They'll feel like a big leap up from an Ugly Stik. Versatile, light, and solid at the sale price including free shipping.

[Bankbeater]

Most of the time for flukes and senkos I’m fishing with a mh/f rod because of the weight of the bait. I fish weightless plastic worms on a m/f rod since they are usually a bit lighter. 

[N Florida Mike]

Update : Now I have the money to get something up to around 100.00. I’m thinking a 7’0 M-F , or 7’0 MH - F.

I am most  concerned with the hook up rate . I’ve gotten gun-shy with my hook up problems this year… it’s probably the worst it’s been since I was a teen. 

The only thing I’ve changed was the rod power from m to mh. When I started using Mh it went down drastically.

That lightning rod I have is a mh - mod fast tip. It feels like a stout tree branch. No give on the hook set. I like a little flex- it just seems to hook the fish better with my applications.By the way , I use mono exclusively for this reel..

Im buying the rod tomorrow- so I’m thinking M-F…

 

[jbsoonerfan]

1 hour ago, N Florida Mike said:

Im buying the rod tomorrow- so I’m thinking M-F…

 

This is what I would do then.

[N Florida Mike]

I’m already having second thoughts again. Buying a rod is worse for me than buying a pair of shoes. 

[Catt]

7 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I like a little flex- it just seems to hook the fish better with my applications.By the way , I use mono exclusively for this reel..

 

I've learned years ago with worm/jig rod, use what you're comfortable with.

 

Comfort leads to confidence!

 

On 11/27/2021 at 12:08 PM, PhishLI said:

It's been going strong for years without issue, and I fish ckoked out water

 

 On the Inferno ?

 

 

[jbsoonerfan]

4 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I’m already having second thoughts again. Buying a rod is worse for me than buying a pair of shoes. 

Don't overthink it, get the M rod. You have had good success with it and less than good success with the MH. IMO confidence is a major factor in fishing. Fish to your confidence and don't second guess.

[PhishLI]

9 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I’m already having second thoughts again. Buying a rod is worse for me than buying a pair of shoes. 

?

Tatula XT MF. Both on worms.

[N Florida Mike]

57 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

?

Tatula XT MF. Both on worms.

Man, those are some tanks. I’ll take a look  at the tatula…

Ive also got 2 old rods I’m going to put new guides on. Along with the new rod, that should give me enough for the applications I use.

I swear I caught thousands of fish on my 6.6 medium mod fast ugly stik, big fish too,  That’s one of the rods I’m fixing..,

6 hours ago, Catt said:

 

I've learned years ago with worm/jig rod, use what you're comfortable with.

 

Comfort leads to confidence!

 

 

 On the Inferno ?

 

 

I’ll check out the inferno!