Medium Light Fast Rod Uses

[MJack]

I have a Shimano Convergence 7ft medium light fast rod (1/16-5/16oz lures). I got it for finesse fishing. Personally, I like my medium fast rods better (especially my Fenwick Eagle) and use that one more often. Yet, I think the medium light will be good for the ned rig. Any other recommended uses? 

[T-Billy]

Just right for a ned as you mentioned, also good for grubs, small boottails, small jerkbaits, finesse cranks, small poppers, hair jigs.....

[Finessegenics]

Neds, swimbaits/grubs on light jigheads, true finesse jigs, tiny cranks, in-line spinners and just about any presentation that has a total weight of 1/4 oz or less. 

[Team9nine]

A good ML is a lot more versatile than many realize. Neds, small swimbaits, hair jigs, tubes, wacky and weightless, inlines, small cranks and jerkbaits, split shot/drop shot - and I’m sure I’m forgetting a few - lol

[MJack]

What about shaky head with 1/4oz or less? 

[Team9nine]

1 minute ago, MJack said:

What about shaky head with 1/4oz or less? 

just my opinion - you could probably get by with it, but I personally like something a little heavier, M or even MH depending on build, for fishing shaky heads.

[Bankbeater]

I like to use ml/f for panfish if the bass aren't biting.

[MN Fisher]

When it's not being used for crappie, my ML/F is used for

• Ned
• Drop Shot
• Split Shot
• Neko
• Beetle Spins (ya, they work for bass too)
• Mepps (ditto)
• Light jigs with grubs or small swimbaits (Z-Man Slim SwimZ for example)

[MJack]

I’ve caught some nice smallies off 1/4oz beetle spins

[Kenny Yi]

i use mine for 1/8 oz bitsy bugs

[evilcatfish]

A medium light fast rod is extremely versatile and can be used for a lot of applications as mentioned above.  Nobody mentioned topwater so I’m adding that to the list. Can easily handle 1/8 to 3/8oz poppers, spooks, etc

[PressuredFishing]

6 hours ago, MJack said:

I have a Shimano Convergence 7ft medium light fast rod (1/16-5/16oz lures). I got it for finesse fishing. Personally, I like my medium fast rods better (especially my Fenwick Eagle) and use that one more often. Yet, I think the medium light will be good for the ned rig. Any other recommended uses? 

Bluegill, trout, float and fly, light wire hooky things,  light line applications, Weightless trickworms, that kind of stuff

[softwateronly]

Back when I only had a 7' ML Avid, I even had better than good success with chatterbaits and 5" hollow body swimbaits.  I do think braid was partly responsible for that success, but the rod would land anything I got a hook into.

 

scott

[zell_pop1]

3 hours ago, softwateronly said:

Back when I only had a 7' ML Avid, I even had better than good success with chatterbaits and 5" hollow body swimbaits.  I do think braid was partly responsible for that success, but the rod would land anything I got a hook into.

 

scott

I had a 6'6" ML Premier and it had more backbone than my 6'4" M All Star, St Croixs are different(unless it is a Premier/Avid cranking rod).

[WRB]

With no standard to base rod power each Mfr and model varies greatly. The Shimano Zodius feels good for a bass ML rod, the SC Victory isn’t for example.

Tom

 

[QED]

I'm using a Shimano PA267ML (ML/F) for the full range of UL/finesse presentations and it works brilliantly.  Am a huge fan of the Poison Adrena line for both spinning and casting.

[dgkasper58]

On 12/21/2021 at 1:01 AM, QED said:

I'm using a Shimano PA267ML (ML/F) for the full range of UL/finesse presentations and it works brilliantly.  Am a huge fan of the Poison Adrena line for both spinning and casting.

Have you used the Ultralight Medium] yet for finesse?

[BrianMDTX]

On 12/20/2021 at 11:05 PM, WRB said:

With no standard to base rod power each Mfr and model varies greatly. The Shimano Zodius feels good for a bass ML rod, the SC Victory isn’t for example.

Tom

 

I just don’t get this in this day and age. It cannot be difficult for rod manufacturers to come up with a standard of what constitutes power (UL, ML, M, MH) and action (XF, F, M). Carbon arrows are manufactured by many different makers, yet spine deflection is a standard. One rod manufacturer’s MF should not be akin to another’s MFXF. It does a disservice to us all. 

[Deleted account]

On 12/21/2021 at 12:05 AM, WRB said:

With no standard to base rod power each Mfr and model varies greatly. The Shimano Zodius feels good for a bass ML rod, the SC Victory isn’t for example.

Tom

 

This^. Convergence is a hefty rod for it's rating.

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, BrianMDTX said:

One rod manufacturer’s MF should not be akin to another’s MFXF. It does a disservice to us all. 

It definitely makes buying blindly online a roll of the dice. I've bought a few rods that way and have hated a few of them.

[Junk Fisherman]

On 12/19/2021 at 7:05 PM, Team9nine said:

A good ML is a lot more versatile than many realize. Neds, small swimbaits, hair jigs, tubes, wacky and weightless, inlines, small cranks and jerkbaits, split shot/drop shot - and I’m sure I’m forgetting a few - lol

 

I agree 100%.  

 

A ML spinning rod covers the majority of finesse spinning presentations for bass fishing.  Ned, dropshot, finesse swimbaits, wacky, shakey, Neko, small jerks and cranks.  If you go to a medium, why not just go to a casting rod and enjoy the advantages of using a baitcaster?  I have a medium spinning rig and it is good for skipping docks and areas where you have heavier cover but still want to use a spinning rig.    But overall a ML spinning rod is much more versatile than a M IMO.

[Deleted account]

14 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

I just don’t get this in this day and age. It cannot be difficult for rod manufacturers to come up with a standard of what constitutes power (UL, ML, M, MH) and action (XF, F, M). Carbon arrows are manufactured by many different makers, yet spine deflection is a standard. One rod manufacturer’s MF should not be akin to another’s MFXF. It does a disservice to us all. 

It's marketing. Unlike arrows, ammo, and other things that are required to have standards, rod spec confusion, and the associated hype promotes greater sales.

[JustJames]

As much as I love my Shimano Crucial ML 1/16-1/4oz rod, I don’t use it for bass very often.
It would work for things like 1/20 or 1/16oz Ned rig, 1/8oz in-line spinners, even 1/8oz small paddle tail swimbait or some weightless worm Texas/wacky rig (not Senko) but the tip is a little too soft and might not get good penetration hookset at long distance. Anything with weight over 1/8oz, the rod feel over loaded while retrieving. In term of fighting bass, I have no problem with it and caught quite a few good size ones.

This rod though become my favorite big slab hunter.