Pulling the trigger on a Medium Light

[Masaccio]

I don't know why exactly, but I've been wanting a Dobyns rod for a long time.  Every time I've considered a particular Dobyns rod, I find another make/model that I think will suit me a little better.  This time, the Dobyns medium light spinner 702 has rung my chimes.  And I'm going whole hog on it with the Champion Extreme (I like the full cork handle).  Christmas is coming a little bit early.  And since I'm a bad boy, if I waited I probably wouldn't get it anyway.  And I'm building my "arsenal."  Another great justification.  And my crankbait rod is back ordered anyway....

One reason I'm posting this is because this forum has injected me with new life and excitement about fishing.  I was away from it for the entire time of COVID because when it hit I was just starting out.  So thank you, everyone, for your great support.  Maybe I'll be able to pass some knowledge along to somebody else in the future.  

Maybe I'm concentrating on finesse fishing because I don't know if I'll be a successful power fisher.  Hope that's not the case.  It would be great to hook a big one.  That might have to wait until next year.  

[galyonj]

Medium light rigs are a blast to fish, dude. You're gonna be glad you got it.

[Darth-Baiter]

1 hour ago, Masaccio said:

 

 

 

Maybe I'm concentrating on finesse fishing because I don't know if I'll be a successful power fisher.  Hope that's not the case.  It would be great to hook a big one.  That might have to wait until next year.  

one of my biggest fish was on finesse.  good times

[5/0]

1 hour ago, Masaccio said:

This time, the Dobyns medium light spinner 702 has rung my chimes.

I have this rod in the Fury series. Already own a GLoomis 822DSR that covers the same niche, but I use exclusively for drop shotting. The Fury let’s me bring another rod for an additional finesse application of my choice without switching out. I like it a lot! You won’t be disappointed!

[ChrisD46]

I have a Dobyns Sierra 702s ML rod for drop shot / Ned Rig teamed with a Daiwa 2500 #10 lb. braid + FC leader . I have jack rabbit fast hook sets , so the slightly slower Sierra rod actions are helpful for me .

[BrianMDTX]

On 8/22/2022 at 5:16 PM, galyonj said:

Medium light rigs are a blast to fish, dude. You're gonna be glad you got it.

I have a lot of fun catching not-so-giant bass on a St. Croix Bass-X ML/XF with weightless soft plastics. Although…I have caught a few in the 4-5 lb. range with it and setting the hook with a Gamakatsu 3/0 EWG was not an issue. I think the XF action helps with that. 
 

Paired with a Daiwa Revros LT2000, it’s a pleasure to fish with all day long. 

[Blaine Donders]

I have a Kistler KLX and an Abu Veritas Tournament in this weight class.

I find them in my hands more often than anything else lately.

 

I really like it for tubes, light shakey heads, and 1/16oz jigs.

[galyonj]

53 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

I have a lot of fun catching not-so-giant bass on a St. Croix Bass-X ML/XF with weightless soft plastics. Although…I have caught a few in the 4-5 lb. range with it and setting the hook with a Gamakatsu 3/0 EWG was not an issue. I think the XF action helps with that. 
 

Paired with a Daiwa Revros LT2000, it’s a pleasure to fish with all day long. 

 

That's what's up.

 

I dunno what happened, but a while after I bought the one I did, I realized that I have it in my hand far more often than not, and I throw just about everything that takes a light single hook with it. 

[Masaccio]

I bet Ned rigs are great, but they're not weedless.  I'm watching a Ned Rig video right now.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhgmLM2lg7A  The guy says he misses bites with a weed guard. That's been my experience too. How bad is it when you accumulate weed crap on the hook, if you don't actually get stuck? 

[PaulVE64]

Weedless isnt ideal unless you're in the weeds

[galyonj]

I've don't recall ever missing bites with a weedguard, but I still don't fish a ned rig using a jighead with a weedguard because I'm just don't like fishing a ned rig in places where I'd need a weedguard to fish.

 

As the veggies and slop get thicker and sloppier, I shed weight for finesse and add weight for power presentations.

 

The other day a weightless, t-rigged stickworm or fluke was all that I could get through/above it all, and I was still cleaning them off every couple casts. 

[BrianMDTX]

37 minutes ago, galyonj said:

I've don't recall ever missing bites with a weedguard, but I still don't fish a ned rig using a jighead with a weedguard because I'm just don't like fishing a ned rig in places where I'd need a weedguard to fish.

 

As the veggies and slop get thicker and sloppier, I shed weight for finesse and add weight for power presentations.

 

The other day a weightless, t-rigged stickworm or fluke was all that I could get through/above it all, and I was still cleaning them off every couple casts. 

Agreed. Weedless is not slopless. Ned rigs in ponds are frustrating most of the time. Whether a standard or a weedless Ned picks up algae, dead leaves, etc. A weightless T-rigged Senko or Zoom Trick stays a lot cleaner, but still picks up slop at times. 

[Eric 26]

I think you’re making a good decision. I have a 13 fishing fate black 7’-1” med light as my primary Ned rod and it’s awesome. As of now I’m mainly fishing retention ponds (dinks) and it’s a blast. With that said I know when I step up my fishing game(hopefully later on this year) I feel I’m well equipped to handle the larger fish I’m hoping to find.

[QED]

The Shimano Poison Adrena 267ML is a great ML spinning rod.  Coupled with a light reel like a Shimano Vanford C2000HGF results in an 8.5 oz rig that fishes wonderfully.

[Chef]

4 hours ago, QED said:

The Shimano Poison Adrena 267ML is a great ML spinning rod.  Coupled with a light reel like a Shimano Vanford C2000HGF results in an 8.5 oz rig that fishes wonderfully.

Just bought that exact set-up last weekend.  Only fished it once but it feels and looks awesome!  Can't wait to get more time with it on the water!

[Masaccio]

12 hours ago, galyonj said:

I've don't recall ever missing bites with a weedguard, but I still don't fish a ned rig using a jighead with a weedguard because I'm just don't like fishing a ned rig in places where I'd need a weedguard to fish.

 

As the veggies and slop get thicker and sloppier, I shed weight for finesse and add weight for power presentations.

 

The other day a weightless, t-rigged stickworm or fluke was all that I could get through/above it all, and I was still cleaning them off every couple casts. 

Thanks.  I just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing anything re: the Neds.  I've had that problem with t-rigged sticks too.  

[galyonj]

9 minutes ago, Masaccio said:

Thanks.  I just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing anything re: the Neds.  I've had that problem with t-rigged sticks too.  

 

For sure.

 

I've used mushroom or blockhead jigs with the little wire weedguards, and haven't had any issues with missing bites. However – after far too much fighting with it – I eventually realized that I have the least success with ned rigs when I fish them in places where I have to use a jighead with a weed guard to have any hope of showing them to the fish.

[Masaccio]

Great enthusiasm for the Medium Light.  Anyone care to share what their favorite things are to do with it?  It would be fun to read and helpful too.  

[GetFishorDieTryin]

When it comes to lighter baits there isn't a whole lot a ML cant throw, which makes it hard to pick just one bait.  Hair jigs, Neds, SHs, Jig worms, DS, finesse swimbaits are all really fun, but my favorite way to catch fish is a jerkbait.  Later in the fall little JBs really produce numbers as well as quality fish and MLs are perfect for them.       

[Masaccio]

On 8/26/2022 at 5:38 PM, GetFishorDieTryin said:

When it comes to lighter baits there isn't a whole lot a ML cant throw, which makes it hard to pick just one bait.  Hair jigs, Neds, SHs, Jig worms, DS, finesse swimbaits are all really fun, but my favorite way to catch fish is a jerkbait.  Later in the fall little JBs really produce numbers as well as quality fish and MLs are perfect for them.       

Hard or soft jerks? 

I have some soft flukes that I wasn't going to think about until Spring.  And a lot of Rapala hard jerks.  

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Lighter hard plastic JBs.