Rod for Moving Lures Only or Bottom Contact too?

[1984isNOW]

Hey all,

 

I just upgraded a St. Croix MOJO Bass to a Victory - I was on the spot to upgrade and already have a few MH-F so I went with a Medium Heavy Moderate Fast instead, because I have none. I also have no experience with that action.

 

I've seen it touted as a good chatterbait/spinnerbait rod, but I was wondering if it could also make for a good bottom contact rod (sensitive enough)?

 

What do yall use a MH-MF rod for?

 

Thanks yall

[The Maestro]

The main issue with slower actions is setting the hook on single hook baits especially at distance with flourocarbon or mono. Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits are also single hook baits but they're already on a tight line when the fish hit them. Personally I like faster rods even for those and I use braid. To me slower actions are better suited for treble hook baits.

[Bankc]

Give it a try.  There's a lot of "conventional wisdom" in bass fishing.  And there are a whole bunch of people who buck conventional wisdom and prefer to do their own thing and do very well with it.  You might like it better.  You might not like it as much.  Best way to find out is to give it a go.  

 

For me, a MH/MF rod is made for deep diving crankbaits.  

[1984isNOW]

Thanks, is it worth spending $200 on a moving bait rod where sensitivity doesn't matter that much? Or can you actually feel a difference between a hundred and 2 hundred dollar chatterbait or crankbait bite?

[FishTank]

Personally I like a MH Fast or X-fast for bottom contact baits. Most Mod rods, to me, have too slow of a taper for bottom contact baits, especially jigs. They also seem to have less sensitivity by design.  

 

You can always try it and see if you like it but I think you have to different techniques in mind that are on the opposite ends of each other when it comes to rod design.  

 

There are rods that can do both. My favorite around the price range you are looking at is the St. Croix Mojo Yak rods.  Soft tips and they a have a softer feel to them in general but are still pretty sensitive and powerful enough to drive a single hook bait home. 

[Dwight Hottle]

I like medium fast or moderate action rods for all treble hook baits & some single hook baits as well. You can always fine tune the rods actions by using mono or braid. Braid will help speed up the action of any rod while mono helps slow it down. Stretch versus no stretch line. Like others have said it depends on you & what feels best for your style of fishing. 

[Deleted account]

18 hours ago, The Maestro said:

The main issue with slower actions is setting the hook on single hook baits especially at distance with flourocarbon or mono. Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits are also single hook baits but they're already on a tight line when the fish hit them.

If only there was a way to have some kind of mechanism or lever that one could pump, or maybe even turn,  attached to the rod, preferably near where one holds the rod,  so that one could tighten the line before setting the hook, I'm off to the patent office before Bulldog sees this...

[FrnkNsteen]

4 hours ago, PUTitinYOURmouthFISH said:

Thanks, is it worth spending $200 on a moving bait rod where sensitivity doesn't matter that much? Or can you actually feel a difference between a hundred and 2 hundred dollar chatterbait or crankbait bite?

I personally don't think spending more is always about sensitivity. To your point,... My answer would be No in regards to sensitivity, but yes for a lighter more balanced rod.

 

I've spent more for moving bait rods for a couple reasons. Sometimes its due to the rod being lighter or more balanced, but also because certain lengths or powers are only offered in certain models.

 

For instance,.. I like my Dobyns 704cb for jerkbaits and snall topwaters, or my 735cb glass or 736cb glass for cranks and chatterbaits. Did I need a Champion series for these uses,.. No. But those models aren't available in a Fury or Sierra series so I waited for sales and bought the Champion series.

[dodgeguy]

5 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

If only there was a way to have some kind of mechanism or lever that one could pump, or maybe even turn,  attached to the rod, preferably near where one holds the rod,  so that one could tighten the line before setting the hook, I'm off to the patent office before Bulldog sees this...

It's called a reel handle. Or maybe you were being funny ?

[blackrain]

I'm in the camp with fine tuning the rod's action by using braid, fc, or mono. I prefer mod-fast for all moving baits and fast for bottom contact. I've tried extra fast action rods but found I lost too many big smallies (and largemouth) since they tend to go airborne a lot, especially in Summer.

 

As has been mentioned many times, find a rod brand that feels good and stick with it since each rod maker's fast is another company's xf or mod-fast.

[1984isNOW]

Thanks for the feedback y'all, maybe I'll give it a go with braid and see if that makes up the difference. I've seen some people say they like a moderate fast for jigs and t-rigs - hopefully the braid balances the action.

 

If it's too floppy I'm either going H XF or H MF - thoughts on those alternatives?