Medium-Heavy Extra-Fast Info

[PTasker15]

Anybody fish a MH/XF? Wanting to pick one up from 13 for a dedicated worm/jig rod. Never fished a XF, are they really as unforgiving as described? I like my longer (7'2-7'6) MH/F rods for the reason of being slightly forgiving so I can drop my rod to the side and pin a fish really well to keep them from jumping or tearing the hook, but 13 only makes a single MH/F. All other models in all other series are MH/XF. I guess I can also ask if anybody fishes with 13's "Extra-Fast" and if they fish like a true XF or closer to a F?

[Catt]

16 hours ago, PTasker15 said:

Anybody fish a MH/XF?

 

Pretty much all I've thrown for years. 

 

16 hours ago, PTasker15 said:

are they really as unforgiving as described?

 

Please explain? 😉

[FrnkNsteen]

The Extra Fast rods I have are mainly used for bottom contact situations where I want to set the hook quickly. 

 

One is a Dobyns Champion 744c Jig Special rod and I think the other is a St Croix Legend Extreme that also has a jig on it.

 

Most of the rest of mine are MH/F or MH/MF. I don't think I would suggest using an extra fast for treble hook baits or fine wire hooks. I typically want a little slower rod for them to help keep them pinned during the fight.

[PTasker15]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Pretty much all I've thrown for years. 

 

 

Please explain? 😉

I am honestly terrible at explaining my thought process. My biggest concern about using XF is whether or not  I can actually pin a fish under the surface and prevent it from jumping, while also not tearing the hooks out or bending the wire. I would plan to pair this MH/XF with 17/20lb and use it as a dedicated worm/jig rod-from dragging 3/4oz football jigs on points to pitching 3/16oz texas rigs into brush. 

 

 

[PTasker15]

1 hour ago, FrnkNsteen said:

The Extra Fast rods I have are mainly used for bottom contact situations where I want to set the hook quickly. 

 

One is a Dobyns Champion 744c Jig Special rod and I think the other is a St Croix Legend Extreme that also has a jig on it.

 

Most of the rest of mine are MH/F or MH/MF. I don't think I would suggest using an extra fast for treble hook baits or fine wire hooks. I typically want a little slower rod for them to help keep them pinned during the fight.

Well as mentioned to Catt, this would be paired up with 17-20lb and be used as a Worm/Jig rod only. Pitching, Dragging, Skipping, all of the above. The concern I have is that I've always used a fast for this, just concerned that it would be such a broomstick and that I'd tear the jig hooks out or something.

[FrnkNsteen]

It shouldn't. 

 

I'm no expert at skipping though, but the videos I've watched of Andy Montgomery has him recomending a bit of tip with the backbone going up about 80% of the rod. Too heavy of an XF with too light of a jig may make it tougher to skip.

 

He recommends a 1/2 oz jig for skipping, so that shouldn't be an issue unless you are talking a mag heavy rod. A MH XF like I thought was mentioned shouldn't be an issue.

[Catt]

2 hours ago, FrnkNsteen said:

The Extra Fast rods I have are mainly used for bottom contact situations where I want to set the hook quickly.

 

^^This^^ 😉

 

It is my understanding that the difference between X-Fast, Fast, & Moderate is how quickly you get into the backbone of the rod. 

 

In heavy cover or in deeper water I want to be in the backbone asap. I want to set the hook, turn the bass's head towards me, all in one motion.

[PTasker15]

42 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

^^This^^ 😉

 

It is my understanding that the difference between X-Fast, Fast, & Moderate is how quickly you get into the backbone of the rod. 

 

In heavy cover or in deeper water I want to be in the backbone asap. I want to set the hook, turn the bass's head towards me, all in one motion.

Well that was my intention, get them out of heavy stuff, Better control, maintain bottom contact with even lighter weights, etc. Maybe I'll hop on it, that or get a Heavy/Fast. Let me talk to the manufacturer and see because we don't have high end 13 rods here.

[waymont]

G Loomis JWR rods are extra fast. The mh 853 JWR is a fantastic rod for jigs, t rigs, flukes, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits. I use them all the time. The 852 JWR is one of my all time favorites.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

IME 13 is pretty good with their actions as far as ratings go.  As long as you're not trying to throw something too light you wont get that broomstick feel, especially with a longer rod.

[PTasker15]

1 hour ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

IME 13 is pretty good with their actions as far as ratings go.  As long as you're not trying to throw something too light you wont get that broomstick feel, especially with a longer rod.

Well I do plan to pitch and short cast as pow as 3/16oz Texas rigs, makes them about 1/4-5/16 after adding the lure.

 

 

[BigAngus752]

The only rods I fish 1/2oz or heavier jigs on is a MH/XF and a H/F from two different manufacturers (because everything varies between brands).  Like @Catt said, the tip being close to the "backbone" of the rod lets me keep the jig in contact with the bottom easier, helps me in popping the jig over rocks or obstructions with just a little twitch, and makes it easier to drive that hook deep with less of a swing if they are biting softly. 

 

I'm sorry, I've never fished anything made by 13 so I can't speak to their true "feel". 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

11 hours ago, PTasker15 said:

Well as mentioned to Catt, this would be paired up with 17-20lb and be used as a Worm/Jig rod only. Pitching, Dragging, Skipping, all of the above. The concern I have is that I've always used a fast for this, just concerned that it would be such a broomstick and that I'd tear the jig hooks out or something.

Whether or not a rod is a broomstick is more about power than action. The difference between fast and XF isn’t night and day in most cases. You have your drag to help here too. 

[WRB]

It’s been my experience every rod builder has their own definition of both power and action, no standard exist.

MickD has been pointing out a different system that more objective but still lacks a base line. 

Looking at a rod at a 45 degree angle upwards butt at the bottom tip at the top then adding force to pull down the tip the rod starts to bend downwards. If the 1st 20% of the rod length bends before the rest of the rod length starts to bend it’s called extra fast. If the same rod starts it’s bending at 25% of the length it’s a fast action. Bending at 50% is moderate.

100% it’s parabolic.

Logical but worthless imo. If the extra fast tip is a noodle with little power it deadens the hook set until that rod bends into the power rating.

What made the NRX different from rods prior to it’s introduction was the action wasn’t defined by how the tip bent under light force it bends more moderate yet applies force like a traditional fast action rod. The result is a rod that cast like a moderate action yet had feed back like a extra fast rod.

In other words it was a game changer.

The bass rod industry was set on heels scrambles to catch up. 

power shouldn’t be that difficult to standardize. Power is the dead weight a rod can left before bottoming out at full bending.

My power rating comes from original Fenwick rating for bass bait casting rods:

1 lb = 1 power or Light 

2 lbs = 2 power or ML

3 lbs = 3 power or M

4 lbs = 4 power or MH

5 lbs = 5 power or H

6 lbs = 6 power or XH

Tom

 

 

[Boomstick]

I have one MH/XF rod without issues, however I will note that it's not the most extra fast extra fast rod, the Tatula 7'1" MH/XF - I believe it's the one @Catt uses as well.

 

It's best for bottom contact, but I have even used it for spinnerbaits and bladed jigs - it's not ideal, but it handles heavier ones with large trailers better than my other medium heavy.

[Catt]

@Boomstick 

My TTU711MHXB is between medium & heavy. Yes it handles heavy lures really well which is why it's my jig rod. Heavier hooks, slightly heavier rod.

 

My worm rod is a Powell Inferno 703C 7' Medium Heavy X-Fast. It's between a medium & a medium heavy. Thinner hooks, slightly lighter rod.

[PTasker15]

Found some info through 13 Fishing, because Issac L. is the coolest dude ever.

 

There is a decent difference between their cheaper blanks, META blanks, and high-end blanks. Cheaper blanks fish close to described, META fishes a little softer than described, and high-end fishes almost perfectly as described.

 

The reason for META fishing softer is because "GMan prefers somewhat softer rods". I own a 7'4 MH/F meta and now that they mention it, it does seem somewhat softer than your average MH/F. I personally like this because, as mentioned, I tend to drop my rod during a fight and then sweep my rod to pin the fish and prevent it from jumping and to better control the fish. The fact the 7'3 MH/XF fishes a bit softer than XF soothes my mind, and I already know the META blank is very sensitive and dumbly light. Additionally, I don't know about y'all, but I am more at peace having a $150 rod bouncing around the bottom of my aluminum boat than a $260 one. So 7'3 MH/XF with 20lb test it is. 

[Boomstick]

56 minutes ago, Catt said:

@Boomstick 

My TTU711MHXB is between medium & heavy. Yes it handles heavy lures really well which is why it's my jig rod. Heavier hooks, slightly heavier rod.

Agreed. It's definitely a step above my Tatula 6'10" MH/F in power. I tend to use it a lot for jigs and T-Rigs in cover when shore fishing and I don't want to bring out my Steez jig rod and risk snagging it on a cast which is the most common way I ruin guides and for 1/2oz spinnerbaits and chatterbaits with trailers, but it throws the 3/8oz counterparts okay too.

 

It's not the fastest extra fast out there. I didn't even realize it was an extra fast when I bought it, but it wasn't too fast for general use so I kept it.

[Catt]

@Boomstick 

In my opinion it's the most versatile rod in the $150-200 range.

[Boomstick]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

@Boomstick 

In my opinion it's the most versatile rod in the $150-200 range.

It is! There's a few others that run heavier than your normal MH that already runs heavy, but a lot of them have too much tip for non bottom contact use.

[Catt]

@Boomstick

I have a 7'3" Tatula TTU731MHFB that I've thrown frog with it. I also use it punching medium cover.

[Boomstick]

Just now, Catt said:

@Boomstick

I have a 7'3" Tatula TTU731MHFB that I've thrown frog with it. I also use it punching medium cover.

Do you know how the 7'3" compares to the 6'10" MH/F? The 6'10" still runs a little on the heavy side but not as much as the 7'1" and much less tip.

[Catt]

14 minutes ago, Boomstick said:

Do you know how the 7'3" compares to the 6'10" MH/F?

 

I would think the 6'10" is close but I've never handled one. All 3 are rated 1/4-1 oz & my Powell is 1/4-3/4 oz. Whatever that means!