5 rods to do just about everything.

[Dan N]

I simply have more rods in my boat so I don’t have to retie everytime I wanna change baits. 
May have 1 spinning with drop shot

1 with wacky 

1 with Ned for example. 
all the same setup basically.

[PaulVE64]

On 6/1/2024 at 4:13 PM, MN Fisher said:

I would leave the leader on the M/F Spinning rig for light trebles....you want the 'give' that Mono or FC will give you to keep them hooked.

 

Otherwise it looks pretty good.

I use the leader because I catch the braid in the hooks occassionally. That never happens when I keep my leader on.

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, August said:

If you could only have one what would you go with? I fish mainly open areas, flipping into pads or grass lines, and I hardly ever fish docks because there’s not that many on the small lakes I fish so probably on the longer side right? 

I’d pick based on the rod then. You said it’s not heavy vegetation somewhere else so I’m going to assume the pads are more spread out pads. If it was thick pads (see PhishLI’s picture in another thread) then that’s different to some pads mixed into a grass bed. A longer rod would be marginally better for just pitching.  But if you’re valuing versatility then going too long gets to be more of a pain for casting big moving baits. 

 

for me and the rods I own, pitching jigs and a Texas rigs into grass and light pads, and only one rod of that type, I’d probably take my 7’4” rod which is the falcon heavy cover jig. On mono that’s what I do with it. A 3/8-1/2 oz weight and a beaver is tied on 90% of the time this time of year. I’ll throw it into heavy grass and modest pads. If you find it’s not enough for your cover, you can throw braid onto it per above. For grass I prefer braid actually.  It’s longer than I’d want for throwing a big spinnerbait down the bank at targets but for covering a lot of water and banging out bomb casts it will get you there. 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Dan N said:

I simply have more rods in my boat so I don’t have to retie everytime I wanna change baits. 
May have 1 spinning with drop shot

1 with wacky 

1 with Ned for example. 
all the same setup basically.

This is me also. Any given trip I’ll have 5 rods and you could throw most of the same baits rigged on them on any of them. I like having a couple things rigged so that I can swap rods as I go down the bank. 

[10,000 lakes Bassin]

28 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

For grass I prefer braid actually.

Do you still use a heavy rod with braid even when the vegetation is more spread out? Or would you drop down to a MH? This is generally what the pads around me look like 

I plan on not using too much  fluoro just because I’m going to be in the grass a lot

[casts_by_fly]

7 minutes ago, August said:

Do you still use a heavy rod with braid even when the vegetation is more spread out? Or would you drop down to a MH? This is generally what the pads around me look like 

I plan on not using too much  fluoro just because I’m going to be in the grass a lot

if that’s what your pads look like then I’d be throwing a heavy in that. Maybe braid, maybe heavy mono. But you’re better off having too much rod than not enough there. With the rods I own, I’d be throwing a 1/2-1 1/2 oz type of heavy. That level of pads is where one will get you wrapped in a couple stems or a root in a hurry. 

[MN Fisher]

50 minutes ago, August said:

Do you still use a heavy rod with braid even when the vegetation is more spread out? Or would you drop down to a MH? This is generally what the pads around me look like 

I'm with Casts - that pad layout would make me reach for my H/F for frogs or my pitching rod (XH/F) if I was flipping/pitching into that. 50# braid minimum.

[shackman]

1 hour ago, August said:

Do you still use a heavy rod with braid even when the vegetation is more spread out? Or would you drop down to a MH? This is generally what the pads around me look like 

I plan on not using too much  fluoro just because I’m going to be in the grass a lot

Personally I’d use my 7’3” XH Expride in that with 50# braid. Just like others have said, you gotta get em out quick cause if they wrap up in the pad stems, it’s over 

[10,000 lakes Bassin]

What about pads more like this?

 

I really appreciate everyone’s help by the way. I’m teaching myself all this stuff and you guys are making it a lot easier, thanks! 
 

[casts_by_fly]

14 minutes ago, August said:

What about pads more like this?

 

I really appreciate everyone’s help by the way. I’m teaching myself all this stuff and you guys are making it a lot easier, thanks! 
 

something like that is a little lighter. I’d still be grabbing my big stick because I have it. But if the fish were eating a swim jig that day and I had one on my swim jig rod (mh/f, 30# braid) I’d throw it in without hesitation. 

[10,000 lakes Bassin]

19 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

my swim jig rod (mh/f, 30# braid) 

how long of a rod do you like for swim jigs?

[casts_by_fly]

2 minutes ago, August said:

how long of a rod do you like for swim jigs?

6’10”-7’4” depending on the jig and the cover… same 5 rods I mentioned above. 
 

The falcon swim jig rod (7’2”, mh/f) is a great swim jig rod for 1/4-3/8 swim jigs. It will stretch to a half ounce.  If I know it’s going to be a swim jig day I’ll tie one on it to start. It’s a great swim jig rod with a light tip but plenty of power.  If I’m planning to throw bigger ones in the half ounce range, then I’ll go to the heavy cover jig I mentioned above. I throw them on my head turner as well which is 6’10”. It really just depends on what else I’m fishing on the other rods. The length isn’t as important for me as the action and power of the rod for the jig and cover I’m fishing. 

 

 

[new2BC4bass]

11 hours ago, August said:

Do you all think it’s a good choice to have 2 MH casting rods? It’s definitely my most used rod.

 

11 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya - MH/F is the 'Swiss Army Knife' of rods - can't do everything, but does quite a few things well. Of my 12 Casting rods - 4 are MH/F....

 

9 hours ago, August said:

What length are your MHs? 

I also own more MH rods than any other power.  If severely limited to how many I could have, I'd want the low end rating to be 1/4 oz. on all of them.  No 3/8 oz. low end allowed unless it could make a 3/8 oz. lure (actual weight) fly the country mile.  Which means it should be able to handle a 1/4 oz. lure.

 

The first rod I'll pick up on almost every outing is going to be a MH.  My shortest is 6', the longest is 7'6".  I prefer 7' or longer.  This is a generalization.  I have no problem using my Smallmouth 6'10" MH-MF or Tatula 6'10" MHF.  Anything shorter stays at home.  Just because I like those two 6'10" rods doesn't mean I'd be willing to buy more of the same length.  I'd much prefer the 7'1" thru 7'4" range.