*Suggestions for "enthusiast" finesse/drop shot rod in 2016*

[saoulons]

I'm assuming the stinger tip is more of a vertical presentation rod?

It's been covered that some guys cast and drag/shake while some guys vertical drop on to fish. Different ways of fishing would call for different rods that would excel at either technique I would assume.

I picked up the XX DS rod and it's not noodly at all as mentioned before. I throw pretty much 3/8oz weights on it and no problems.

Here's a video of a trip for some smallies I did this past spring. Biggest fish was at the 1:36 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKmM9xkM2qo

XX Drop Shot or the XX Stinger Shot?

Nice vid by the way

Thanks! It's the 6'11" XX Drop Shot rod. I'm too scared of the stinger tip.

The noodly comments are directed at the Stinger Shot. The XX DS is a different animal without that stinger tip.

I think I said noodly as well in an earlier post to refer to the XX DS. May not be the right words as I meant that the action is much more parabolic compared to the Phase III. And hence it's great for setting the hook with a gradual reel set (step back, raise the rod and reel). Great video by the way - you can see how parabolic the XX DS is when fully loaded (it almost starts bending at the handle). But like I also said before, this is my go-to DS rod in my lineup. It's not the lightest or most sensitive, bu it just feels awesome to me and I feel really confident fishing with it. I also landed a 6-lbs pike on it drop shotting in rural Canada, with 6 lbs test FC Sniper

[saoulons]

Cool video and nice rig. Here at home I fish the St-Lawrence river and usually am dragging heavier weights on bottom in deep current but during the the majority of the season I'm up at an island lodge on a lake. I guess I need 2 setups.

Any chance you are near Cornwall? There are some fantastic smallies in Lake St-Francis down in Cornwall and further downstream. "Heavier weights on bottom in deep current" sounds a lot like Lake St-Francis. Many people predict that the next smallie world record will come from there. Them gobies be fattening up those smallies.

I fished the B1 there 2 years ago and the leaders brought in a 27.76-lbs bag of smallies on Day 1. Wow.

And yes, you definitely need 2 set ups (or 4 -> 2 x 2 = 4, setting up a DS rod is a pain, so have to minimize how often you retie ). But spending the majority of the season on an island lodge, WOW, no wonder you got so many amazing pics to showcase!

[Teal101]

It does look like it bends quite deep. The Stinger Shot is pretty fast and doesnt really load down that far, although I dont pressure it too hard on the light line either.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWXkTbtkwWw

[saoulons]

It does look like it bends quite deep. The Stinger Shot is pretty fast and doesnt really load down that far, although I dont pressure it too hard on the light line either.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWXkTbtkwWw

Nice, dude

That is some serious backhanded skipping action; may need you to teach me that at some point without birdsnesting

I gotta say, I used to think I had game but this entire forum is on an entirely other level in terms of gear, knowledge, technique, videos, etc...

[legendaryyaj]

I think I said noodly as well in an earlier post to refer to the XX DS. May not be the right words as I meant that the action is much more parabolic compared to the Phase III. And hence it's great for setting the hook with a gradual reel set (step back, raise the rod and reel). Great video by the way - you can see how parabolic the XX DS is when fully loaded (it almost starts bending at the handle). But like I also said before, this is my go-to DS rod in my lineup. It's not the lightest or most sensitive, bu it just feels awesome to me and I feel really confident fishing with it. I also landed a 6-lbs pike on it drop shotting in rural Canada, with 6 lbs test FC Sniper

Thanks.

You are right about how the rod bends. It's one thing that really took me by surprise when I first fished it. That trip was actually my first trip pout with it so I get to test it out. Even though it loads up like that, I never felt outpowered by a fish and that's what I was afraid of most.

Hearing you say it's not the most sensitive almost makes me want to go out and buy a even nicer rod but I don't fish in super tough conditions where I need that sensitivity. I think.

Teal is a beast at that skip game. I'm going to need to work on mine.

[Teal101]

I think I said noodly as well in an earlier post to refer to the XX DS. May not be the right words as I meant that the action is much more parabolic compared to the Phase III. And hence it's great for setting the hook with a gradual reel set (step back, raise the rod and reel). Great video by the way - you can see how parabolic the XX DS is when fully loaded (it almost starts bending at the handle). But like I also said before, this is my go-to DS rod in my lineup. It's not the lightest or most sensitive, bu it just feels awesome to me and I feel really confident fishing with it. I also landed a 6-lbs pike on it drop shotting in rural Canada, with 6 lbs test FC Sniper

Thanks.

You are right about how the rod bends. It's one thing that really took me by surprise when I first fished it. That trip was actually my first trip pout with it so I get to test it out. Even though it loads up like that, I never felt outpowered by a fish and that's what I was afraid of most.

Hearing you say it's not the most sensitive almost makes me want to go out and buy a even nicer rod but I don't fish in super tough conditions where I need that sensitivity. I think.

Teal is a beast at that skip game. I'm going to need to work on mine.

Interesting. I may need to try one out. Honestly I had a few smallies this year give me a run for my money on the Stinger Shot. I snapped a few off too by leaning into the rod/drag too much. The rod might not protect the line as much since it doesnt bend as deep? It's one reason I really want a slightly longer more powerful rod for heavier weights and deeper fishing.

Thanks guys

[Mothercanucker]

Cool video and nice rig. Here at home I fish the St-Lawrence river and usually am dragging heavier weights on bottom in deep current but during the the majority of the season I'm up at an island lodge on a lake. I guess I need 2 setups.

Any chance you are near Cornwall? There are some fantastic smallies in Lake St-Francis down in Cornwall and further downstream. "Heavier weights on bottom in deep current" sounds a lot like Lake St-Francis. Many people predict that the next smallie world record will come from there. Them gobies be fattening up those smallies.

I fished the B1 there 2 years ago and the leaders brought in a 27.76-lbs bag of smallies on Day 1. Wow.

And yes, you definitely need 2 set ups (or 4 -> 2 x 2 = 4, setting up a DS rod is a pain, so have to minimize how often you retie ). But spending the majority of the season on an island lodge, WOW, no wonder you got so many amazing pics to showcase!

You're good. St-Francis is exactly where I go. Home waters. I've seen 7 teams out of 12 in a friendly tourney be above 25lbs. With a 30+lbs winner ALL smallies. Know a lot of people who fish the B1 and have gone out with multiple winners a few times and learned some spots.

[Mothercanucker]

Also, these are the hooks I use so there is no way I need 4 DS rods. LOL I literally broke off 2 times the whole season...Won't ever use any other hooks. Gamakatsu.

[Teal101]

Also, these are the hooks I use so there is no way I need 4 DS rods. LOL I literally broke off 2 times the whole season...Won't ever use any other hooks. Gamakatsu.

Drag or cast? I kept clipping my leader off on casts with those due to the weight pulling the line down the clip. Went back to the normal gammy dropshots and havent looked back. I still have a pile of em though.

[Mothercanucker]

I casted a couple off at the beginning but now I really winch em down in there and also use 4lb test below the hook so it snaps off even more easily. I'll gladly buy them off you.

[zodiak311]

I wonder when they would be in. I leave to a remote island lodge for the season first week of May.

I can have it in your hands well before that, just email me and we'll make it happen if you're ready. Just no closing it in car doors

The tip is a revised design. It's a solid piece rolled into the blank, not grafted on like the previous model.

This is absolutely correct, 100% and I fished the original stinger tip model for a few years with no problems. This new version is definitely an improvement across the board in terms of performance and technological advancement in my opinion. It's one special rod indeed.

Luckydf, I really like that Stella pairing too

I have my Hedgehog paired with a Daiwa Tournament SS700.

[saoulons]

Cool video and nice rig. Here at home I fish the St-Lawrence river and usually am dragging heavier weights on bottom in deep current but during the the majority of the season I'm up at an island lodge on a lake. I guess I need 2 setups.

Any chance you are near Cornwall? There are some fantastic smallies in Lake St-Francis down in Cornwall and further downstream. "Heavier weights on bottom in deep current" sounds a lot like Lake St-Francis. Many people predict that the next smallie world record will come from there. Them gobies be fattening up those smallies.

I fished the B1 there 2 years ago and the leaders brought in a 27.76-lbs bag of smallies on Day 1. Wow.

And yes, you definitely need 2 set ups (or 4 -> 2 x 2 = 4, setting up a DS rod is a pain, so have to minimize how often you retie ). But spending the majority of the season on an island lodge, WOW, no wonder you got so many amazing pics to showcase!

You're good. St-Francis is exactly where I go. Home waters. I've seen 7 teams out of 12 in a friendly tourney be above 25lbs. With a 30+lbs winner ALL smallies. Know a lot of people who fish the B1 and have gone out with multiple winners a few times and learned some spots.

Lucky guess and that is great home waters!

I was at the B1 with my 17' aluminum boat and a 60 HP. No way I was gonna make it to Cornwall from Salaberry... My brother and I managed to grind out 15 lbs fishing about 10 minutes from the launch and we missed the cut by 2 lbs. Would want to try again at some point but a bit depressing to go out there knowing you can't go fish where the big boys live

[saoulons]

I casted a couple off at the beginning but now I really winch em down in there and also use 4lb test below the hook so it snaps off even more easily. I'll gladly buy them off you.

Do you guys tie braid directly to the swivel? I like using bright yellow braid for DS to watch the line jump. I typically color it black with a sharpie about 3' up from the hook. Line visibility hasn't hampered my getting bites but I don't fish heavily pressured waters (just once in a while). In theory, I could use a FC leader with braid but then it's an additional knot I need to worry about.

I do use these Gammakatsu swivel hooks as well (didn't like the VMC spinshot hooks).

[Mothercanucker]

No I do not tie braid to hook. I use a fluoro leader.

[legendaryyaj]

Interesting. I may need to try one out. Honestly I had a few smallies this year give me a run for my money on the Stinger Shot. I snapped a few off too by leaning into the rod/drag too much. The rod might not protect the line as much since it doesnt bend as deep? It's one reason I really want a slightly longer more powerful rod for heavier weights and deeper fishing.

Thanks guys

I don't know if this makes any sense, but I feel like this XX DS rod is like a rod built from nothing but tip action. If you could cut the tip off a rod and use it to build a whole rod, that's what this rod felt and looked like to me. It's pretty evident in the way it loads up. I had a composite CB rod before and that thing was whippy but this thing is something different. I never felt comfortable fully loading that composite rod and it has steered me away from glass rods in general because of the feel when it loads up on the cast.

I talked to a local builder after my first trip with this XX rod and he was pretty intrigued by it. I simply took it as the magic behind Megabass rods. When making a cast, it felt normal and never overloaded.

I'm not rod expert so take it for what it's worth. My drag is ALWAYS loose with Smallies. They just fight too hard to even try to push light line to its limits. I run Nanofil with a 6# Biwako Special leader.