Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

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Houndfish
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Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by Houndfish » Tue Sep 05, 2017 11:55 am

Hi,

I am looking around for a new spinning rod to use for plastics and small jigs. I have a Kuying Teton casting rod I use for UL spinner and cranks, but want a spinning rod that is fast enough to use for plastics. I had a MC Trapara spinning rod with a little 500 Okuma reel for a while but it was way too soft and I couldn't get any casting distance/accuracy and had an awful time detecting hits and setting the hook when using small plastics/jigs. I gave that combo to my nephew as he is obsessed with panfishing with live bait and to give myself an "excuse" to buy a new combo.

The lure I want to use, at the low end, are these little guys from Trout Magnet;
Image
The jighead is 1/64oz and I would guess the entire lure weighs in around 1/32oz, but I will weigh one later to confirm. At the high end my ideal rod would be able to cast a ~2" grub on an 1/16oz head, so about 1/8oz total lure weight. It would also be nice for it to have enough power to throw 1/8oz white perch spinnerbaits, which have a heavier hook then the Teton seems right for. Right now I also have a 6' StCroix Premier L/F in the mix I use for the perch spinners, but I would love to get my UL arsenal down to a single casting and spinning combo. But in the end I am more looking for a rod for those tiny plastics and can live with keeping a third rod around for the spinnerbaits.

As for the reel, I have a 1000 Stradic FJ that I would like to use, assuming I can ditch the Premier it is currently on, but even if not I wouldn't shell out for a super light reel, so I would like a rod that would balance well with an ~7oz reel. My budget is a bit flexible, up to around $250-300 for something that is "perfect", but I would not use this combo super often, so I don't need anything super high end. Would love to hear any suggestions or ideas.

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by LowRange » Tue Sep 05, 2017 9:10 pm

I use a Maforcraft Volkey 65UL for 1/8 oz total weight or a bit under for jigs and plastics but it is a casting rod. Not sure if they make a spinning model. I like to throw 1/16 oz slider type head and a BPS Hellgrammite which comes in under an 1/8 oz total package weight. The rod has tons of backbone to fight a fish and the tip is soft enough to cast the bait and detect strikes but I don't think it would handle 1/32 total weight well. The Jackson Super Trickster 63UL is another UL with a soft tip (solid carbon) with a ton of backbone and it is certainly able to handle 1/32 total weight jig and plastic. I throw snap beans on that rod. The 63UL Super Trickster does come in a spinning version but they are hard to get a hold of.

If you're after more backbone then I think you need to look at "bass rod" tapers. The trout rods like the Teton and panfish rods will all be too soft for your liking IMO. I'm not sure you need an UL spinning rod either. The Majorcraft Bass rods will probably have a model you would like. I would think a solid carbon tip would help with casting your low end too.

If you can find a UL rod with a "normal" diameter blank and solid carbon tip rod rated down to your low end then I think you would be set. Look at the STC-63UL, the 2nd rod from the right, and see how the blank diameter near the reel seat is as large as the other rods on the deck? The other rods are a L, ML and a H.

Image

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by Houndfish » Wed Sep 06, 2017 7:03 am

Thanks for the info. The Volkey Spinning rods are still available on ebay, but I have not seen a reasonably priced casting one there in a while. A Super Trickster would be ideal, but I am unwilling to pay $300+ for a used rod and I have only even seen a single one offered for sale. I feel like the only thing I need more backbone for is the perch spinnerbaits. They are usually made with saltwater hooks that are thicker than most light bass hooks. It would be nice to get my panfish/perch arsenal down to two rods, but like I said, I can live with keeping the third one around for the spinnerbaits.

I have never used a solid/stinger tip rod before, but am interested in the idea. I will take a look at the MajorCraft offerings and see what I can find.

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by Alphahawk » Wed Sep 06, 2017 7:28 pm

I use the Trout Slayer.....am on TM Pro Staff......a great lure and one that is really overlooked. I have several rods that I use with it depending on what I am targeting......Yamaga Blanks Blue Current......Megabass Shore Luck Limited........Volkey Super Finesse 6' 8" solid tip. If I am targeting smallmouth with the Trout Slayer one of my favorites is the Major Craft Truzer 6' 5" "hard model". If you don't like any of those you could look at the MC Speedstyle UL with solid tip......or an MC X-Ride Ajing......N-One Ajing UL solid tip. Those rod really shine with micro plastics. I usually do all my rod purchasing in the winter. Unless something new comes out from MC that makes me change my mind I will add the X-Ride Ajing to my lineup this year.......seems like a lot of bang for the buck.

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by Houndfish » Thu Sep 14, 2017 7:05 pm

I have been looking at some rods and one has caught my eye.

MEGABASS OROCHI XXX MULTI PIECES MODEL F1-66KS
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It is an 6'6" XF action rod rated 1/32-1/4. I am disparaging over finding a XF rod rated down to 1/64 and in anycase I can cast those little plastics on a St Croix L/F Premiere, just not very well. I assume this rod would handle them even better and would let me get rid of the St Croix and tighten up my UL arsenal. Anyone have any experience with this rod?

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by Houndfish » Sun Sep 17, 2017 6:55 am

Another rod has caught my eye, the G. LOOMIS CLASSIC SPIN JIG FISHING ROD SJR6400 IMX.
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I have found a few reviews on crappie forums and people seem to think it has plenty of backbone and a tip that will throw true UL plastics/jigs. It has a Tennessee handle, which I have no experience with, but I think I could grow to like it, I have been trying out a "hand in front of the reel" grip on my DS rod and am really digging it. It's a bit shorter then I was looking for, but the rod has gotten under my skin. It is more expensive than the XXX I am also looking at, but it seems like there are little lower cost options in the UL/XF world.

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by LowRange » Mon Sep 18, 2017 1:58 am

Houndfish wrote:Another rod has caught my eye, the G. LOOMIS CLASSIC SPIN JIG FISHING ROD SJR6400 IMX.
Image

I have found a few reviews on crappie forums and people seem to think it has plenty of backbone and a tip that will throw true UL plastics/jigs. It has a Tennessee handle, which I have no experience with, but I think I could grow to like it, I have been trying out a "hand in front of the reel" grip on my DS rod and am really digging it. It's a bit shorter then I was looking for, but the rod has gotten under my skin. It is more expensive than the XXX I am also looking at, but it seems like there are little lower cost options in the UL/XF world.

I would think the loomis would have a warranty unlike importing a megabass stick. That's definitely a plus in my book. You can always go cheap and test the UL solid carbon tip waters before buying a high end rod. Look at the trulinoya dexterity if you want a cheap option to try out. I'm a fan of trying out a premise on the cheap to see if I like it before going all in with the big bucks. My 1st BFS rod was a trulinoya elite UL which is a volkey 65UL clone although at the time I didn't know that.

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by Houndfish » Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:26 am

Well, I have a SJR6400 headed my way. American Legacy had a used one on thier ebay page and I threw a bid at it a few days ago and forgot about it. I won the acution so I guess I will give it a go! I am really curoious about how a "mag-light" will fish and will report back once I get some time in on it.

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by wbook01 » Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:51 pm

I ordered one of these today from Plat, 50 percent off:

http://www.plat.co.jp/shop/catalog/prod ... -sale.html

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by uljersey » Sun Oct 08, 2017 2:34 pm

Fenwick Elite Tech River Runner

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by hungry_cow » Sun Oct 08, 2017 3:27 pm

I have the Meagabass Phase III F0 68XS Deep Throat and and use it mostly for 1/32 to 1/64 jigs with either little plastics or live bait and it works perfectly. I don't know if you could possible get better than this rod for your purpose but it may be a challenge to find one. I use it with a Shimano 1000 Twin Power MG

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by Houndfish » Mon Oct 09, 2017 1:55 pm

So the SJR6400 just made it into my hands. USPS screwed up the shipping really badly and American Legacy shipped me a new one. They offered to do so like a day after it was supposed to arrive but I told them to give it a week or two in case the original showed up, so I just got it the other day.

In any case, I don't know what to think. It has a super weird taper and the TN grip is messing with me, I keep moving the reel around but it never feels quite right. I have yet to get in on the water, but with a 1000 sized reel and 6lb mono, it is not casting the the Trout Slayer well at all, even if I put a small float on the line;
Image

It does cast this 1/8oz spinner decently enough;
Image

In any case, I am going to respool with either 3lb mono or 6lb braid and see how it does. I want to like it and from playing with it I think it might have some merit, but I am not expecting it to be the tiny jig thrower I was looking for.

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by Houndfish » Mon Oct 09, 2017 2:06 pm

uljersey wrote:Fenwick Elite Tech River Runner
I was wondering about that line. Do they really throw down around their lower limit?

wbook01 wrote:I ordered one of these today from Plat, 50 percent off:

http://www.plat.co.jp/shop/catalog/prod ... -sale.html
My fear with JDM rods is figuring out the taper, I see that one is a trout rod, I assumed they were usually pretty soft.

hungry_cow wrote:I have the Meagabass Phase III F0 68XS Deep Throat and and use it mostly for 1/32 to 1/64 jigs with either little plastics or live bait and it works perfectly. I don't know if you could possible get better than this rod for your purpose but it may be a challenge to find one. I use it with a Shimano 1000 Twin Power MG
That is a beauty, but cost of keeping a dive team on standby whenever I took it on my kayak would end up eating up too much of my tackle fund.

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Re: Fast action L/UL Spinning rod for plastics/jigs?

Post by uljersey » Mon Oct 09, 2017 6:53 pm

Houndfish wrote:
uljersey wrote:Fenwick Elite Tech River Runner
"I was wondering about that line. Do they really throw down around their lower limit?"

To be honest I throw pretty much in the middle of it's range, although I have thrown some things toward the low end at times. I too fish from a kayak, bringing an arsenal of rigs is not an option. I throw everything from jighead/plastic to micro cranks and it performs well on all of them, plus the unique handle is a joy to fish with, it fits my hand well with no fatigue. Many UL rods have too skinny a handle for my preference.

It's a very well made but understated rod. What it lacks in JDM pizzazz it more than makes up for in performance. It has the ability to throw delicately but has serious bottom end power - it's not a noodle at all, nor is it a broomstick. Fenwick nailed it with this one. Also, I don't know your thoughts on 2 piece rods, but don't be concerned about this one. Never had an issue with joint integrity and have no trouble detecting the lightest of bites.

If you're wondering about customer service, this past winter I was wiping mine down in preparation for the season and the first (stripper) guide broke off where the frame and foot joined. Fenwick replaced the rod no questions asked.

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