Your ideal BFS rod action?

[poisonokie]

I like the fast action bass style rods. They cast low weights just as easy as whippy trout rods but have better hooksets for single hook baits.

Me too. Even my cranking sticks will set a worm hook. I don't like noodles unless they're in my Pho.

[noc10]

I have, but I am leery of spending too much on a trout rod due to the potential bycatch for the species I want to target. I fish for White Perch in brackish rivers, but a very common bycatch will be schoolie Stripers, Pickerel up to the low 20", and even schoolie Blues. I worry that most Trout rods will not have the strength/backbone to land them without taking too long and killing the fish.

Probably outside the lines, but I have what sounds like a similar situation. I like to fish the autumn white bass spawn in the Midwest USA. This requires throwing 1/16-1/8 oz. inline spinners into the shore and them retrieving back to deeper water. The typical White bass catch is going to be between a pound and two. The problem is that it is fairly common to have a 5 or 6 lb. LMB or blue cat take the bait instead.

So, what I use is a set of 3 ABU Garcia Volatile MLXF rods. 6'9" and rated for 1/16-3/8. They are pretty whippy at the tip, but as they are actually inshore rods they transition toward the middle of the rod and easily have the backbone to land larger fish as well. The line rating is 6-12 lb. Though I've never had the pleasure of hooking up a Striper, I'd be confident that these rod could land a 15lb fish.

I have one set up with an SS Air (4lb), One with an Alphas Air (6lb), and one with a PX68R(8lb).

Probably not right for the trout guys but it works for me here in the Midwest for Crappie, White Bass, and even throwing light spinners across the current in the rivers for early Walleye where accidental catches might trash a lighter rod..