Who else uses a medium light spinning rod for bass fishing?

The Rooster · February 05, 2021, 07:29:57 PM

I bought a St. Croix Premier spinning rod in a 6'6" length, medium light power with fast action, to use for 1/4 oz Bandit crankbaits and Rapala Shad Raps. I paired it with a Bass Pro Shops Carbonlite 2.0 in a size 2000, and spooled it with 8# mono line. It can hold 10# line but only about 90 yards.

I bought the rod in that power and action because of the flexibility it has. I've been looking for one like that for cranks but it's apparently a hard thing to find in a spinning rod, and to make it worse, ALL of my spinning rods must have a foregrip, which is even harder to find now it seems. This rod has all of it.

Now that I have it I'm kind of worried about the rod's ability to turn a fish once I have it hooked. I've had some bass swim under the boat before when hooked on the medium spinning rod I also have that is much stiffer, and when that happens about all I can do is hang on. I've had them near the boat and then suddenly surge on me while on short line and it drags the rod half under the boat with it when that happens. I've sort of half hung on and half horsed the fish in with the medium rod in the past during those encounters, but I feel like this medium light won't be stout enough to do that. Did I buy too light a rod to use it this way?

kdubracing · February 05, 2021, 08:25:13 PM

Not sure how the power matches up to what you have, but my drop shot rod is a 702 Dobyns Fury. It has plenty of power. Actually, the last fish I caught on it was a 4.8

apenland01 · February 05, 2021, 08:51:19 PM

I bought the St. Croix Triumph direct from St. Croix during their clearance for $80. It's a 7' ML spinning rod it does good with lighter stuff. I caught a 3 pounder on a ned rig with it...

The Rooster · February 05, 2021, 09:05:22 PM

Quote from: apenland01 on February 05, 2021, 08:51:19 PM
I bought the St. Croix Triumph direct from St. Croix during their clearance for $80. It's a 7' ML spinning rod it does good with lighter stuff. I caught a 3 pounder on a ned rig with it...

I'm interested in this one. The blank on that rod should be about identical to mine except for length. Obviously you landed the fish. Was it difficult to fight the fish? Did you feel in control of it or did the rod feel weak?

FlatsNBay · February 06, 2021, 06:58:12 AM

I use a medium light rod for my finesse applications and it works great. I like to have a little backbone in my rod instead of the entire rod acting like a wet noodle. It helps in controlling the fish. If you catch a good one, it should take you around the boat and you may do a little dancing but you should be able to land the fish.

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loomisguy · February 06, 2021, 07:28:41 AM

For the Ned rig, drop shot and light shaky heads.

Smallie_Stalker · February 06, 2021, 12:55:06 PM

Quote from: FlatsNBay on February 06, 2021, 06:58:12 AM
I use a medium light rod for my finesse applications and it works great. I like to have a little backbone in my rod instead of the entire rod acting like a wet noodle. It helps in controlling the fish. If you catch a good one, it should take you around the boat and you may do a little dancing but you should be able to land the fish.

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X2 on this exactly.

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coldfront · February 06, 2021, 01:56:29 PM

it's all okay if those fish are in open water. you have time to wear them down and you don't have to stop/turn them.

but those bigger fish, the heavy loads, even with MH 7 foot rods (I am using shimano crucials) they're tough to turn.

most recent 'big' for me came down on the river, very little cover and she swam out into the river (over 20ft depth) to try and bulldog. it took me a dang long time to wear her down on 6# flouro, but if a guy is patient...

however, this past spring, I tossed a floating worm up to the root wad of some rushes. got a HUGE bite and never could stop/turn that fish. all was well while she was out in the middle of the slough, but when she looped/headed back to the rushes, I leaned as hard as I could to turn her. fully expected to break the line, but she got to the weeds before I could... and that was that. she won.

your set up will work... until it doesn't.

but that's part of the game I suppose.

apenland01 · February 06, 2021, 10:09:29 PM

I don't have any trouble landing them and the rod didn't feel weak on the bigger fish. It was in open water, although I was fishing around structure. It is more of a playing game than a horsing game though. It takes a bit to land the fish because my drag is engaging when I have a bigger fish, so I let it do it's thing, then start bringing it in. For $80, you can't go wrong if you buy it directly from St. Croix website on clearance for the "retired" Triumph rod....

Deadeye · February 07, 2021, 09:01:56 AM

I was using a 7' ML Casting Rod made by Ugly Stick Graphite for Cranks, especially Rattletraps, and it worked awesome. Had just the right amount of give in the tip to make that Trap vibrate perfect. Caught lots of fish on it including Hybrid Strippers.

I have used it for a Worm Rod many many years ago when it was one of 2-3 rods I owned.

However I accidently dropped the Rod Box Lid thinking I had cleared it and broke the top 6-8" off. I put a new Tip on it, but it's just not the same.

I am actually planning to buy another 7 ft ML Rod to replace it with. They just work awesome from Cranking for me.

Oldfart9999 · February 07, 2021, 12:42:51 PM

I use 2 6'9" med lite for finesse, in open water you really don't have a problem controlling a fish. I also use them for drop shot along breakwaters, it can be a deadly technique but using 6 lb line a big fish takes careful fighting. My trolling motor becomes my best friend at that point, I use it to start working the boat away from the walls to deeper water where I can be the boss and let the fish wear itself out..
Rodney