Good smallie rod

[bklimek]

I'm looking at adding a spin outfit mainly for smallie fishing but will also be used for some largies. I currently have the 6'8" M Crucial which has a XF action. I'd like to get a 7'2" Loomis bronzeback but my piggy bank isn't that fat. So I'm either looking at the 7'0" M Crucial with a F action or the 7'0" M Compre with a XF action. The 7 foot Crucial seems to whimpy/whippy to me. I'd mainly be using this rod with a jig and grub or jig worm or jig tube. Any suggestions?!?

[Cecil]

Deitz, you're up, you know Shimano's.

[EBass]

I can only comment on the 7'0 Med xfast action Compre as I have that one and I LOVE it! I use it for my smaller jigs (bitzy bug types) (I have 3 Compre rods:))

[Deitz Dittrich]

Personally I would go with the 7'M Crucial Fast tip.. I'm interested in why you think its too whippy?. Any rod in a M that has an XFast Tip is going to be less Whippy.. go with that if thats what you are looking for.. but when fishing exposed hooks I often prefer M action..

Its personal pref though.. I think it sounds like a nice rod though.

[RK]

Hiya -

If you're looking for something you can multi-task with a little bit - like fish tubes sometimes, for example - get a 7 footer. If you're mainly using it for grubs and jigworms for smallies, though, I'd really suggest getting a 7'6" like the 7'6" M power fast action Crucial (since we're talking Shimano at the moment ).

A 7'6" is nice for horizontal baits like grubs and jigworms. Put a large long cast spool reel on it (I use Diawa Tournament Series 1600s) and some 6# mono, and you can *launch* even a 1/8 oz jig. You can cast a 3/8 oz jig and grub so far you can barely see it land... Especially if you're in clear water the extra distance can make a big difference, and it's more efficient besides - you cover more water per cast.

With grubs and jigworms, you really don't need a ton of backbone for hooksets. One of my 7'6" rods, which I use mainly for jigworms is a Med-Light power Mod-Fast action, so it's pretty whippy. Doesn't matter with jigworms and the like. When smallies hit them, the rod just kind of loads up. Seems like they just swim up, pace it for a little bit, and then grab it. As long as you're fishing jigheads with good quality light wire hooks, and a long rod, you sweep set, and don't miss many fish at all, even out at the end of a cast.

Really look hard at a 7'6" if this will be your main use for the rod. I use a couple different 7'6" rods, and I have a custom 7'6" built on a St Croix Legend Elite on the way for this season. I could fish with a 7 footer if I had to - but I wouldn't want to have to.

My $.02...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[bklimek]

Thanks for all the great input. When I say whippy it seemed as if I were fising in some weeds you wouldn't get that nice clean snap. Most of my rods have an XF tip so I could be totally off base on this. I'm assuming it has a good backbone for fighting largemouth and smallmouth alike. I'm really torn on this and probably can't go wrong with either of the two.

RK I do have a 7'6" fig rig rod I mainly use for lindy rigging so I may give that rod a whirl for throwing grubs.

Deitz, RK, or anyone else for that matter, how would you fish these two rods (7'0" crucial M-F vs 7'0" compre M-XF)? What types of applications, line weight, etc.

Since I have a 6'8 M XF Crucial I may go with the 7'0" M F Crucial. Decisions...decisions!

[Deitz Dittrich]

To be honest, both rods would be pretty much the same as for how I would rig it.. at to add to that it would really depend on what other rods I have as well and what I wanted that rod to do.

I would think it would be a decent rod for skipping docks with braid on it, or could be used as a jig worm rod with 8 lb test or even 10lb. Could also be a jerkbait rod, light cranks.. light texas rigs.. could double as a lindy rig rod for walleye?

[Katman]

For a "clean snap" as you say.. I think a Med/Hvy will fit your need. I prefer heavier rods but I do use mediums for exposed hook situations as Dietz explained. I (IMO) have a heavy hookset and that medium blank helps with my hooksetting. I also feel a bit more of the action from the lure with the flex.

[bklimek]

Maybe I'm too hung up on the action Fast versus X-Fast. What's the difference are purpose between the two?

[Deitz Dittrich]

just personal preference in my opinion. An X-fast is going to be a stiffer rod.. I would say a M action Xfast is almost a M and a 1/2 .. LOL.. Not a MH, but a M1/2.. its what feels best to you.

[TonkaBass]

The st.croix's get real "tippy" hense the extra fast and, to me, don't feel like they have as much power as a straight up fast action. I haven't fooled around much with the shimanos though...

For me, I can get by with almost all my smallmouth needs with a 6'6"med fast action. You can however cast further with the longer rod.