drop shot rod

[apegs]

I want to buy a drop shot rod and I was thinking about a 6'9" ML with fast action. Is medium light to light? What does every one else out there use ?

[Larson15]

It all depends on the rod manufacturer and if the rod is technique specific. Some companies have drop shot rods that are rated at medium or even medium heavy but don't compare to the same type of power of other medium or medium heavy rated rods.

[Deitz Dittrich]

ML will work.. I prefer M.. But its all up to the user.. as long as you use light wire hooks and use an exposed hook you should be fine.

[RK]

Hiya-

Kinds of depends on a couple things.

If you're in fairly shallow water (less than 15'), not casting far, and not rooting around in thick weeds, and ML might be fine. I use an 6'9" ML X-Fast for fishing right under the boat or making short pitches (25-30 feet) along edges of rock reefs for smallies.

I use a 7'2" MH X-Fast for fishing deeper (15-30 feet), fishing along weedlines, and making long casts (long casts with drop shot rigs are something Deitz and I are going to have to agree to disagree on ) The rod I use is a Shimano Crucial, and it'd be hard to find a better rod for this I think. It has nearly the same tip as the ML, but a lot more backbone once you get past the tip section. I use this rod for casting on shallow flats, and for fishing deep reefs and points where not only am I making a long cast but I'm also in pretty deep (18-30 feet) water.

If you're looking for one do it all rod, a Medium power X-fast would be good, although I think the Med-Heavy is probably more versatile overall. The MH crucial drop shot rod is tremendous, IMHO.

[Doufish2]

I use a 7'11" G Loomis walleye rod. It is a MH-X fast. The sensitivity is amazing. I was using a 6'11" but this longer rod, with a little heavier weight has been great for me.

[CrowWingBasser]

RK...... I am almost exclusively a worm fisherman. Three or four rods riged with worms all the time. For heavier worms (10" with an 1/8 oz. wt./ texas rigged.....so far my favorite rod has been a Simano Compre 7' MH XF. I fish primarily heavy emmergent -rice & reeds - and need to have the sensitivity to feel the bite, but then to set the hook hard to both drive the hook home but turn the fish and pull it straight out of the heavy slop. So...the 7'2" MH XF Crucial...how would this stack up. I am looking to upgrade to a little better rod. I currently fish Shimano and St.Croix Avid Rods all with Curado reels. Thanks............Terry

[thatoneguy]

Terry - you like fishing the same stuff as me. Come on up to Leech this summer and we can fish the rice and rushes and compare notes.

[CrowWingBasser]

thatoneguy, Hey, I am up for that. Would be fun to compare notes. My main fishing area is the lower Crow Wing Chain, but have fished Leech (had a fish house for 7 years on Sucker Bay) and also Cass Lake, Big Wolf, and Andrusia. I have not fished bass on Leech but have heard a lot of good things. I have only been a somewhat serious bass fisherman for about 10 years. Before that it was those "toothy critters", and panfish......Terry

[thatoneguy]

Maybe we can do a home and home series, and learn a little about each other's home turf.

[CrowWingBasser]

TOG: I am up for that....lets talk later in the summer...we are in the process of moving from our home of 31 yrs into Bemidji. We have had a family cabin for a number of years on the lower Crow Wing Lakes....Terry

[RK]

CWB -

You two are in my old stomping grounds up there. Making me jealous.

The drop shot rod I'm describing is really more for open water using 6-8 lb. test mono or fluorocarbon, along deep weedlines and the like. Definitely NOT for fishing heavy emergent vegetation like rushes, cane, or rice. Hook a fish in that stuff and it'd last about 3 seconds.

That having been said, you can definitely drop shot rig in the thick stuff. Sometimes it can work exceptionally well. Just beef up the line weight, hook size, and size of your weight. I do this with a 6'10" MH-XF casting rod and 50# braid. The Compre you already have would probably be great for this actually. Works well when you're pitching/flipping and keep getting hit on the drop because fish are sitting up high.

As far as upgrading your equipment - upgrade it to what?? Honestly, Avids and Shimanos with Curados sounds to me like you're in great shape already...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[HellaBass]

I really like the Dobyns 702 spinning rods, Savvy, Champion & Extreme are all good, just depends on your budget & taste!