Good Light Bait Rod?

[Spazzums08]

Hey guys, what do you use for casting your lighter stuff for pike? As in Rattle Traps, Mepps, and lighter spoons? I'm thinking either a medium baitcasting rod, or a MH spinning? What do you guys use?

[Nick Kuhn]

A 12 year old ML spinning rod. I had gone to a MH for some time but didn't really like it. Mostly because on my smaller Mepps and such I get a lot of hits from crappies. It can still handle pike up to 15 lbs, and those are so few and far between I don't even worry about larger fish.

[Newcastle]

MH is probably as light as I would go if fishing specifically for pike in a spinning rod. Everyone knows that exciting feeling of hooking a 7 pounder on an 5' ultralight rod is fun-but if targeting pike, I would hate to lose "the fish" because it simply outmatched my equipment. Lighter tackle usually means lighter line and lighter drag settings for myself---I like to have a little stiffer rod with that set up just in case I need to control the fish. Medium is the lightest baitcasting rod I own so and it has works fine.

[Spazzums08]

That's what I'm thinking, MAYBE a really heavy medium, but I'm staying with MH for now. Has anyone ever had success using a light baitcaster to throw mepps/light rapalas, or should I stick with spinning?

[Newcastle]

I guess that depends how light of lure and how good you are with a baitcaster. Tough to throw a small balsa crankbait with a baitcaster if you aren't too comfortable with one. If you can cast it with good distance without a backlash, I would chose the baitcaster over the spinning set up. I like the power and even drag give a baitcaster gives over a spinning reel. If the bait gets too light (or a nice head wind)-probably have to go to spinning reel though.

[BoxMN]

7' medium IM7 with a ABU 4600 works great for me. Also have ML St. Croix 6'9" with a Curado that works great for even smaller stuff, but haven't tackled a pike over about 30" on it yet, but it handles what I have got pretty good so far. lots of small ones.

I too really like baitcaster for pike over spinning.

[Spazzums08]

I'm looking to run baits from 3/8-whatever, and I WILL be tackling big pike with this rig, the trip we're booking to Reindeer Lake In Saskatchewan's garunteeing that.

[polarsusd81]

I would say a medium fast or a medium heavy fast rod in at least 6'-6" would be a good choice for smaller baits such as traps, spoons, and smaller inline spinners. If you get down too small though, a medium heavy spinning combo with 14 lb fireline would probably suffice.

My combo of choice when using smaller baits is my 6'-6" Diawa Heartland-X MH F rod teamed up with a Shimano Curado and 30 lb spiderwire. That rod is near and dear to my heart, cause I worked all summer long when I was 12 years old mowing lawns to pick it up. Still the first stick I pick up after all these years.

[Spazzums08]

Just found my rod, a 7' MH Guide Series Legend Elite Pike rod, and a Pflueger Trion size 40 reel. It feels GREAT! Perfect balance and feel, I can't wait until I get the money together to purchase it, lol.

On a related note, anyone know how much a Mepps #5 and a size 7 Rattle Trap weigh?

[polarsusd81]

Mepps #5 is 1/2 oz, and I think the #7 Rat-L-Trap is 1/2 oz as well. Not 100% on the RLT though.

[Spazzums08]

That'd be great if they are, because the pole's rated for minimum of 3/8, and when you're using that heavy of a pole they really mean that's the bare minimum, lol.