Spinning Rod ???

[Jimmy Easterling]

I want a new spinning rod and I am thinking 7'6" for flipping a shaky head and light lures. Am I thing right, 7'6", med? And what do you suggest in the $100-$150 range?

 

[TritonGlenn]

I tried using a longer spinning rod for shaky head fishing and didn't like it. I couldn't get it to balance right. Might have just been the one I was using, but I didn't like it. I ended up down-sizing a bit and now use a All Star ASR series - model ASR 825S. It's a 6'10" medium action rod with a fast tip. However, it appears that All Star isn't carrying that particular model any longer.



For that reason, I'm about to experiment with some new rods in the $80 price range. The Abu Garcia Vendetta rods feel pretty good. I just purchased 6'6" and 7'0" baitcasting rods in that series, and they balance very well. I haven't fished with them yet, but that is coming soon. I'm considering trying out two of their spinning rods for the purpose you mentioned - The VTS70-5, which is a 7' Medium spinning, and the VTS-74-5, which is a 7'4" Medium spinning. I haven't bought them yet, but when I do, if you are still looking, I'll give you an update on how I like them.



However, to answer your question - I like a rod "about" 7' with a medium action. I'm pretty sure I'll end up with that VTS70-5 for shaky heads this year.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Bill McElroy]

Jimmy,....check out the BPS EXtreme's...in 6'8"...med/lt action...designed by Woo Daves for EXACTLY the baits/techniques you described....I have 2 of them and want another!!



They're perfection with a handle!!..LOL

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Agree with both Mac and Glenn, 7 feet is the MAX I would go for shakey head fishing, anything longer and you get too much action in the tip. When you step up the power to a MH-H you loose a lot of the feel you need. What weight shakey head are you going to throw? I normally don't consider that a flipping or pitching bait unless you really weight it down. What kind of cover are you throwing to...Wood, rocks, grass mats? That all plays in to the rod type. Are we too specialized or what!! I have 4 dedicated Senko rods:lol::lol:



TOXIC

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

1/4 oz and mostly use it in place of texas rigged worm when it isn't working, banks, deep pockets when I find them there, docks, under overhanging trees. The one I am using now is a 6' Team Diawa and is just too light, the rod seems to bend double before I feel I have a good hookset and 6' is a little awkward to throw. I also want to be able to throw small baits like lite jerk baits I can't throw with the baitcaster.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

You are asking a rod to do a lot between draggin shakey heads and chuckin cranks. If it were me, I'd save my lunch $$ and get 2. For throwing small cranks, I use the BPS Pro Lite, for shakey heads I use a JLM stick, but it will double up with some other plastics applications (fluke, light c-rig) and it will work for 1 of my Senko presentations (long range open water launching). Ah....remember the days when we had 4 or 5 rods max....:lol:



TOXIC

 

[TrepMan]

Tox - "remember the days when we had 4 or 5 rods max...." Eli's already up to 8!!! I happen to agree on the shakeyhead rod vs. small cranks, Eli had used regular/standard medium action spinning rods and i really think he missed a lot of fish, because A) the rod didn't have enough backbone to set the hook and B) not the right sensitivity to feel the light taps or bites. We both went with GLommis shakeyhead rods, and both of our %'s have improved. I wouldn't say go buy a $250 shakeyhead rod (I got a great deal on ours) but agree to have a light cranking stick vs. Shakeyhead.