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| What would you like to see in a "all around" rod...
Number of eyes, stiffness, cork length, quickness...ect. |
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| Hate to do this to ya.... but the perfect rod is one designed specifically for your own needs. Everyone will have their own personal preference and fishing style... which will have different requirements.
Maybe this post should be more specific and ask what is the best rod for:
twitching small minnowbaits
twitching deep diving cranks
burning bucktails over rocks
sniping glide baits in the slop
grinding spinnerbaits in the slop
chopping suicks in the cabbage
jerkin' Jackpots
bouncing jigs
trolling
dead sticking a bulldawg
etc. etc.
Even trying to break it out to specific techniques will still generate different preferences amongst individual anglers. If I could only have one rod for all of the above, it would be my trusty 6'9"H St. Croix Legend (Avid). Light, stiff, long butt, and very versatile.
jlong
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| Jlong, you are right...but most anglers only have 3 rods or less.
Only one style of trolling rod?
Short line rod
Prop wash rod
Long line rod
Board rod
Downrigger Rod
LOL[:bigsmile:] |
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| I agree.... tough to get by with less than 3 rods. I carry about 8 rods with me... but usually only have 3 rods loaded and waiting for action.
7'6" MH for heavy bucktails and some crankbaits
6'9" H for most crankbaits and all jerks
7'MH for small cranks and lighter bucktails.
My specialty rods include:
5'6" pool cue for slack snappin'large glide baits
6' Pool Cue for slack snappin' anything
6'6" MH for dancin' small twitchbaits
6'9"H with high gear ratio reel for jerk baits
7' MH with high gear ratio reel for burnin' stuff
I've been eying up some of the 8 footers out there... but feel most are either to soft for my "twitchin' style" and are little too heavy yet. I'm sure the time will come when I give a telephone pole a try... but it will be exclusively used for lures that basically need a straight, steady retrieve (topwaters and bucktails).
Also, if Jason Smith can use an 8 foot rod... then wouldn't I need a 9 footer? [:bigsmile:] [:halo:]
jlong |
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| I used Bass Pro's new 8'6" Maina series rod this fall and that is my perfect rod. Casts anything and everything with ease (especially light bucktails, there is some kind of kick to that rod)... works all types of baits and presentations and figure 8's like nothing else.
It is an amazing rod. |
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| I don't know about you guy's,
but my girlfriend thinks my "ROD" is just perfect for any and all applications!!!!!!!![:bigsmile:]
SORRY, I COULDN'T RESIST!!!!!!![:devil:] |
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| My new pal Treats has me convinced to grab a Thorne Bros S-series Jerk Bait rod, supposed to be nearly indestructible. And perfect for big ole jerk baits and gliders.
That's be my "early" Christmas gift, will pick mine up as soon as they have it built (you can order it to spec and they put your name on it).
Thorne Bros--I love those guys!!
Later,
papa mugambo joe tranio neuville
(you guys should have seen me last night in my Bear Suit!) |
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| Just threw down 400 smackers on a 7'6" Diamondback Jerkbait w/titanium guides. They said they shipped it yesterday. I hope to throw three baits at once with this bad boy and let the fish decide. Caus it will be a long time before I could afford even a cane pole. Is it normal to get a chubby at the sound of a UPS truck ? I sure hope this one will be an ultimate. Thanks to the folks here at Muskie First for turning me on to this rod. There is a wealth of information here. [:p] |
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| The St Croix 6'6", 7' and 7'6" MH will throw everything except your biggest glider style baits. That's about as close as an all around one rod can get. |
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| One rod? You gotta be kidding. My choice would be a Loomis MUR914C-MB. 7'7" med bucktail rod.Fast action, 1-3oz baits. I got it a few months ago, and it quickly became my favorite. |
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| Contrarely to Mr Long I believe muskie fishing needs not to be to complicated. One can fish with only one rod and do rather well my choice for a do it all rod would be a G-Loomis MUR 786C. You can cast everything as well as troll them all with this one rod.
I know I got away with this one and only rod for years and managed to land more then my share of muskies. Actualy I may carry 3 different casting rods and one trolling and I hand one to each client and me another and we keep them all day.
I just don't see me carrying 27 casting and as many trolling rods with me in the boat at all times. I believe 5 rods are enough for us 3 as well as adding 4 trolling rods in the fall. |
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| More than one rod? hmmmm...
Ok if I had to pick three..
6'9" Avid
6'9" Avid
7'6" Avid
Plus a 6'9" Avid
Did I say 6'9" Avid?
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| I go out on the boat with one rod.
I've tried many rods in the past, but the one I keep reaching for is my Fenwick 7'6". I have no problem pitching or working any bait in my box. It just seems to work for me.[:)] |
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Depends if you trolling or casting.
Try St. Croix or Thorne Bros. Rods, both companies are held in high regard |
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| Hey now Richard... who says I make things complicated? Contrary to yor belief... I strive to keep things as simple as possible.
The same goes for rod selection. The EASIER a rod will make your lure perform... the better. Sure, you can make it simple and only have a single rod for everything.... but you will be compromising both your body fatigue and presentation by doing so.
I keep it simple and use my 6'9" Legend to quickly and efficiently test many different applications UNTIL a pattern is found and proven. Once that is established.... I take full advantage of the situation and dig into my stash of rods for the perfect fit.
For example.... a few years ago the only pattern we could scrounge up on our 4 day trip to Canada was sniping reef hawgs through the heavy cabbage with a "slack snap" and very long pause technique. After a full 17 hour day of doing that with my 6'9" Legend.... the old wrist was shot. I am very thankful I could dig out my short sticks and allow me to continue to exploit that pattern when my body was saying it was out of gas.
Same goes for burnin' bucktails. I'll test out that technique with my "all purpose" rod which has a lower gear ratio reel. If the fish are liking that offering... I'll dig out a high speed reel so I don't have to reel like an SOB all day long. Makes the experience all that much more enjoyable. Why make work out of a liesure activity???
As my family committments shorten my fishing opportunities... an "all purpose" rod is becoming more and more useful... since I run fewer and fewer Musky Marathons these days. I suppose I am now more of a sprinter[:halo:] . Sneak in 2 hours here... two hours there... and fish like a mad man. In these cases... I usually only have one rod on deck. But, down below lies the full set of clubs for specialty shots when needed (are we now talking about golf?). Why play a round of golf with only a 5 iron? Sure, you can keep your golf bag simple and only use one club... but your score won't be as good than if you have a full set. So, do more clubs simplify or complicate a golf game? Same goes for fishing. |
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| Maybe I am old fashion but I learned early to adapt with what I have and not what I want.
If casting reef hawgs all day it the way to go then once I get tired I will go trolling for an hour or two. I will also use a different lure for a break or just use the same lure in a different way to give my poor body a break.
For some reason, probably more luck then skill, I have never seen it that hard to catch muskies. Sure we get blanked some days but I will get them the next day or the day before. [:p]
Man I tried casting with my 7'10" rod but didn't take me 10 minutes to go back to my old 6'6" jerkbait rod.
I also would not know what it is like to fish 14 or 16 hours a day, I believe 12 hours to be my record. But I also will fish some 15 straight 10 hour days serving clients wich can be harder then fishing with a bud most times. [:bigsmile:]
Another thing to consider is how much time you spend digging through your pile of rods? Could be quite a few casts worth. I have a lot of fun with my fishing partners that keep changing lures every 10 minutes, I always seem to catch more fish with the extra casts I get from sticking with what lure I believe will work. Some days ( might be many of them )I will use but one lure both casting and trolling it. [:sun:]
Keep your lures wet and rods bent. |
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| I don't troll, so if I was limited, the 3 rods would be an 8' St Croix for bucktails, cranks, straight retrieve topwaters, etc.....a 7'6" Avid for most jerk and glider applications and a 7'6" Premier for heavier stuff.... I throw 8" HR's and Cobbs with it with no problem, and they have to weigh 4 ounces at least.
Beav |
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| Rod Stricklen, Rod Steward, Rod Stieger, Rod Laver, Rod King..Rowdy Rod Pipper...just to name a few.
tomcat[:halo:] |
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| 6'9" heavy, 7'6" medium heavy and 6'10" medium cover pretty much everything I throw. I usually only take 2 rods though, and the 6'10" is the one left at home. |
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The "Perfect" Rod