Weightless Worm Rod......

[T7HeadTurner]

I'm looking to get a new Weightless Worm Rod, I heard a 7' plus rod will work and a 6' rod will work aswell.
I think the smaller rod will be good, as of ease and even for my pond fishing, but over all what would you guys take.
I been really looking at a 6'6 MH ?

- I made this post a while back and learned from it, maybe if some one is looking at what I'm in the market for this can help them aswell.
http://www.bassfishin.com/bassfishin...ighlight=senko

I ended up going with 15lb Flo
Thanks Guys!

[bassboogieman]

Whatever length you are comfortable with is fine. Personally I prefer a MH/f rod, and one that is as light and sensitive as I can afford, it really pays off with the slow presentation baits (as opposed to reaction type baits).

I am not a fan of short rods (6' or less), my preference (for this specific presentation) is a 6'9" rod but not all brands are available in that specific length so 6'8" or 6'10" is comparable depending upon the brand. It's a compromise between the slightly better accuracy of a shorter (6'6") and the casting distance of the longer rods (7' +). That's me, everyone has their favorite.

Pair the rod with a decent moderate (6.3:1) or high speed reel (7.1) - again, it's personal preference - and you will have a combo that will serve you well for many years.

Again, buy the best rod (quality) your budget (and common sense) allows. You can save a little money by purchasing a "lesser" quality rod for reaction style baits, but for slow presentations (plastics or jigs) the better rod is a critical factor.

[lilmule]

Think the length rod is somewhat tied to the person using it and how tall they are.
I use a 6 ft,friend uses a 6 1/2 spinning rod ,windy days,suspended fish 10 pd power pro and a senko will catch more bass and mot med h ,med or med lite.Its a line watching thing for a twitch.
I do use long rods when tossing distance for a hookset or being able to bring them out of cover.The unweighted approach is like a finesse bite than power angling.
Admit im not good at it my friend is,I have 20 pd power pro he has ten.He out fishes me constantly with it on those days.Straight braid no leader.
A standard baitcaster mh unweighted will also work in a flipping situation but not windy days suspended fish,deep water.Say 20 ft of water and fish 10-12.

[Jrob78]

It really depends on what you're talking about when you say "weightless worm." I fish 6" Senkos weightless as well as 4.5" Roboworms. I certainly wouldn't fish them on the same rod though.

I generally prefer a longer rod. I fish weightless Senkos and Flukes on a 7'3" MH casting rod and smaller, lighter weightless worms on a 6'10" ML casting rod or god forbid, a 7' spinning rod.

[BigBassin144]

Rod length is, for the most part, personal preference. I don't believe it has much to do with how tall you are either (with a couple exceptions, like flipping/pitching).

I'm a good example. I'm only about 5'8" and every rod I use on a regular basis is 7' or longer. I use a 7'3", a couple 7'6" rods and a 7'8" on a very regular basis.

Like Jrob said, what exactly do you mean by "weightless worm?" Some in the 7'-7'4" range would be ideal for "weightless" senkos, which are anything but weightless (~3/8-3/4+ oz depending on the size). Trick worms or such are probably better fished on a finesse casting rod and reel combo.

So what exactly will you be fishing with this rod? Will it be a dedicated rod, or will it often be called upon to fish other techniques? This will definitely impact what power and action rod you should get.

Do you generally prefer longer or shorter rods? There's are some areas where a certain rod length does work better, but most worm fishing isn't one of these cases.

Where will you be fishing? Are you making long casts to cover more area or reach a further away area? Are you making short, precise casts?

Is there anything you really like or don't like in a rod, or no particular preference: Micro or standard guides? Split or full grip? Foam or cork? Reel seat?

What reel will you be using? Do aesthetics matter to you (rod and reel match)?

Remember, we're finding a rod to fit your needs, not mine or any one else's.

BB

[nofearengineer]

For me, there is only one combo for fishing a weightless worm.

A casting rod would have to be pretty flimsy to allow long casts, unless you've got a very finely tuned baitcaster. However, hooksets with such a rod are usually junk.

A stiff rod will give you power, but won't cast very far, unless that's a "weightless" 12-inch jumbo bassinbandit-special worm.

If you switch to a spinning combo, a 6'9"+ rod and the open spool and light line will still allow you long casts. Even better, since you won't really be "retrieving", but more "re-positioning for another fall", a fast tip will help a lot with casting accuracy.

My recommendation is a M/MH 7' spinning rod with F/XF tip, 6-10lb test (mono or fluoro, depending on application and desired fall rate).

[T7HeadTurner]

Senko, and Shaky Head. I think more then any at this point.....
So I guess, just a Bait Casting worm rod.
Will a 6'6 MH throw a senko? Or do I need that 7" + or M action?
Thanks

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by T7HeadTurner

Senko, and Shaky Head. I think more then any at this point.....
So I guess, just a Bait Casting worm rod.
Will a 6'6 MH throw a senko? Or do I need that 7" + or M action?
Thanks

Remember, a 5" Senko weighs about 1/2oz. I fish them on a 7'3" MH F rod, but I prefer rods over 7' and we're finding a rod for you, not me.

A MH rod will throw all the but smallest Senkos just fine. And I wouldn't want to fish 5-6" Senkos regularly on a M powered rod.

Shaky heads will depend on the size of the head and bait you're using. Small finesse ones can thrown on a MH casting setup with a good finesse reel, but it's not ideal. I occasionally throw an 1/8oz head with 4-6" finesse worms on a 7' MH XF rod with my Daiwa Sol, but a M rod would be much better suited.

I think a Fast action would probably be preferable to XF for most senko and shaky head needs. Either would work, but the F will give you a bit softer tip for throwing lighter baits when you need to.

The length is where it gets tricky. Anything from 6'6" through 7'6" will work, it's mainly personal preference and the conditions you'll face when fishing.

I'd say a 6'9" MH F rod would be a good all around choice for you. Adjust the length to what situations you'll be fishing the most. If you're going to be making long casts to cover a lot of water, you may want to step up in length to a 7' rod. It will help with more distance and better hook sets at long distances (since many Senko bites come on the fall). Also step up if you're going to be regularly fishing baits on the heavy side of the rods' ratings (1/2oz shaky heads, 7" senkos, etc). If you're just more comfortable with a 6'6", don't hesitate to get one. It will work.

Pick a rod that fits the specs and that you like the feel and look of from a good rod manufacturer like:

Dobyns - My personal favorite off-the-shelf rod company. Rods are balanced, well constructed, and perform well.

Falcon - I have limited experience, but they make a good rod, if a bit tip heavy. Oh, and I'm not a fan of the small rear grips on the split grip rods...

G.Loomis - Great performing rods. Own a couple, fished with a few more. Sadly, you're paying for the name. The components and construction just don't compare to many similarly priced rods on the market not. They do make a great performing blank though.

Phenix - Haven't gotten to use one, but heard good things. I'd buy one.

Powell - Another I don't have personal experience with, but wouldn't hesitate to buy.

Shimano - Good sensitive rods, many are tip heavy. They look nice, despite all looking exactly the same now...

St. Croix - Arguably the best built rod on the market. They have great blanks, good components, good looks (with exceptions on some of the new ones). My biggest complaint, and probably the only reason I don't own one is they aren't balanced, especially the longer rods.

BB

[OkobojiEagle]

6 1/2' - 7' fast action tip, medium heavy power, light weight SPINNING ROD.

oe

[Bassboss]

I use a 7' MH F rod, but find it to be a little limber for my liking! A little more power would be PERFECT! If I could get a senko exclusive rod, I'd go with a 7' 2" MH XF casting rod!

[bassboogieman]

7 responses, 7 different answers. It is a personal thing, obviously, with some varriances based upon conditions in one's home water and if you are fishing from the land or in a boat (or other water vessel - kayakers!). Which rod to use is as bad as asking which brand to buy - again, I'll bet you get 7 seven different answers.

Using weightless Senko (style) baits as an example, I've certainly done as NFE recommends and used spinning tackle. From a 6'9" or 7' M/f with 6# co-poly line (change the reel spool) for smallmouth, to a 6'9" or 7' MH/f with (normal for me) 20# braid when targeting largemouth in grass. I use a short 6'3" MH/f spinning rod for skipping them under docks. Casting rods in 6'9" or 7' MH/f with 14# co-poly, again for largemouth in cover.

My point is, I'm one guy and I could use 7 (popular number) different rods, depending upon species and conditions, for throwing a weightless Senko. No one rod is the perfect answer, unless an opinion in offered on a general purpose rod, which I think is what most did.

[Rebbasser]

I use a Falcon Low Rider weightless worm rod. Matter of fact I have 2, one rigged up for a wacky rig and one rigged for a weightless T-rig like a fluke or a senko. Been very happy with these setups. That said, a 6-6 or 7' MH action will work fine. My rule of thumb is a single hook gets either a MH or H rod, and a MH has enough flex to make casting a weightless worm rig pretty easy. Whatever you decide, use what works for YOU, not somebody else. As you can see, everybody has their own preferences so get what you are comfortable with.

[T7HeadTurner]

Just want to say Thank You for everyones input on this thread and the other. You guys put me in the right direction.
Ill post when I get the One, and tell ya'll what I think.

[MallenManson]

I'll be following this thread!
I was recently looking for a good rod for wacky worming.
From what I learned on that subject, it sounds like a drop shot rod would fit the bill

[IowaBasser]

I would use a 6'6" MH spinning rod.

I'm a spinning rod guy anyway, but throwing a weightless worm really calls for a spinning rod in my opinion. Especially if you're throwing anything small.

A 7'0" spinning rod would be fine as well - though I tend to think with spinning rods they get flimsy with that last 6 inches. Maybe it's just what I'm used to, but the 7'0" spinning rods don't have the same strength as the 6'6" spinning rods. If you want something with a little more strength, it seems there are a lot of good 7'0" or longer bait-casting rods - but very few good 7'0" spinning rods. One explanation I've considered is that spinning rods are used primarily for finesse presentations in the bassing community and the rod manufaturers focus on finese rods when making spinning rods.

Back to the question, I would also reccommend Berkly's Nano-Line for weightless worms. I tried the nano-line last year and really like it. There is no question it significantly increases casting distance. I had no knot problems with the nano-line, though I didn't catch any thing over 2-1/2 pounds on it. That said, in my experience if I'm having knot problems, it generally reveals itself on hook-sets regardless of the size of the fish. Example: If I have a weak knot, it is more likely (or equally likely) to break on a good hookset of a small pound-and-a-half-bass as it is likely to break while playing a 4 pounder. So I'm confident with it's not holding strength. What I don't like is the white color. I haven't noticed lack of fish due to line visibility, but I don't fish super-clear water either. I'm guessing line visibility may be an issue for a lot of people here, especially with a finesse (slow) presentation like weightless worms.

I haven't tried a Fluorocarbon leader with the nano-line, but that is something I'd like to try this year.

I'm thinking of picking up a couple of the Bass Pro Shops new "Graphite Series" spinning rods. They're really cheap: $39.99 and I was impressed with their balance and feel in the store. I'm kicking myself for not picking up a couple before Christmas they were on sale for $29.99. (Plus they are available in 2-piece rods - which I like for transporting to my favorite small-mouth canoeing river.)

[Rebbasser]

Hey Iowa-could you elaborate a little on the nano line? I've seen it and am intrigued by it. Is it like braid or more like mono as far as handling it?

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by Rebbasser

Hey Iowa-could you elaborate a little on the nano line? I've seen it and am intrigued by it. Is it like braid or more like mono as far as handling it?

Hey Reb, check out this thread while we wait for IB's answer. Bottom line, I tried it on a spinning reel and will never use it again. Some people love it, but there are plenty in my "hate it" camp also.

[T7HeadTurner]

Originally Posted by Rebbasser

Hey Iowa-could you elaborate a little on the nano line? I've seen it and am intrigued by it. Is it like braid or more like mono as far as handling it?

Yea, I did not like it at all. Did the knot the say to use, well didnt work, try the kinds I like Didnt work.
Yea it cast nice, but Ill stick with McCoy!

[T7HeadTurner]

Originally Posted by T7HeadTurner

Just want to say Thank You for everyones input on this thread and the other. You guys put me in the right direction.
Ill post when I get the One, and tell ya'll what I think.

I got her, 6'6 MH "Herm" by Falcon rods, Paired it with a Lew's Speed Spool and McCoy 10lb test
Caught 4 fish this evening with no problem, Lost one on my second cast. (Lipless Crank).
Its still new so cant really tell yet, but I'm happy. Only Con is that the EVA Foam Grips when wet get slippery, bummer I dont like that at all. Its just for my worms, and pond rod so It should be ok, But thats why I like Cork!

[Rebbasser]

That is a good rod, T7. You will like it.

Thanks for the links on the nano line. Looks like half swear by it, the other half swears at it. Think I'll stick with my P-Line Floroclear and Powerpro.

[IowaBasser]

Originally Posted by Rebbasser

Hey Iowa-could you elaborate a little on the nano line? I've seen it and am intrigued by it. Is it like braid or more like mono as far as handling it?

Nano-line is like very, very supple mono... or maybe the platic "Glide" dental floss would be a beter comparison. I only have one reel spooled with it, which is enough. It comes in handy when throwing very light lures - especially small in-liner spinners and jigs when I fish smallmouth in a small river from a canoe or wading. I like Suffix 832 braid for most traditional bass fishing techniques and for my next line I will probably try InvisX - I need to give FC another chance.

[MallenManson]

Originally Posted by WatterBoy

Hey Reb, check out this thread while we wait for IB's answer. Bottom line, I tried it on a spinning reel and will never use it again. Some people love it, but there are plenty in my "hate it" camp also.

I had it spooled on a spinning reel last year and loved it.
The distance on my casts was greatly improved, and I had none of the issues that several others have had

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by IowaBasser

Nano-line is like very, very supple mono... or maybe the platic "Glide" dental floss would be a beter comparison. I only have one reel spooled with it, which is enough. It comes in handy when throwing very light lures - especially small in-liner spinners and jigs when I fish smallmouth in a small river from a canoe or wading. I like Suffix 832 braid for most traditional bass fishing techniques and for my next line I will probably try InvisX - I need to give FC another chance.

InvisX is great line, one of the most manageable FC's on the market. If you've had bad FC experiences in the past, I'd definitely recommend it.

If you're using a light FC on a spinning reel, I think Sunline Super Sniper has InvisX beat. The 7lb is good stuff, and this is coming from a guy who vowed to only use braid on spinning reels (832 is great too; love this stuff).

BB

[3dkicker]

I use a 7' Lamiglass blank Custom spinning rod that's probably a Med Fast for floating worms. I learned that I needed to pick up slack and let the rod load up slightly before I set the hook or I'd lose the fish. I use a 6'6" Shimano Crucial MH Fast for senko's. It's got probably the most sensitive rod tip out of all the rods I tested in the $100-240 range.