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Old 05-31-11, 08:58 AM   #1
AUFred
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Being under-rodded? Kind of like undergunned. I was fishing with a medium light rod with very little backbone Saturday. I made a very long cast and got my best bite of the day. I watched a bass of about 6 pounds do a dance on top before throwing my bait.
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Old 05-31-11, 09:48 AM   #2
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Hmmmm... Yesterday, actually. Lol. It wasn't a 6lber though... And it wasn't my rods fault. I blame it on the crappy hook provided in the package of z-man swimmerz I bought. The swimbait itself is AWESOME, great action and fish can't help themselves. But if the hook isn't a gammy, trokar or a mustad, it isn't sharp enough. And I made the mistake of using that stupid hook z-man gave me.... But never again will I lose a fish because of something like that.

Other than losing that fish, yesterday was a great day. 2 chain pickerel and 6 largemouths, in that order (for whatever reason)
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Old 05-31-11, 10:20 AM   #3
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I tend to fish rods a bit heavier than I really need most of the time. I'd rather have too much power than not enough.

What are you fishing on a ML rod? I'd reserve a ML rod for only baits I couldn't throw on a M.

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Old 05-31-11, 10:52 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigBassin144 View Post
I tend to fish rods a bit heavier than I really need most of the time. I'd rather have too much power than not enough.

What are you fishing on a ML rod? I'd reserve a ML rod for only baits I couldn't throw on a M.

BB
I fish a really clear pond where sometimes even 6 pound line is too much. I have two baitcaster Pro-Lites I use 6 pound test on. ML rod works well with 6 pound test. What got me Saturday was I was using a 3/8 oz bait and making really long casts. The strike occurred just as the bait landed. I could not get enough umpf at that distance with the light rod.

I have never been a fan of heavy rods even for worm fishing. Personal preferences I suppose. I find with a medium or a medium heavy I can get enough for a solid hook-up.
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Old 05-31-11, 11:43 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigBassin144 View Post
I tend to fish rods a bit heavier than I really need most of the time. I'd rather have too much power than not enough.

Same here. I can compensate for a rod that is too heavy much easier than I can compensate for a rod that isn't heavy enough.
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Old 05-31-11, 12:59 PM   #6
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What type of lure were you fishing?

3/8 is right at the top of most ML rods' lure ranges, so that was likely a problem. Depending on the lure, a hookset at the end of a hard cast can tough on many rods, so a ML would just make this problem worse.

Now I would fish say a 3/8oz jig on my 7'8" H/F jig rod. On the other hand, a 3/8oz crank would likely be thrown on my 7'6" MH glass cranking stick. 3/8oz spinnerbait would be thrown on my 7'3" MH/F rod.

When I eventually get a good finesse combo (like a 7' ML/F rod with a Daiwa Pixy or Alphas 105 Finesse), it will likely be for 1/16oz shaky heads, weightless worms, wacky rigged finesse worms, etc. Stuff that I can't cast on a regular casting setup.

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Old 05-31-11, 01:27 PM   #7
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Quote:
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What type of lure were you fishing?

3/8 is right at the top of most ML rods' lure ranges, so that was likely a problem. Depending on the lure, a hookset at the end of a hard cast can tough on many rods, so a ML would just make this problem worse.

Now I would fish say a 3/8oz jig on my 7'8" H/F jig rod. On the other hand, a 3/8oz crank would likely be thrown on my 7'6" MH glass cranking stick. 3/8oz spinnerbait would be thrown on my 7'3" MH/F rod.

When I eventually get a good finesse combo (like a 7' ML/F rod with a Daiwa Pixy or Alphas 105 Finesse), it will likely be for 1/16oz shaky heads, weightless worms, wacky rigged finesse worms, etc. Stuff that I can't cast on a regular casting setup.

BB
It was a square billed crankbait. Since the fish hit so quickly there was probably still some slack in the line. The ML rod was just not able to compensate for the distance and possible slack. Sure was a pretty fish. I upgraded to slightly stiffer rod in 6'-6" v. the 6' I was using. I am not a fan of the 7'-0 and longer rods unless I am flyfishing.
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Old 06-01-11, 07:19 PM   #8
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Don't know, all of my rods are MH.
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Old 06-01-11, 09:36 PM   #9
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I made this mistake back in 1977 fishing a local lake. I was using a black 1/4 oz maribue jig with a 6" Mr Twister lizard for a trailer. I was using a 6'6" spinning rod with "lots" of action as my old man used to like. The bass were hitting that jig nearly eveery cast and every single one shook loose durring the fight. I never made that mistake again!
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Old 06-01-11, 09:42 PM   #10
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I know what ya mean. Being able that I have only bring one rod I usually when I go fishing, and a variety of baits, that rod is not always equipped for throwing 6" swimbaits and 1/8oz texas riggs. I make due though! Fishing frogs with a 6'6" MH rod ain't the best either!
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Old 06-02-11, 03:10 AM   #11
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Based on what you described, I would be inclined to think that the rod you were using was not under-gunned from the perspective of being "weak" but rather as you have surmise in your third post, the culprit in this case if the cast is as far as you say, might have been the length of the rod and sufficient slack in the line.

Another possibility; although the fish usually impales itself and tightens the line for us, there are those rare cases they take a crank and come toward us (and we already have a slack line) and that is never a good situation to be in. Getting a good hook set would be slim.

If not either of those, it would come down to the adage, "you win some, you lose some," and I most certainly do not like the latter. Sorry you lost that battle. I can definitely relate and have been there.
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Old 06-02-11, 08:15 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by islandbass View Post
Based on what you described, I would be inclined to think that the rod you were using was not under-gunned from the perspective of being "weak" but rather as you have surmise in your third post, the culprit in this case if the cast is as far as you say, might have been the length of the rod and sufficient slack in the line.

Another possibility; although the fish usually impales itself and tightens the line for us, there are those rare cases they take a crank and come toward us (and we already have a slack line) and that is never a good situation to be in. Getting a good hook set would be slim.

If not either of those, it would come down to the adage, "you win some, you lose some," and I most certainly do not like the latter. Sorry you lost that battle. I can definitely relate and have been there.
I hope my upgrade to a stiffer ML in a 6'-6" will help that. I am not scrapping the old rod. I found an older reel and I think with baits under 1/4" and shorter casts I will see better hook-ups with it. Thanks for the comments guys.
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