bigfruits

sorry, meant to ask OP about reel. maybe if its new and hes only thrown a-rig theres an issue with it he doesnt know about.

you think the crank rod he is using is too slow? sounding more like a reel issue. how does your reel do with 1/2oz or so baits?

if you take a picture of the top half your rod held straight out parallel to the ground with the bait tied on, we could prob tell right away if its too heavy for the rod. most heavy rods are rated up to 1 or 1.5 oz but not all rod companies have the same ratings. 2.5oz seems way high though for a heavy.... are you not going further than 15 yds because you are afraid to whip it hard because the bait feels heavy? a-rigs prob have more wind resistance than most baits but even with an under powered rod you should be getting more distance than that. if you are new to baitcasters, loosen the tension knob and/or brakes.

he is describing the salt water lure you are having issues with. what is the total weight of the bait? if under 2oz, sounds like your rod might be rated higher than it is ideal for.

buy quality the first time or you end up spending more. id start with spinnerbaits, small soft paddletails, shallow cranks, small jigs and worms. the small whopper plopper at at sunrise/sunset. weightless senko (or other stickbait) wacky rigged. dont worry too much about color of the lures. white or baitfish color for the moving baits and green pumpkin for the others will work fine to get started. wear eye protection (sunglasses) against sun and treble hooks.

asking about go to rods is very specific to where a person lives and fishes. where do you live and what are your lakes/rivers like? if i only had 3 rods for largemouth bass fishing id have a medium, medium heavy and heavy. all fast action about 7'. id pass on the deep cranks. M - shakey head, senko, small topwater, jerkbaits, shallow to med depth cranks, squarebills, lipless in open water, small paddletails MH - jigs, t-rig, bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, lipless in grass, larger topwater/cranks/paddletails H - pitching jigs/t-rig to cover, carolina rig, frogs, small hard swimbaits

the $22 rod i was speaking about is the tatula rod not the shock. i just looked it up and it retails for $100. if the $22 is in the post above is not a typo, it seems like a great deal. edit: disregard - misread the post. $22 is the shock.

no experience with either rod but a MH should be fine for frogs. when you have a fat fish and 5lbs of grass on then you will wish you had the heavy. the $22 might be heavy and unbalanced tho, making you not want to fish it as much. hopefully im wrong and its a steal. at $22 maybe you have a decent cutbait rod for striper or catfish if it doesnt work out.

a MH casting rod should be good for 1/4-3/8oz plus plastic. both spinning and casting will work. pitching with spinning is very easy just not as subtle. ill lightly press my left index finger on the spooled line to slow it down. i'd opt for a MH or a Med on the heavier side (St. Croix). XF or F. ive used and recommend these: MB Destroyer Daemos NRX 852 or 852s (lightest id go) st croix avid or better 68mxf old loomis BCR or BSR 803 GLX (you would have to find these used) haven't used these but id look into them: Conquest 843 (if money is no object) NRX 853 new GLX 803 (or 853 if it exists)

mine range from 6'6" to 7'6". depending on what im using it for.

you can find 09 aldebaran mgs all the time for sale.

low ball offers can be fun. counter with a price higher than your listed price.

had both, traded my 873 and never looked back.

i like 15 or 20 on spinning reels. make sure youre closing the bail with your hand. I use PP yellow but i dont have much experience with other brands to compare. the yellow is so that i can see it. i color the last 8 feet or so with a black sharpie. not sure if it helps but it gives me confidence and lets me know how deep i am in shallow water. i never use a leader but the water i fish is always stained. when the bite is on, id like to hear the results of two co-anglers in clear water tossing the same bait, one with leader the other straight braid. i know a lot of other variables other than clear water might affect the outcome, but results saying that the leader outfished the braid by a good amt would probably have me trying out leaders in my stained lakes and rivers.

GLX 844 would be a great option. Ive only fished the old version but i am certain that its more versatile than the FMJ. Loomis has a great replacement plan (for a fee) should you break the rod so you can treat them like $100 rods on the bank. St. Croix has a similar plan. you really need want 2 rods to fish walking 1/4oz topwater and 1/2oz jigs.

the FMJ is my favorite jig rod in a mix of other MB, NRX, GLX and St. Croix LE rods. i dont think you would be happy casting 1/4oz total weight on the FMJ. The Daemos might be a better option, another of my favorite rods in the quiver. the 1/4oz total weight might still not load the Daemos as much as youd like but totally doable. 1/2oz jigs (plus plastic) would be the heaviest i'd throw on it. not because the rod would break but because of comfort, accuracy and control. I think the Daemos would be a better pick for the moving baits on your list unless you are throwing into a mess and need the power of the FMJ. The Aldebaran 50 is a sweet little reel. Probably not the best choice to chuck a 1oz bait a mile but should hold up to moderate pitching.

ive had the best luck with fed ex

i keep hearing great things about that 7'3" rod. light weight, excellent sensitivity and on the lighter side of heavy and slower side of XF. how well do they balance?

the new MB XXs are coming out soon if you can wait a bit. supposedly a nice improvement to the previous lineup which is fantastic. my favorite spinnerbait rod is a short 6'6" Loomis - GLX 783 (old version). to me this is the perfect action and power for spinnerbaits and the length is great for roll casting in wood. for long casts i grab something longer. for an all around spinnerbait rod id go about 7', MH, Fast. some like moderate fast.

im a fan of the 6'8"mxf but ive only fished the avid and LE versions.

he did show patience. got his head right and did some laps.

7lb sniper FC

id pick the daemos or a glx 843. loomis has a great plan where they replace it if you break it ($100 shipped). if value is not a huge issue, id grab the daemos. even over my nrx 843. just my opinion though. id say if this all around rod is going to be used mostly for moving baits, get the glx. bottom contact and single hook moving baits - daemos.

I have been throwing small swimbaits a bit these last two years and wonder what colors you guys use in our generally stained waters. ive been having good luck with bass colors, do you prefer baitfish, bluegill or unnatural colors? thanks! -z

Megabass, Loomis, St. Croix. Would love to try a Kistler