Toeshots

I had it out for a short while last weekend and I really liked the extra power when pulling jigs from the brush. Rod felt great all-in-all. that said, it was freezing cold and windy so I didn't stay long nor did I catch anything. Going to be about 50 here today do I will be taking it out again and hopefully I'll catch something this time!

LOL that's great

Make sure you factor in the handle length when looking at rods. Longer rods tend to have longer handles, so that 7-footer may not be drastically longer from reel to tip. I am 5'7" and was convincing myself to stick with 6'6" rods and under. After doing the research and posting here, I decided to go with a 7' MH for pitching. I finally got a chance to use it this last weekend and it felt very comfortable. I found it was easier to pitch with than the 6'6" rod I also had with me. I would say that 7' should be the shortest you should go with for a pitching just to have a little extra distance and leverage. The longer rods will also pick up more line on a hookset which can sometimes help correct mistakes.

I also thought the power rating was a little more in line as compared to my Avid, however the M power Rage still felt a little bit stouter than some of the other rods I was checking out and certainly seemed to have a nice backbone, especially for the M power. Can't wait until mine arrives.

Thanks for the review. Mine should be here in a few weeks. I went with the 6'8" M/F to be used mostly for lighter T-Rigs. Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll come early enough for the mid 50's forecasted for next weekend!

I too was after a glass rod but after doing the research went graphite with the St. Croix Premier Crankbait Rod 6'6" MH/M (Medium Power was too whippy). I haven't had a chance to use it yet as it's winter in the Midwest, but it is easily one of the highest reviewed rods out there. For instance, the BPS site has 29 reviews (28 5-star and 1 4-star). Plenty of praise other places, too. It may not mean much, but it looks and feels great in-hand, plus a 5-year warranty to boot!

The Tournament Pro looks sweet! I'm still searching for two 7:1 gear ratio baitcasters for my lonely jig and worm rods. Frontrunners are the Lews TP and the Okuma Helios at this point, especially considering you can get both these reels NIB for around $150 shipped all day on eBay. Still have 3+ months before fishing season starts, though, so no rush at the moment.

Anybody have this in Smoke color? How is it? I was browsing eBay for some cheap bulk spools and saw this as a color, however I don't recall seeing this color at BPS the other day...

Getting a college degree is crucial in today's world. I know that this will cut into the time spent on the water, but it will give you a very nice backup plan should something go awry.

I think the Bitsy Flip was a great choice to start with (or many times really). I started Jig and Pig fishing a few years ago and before that was almost exclusively a T-Rig worm guy. An important step is getting out on the water and really developing a comfort/understanding of what the jig feels like underwater as compared to your standard worm fishing. At the end of the day, though, the biggest thing is landing that first bass, as confidence is everything. Force yourself to go out there with just a jig setup and see what happens. It make take some time, but I guarantee it will pay off in the long run as jig fishing really is a way to catch more and bigger bass. Also, you should really make sure you have the proper equipment to do it right. I have learned a lot here and as long as you have a baitcaster with a 6.X:X gear ratio or higher and a MH rod, you'll be in good shape. Just make sure you up the strength of your preferential line. Good luck!

I want to expand my frog fishing this year and would like to start by adding some of the soft plastic frogs to my arsenal. I am referring to the plastic frogs that you burn across the top (legs create almost a buzzbait action) such as the Zoom Horny Toad or the Rage Tail Toad. I already have a few SPRO's so I want to add some of these other soft plastic frogs for more versatility and also to cover more water in a given time. So my questions are: 1) What is your preferred soft plastic frog? 2) How do you rig it? 3) What hooks do you use with your rig? Are they weighted?

What do you guys primarily throw on the 7'M/F? I have a free SC Rage Rod coming and need to pick the model I want. I was considering getting the 7'1" M/F for T-Rigs as it should a little bit stouter than a "standard" M and I generally don't throw any substantially weighted plastics. Or I may just sell the Rage, but I don't think I'd get as much for it as I'd like.

Yes, I do agree that the MH power is right for this type of fishing, however I was a bit concerned that this particular rod has heavier power than I'd need.

Good point.

How do you like your Rage? I have a free one coming for buying two St. Croixs and was pondering whether to sell it keep it. If I don't sell the Rage, I'd probably use it for my spinnerbait rod. Just need to figure out what length/power/action I'd want the Rage to be so I can send the paperwork into SC.

I think that was my issue - that I can't head straight out to the water to give it a test run and would spend the next few months wondering if I made the right choice. The responses in this thread have made me feel much better.

Thanks. This is exactly what I was hoping for - that this MH will cover all the bases and provide that little extra power should I need it.

Definitely, although this thing is pretty firm for a MH. It may not hurt to have the extra power should I need it, though, as long as I'm not losing sensitivity while doing the bulk of my fishing.

I'm playing around with the SC Avid 7' MH/F I bought today and am wondering if I have too much rod for pitching 3/8 - 1/2 oz jigs into light-to-moderate cover. Should I have gotten the M? The MH feels pretty stiff. I want this to be my main jig/work rod. I can swing back to BPS tomorrow and exchange it for the M if need be. Unfortunately, I won't get a true test for at least 3 months

Alright, so I bought the Avid 7' MH/F and the Premier Crankbait 6'6" MH/M (medium was too whippy) which means I have a free incoming Rage. I know it's not the most popular rod, but is it worth keeping since I'm paying nothing for it? I don't know what I'd dollar-wise get if I tried to sell it. Probably not a much as I'd like... Anyway, if I do keep it, I'm thinking this could be a good candidate for the Spinnerbait Rod. As such, I'm looking at the 6'8" MH/F, M/F or M/XF. Will the Medium have the backbone to drive the hook through? Is there a benefit to an XF tip for spinnerbaits? Here's a link to the possible options: http://www.stcroixrods.com/product/rage I know their rods can run a little firm, so maybe the Medium would work?

Just a heads up for those looking at the Premier Crankbait Rod - I was dead set of the M/M until I got to BPS and got it in my hand and quickly realized the M/M is pretty darn whippy. If you are buying one sight-unseen then I would recommend the MH/M and up. The 6'6" MH/M felt just right to me so that's what I ended up with.

Thanks!

Does anyone know the approximate IPT number after increasing the gear ratio to 7?

Is there a noticeable drop in sensitivity when using a leader?

Sorry to bump an old thread, but just seeing if anybody else has purchased this reel? It has really peaked my interest, but there aren't many reviews to be found out there. Also, for you guys that already had it, are you still liking it?