bigturtle

Im looking for a ML, XF spinning rod for a friend as a B-Day gift. He mainly uses small jigs (1/8oz-1/4oz), weightless plastics and dropshot. Occasionally uses 1/4oz inline spinners. The rod can be single or 2 pieces, preferably around 7' long. Budget is around $100. Any recommendations?

I do both, but I think I use a nose hook more than a wacky.

whats good about that crank?

Thats the molix vario crank. Il teach you something that may help you in the future. If you see a picture on the net, and want to find out more about it, go to google images and click on the little camera icon on the right hand side of the search bar, search by image. Copy paste the image URL or the image itself onto there and you will find all the sites that posts the pic, or similar pics.

megabass popmax, heddon tiny torpedo and daiwa pop n skater.

I dont decorate my rods/reels with flashy parts. Want to, but no money to.

Zebco horizon spinning rod was the first rod i owned. Owned many fishing poles before then, but the zebco was the first rod that i had to put a reel on

Are livetarget walking frog hooks that much harder to undo than other baits?

20lb braid. attach mono leader for topwater, fluorocarbon for jerkbait

yes, water will seep in and it will break very soon.

sht happens.

those are called switchblade jigs

switchblade jig?

you throw weightless plastics in 20+ feet of water? why would you wait for 20-40secs every cast just to use that lure? talk about inefficient.....

wheres north? are we talking about Canadian north? or US north?

my sister uses a short Uglystick Lite with a Daiwa Underspin, which is a spincast located under the rod instead of being on top. Got a titanium line picker so i can spool braid onto it. As far as matching it up, most tend to favor baitcast rods because they are meant to sit above the rod. Personally, i dont mind the Daiwa Underspin, but I hate the spincasts that sit on top.

maybe probably you already answered this one yourself If a lure is spinning around, that means something isnt straight. whether it be the blade, the line tie, the hook, the trailer, the jig, whatever. something isnt straight.

no it doesnt

Fenwick HMG is a very good rod for sub-$100.

Im ganna recommend the Fenwick Aetos. Slick rod, pretty darn good sensitivity, and lifetime warranty.

I only fish mine in clear/semi stained water. Since I dont add rattle to mine, I dont feel they are worth the time in dirty water. I had most success with stick worms in semi stained water. In ultra clear water, i prefer more narrower worms or other plastics.

The reason a fish can throw a hook is due to the fact that there is a large weight (large, being relative to the hook size) attached. Imagine a crankbait, with whatever hooks you want, attached. When you hook a fish, the weight of the crankbait is free to swing around, thus creating something like a pendulum. That pendulum can swing the hook out of a fish's mouth, because it can create force onto the hook, in a direction other than facing you (your line pressure). This is the cause of most hook throws, other being you didnt hook them properly. This is also why flies are so much harder for the fish to throw off, because there is no external weight attached. This is more relevant when the fish is hooked onto the belly hook, less when its on the back hook. This is also why people dont want the fish to jump out of the water. Not only is it harder to keep a tight line, the fish can swing your lure around, and use its weight against you to throw the hook. In your case, when you add a swivel, as opposed to a split ring, you are adding more weight overall, and creating more distance between the hook and the weight. When you elongate the arm of a pendulum (your hook-weight connection), it also makes the weight swing around more freely, thus increasing the chances of it adding pressure the wrong way, not to mention it looks bulkier to the fish. It also doesnt help that you arent pulling on the "weight", like in crankbaits, so its always free to swing around. Adding swivel to a crankbait can help, or worsen the situation, depending on how the swivel is added. If the swivel is buried in the crankbait (not added onto the line tie as an "upgrade"), it can help with preventing the hook from becoming lodged in a single position, and get thrown off by the twist of the split ring against the hook/body. If its added on later, it increases the distance between the hook and the body, allowing the fish to create more momentum when they are thrashing around, and can help them unhook themselves.

Hootie, you my hero

If you stop the lure right above the water, and give a little jerk, it reduces the splash.

How does adding a swivel help reduce a fish throwing the hook? Theres same amount of leverage, if not greater, from you adding a swivel instead of a split ring. Making the weight spin doesnt accomplish anything.