manmountain8@yahoo.com

I know this is an old thread, but I still found it when I was searching for the right type of rod for casting Panther Martins for stream Trout, so someone else might too. I finished my research and thought I'd share what I learned. I can answer the original question and clear up the debate over the best action for inline spinners. Grimlin was in fact, correct, and this can be corroborated by any article on rod actions and what they are used for. A slow or moderate action is best for any lure that is being reeled in to make it work, and especially with treble hooks. When a lure is being reeled in fast and a fish hits, it exerts much more force initially because of the speed of the lure. This is what they are talking about when they say your rip the treble hooks out. You need more give in your rod set up to act as a shock absorber. This is exactly what a slow or moderate action gives you. The moderate action rod bends more easily overall than a faster tip which is designed more for quick hooksets like in walleye jig fishing. It's also best to use monofilament which stretches and acts as a shock absorber. If you have a fast tip rod you should set the drag loose and make sure not to set the hook too hard or you can rip the hooks out. Especially if a big fish hits really close to you. I use a 7 foot medium moderate action rod because I cast size 6 and 9 Panther Martins for large Trout.