10,000 lakes Bassin

My all purpose MH might be giving up the ghost. This Expride is on my radar to fill that gap in my arsenal because of the Mod-fast action and extra length. I’m curious how this model handles the lower end of its rating. Say from 3/8-1/2oz total weight. Anyone using it in this weight range for much time? How did it handle these weights? Thanks.

Any idea what they are doing?

Any idea if the RC or the RC light would be a better match? You’d go with a #6 on the mavrik instead of a #5 when going with that BKK?

Yep I’m talking about the Zillion. I just realize I didn’t clarify that very well.

@woolleyfooley I was looking at a cheaper power pitch also and had it narrowed down to a coupe exprides and the Zillion 7’2 H. Heavy rods haven’t been an area where ive put a lot of money in the past so this is my highest end heavy rod. Because of this I don’t have a great reference point to compare this rod to, but I don’t have any complaints so far after about 4 months of use. I’ve used it for 3/8-3/4oz jigs, swimjigs, T-rigs, 6in line-thru swimbaits, smaller glides, mag flukes and lots of other stuff. No complaints about sensitivity. It is definitely not a pool cue of a heavy and loads fairly deep but has lots of power. It’s a greatw jig rod for me because it has a fast enough tip to work jigs through grass, plenty of power to bury a heavy wire hook at the end of a bomb cast, and loads deep enough to keep head shaking fish pinned at the side of the boat. I’m considering getting a heavy Expride pretty soon so I’m definitely interested to compare the two.

Nothing wrong with the #5 redlines but I wore some out and Im trying to decide whether to buy more of the same hooks or try another brand. Curious if anyone has tried another hook on this bait and found one that still let it suspended well. Thanks.

I guess I’ll pay attention to the spools I got and see how it goes.

Oh really? Ive heard of issues with the bulk spools but not about the 165 or 200yd spools. Just picked up a few of the small spools and youve got me nervous.

What else can it handle? A whole lot more in my experience. I was in the exact same boat as you, wanting this model but not being a big jerkbait fisherman. I ended up pulling the trigger and getting one. Ive used it with fluoro for squarebills with good success but after putting braid on that setup it’s been more versatile for me. Ive used it for small to midsize topwater with great results so far. I don’t think you’ll have any issues with it being too fast. Also don’t be afraid to try single hook moving baits like keitechs on a medium or light wire jighead. I rarely throw them but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be a perfect rod for a Minimax or light wire swimjig around more open water also. Good luck with your decision and let us know how it treats you if you end up with it.

what about a 5/0 flashy swimmer with the blade removed?? Am i crazy?

Do you think the 6/0 beast would be too much? I dont have any 4/0s right now.

You guys don’t think that a 4/0 beast is too small for the 4.8”?

Does the a-rig bite start to heat up out there this time of year? Ive been meaning to jerry rig a 4 dummy, one hook “Minnesota rig” and test that out. We’ll see.

Congrats on that tank! Are you going to bumb your PB on your profile up to 6-7lbs??

Oh I see, the MH you use is close to a heavy. If I’m out of the thick stuff I do the whole give and take thing but when I’m up in pads mixed with pencil reeds, and coontail matted on the surface in between, any slack line normally doesn’t end up well. I give them a good hookset and get their head turned and up out from where they ate my frog and then winch them to the boat. Sure a heavy isnt going to be as light as a M or MH but if a little extra weight means I’m land exponential more fish it’s wort it to me.

I’ve done a fair bit of frogging on a MH, and I’ve dumped more nice fish than I want to admit. I’m going to stick with at least a heavy from now on. I’m curious how to manage to keep fish from burrowing in pads, hard-stem reeds, and matted grass on long casts with a MH? I have no problem with hook sets but if they are able to turn their head and dive down it’s a coin flip if I get them in the boat in my experience.

All I could find is a Ned head, do they have a full size head also?

I was scrolling through TW and I saw the Spro Skip gap football shakeyhead new from icast. No screw lock but I wonder if it will hold plastics better than a standard head. Also with the way that hook is turned you wouldnt have to punch through much plastic. Might be worth a shot. Heaviest head is 1/2oz.

A bit off topic but had anyone here bought anything from three rivers tackle? If so how was the buying experience? Thanks

I’ve actually been on a little topwater kick lately also. How’s the casting distance on that 105 vs the 125?

This definitely describes my year so far

I’m specifically looking at the Nichols depth finder. Wondering what weight (1oz or 1.5oz) would be best for working 16-22ft grass lines at a pretty good speed. I don’t want to be dragging on bottom but I want to be only a few feet up. Thanks!

When stroking a jig in 30-40ft how heavy of a weight do you recommend?

Ive been doing basically the same thing with a uni knot on my strolling baits. I know a uni is not the strongest but with light line I’m using my drag anyway, and I trust a uni more than a loop knot.

Thanks guys! Yeah it’s very helpful for structure too and I definitely have a better understanding on how to use it for that rather than for targeting schooled fish. Lots of the time I’ll see huge schools suspended at 30-40ft over 50-70ft of water. To me it looks like some prey species ( whether it be crappie, perch, whitefish, etc I’m not sure) and sometime I’ll see what looks like a larger/predator species ( not sure if it’s bass, pike or jumbo crappie) under the schools of bait. I’ll waypoint the schools and circle back with traditional baits that guys use to target schooling fish but I’m yet to catch any of these. Because they are down so deep ive never seen them come up to the surface. I’ve seen @WRB-2.0 recommend structure spoons and I plan on trying them soon also.