New to fishing, and I had a question. What purpose does a medium light rod have (Spinning). Is this a crappie/ blue gill type of rod OR more of a Bass/ trout rod? Meaning, what kind of weight or fishing is recommend.  Also what would be some good types of lures/ plastics to go along with a medium light rod. Finally, Just general information on rods types and meanings would be super helpful.

Thanks in advance.

 

Spinning or baitcaster?

Spinning

I like ML spinning rods for drops shotting in open water or very sparse cover.

WELCOME aboard! The ML action is very versatile. You can use it for float fishing, Senko fishing, crappie & perch....just about anything. What species are you targeting and what kind of water are you fishing? That would make a suggestion about it's specific use and what kind of presentation might work best for you a little easier.

Check out this thread it may answer a lot of your questions:

 

Great drop shot, light shakey head, weightless plasic, and small topwater rod! 

Light line (4-8lb), small hooks (#1/0 - #12), smallish lures (1/16 - 1/4oz) for anything that'll try and eat them.

I guess my main worry is trying to reel in a fish, and ending up breaking the rod. But to my understanding from what you guys have said, is that I can use it for anything (bass, sunfish, crappie, small, large, blue gill, trout) with being inbetween the correct guide lines of the ML rod  (light line, small hooks, smallish lures) ? What are some things not to do with a ML rod?

It really depends on your preference.  I use ultralite spinning setups for bluegill to big snook. I'm a ultralight nut and proud of it.

I consider anything medium for saltwater.  Heavy is just too much. That being said, I have chased many fish with the boat to recover line. But that is just silly old me. What you feel is best, is best.

Weightless senkos all day long!!

Darn near everything  crappie, bluegill, white bass, largemouth, smallmouth...most everything finesse basin.' My overall favorite power of spinning rod.

-T9

Wouldn't worry about breaking it on a fish unless you "high-stick" it, over bending it. I use a 7ft 4in ML for 4in senkos, shakey heads, and dropshot. Caught fish up to 6.5lbs on it with no issue. You won't be able to horse them in quickly but the fight is a lot of fun. 

I use an ML for a lot of things: Shaky heads and other "jigworm" presentations, slider-heads, light grubs and tubes (1/8oz), ned rig, mojo/split-shot rigs, drop shotting, small inline spinners, and even small crankbaits and topwaters sometimes (like a rebel craw or pop-r). An ML is great for crappie, bluegill, perch, & trout, too. 

8 minutes ago, Paxthejedi said:

I guess my main worry is trying to reel in a fish, and ending up breaking the rod. But to my understanding from what you guys have said, is that I can use it for anything (bass, sunfish, crappie, small, large, blue gill, trout) with being inbetween the correct guide lines of the ML rod  (light line, small hooks, smallish lures) ? What are some things not to do with a ML rod?

You won't be winching a big fish in with an ML spinning rod.  Proper setting and use of the drag will be important to learn.

Welcome aboard!

I use ML, and M spinning rods for all my
bass fishing, which is primarily soft plastics,
so an ML is a good match for a lot of what
I do.

What everybody else has said. Set the drag properly and don't worry about it. I have caught fish that weighed over 40lbs on my ML-XF drop shot rod. My heaviest spinning rod is a M, and most are ML or lighter. 

A lot of good comments - I would add to learn to back reel - amazingly big fish can be landed back reeling.

I am echoing other comments.  I only have one spinning rod I use and it's a ML/XF (lure weight 1/16-5/16 ounce).  With 10# braid and 8# FC leader I've landed a 15# muskie and 20# carp in river current.  Lots of fun and with the drag set properly there's no reason you can't land even big fish with a ML power rod.

You won't regret getting a ML for the variety of soft plastics you'll fish with it. Give some thought to the fast/x-fast actions better suited for the soft plastics and a longer rod will get the line off the water faster. Hook set will be faster.

Let us know what you do and how you are doing with it.

Great Ned Rig rod. Also good for throwing light jigs, roadrunners for crappie.

Crappie

I use ML spinning rods for most of my smallmouth fishing on both rivers and lakes. Jerkbaits, plastics, in-line spinners, top waters etc. I use 8 & 10 pound braid with  10 to 20 size reel.

I use my 7' avid x ml as an all around finesse rod. Love it

Very versatile rod. You can fish small senkos,  4 inch finesse worms, light hair jigs, small spinners etc. As been stated, 6 or 8 lbs line and a 1000 or 2000 size reel. Use a sweeping hookset,  and learn good drag setting,  or backreel with your spin reel. Good luck . Fishing a setup like this is great fun

If I could only have one rod to cover all my bases (species) it'd be a 7' ML/F spinning rod. Gills, crappie, bass, walleye, pike, ned rig, whacky rig, drop shot, neko, weightless plastics, small topwater... it's a pretty versatile rig.