All right, I was offered a really good deal on either a 7' medium or 7' medium heavy powered shimano zodias spinning rod.  I wasn't planning on getting another rod, but I've already got an extra spinning reel and I just can't pass this deal up.  I'm looking for an all purpose spinning rod to compliment a 6'10" ml villain (fishes between a ml and a medium) and a 6'6" medium (fishes like a ml) mod/fast vortex.  I use the villain for 1/16-3/16 ounce shaky heads, neko rigs, weightless trick worms, etc and the vortex is pretty much a dedicated ned rig rod.

 

The zodias will throw a lot of different baits (serving largely as a skipping rod, as i prefer spinning gear for skipping way under docks) everything between 3/16 ounce shaky heads, 3/16-5/16 ounce jigs, keitech 2.8 and 3.3, lite topwater, 1/4 ounce finesse frogs, just a little bit of everything.  The suggested lure ranges are pretty similar, 3/16-1/2 and 3/16-5/8.  The lures I will mostly be using hug the lower end of those ranges, but I want to have the ability to set the hook on lighter jigs and small frogs to.  For those of you that own a zodias or three, which power would you recommend?

I use a 7 medium spinning zodias and it’s one of the best if not the best rod I own don’t pass up a good deal specialy not on this rod. I think you’ll be perfectly fine with the medium for what you want to do. I wouldn’t throw anything heavier than 1/2 ounce although I’m sure the rod has no problem doing it. I personally use it for finesse presentations I don’t think I use it for anything heavier than 1/4 ounce but that’s because I prefer to use a baitcaster for those applications.

The correct answer was that you need both rods.    Feed the Bait Monkey, and maybe he will leave me alone. 

 

 

Medium heavy for shure, its got a medium fast taper that let it thorw smaller baits too. I have a bunch of zodias

10 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

The correct answer was that you need both rods.    Feed the Bait Monkey, and maybe he will leave me alone. 

 

 

The question is, do you really want him to leave you alone?

 

3 hours ago, d-camarena said:

Medium heavy for shure, its got a medium fast taper that let it thorw smaller baits too. I have a bunch of zodias

Do you have any of the spinning rods?

 

14 hours ago, Burro said:

I use a 7 medium spinning zodias and it’s one of the best if not the best rod I own don’t pass up a good deal specialy not on this rod. I think you’ll be perfectly fine with the medium for what you want to do. I wouldn’t throw anything heavier than 1/2 ounce although I’m sure the rod has no problem doing it. I personally use it for finesse presentations I don’t think I use it for anything heavier than 1/4 ounce but that’s because I prefer to use a baitcaster for those applications.

Does it have the backbone for setting the hook on 1/4 ounce frogs?  The upper end of the lure weight range doesn't really matter to me, I'll be fishing stuff on the light side of it anyways, so it's just hooks sets I'm worried about on the medium and being able to cast light stuff with the medium heavy.

Yes i have the medium and medium heavy. If fishing below the mediums max rating then get the medium

12 hours ago, d-camarena said:

Yes i have the medium and medium heavy. If fishing below the mediums max rating then get the medium

Thanks everyone for all of the replies, super helpful especially since I can't find much info on the spinning models of the zodias.

 

Does the medium have the backbone for frog hooksets on Jr. Pad crashers? How would the stiffness compare to 6'6" medium Abu vengeance, 7' medium st. Croix triumph, or 7'mh Abu vigilante?  

If the 7' medium zodias is about the same stiffness as a medium powered Abu Garcia spinning vengeance (ie, a good bit heavier than rated) and can set the hook on finesse jigs and little pocket frogs, that's definitely the one I'll get.

Thanks guys, I went with the 7' medium power.  I've had it out for half a dozen trips now (spooled with 10 pound braid) , and thought i'd do a quick review.  So far I've only thrown 1/8 and 3/16 ounce shaky heads and 3/16 ounce jigs, but the rod handled both pretty well.  It is a little stiff to get maximum distance with a 1/8 ounce shaky head with a tiny 4 inch finesse worm, but it does get a good 60 feet out of it, which is enough for most of my fishing.  Jury is still out on weather I like it or my 6'10" ml villain better for 1/8 ounce shaky heads, but I am leaning slightly towards the zodias with the exception of skipping docks. The zodias is a little more sensitive than the villain (but not by much), and I am starting to like the extra backbone for hooksets. 3/16 ounce shaky heads and 3/16-5/16 ounce jigs are right in the rods sweet spot.