Moving into the hotter months where a shakey head may save the day from getting skunked ... What is your current shakey head rod , reel and line set up ? 

6' 10" M/XF LTB

Pflueger Supreme XT 30

8lb HI-SEAS Grand Slam fluorocarbon coated copolymer

Medium power Cajun Delta full grip spinning rod

Daiwa Luvias 2500H (getting a good cleaning right now)

10 lb 832 with various leaders based on conditions.

 

This is the same set up that does 70% of my fishing.

For deeper water it's a 6'9" MLXF 1/8 - 1/2 oz. rod built on a US made Liberty blank with a split TN handle made from woven graphite with EVA trim and the Microwave guide train, and a Shimano Sahara 2500FB spooled with Power Pro 6/30 (It's the only braid I had laying around, but will probably drop to 15 or 20 in the future).  It's only been in service for a coup of weeks, but thus far, I'm impressed.  It's going to suit the niche I built it for quite nicely.

 

For shallower water and/or target casting and close quarters work, it's a 5'8" Cabela's XML MLXF 1/8 - 3/8 oz. with a split TN handle of woven graphite and EVA trim, and a Shimano Sahara 1500FB spooled with 6 lb. mono.

2018 Megabass Orochi Shakey Head rod

Shimano stradic ci4+ 2500

8 lb sunline sniper

Dobyns dx702 casting

Lews tournament pro

10lb Tatsu

 

 

Well, that really depends on what I'm going to fish with the shakeyhead. 

I use a Shimano Stradic 2500 and a 6'8'' St. Croix Avid M XF.  

 

On a side note, years ago when this technique hit the mainstream, I would see a lot of guys out in the middle of the lake shaking their rods up and down with no bites.  All I saw was frustration.  I really have not had much confidence in this technique since.  I'd rather work a bait slow and easy.  Of course, that doesn't mean it doesn't work.

Megabass Destroyer Addermine 6'11" Med Fast

Shimano Stradic Ci4+ FB

10# Sufix 832 and FC leader

Custom built 6'8" M/XF spinning rod on a Batson Rainshadow Revelation blank. Daiwa Revros 2500 spooled with 10lb original Power Pro braid, and I use either 8 or 10lb Seguar Red Label FC leaders. This rod/reel does more than just shaky head fish for me, it also serves as my Neko rig, flick shake, and weightless plastic skipping rod.

7'0" M/F Fenwick Aetos + Pflueger Patriarch:

 

Currently spooled with 15# power pro slick + 8lb Yo Zuri hybrid leader.

6'10 medium zodias casting rod. 7.1 reel. 12Lb fluoro

Shimano Scorpion 70XG, Shimano Cumara HM-1 6'8" Med./Ext. Fast, McCoy Fluoro 8lb., also works well with tubes, grubs, finesse jigs, MOJO Rigs etc.. Brian.

Extreme hp 702c core50 10 to 8 pound tatsu or tactical at the moment. Up to 3/8 oz.  1/2 ounce I'll go a imx 843, or a emft orochii xx. 15 tatsu. 

To clarify : Your typical 3/32nd oz. ~ 3/16th oz. Ball Head Jig ; Trick Worm / Finesse Worm Shakey Head ... Could also be used for Neko Rig or weightless Senko duty .

6' Pro Qualifier rod Medium fast.

Daiwa 2500 Fuego reel.

10lb. mono main line.

3' Red Label floro leader.

This also gets used for dropshot and other light weight presentations.

7'2" Envy M spinning rod

Quantum Smoke 25XPT

20# Smackdown braid

8# invizx leader

G-Loomis Mossyback BSR 852

Shimano Rarenium Ci4+ 2500FB

15lb Sufix 832 main line

8lb Seaguar Invizx leader

Casting;

Major Craft Iovino 6'8" MF Slash-It Rod, works for doddling or shaky jigs.

Daiwa original Fuego reel with 11 lb Armilo.

3/16 to 1/4 shaky head jigs or 3/16 oz brass n glass T-rig doddled.

Spinning;

Major Craft MHF 7' rod.

Shimano Stractic 1000 with 5 lb Maxima UG.

1/8 to 1/4 oz shaky, dart, wacky jigs and a other finesse presentations.

Tom

 

Lew's 6'6" MF spinning rod with Pflueger 30 XT Supreme reel. 10# test Power Pro Pro braid with 7# Sunline leader. This is also what I use for my Ned rig.

 I built mine on a IMMS610MXF blank and paired it with a Stradic 2500 and 8# XPS fluorocarbon.

"Shakes Head" is another term we use that may mean different things to different people. When I use it, I'm referring to a finesse worm on a stand up jig head. Typically a 7' ML  xf spinning rod , 2500 reel light braid maybe a leader if abrasion is a concern. likely a 3/16 jig and pin tail worm.

Same concept here, I lately use 1/10 oz mushroom head pair with Hula grub, baby brush hog and finesse worm. For any other floating (Elaztech) I use owner ultra ball head 1/16 - 3/16. The rod and reel would be 6'11 M/F Crucial dropshot rod pair with scorpion 70 or any of my Shimano 50e series.

Just ordered spotsticker crawler head 1/8 to try since I fish a lot in weedy area land mushroom head type is harder to work with.

 

I broke down and bought a couple spinning rods for finesse.  Originally was going to try everything with a baitcast rod, but I am not that skilled below 3/16 oz.

 

One I hope to dedicate to Ned Rigs.  The other for "everything else".  Hopefully a 6'10" MLF rated 1/8-1/2 oz. and 4-10 lb. will be okay for "everything else".  Reel is a 2000 Procyon.  Line to be determined, but I may break the mold and try a 6# fluorocarbon.  Or save some $$ and use the 6# Excalibur or 6# Ultracast Ultimate-Mono I already have.

For those that use a braid mainline - do you believe you could still have an effective shaky head set up using a ML/F or M/F vs. a M/XF spinning rod ?