My finesse setup is a ML/F Dobyns fury paired with a Pflueger President XT. (15 lb. braid mainline w/ an 8 pound flouro leader) I just bought some 4 inch senkos and some 1/8 oz. VMC wacky jigs. Will the ML rod be heavy enough for fishing that in open water/light cover? I fished it for about 10 minutes earlier and got 2 bites, but missed them on the hookset.

Should be fine.  I fish mostly water under 10 ft. so I prefer a 1/16 head for a slower fall.

It should be fine.  The VMC wacky jig are pretty light wire.

As others have said, should be fine. I throw a wacky weightless senko on a 7'1 MH/F spinning rod just fine.

 

5 minutes ago, Junger said:

As others have said, should be fine. I throw a wacky weightless senko on a 7'1 MH/F spinning rod just fine.

Do you generally throw it in fairly heavy cover? That sounds pretty heavy for a wacky rig, but then again, I don't have much experience with that rig...

Nope, it’s more of my all around spinning rod but works fine for wacky rigs. That’s why I think a ML would work just fine it open water too.

Caught over a dozen tonight on that rig with a ML rod, 10 lb. braid with 8 lb fluoro leader...hundreds on it over the past couple months. It will work fine.

 

10 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Caught over a dozen tonight on that rig with a ML rod, 10 lb. braid with 8 lb fluoro leader...hundreds on it over the past couple months. It will work fine.

 

Nice. Do you have any problems with hooksets/missed fish with that rod? I got at least two bites today and missed them both on the hookset. There was a third tap, but I didn't set the hook because I thought it was a rock.

6 minutes ago, EGbassing said:

Nice. Do you have any problems with hooksets/missed fish with that rod? I got at least two bites today and missed them both on the hookset. There was a third tap, but I didn't set the hook because I thought it was a rock.

What size hook are you using?

11 hours ago, EGbassing said:

Nice. Do you have any problems with hooksets/missed fish with that rod? I got at least two bites today and missed them both on the hookset. There was a third tap, but I didn't set the hook because I thought it was a rock.

You'll always miss the occasional fish. Sometimes they only get the end of the worm. Sometimes they're either not bass or too small. But by and large, you should hook and land more than you miss. I lost/missed 2 definite bass tonight but landed 13. Get enough bites and you'll figure out hook setting technique. Oftentimes I'll double set depending. Too stiff a rod can cost you fish and casting distance, too, so it's a trade-off. The jighead in the pic is 1/16 oz with a No. 1 hook 

From time to time I will even use my ML XF rod for Texas rigged Senkos with a 3/0 EWG.  Usually this is when fishing with my wife and only because she is most comfortable with that rod.  She has no problem driving the hook through the plastic and she often ends up out fishing me.  Though it is a St. Croix rod (Avid X 6'9 MLXF) and they generally seem to fish a bit heavier than their ratings.  However, I would not hesitate to throw anything with an exposed hook on a ML.

I fish a ML Quantum Smoke and it does fine.  I probably do lose more fish, but the fightin' is much more fun!

My watching paint dry, I mean wacky rig rod, is one of my crappie spinning rods. It will be fine.

Yup - I have a original Powell Endurance rod that is set up for shaky head.

It works just great as my st. croix LTB wacky rod with softer backbone.