I need some recommendations on a shaky head setup. I just ordered a new Daiwa Tatula 100 left hand in 7.1:1 reel from BPS and I need help pairing it with a rod. I didn’t order a rod with the reel because they didn’t have a selection that appealed to me.

 

The idea of a 6’6” ML rod sounds like the way to go but I want to be sure that it is sensitive enough for 1/4oz shaky head rigs. My budget for the rod is $100 and I also would like some recommendations on FC weight. I’m thinking 12# or 10#?
 

Thanks guys!

How light of shakey heads are you planning on throwing? To me a ML seems a little under powered, but if you're throwing really light ones then maybe.

If you're only using it for that purpose and 1/4oz is what you're throwing ML will work.  But if you want to use it for a variety of techniques I would go with a medium  and consider a fast tip.  I use a BPS carbonlite rod (original and 2nd generation) and find them sensitive enough. I would go with the 10# line.

BPS carbonlite rods and above are solid rods.

If it were me, I'd be looking at Falcon Bucoo, HD, and Jason Christie, or the Fenwick Eagle in the Med. range.

(1/4-1/2oz).

All of these rods, particularly the Falcons fish well above their price point and all are around $100 or less.

 

I'm sure the regular budget rod crew will be shortly to recommend the Daiwa Aird-X as well. I can't because I never had one or used one. I really don't care that much for most of the Daiwa rods I've had so far (Insensitive and stiff), with the exception of the OG Black Labels. But the people that like that kind of rod seem to think highly of the Aird-X.

9 minutes ago, NOC 1 said:

If it were me, I'd be looking at Falcon Bucoo, HD, and Jason Christie, or the Fenwick Eagle in the Med. range.

(1/4-1/2oz).

All of these rods, particularly the Falcons fish well above their price point and all are around $100 or less.

 

I'm sure the regular budget rod crew will be shortly to recommend the Daiwa Aird-X as well. I can't because I never had one or used one. I really don't care that much for most of the Daiwa rods I've had so far (Insensitive and stiff), with the exception of the OG Black Labels. But the people that like that kind of rod seem to think highly of the Aird-X.

Aird-X rods are not stiff. They actually don't live up to their fast action rating at all. Moderate fast is more accurate.

Thanks guys!

Sensitivity have nothing to do with rod power. You need rod that have enough backbone and fast enough tip to drive the hook into fish mouth. Most of shakey head is not exposed or have some weed guard and pretty heavy wire. Medium/Fast would be the lowest I use for shakey head.

Budget at 100 you can find a lot of good rod for that. Daiwa Tatula XT 7’M/F or 7’1 MH/XF might be good for that and many other things.

 

12 hours ago, Glaucus said:

Aird-X rods are not stiff. They actually don't live up to their fast action rating at all. Moderate fast is more accurate.

Like I said, I can't say I've never had one.

 

I was referring to most of the Daiwa rods that I have had. None of them were awful, just not my style.