I had a NRX 822 DSR. Since I wasn’t really drop shotting very much, so it didn’t make sense to have such a high end rod. I sold it. I have been going back-and-forth between an Expride M and ML. It seems like the M is a little too firm and the ML is a little too soft. I know they aren’t drop shot rods. I use weights between 3/16-5/16 primarily. Any thoughts?

Knowing those rods and having loving my GLX 822dsr, I would go Medium.  Truth be told, I may buy another.

I throw weightless senkos on the M. IMO its a little to heavy for drop shotting. No experience with the med/lt. currently I’m using a Dobyns champion extreme 702 for drop shot. It a really nice rod for a relatively reasonable price. I’m sure not as good as the Loomis but a lot more affordable. Might be worth checking out. 

Rodney, I am still a DS novice, but the more I throw it, The more I question featherlight rods.  The rig usually weighs more than a weightless wacky and I am usually throwing it deeper.  My hooks are NEKO or 1/0 worm hooks......not quite a Bubba set-up. That said, not all mediums are the same.  My Alpha is far stouter than most, .  Next year I will have 2 or 3 setups that can be rigged for DS

I do a ton of drop shot fishing and I have been on the search for the perfect drop shot rod and up until this year, I have yet to find it.  The reason I think I haven't found it was because I was searching for one in the wrong power.  Everyone says drop shotting is a fairy technique and you need the lightest power possible to feel those finesse bites, but those super light sticks are whippy and often just not enough backbone to truly handle larger fish, especially smallies who get mad that you are trying to take them out of the water.... And, I have always thought (been told) that the perfect drop shot rod is less than 7' long, ie 6'10", 6'11" max.....

 

So I stumbled onto a Shimano Cumara Medium Power rod that was presented to me as a drop shot rod.  I decided to try it.  When I got it was WAY heavier in weight than any other drop shot rod I had ever held and the balance with today's lighter reels was AWFUL (ended up putting a Shimano Exsence 4000 on it to balance it out).  And it was longer, 7'2".  I immediately, without fishing it decided it wasn't going to work.  But I thought it would be a good Senko rod, as it was rated 1/8 to 3/8.  I got out on the water last Monday and decided as I was going to try the Cumara out, what the hell.  Man, was I wrong!   The rod performed flawlessly.  Caught 15 fish, never lost a single fish, never felt under powered, never felt like the rod was overpowering the technique and the extra length helped with casting and controlling fish around the boat.   I was so intrigued by this whole Medium Powered Longer Rod for drop shotting that I tried a Daiwa Cronos 7'3" 3/16 to 1/2 oz Medium Powered Rod yesterday and same thing, it performed flawlessly.  Hooked and landed three fish, *** lb bass and bonus fish, a 20" brook trout.  

 

My point with all this babbling is that I have fished the Expride 6'10" ML rod and the 7' Light+ Rod, and both are WAY to soft to be a good drop shot rod.  They are way TOO light in the backbone, it is almost a moderate feeling action, and because of that it is way too soft in the tip and to me that made accurate casting difficult.  I have the 7' Expride Medium, and historically I would never grab a Medium powered rod for drop shotting, BUT based on my recent experience with the Cumara and Cronos, I would go there first before going to something softer.  The Exprides are super sensitive and I think through the entire rod lineup, they have pretty great actions (the ML and Light+ aside).  And too your first point, having really expensive rods hanging around for a technique you won't do through most of the season, a 7' Medium Expride is good for Senkos, small swimbaits, small swimjigs, top water and jerkbaits.   SUPER versatile rod that can fish many techniques.  If it were me (and I am going to now that your post got me thinking about it) I would try the 7 medium first, before trying anything softer.   Good luck and let us know what you decided to do and how it goes.  

Nice post SA. 

10 hours ago, shimanoangler said:

I do a ton of drop shot fishing and I have been on the search for the perfect drop shot rod and up until this year, I have yet to find it.  The reason I think I haven't found it was because I was searching for one in the wrong power.  Everyone says drop shotting is a fairy technique and you need the lightest power possible to feel those finesse bites, but those super light sticks are whippy and often just not enough backbone to truly handle larger fish, especially smallies who get mad that you are trying to take them out of the water.... And, I have always thought (been told) that the perfect drop shot rod is less than 7' long, ie 6'10", 6'11" max.....

 

So I stumbled onto a Shimano Cumara Medium Power rod that was presented to me as a drop shot rod.  I decided to try it.  When I got it was WAY heavier in weight than any other drop shot rod I had ever held and the balance with today's lighter reels was AWFUL (ended up putting a Shimano Exsence 4000 on it to balance it out).  And it was longer, 7'2".  I immediately, without fishing it decided it wasn't going to work.  But I thought it would be a good Senko rod, as it was rated 1/8 to 3/8.  I got out on the water last Monday and decided as I was going to try the Cumara out, what the hell.  Man, was I wrong!   The rod performed flawlessly.  Caught 15 fish, never lost a single fish, never felt under powered, never felt like the rod was overpowering the technique and the extra length helped with casting and controlling fish around the boat.   I was so intrigued by this whole Medium Powered Longer Rod for drop shotting that I tried a Daiwa Cronos 7'3" 3/16 to 1/2 oz Medium Powered Rod yesterday and same thing, it performed flawlessly.  Hooked and landed three fish, *** lb bass and bonus fish, a 20" brook trout.  

 

My point with all this babbling is that I have fished the Expride 6'10" ML rod and the 7' Light+ Rod, and both are WAY to soft to be a good drop shot rod.  They are way TOO light in the backbone, it is almost a moderate feeling action, and because of that it is way too soft in the tip and to me that made accurate casting difficult.  I have the 7' Expride Medium, and historically I would never grab a Medium powered rod for drop shotting, BUT based on my recent experience with the Cumara and Cronos, I would go there first before going to something softer.  The Exprides are super sensitive and I think through the entire rod lineup, they have pretty great actions (the ML and Light+ aside).  And too your first point, having really expensive rods hanging around for a technique you won't do through most of the season, a 7' Medium Expride is good for Senkos, small swimbaits, small swimjigs, top water and jerkbaits.   SUPER versatile rod that can fish many techniques.  If it were me (and I am going to now that your post got me thinking about it) I would try the 7 medium first, before trying anything softer.   Good luck and let us know what you decided to do and how it goes.  

I have that 7’ MF Expride too, and have not played much with dropshot. I comment only to say it’s my favorite spinning rod for lots of techniques. I look forward to hearing what the quoted angler reports on its applicability to dropshot technique. 
 

I think my biggest thing would be whether or not it could cast the light rigs well enough. I’ve heard it has trouble below 1/4 oz DS weights. 

Well I can report this, that I fished that 7 ft medium Expride all day today as a drop shot rod and I caught and landed six fish over three pounds and the rod handled all of them beautifully and I had no problem casting my drop shot rig at all.  The Expride rods are super sensitive and I could actually feel fish picking up the bait and on my other rods that I use for drop shotting, I can't feel that.   On my other rods all I feel is heavy when I start to pick up the bait with the tip of the rod.  With the Expride I can actually feel the line jump or move when a fish would pick it up.   I LOVE that rod.   Best value in fishing.   ?  And super versatile to boot!! 

2 hours ago, shimanoangler said:

Well I can't report this, that I fished that 7 ft medium Expride all day today as a drop shot rod and I caught and landed six fish over three pounds and the rod handled all of them beautifully and I had no problem casting my drop shot rig at all.  The Expride rods are super sensitive and I could actually feel fish picking up the bait and on my other rods that I use for drop shotting, I can't feel that.

Sounds perfect. How light of a weight can it competently cast?

8 hours ago, Scud_Mufffin said:

Sounds perfect. How light of a weight can it competently cast?

Due to conditions, I didn't throw anything lighter than a 1/4 oz all day.  It threw the quarter a mile, and it handled the 1/2 oz weight I used for a little while when the wind and waves picked up.  Was like fishing Millacs at time today.   3 and four footers rolling at me most of the afternoon.   

26 minutes ago, shimanoangler said:

Due to conditions, I didn't throw anything lighter than a 1/4 oz all day.  It threw the quarter a mile, and it handled the 1/2 oz weight I used for a little while when the wind and waves picked up.  Was like fishing Millacs at time today.   3 adn four footers rolling at my most of the afternoon.   

Thanks!

I use a Tatula 7'1" ML rod that is Daiwa's Drop Shot rod. It's a fantastic rod for up to 1/4oz weights.

It's great caster, and really balanced too. Sensitivity is really great, it's no noodle, and fights fish really well.

Seems like it's right up your alley. It's a versatile rod, I am able to use it for lots of different presentations.

the 6 10 ml is a sweet drop shot rod for lighter weights