Thoughts?

For me it is a 7’ mf spinning rod with 15# braid and a 12# fluorocarbon leader tied with the fg knot.

That's a big spread and I personally would never throw anything over 3/8. Any ML-M  spinning rod in a length that suits you will be fine. Mine are from a 6ft 6 witch doctor shaman to a 7ft 6 ALX Mcsmalls.

I use 10lb braid to a 6lb. leader. 

3/4oz guppy head?  Where can I get one?  I was throwing a lot of underspins DJ mini 3/16-3/8 and the northland 1/2oz smeltinator on a phenix feather ML casting rod this fall and thought it was just about perfect for the wide weight range.  If you do have 3/4oz, I'd go up to a MajorCraft Days M/RF casting rod.  I'm braid to 10lb sniper on both of those combos.

 

scott

3 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

That's a big spread and I personally would never throw anything over 3/8. Any ML-M  spinning rod in a length that suits you will be fine. Mine are from a 6ft 6 witch doctor shaman to a 7ft 6 ALX Mcsmalls.

I use 10lb braid to a 6lb. leader. 

I totally messed up. 3/16 to 3/8. d**n.

1 hour ago, softwateronly said:

3/4oz guppy head?  Where can I get one?  I was throwing a lot of underspins DJ mini 3/16-3/8 and the northland 1/2oz smeltinator on a phenix feather ML casting rod this fall and thought it was just about perfect for the wide weight range.  If you do have 3/4oz, I'd go up to a MajorCraft Days M/RF casting rod.  I'm braid to 10lb sniper on both of those combos.

 

scott

You are correct sir I mistyped there. 3/16 to 3/8 is what should have been in the title.

I'm going 7' Heavy Fast. In particular,  the G. Loomis 904 NRX+.

 

By the time you take a 3/8oz head and add a swimbait, you're around 1/2oz +. So going up to a 3/4oz head, that definitely puts me in a Heavy rod.

4 minutes ago, FishTank said:

I'm going 7' Heavy Fast. In particular,  the G. Loomis 904 NRX+.

 

By the time you take a 3/8oz head and add a swimbait, you're around 1/2oz +. So going up to a 3/4oz head, that definitely puts me in a Heavy rod.

 

True, I should have said I was throwing easy shiners and 3" armor shads, which are very light plastics.  But the guppy head has a thin wire hook and it's less in quality than it used to be imo.  You'd have to be careful, I prefer lob casting over over-powering the hook.  And a 904mbr is cheating, it can practically do anything. 

 

scott

23 minutes ago, FishTank said:

I'm going 7' Heavy Fast. In particular,  the G. Loomis 904 NRX+.

 

By the time you take a 3/8oz head and add a swimbait, you're around 1/2oz +. So going up to a 3/4oz head, that definitely puts me in a Heavy rod.

Yep, a lot of folks seem to miss that..

 

There's an old saying in saltwater fishing that holds true for any kind of fishing. 
 

Weight + bait = 

19 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

 

True, I should have said I was throwing easy shiners and 3" armor shads, which are very light plastics.  But the guppy head has a thin wire hook and it's less in quality than it used to be imo.  You'd have to be careful, I prefer lob casting over over-powering the hook.  And a 904mbr is cheating, it can practically do anything. 

 

scott

 

That 3/0 hook is pretty big for a little bait. It might not let the tail do it's thing. Are you trying to get the bait deep?  I use 1/8 to 1/4 Keitech Tungsten Ball Head jigs for 3in Easy Shiners in either a #1 or 1/0 hook. I have no problem getting down to about 15 feet and also no issues with hook ups. 

 

Also, if you like the small paddle tail baits, check out the Xzone Swammer.  I killed it with this bait this past season.  It also holds up better than most. I still do like the Easy Shiner though. 

4 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

That 3/0 hook is pretty big for a little bait. It might not let the tail do it's thing. Are you trying to get the bait deep?  I use 1/8 to 1/4 Keitech Tungsten Ball Head jigs for 3in Easy Shiners in either a #1 or 1/0 hook. I have no problem getting down to about 15 feet and also no issues with hook ups. 

 

Also, if you like the small paddle tail baits, check out the Xzone Swammer.  I killed it with this bait this past season.  It also holds up better than most. I still do like the Easy Shiner though. 

I go right in the middle #2 hook. Recently been testing the 6th sense crappie heads as a lower cost alternative to tungsten balls and I'm a big fan. Always throwing this size combo on BFS.

2 minutes ago, Peacedivision said:

I go right in the middle #2 hook. Recently been testing the 6th sense crappie heads as a lower cost alternative to tungsten balls and I'm a big fan. Always throwing this size combo on BFS.

 

Same. I use the 1/16 heads with the #2 on the 2.75 Swammers and on the 3in 6th Sense Whale. The Whale is another awesome bait. It's like a mini Magdraft. 

if you figure a 1/4 oz for the plastic, you're into a half ounce total quickly.  Even if you're only adding a 1/8 oz plastic like a 2.5" Keitech SIF you're still at 3/8.  On the top end you're 3/8-3/4 total bait weight.  That's completely baitcaster territory forme.  Since I fish Falcon that's a 5 or 6 power (MH or light Heavy).  Which rod and line depends on the cover I'm fishing.  Long casts, rock bottom, and open points?  Either the 7'2" swim jig or the 7'3" Hudson special and 12-14# sunline mono.  Cover, docks, and target casting?  Definitely the 6'10" Head turner and 16# sunline.

If your intent is to shake 'em with FFS I've found the shorter rod to be easier. If you fish clear water and need to make longer casts then obviously the longer rod is the way to go.

 

@Peacedivision I went out after work and took a 1/8oz Keitech Tungsten Ball Head and a 3in Largo Shad. I fished them on a Megabass P5 Whippet and 2000 Twin Power.  I caught 4 and this guy below. I don't know what is special about this head but it works.