I guess I need to warm up to using fluoro. I’ve always been a braid guy, and I feel so blind the small amount of time that I have used fluoro. I just feel like I have no idea what’s going on down there with the lack of sensitivity. 

6 hours ago, Catt said:

Kistler Helium 

HE7045HMH

7'0" Heavy Medium Heavy X-Fast

I like a longer rod myself

Mojo Bass (pre Trigon)

7'5" MH/XF

More of a MH-H as it's rated to 1&1/4 oz lure weight.

 

5 hours ago, August said:

I guess I need to warm up to using fluoro. I’ve always been a braid guy, and I feel so blind the small amount of time that I have used fluoro. I just feel like I have no idea what’s going on down there with the lack of sensitivity. 

I am opposite.  I'm ok dragging a jig with braid when there is little slack.  But if I am working cover, I feel much more with fluoro. 

9 hours ago, August said:

I guess I need to warm up to using fluoro. I’ve always been a braid guy, and I feel so blind the small amount of time that I have used fluoro. I just feel like I have no idea what’s going on down there with the lack of sensitivity. 

Try some hybrid copoly line. Not as expensive as pure fluoro, nor as much a mess to deal with. Or just use braid to leader, whether mono/fluoro/hybrid. Just make sure to use a really strong knot.

On 12/24/2024 at 4:23 PM, August said:

Why no braid? Couldn’t you just use a 4 power when you’d normally you a 5 and 5 when you’d use a 6?

Braid doesn’t work for main steep deep rocky structure lakes where I fish, rocks tear up braid plus zero feedback on slack line.

5 & 6 power custom ALX Jig rod are ideal for me, the 5 power for lures 1/4-1 oz, the 6 power for 3/8-1 1/4 oz. I use the 5 power for nothings and T-rig worms, shorter casts to 30-35 yards. 6 power for jigs casting over 40 yards up to 50 yards a little more force applied for good hook sets.

Tom

PS, Merry Christmas/ Happy New Year.

12 minutes ago, WRB said:

Braid doesn’t work for main steep deep rocky structure lakes where I fish, rocks tear up braid plus zero feedback on slack line.

5 & 6 power custom ALX Jig rod are ideal for me, the 5 power for lures 1/4-1 oz, the 6 power for 3/8-1 1/4 oz. I use the 5 power for nothings and T-rig worms, shorter casts to 30-35 yards. 6 power for jigs casting over 40 yards up to 50 yards a little more force applied for good hook sets.

Tom

PS, Merry Christmas/ Happy New Year.

Thanks Tom, Merry Christmas! 

MH/F or MH/XF depending on the rod manufacturer.  Probably 95% of my jig fishing is around some type of brush, rock, or vegetation.  I've lost more bass by them getting buried in cover than I have by the bass throwing the hook.

If you get a good rod, power and action have no bearing on sensitivity, so let's rule that out. Generally, I prefer an XF taper for jigs except in the case of really heavy cover. For rods rated above one ounce and used for punching heavy weeds, I want something a little more moderate. I want the entire XXH rod involved in the lift and separate hook set I use for getting big fish out of heavy weed cover. It's not my favorite type of rod, but this is what works for this situation, and that's more important. I use this same type of rod for frogging in slip as well. 

On 12/25/2024 at 12:47 PM, August said:

I guess I need to warm up to using fluoro. I’ve always been a braid guy, and I feel so blind the small amount of time that I have used fluoro. I just feel like I have no idea what’s going on down there with the lack of sensitivity. 

If your not feeling them with flouro you probably just need more time with it. I've never thought there was a night and day difference between it and braid.

Mod fast for me.  Braid or Fluorocarbon when you set the hook you're moving the rod tip what, 10ft in some cases.  A faster rod isn't just poking a hole with the hook tip it's blasting one or tearing a big hole.   The Hook can fall out easier in a fight.  A slower rod is still moving 10ft of line but not doing the same sort of impact.  That's what I found at least.

Braid-Mod Fast

Fluoro- Fast or Xtra Fast

On 12/25/2024 at 6:53 PM, MediumMouthBass said:

Try some hybrid copoly line. Not as expensive as pure fluoro, nor as much a mess to deal with. Or just use braid to leader, whether mono/fluoro/hybrid. Just make sure to use a really strong knot.

Braid to a 10ft 20lb fluoro leader with an FG knot worked awesome for me this year. 

On 12/27/2024 at 8:16 AM, J Francho said:

If you get a good rod, power and action have no bearing on sensitivity, so let's rule that out.  

So you’re saying that a 2 power extra fast spinning rod has the same sensitivity as a 6 power, slow crankbait rod? I know that’s an extreme example but wouldn’t there be a difference in sensitivity to a lesser degree between more similar rods? 
Thanks

16 minutes ago, August said:

So you’re saying that a 2 power extra fast spinning rod has the same sensitivity as a 6 power, slow crankbait rod? I know that’s an extreme example but wouldn’t there be a difference in sensitivity to a lesser degree between more similar rods? 
Thanks, -August 

If they are made from a quality blank, sensitivity in both should be good enough that you can't tell the difference. Why do you think they would be drastically different? My AVC70MM is no less sensitive than my AVC70MXF.  How a rod bends doesn't equate to relative sensitivity.  

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

If they are made from a quality blank, sensitivity in both should be good enough that you can't tell the difference. Why do you think they would be drastically different? My AVC70MM is no less sensitive than my AVC70MXF.  How a rod bends doesn't equate to relative sensitivity.  

Huh interesting. I’m my brain it seems like you’d get way better sensitivity the lighter the power and faster the action. Maybe that’s just me though. 

On 12/24/2024 at 5:41 PM, A-Jay said:

For any single mostly stout gauge hook presentation such as jig, spinnerbait, Vibrating jigs and even some of the meatier single top hook swim baits,

I totally prefer a MH or even H moderate fast stick, and it's often some combination of graphite & Glass.

Especially when I'm launching casts well away from my rig.

Having the benefit of video replay allows me to see exactly what's going on with the gear I'm using.

I want my stick to look just like this on long distance hooksets and then as long as I am able to keep reasonably tight on the fish, maintain that bend to put the fish in the Frabil.

btw, I use FC 95% of the time, sensitivity has never been an issue and I get a few. 

 

A-Jay

 

 

That's actually a great picture imho...

21 minutes ago, RB 77 said:

 

That's actually a great picture imho...

Thanks ~ I've got a few one them I like

but this one is right up there for me too.

(it's my screensaver right now too)

https://youtu.be/ex3v1uogEcg?feature=shared&t=80

A-Jay

7 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Thanks ~ I've got a few one them I like

but this one is right up there for me too.

(it's my screensaver right now too)

A-Jay

 

Nice!

On 12/24/2024 at 7:41 PM, A-Jay said:

For any single mostly stout gauge hook presentation such as jig, spinnerbait, Vibrating jigs and even some of the meatier single top hook swim baits,

I totally prefer a MH or even H moderate fast stick, and it's often some combination of graphite & Glass.

Especially when I'm launching casts well away from my rig.

Having the benefit of video replay allows me to see exactly what's going on with the gear I'm using.

I want my stick to look just like this on long distance hooksets and then as long as I am able to keep reasonably tight on the fish, maintain that bend to put the fish in the Frabil.

btw, I use FC 95% of the time, sensitivity has never been an issue and I get a few. 

 

A-Jay

 

What’s your go to rod for  jigs 1/2-3/4oz if you don’t mind me asking? 
I’ve been looking at an Expride 7’4 heavy mod-fast and the IMX pro 844 MBR, but I’m open to any suggestions. 

 

 

 

23 hours ago, August said:

What’s your go to rod for  jigs 1/2-3/4oz if you don’t mind me asking? 
I’ve been looking at an Expride 7’4 heavy mod-fast and the IMX pro 844 MBR, but I’m open to any suggestions. 

I have no experience with the rods you've listed.

However, I do not recall anyone ever complaining that they were bogus stick.

My choice and the blank pictured in my OP is a 

TW exclusive Daiwa DX Type-H Glass Reaction Casting Rod 7'3" Heavy.

I think it was $88 bucks at TW. (Somehow I ended up with 7 of them)

They have since discontinued this stick and instead offer these two.

Both very reasonably priced.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Daiwa_DXB_Bottom_Contact_Special_Casting_Rods/descpage-DDBXBCS.html

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Daiwa_DXB_Glass_Reaction_Bait_Casting_Rods/descpage-DXGRB.html

A-Jay

 

Thank you! Is this also the rod you use for bladed jigs and spinner bait?

@A-Jay I love that handle design. It's just like my Dobyns Champion Extremes with the full rear cork and smooth locking nut that hides the threads. 
 

Speaking of, I like the 744 and 745 for what the OP wants. 1/2 to 3/4 aren't exactly what I'd call heavy jigs, so I'd prefer a faster stick. 

58 minutes ago, J Francho said:

@A-Jay I love that handle design. It's just like my Dobyns Champion Extremes with the full reader cork and smooth locking nut that hides the threads. 

Me too @J Francho - It's what initially drew me to check them out in the first place.

That and they were essentially giving them away at the time.

A-Jay

1 hour ago, August said:

Thank you! Is this also the rod you use for bladed jigs and spinner bait?

Yes and Yes . . 

My sticks are 'rated' for 1/2 to I think 1 1/2 oz.

But with 15 FC I throw 3/8 Wiggle Wagons with a Zako Trailer no problem.

Also I rarely fish spinnerbaits less than 1/2 oz and most are pushing 3/4 and more.

A-Jay

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/profile/13860-a-jay/?status=6989&type=status

 

 

My Braillist consistently brings fish to the boat with 15 - 17lb FC.

On 12/24/2024 at 4:56 PM, LonnieP said:

Tom might have a different reason, but I prefer FC for its slack line sensitivity. I’ve detected strikes that I know I wouldn’t have felt if I were using braid.

plus in my experience most braids float.  so the line does the parabola thing down to the bait.  until you start picking up the line and working the jig.  I get so many jig bites right at the splash.

 

I want a faster action rod..with a moderate tip.  I like how the looser tip lets me work a jig slow, so when I tap the movement, I dont imagine my jig doing huge 3 foot jumps underwater.  then I want to shaft to get fast..if that makes any sense.  my X-Bites kills as my bottom contact light jig rod.