By mistake I ordered the 7'3 H instead of the 7'3 XH. Didn't realize my mistake until the rod showed up. Was planning to make the 7'3 XH a frog setup. Would the 7'3 H still be a good frog rod? I have a 7'4 H on order and plan to make it my jig/swim jig/ big single hook bait rod. 

I wasn't even aware the 73H existed in the lineup. Not sure I've ever seen it mentioned before.

3 hours ago, Phantom46r said:

By mistake I ordered the 7'3 H instead of the 7'3 XH. 

 

Mistake? Heck you might like it better!

 

I have gotten rid of all my casting heavies except for one- and I never use it.

 

For froggin' I use a MH. I don't like casting heavies any more. Might as well use a broomstick.

 

I also have backed down to a MH for flipping and pitching as well. I just don't see the need for such heavy tackle all the time and I live in one of the most dense vegetation states in this union.

 

Why so heavy? And EXTRA heavy? Why?

73h has a stinger tip per the googles, I feel like that's getting snapped in half on your first good frog hook set.

@Peacedivision I wasn't aware there was a 7'3 H either, knew about the 7'2 H.  Its the EXC73HSB. Looks looks I'll be sending it back tomorrow.

The S rods are all solid tips. I guess this was meant as a heavy strolling casting rod? I can't find any details on the rod besides specs on retailers sites, so no real idea of Shimanos intent here.

2 hours ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

 

Mistake? Heck you might like it better!

 

I have gotten rid of all my casting heavies except for one- and I never use it.

 

For froggin' I use a MH. I don't like casting heavies any more. Might as well use a broomstick.

 

I also have backed down to a MH for flipping and pitching as well. I just don't see the need for such heavy tackle all the time and I live in one of the most dense vegetation states in this union.

 

Why so heavy? And EXTRA heavy? Why?

I’ve done a fair bit of frogging on a MH, and I’ve dumped more nice fish than I want to admit.  I’m going to stick with at least a heavy from now on.

I’m curious how to manage to keep fish from burrowing in pads, hard-stem reeds, and matted grass on long casts with a MH? I have no problem with hook sets but if they are able to turn their head and dive down it’s a coin flip if I get them in the boat in my experience. 

I hear ya, but from my experience, MH rods vary quite a bit from M to H. The MH I have a frog on now is a MH F and just about a broomstick as well. It is more than enough to handle a frog and good size fish. I could not imagine going any heavier. But to each their own. I just never saw the need for it.

 

Age has turned me away from heavier rods. At 21 maybe a H was easier to handle than now at 61.

 

I really enjoy loading up a rod into the backswing and unloading it into the cast. H rods don't bend into the backswing for me like lower power rods do. They tend to be super stiff. Not enjoyable to cast to me.

 

Losing fish has not been a problem for me. Controlling them has not been a problem either.

 

Curious when a bass is lunging do you try and stop them? Or, do you give slack and wait until the fish has stopped the lunge before trying to steer it back to you? I wonder if the people who want super heavy super stiff rods want them strictly for fish control? Do you really enjoy using such heavy rods?

 

I try and do some give and take rather than just try and muscle them into the boat all the time. I guess I seek more of a balance than me being over-armed for the mission.

 

To me, this is what using a H and XH "feels" like...

 

1 hour ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

do you give slack and wait until the fish has stopped the lunge before trying to steer it back to you?

 

Oh I see, the MH you use is close to a heavy.
If I’m out of the thick stuff I do the whole give and take thing but when I’m up in pads mixed with pencil reeds, and coontail matted on the surface in between, any slack line normally doesn’t end up well. I give them a good hookset and get their head turned and up out from where they ate my frog and then winch them to the boat.
Sure a heavy isnt going to be as light as a M or MH but if a little extra weight means I’m land exponential more fish it’s wort it to me. 
 

Thats probably a killer pitching rod though. 

On 8/3/2025 at 2:55 PM, FloridaFishinFool said:

 

Mistake? Heck you might like it better!

 

I have gotten rid of all my casting heavies except for one- and I never use it.

 

For froggin' I use a MH. I don't like casting heavies any more. Might as well use a broomstick.

 

I also have backed down to a MH for flipping and pitching as well. I just don't see the need for such heavy tackle all the time and I live in one of the most dense vegetation states in this union.

 

Why so heavy? And EXTRA heavy? Why?

Indeed, I agree.