What’s your favorite minnow shaking setup? Looking for something that’s affordable and won’t break the bank. I’m gonna force myself to learn this ffs minnow shaking deal so I figure I might as well start out with a setup that suits those needs

What depth are you fishing and what size bait?  For a 3” mooch minnow on a 1/8 oz head (for me, that’s a 10’ or less summer time option or if what I’m seeing might be crappie) I like a lot lighter rod than if I’m throwing a 3/8 head and a 5” driftfly which is a 40’ depth setup.  

I would say I will be 15-20 fow or less. Most likely an 1/8th oz head with a 3-4” bait

I've learned you need at least 2 and preferably 3 rods with different weights at the ready. 

I'm no expert with FFS but I couldn't believe how much those rascals move around. 

You have to get it within a few feet of them fast or they will leave.

I shook a minnow a lot during the 2025 bass season and these are my conclusions

Minnow shaking is a specialized technique that is easier with specialized equipment.

 

I use Shimano rods so I started with an SLX-A 7 foot M/F spinning rod.  It was ok but a little stiff for what I wanted to do. (1/8 oz heads).  I was muuch better with heavier (3/16) heads.

Used a Curado 7 foot M/F that had more tip action and things were better- light head/ 5 inch lure.

Now I am using an Expride 7'2' ML that's very good for lure action and keeps the fish pinned better.

I'm looking forward to trying a solid tip rod, but it's a bit more expensive.

BFS should work great for this application. Dobyn’s Sierra SUF700C solid tip rod coupled with Ark BSF reel combo isn’t expensive.

Tom

@Anfrobodine- I’m with @Reel on this one.  What I’ve come to like is a soft tip that loads up easily with the bait you’re throwing.  Sometimes you only get a quick flick of the wrist on a moving fish and lining up a perfect overhead cast where you can really load the rod isn’t in the cards.  That happens some time, but a lot of time it is a side hand flick at an odd angle to the boat.  To that end, with a 1/8 and 3-4” (I’d recommend also picking up some 3/16 heads for the same reason ranger jockey said) you’re in ML territory.  I have the poison adrena 7’2” and it’s a great rod for it and is the analog to the expride that reel has.  Probably more than you want to spend, but the zodias in the same spec would be a good choice also at the $200 price point.  I have the shorter ML zodias and use it for the same application with the smaller minnows like this.  I like just a little more tip than it has so the 7’2” would be a good choice.  Pure sensitivity isn’t critical so you can get away with lower end rods, just make sure they have a light and fast tip.  

 

@Reel- if you get or handle the solid tip expride, make sure you write a review here.  I am considering the M+ for bigger baits.  The 7’2” PA ML will handle a 3/8 + 5” plastic but that’s pushing it a little more than I prefer.  Not sure I’m going to do it or go another route but I am probably getting something.  

I found "minnow shaking" to be boring;  only took one season to have my fill.  No more video games for me.

@Tackleholic- fair enough.  I too love throwing a vibrating jig though 2’ shallows with sparse grass or topwaters across flats.  But some lakes, some days, some times of the year you can’t beat shaking a minnow.  And if you’re interested in catching more than just bass you’ll find that there are plenty of other things that eat 3” minnows (like everything in the lake).

2 hours ago, Tackleholic said:

I found "minnow shaking" to be boring;  only took one season to have my fill.  No more video games for me.

Agreed it is boring but it catches fish. I tournament fish a lot and I’m tied of getting my teeth kicked in by it. How’s that saying go….if you can’t beat them join them? That’s where I’m at

Thank you @Reel and @casts_by_fly for the very helpful info. I have been looking at the intenza and zodias model tbh. I’ve been using a 7’ m slx for the little I’ve dabbled with a minnow and it jut doesn’t do it for me. What minnows do yall prefer to throw? I hear everyone talk about the sakamata shad but they seem impossible to get

 

I find it an oxymoron wanting to go cheap on a rod and reel to use with a $2k+ tv setup. 
 

@Anfrobodine I don’t own a boat or any kind of water craft for that matter so zero experience with the technique but 13 fishing is offering rods specific to the technique in both the Oath rods at $99.99 and the Myth rods at $199.99 respectively. Also a you tube search will bring you to a few different rod manufacturers that are offering technique specific rods or at least options that you might consider.

9 minutes ago, Motoboss said:

I find it an oxymoron wanting to go cheap on a rod and reel to use with a $2k+ tv setup. 
 

I didn’t say cheap, I said affordable. I don’t wanna spend $1-2k on a technique specific combo. I’d like to keep it in the $500 range

1 hour ago, Anfrobodine said:

I didn’t say cheap, I said affordable. I don’t wanna spend $1-2k on a technique specific combo. I’d like to keep it in the $500 range

I’m not sure I can say the name of the company but Polish Pete does a whole series on rods for strolling/minnow shaking and again although I don’t have a need for the rod/rods I really enjoyed watching the series. If anyone knows if the name of the company is safe to use on here feel free to insert it and if it’s not and you want to know send me a PM and I’ll let you know that way. Also I stopped at Cabelas yesterday and although out of my budget I handled the St Croix PHYSYX series rods along with the more budget minded Black Bass series spinning rods and dang they both felt nice in the 6’-10” med light extra fast and 7’-3” med light extra fast rods respectively.

Edited November 23, 2025Nov 23 by Eric 26
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@Anfrobodine for $500 total combo, I would grab a JDM stradic and put it on either an expride or PA depending if you prefer cork or not.  I think both would come in at that price point but with the exchange rate and tariffs you’ll have to check.

 

As to which minnows, I’ve got a few in the box.  The Yum FFS minnow in both 3” and 4” feature.  The mooch minnow in the same sizes is the same.  The mooch has a little better action without you doing anything.  If you are going to let it pendulum or reel slowly it will impart just a little tail wiggle of an action.  The yum needs a rod tip wiggle.  I have some freeloaders and they are like the Yum in that regard.  I recently added the driftfly and have fished them twice to good effect.  The 5” on a 3/8 head rolls back and forth like none other I’ve seen.  I can’t wait to try them in smaller sizes on lighter heads.  The aren’t cheap but I don’t find myself going through a lot of minnows.  The mooches are TPE plastic (take note for storage) and the yums are a pretty solid plastic.  

I made two combos for my son using Daiwa Aird-X rods (6-6M and 7ftM) with Daiwa Revros reels.  ~$100 combos at the time.  They work shockingly well for shaking a minnow.  The 6-6M for up to 1/4oz and the 7ft for 3/8oz or bigger minnows. 

 

I also have the 610M solid tip Expride with a Vanford 3000 which is great if its in your budget.  Expride setup is obviously better but that Aird-X/Revros combo is an insane value.

@smesx - what is your typical head/bait range for the expride M?  I am considering a solid tip for next spring.  

On 11/23/2025 at 1:47 PM, Anfrobodine said:

Agreed it is boring but it catches fish. I tournament fish a lot and I’m tied of getting my teeth kicked in by it. How’s that saying go….if you can’t beat them join them? That’s where I’m at

Thank you @Reel and @casts_by_fly for the very helpful info. I have been looking at the intenza and zodias model tbh. I’ve been using a 7’ m slx for the little I’ve dabbled with a minnow and it jut doesn’t do it for me. What minnows do yall prefer to throw? I hear everyone talk about the sakamata shad but they seem impossible to get

 

The sakamata shad is nice but the SK baby z too and the net bait prop duster are easy to find and work great.

As to rods, Joe Burns (Cleveland Tn.) built me a really nice one at 7ft.1 it a good length for going down the guts of creeks. I also use a witch doctor shaman 6ft 6 and a 7ft. Yamamoto. 

I've heard some good things about a NFC blank that has a glass tip made just for the minner that might make a nice Christmas present to myself.

14 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

@smesx - what is your typical head/bait range for the expride M?  I am considering a solid tip for next spring.  

3/16oz 90% of the time.  1/4oz works but that solid tip is LIMBER and the weight starts to overpower it IMO.  Have not gone below 1/8oz but I'm sure it would have no trouble casting lighter stuff.  Mostly Owner range rollers and the Queen Tackle rollin strollin or their normal tungsten ball head. 

 

4 or 5" Raid super fish rollers, Z-too and baby Z-too, really like the new 4.5" mooch minnow that I just got.  

 

Thinking about getting the 7'4" M+ solid tip for the heavier/bigger weights.

 

Still trying to figure it all out, its not nearly as easy as the pro's make it look.  Some days they follow every cast but you can't get them to bite, other days they come out of nowhere and smoke your bait 🤷‍♂️

 

 

Depending on size and weight. For light stuff and 3 or 4 inch minnows I have a steez 66 grey ghost with an airity    for heavier stuff I have a edge epitome 725 with an ultegra 

@smesx- thanks, that's helpful.  I'm also using a 3/16 and either 3 or 4" minnows most of the time but my other rods handle that just fine.  I'll drop to 1/8 and 3" if I'm under 15' and I think it might be crappie or perch (or the bass are way high in the column).  What I'm looking more for is 1/4-3/8 plus 4-5" so 3/8-1/2 oz total weight.  Sounds like the M solid tip isn't the the one for that and I might want to consider the M+.  That's where I was thinking before, but some surfing indicated that it was maybe heavy for that and instead designed for 5-6" plastics.  

 

Maybe I need to try my dad's 7' M zodias with this setup.  I've fished it before, but not for this.  It might be a good shout.  

3 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

@smesx- thanks, that's helpful.  I'm also using a 3/16 and either 3 or 4" minnows most of the time but my other rods handle that just fine.  I'll drop to 1/8 and 3" if I'm under 15' and I think it might be crappie or perch (or the bass are way high in the column).  What I'm looking more for is 1/4-3/8 plus 4-5" so 3/8-1/2 oz total weight.  Sounds like the M solid tip isn't the the one for that and I might want to consider the M+.  That's where I was thinking before, but some surfing indicated that it was maybe heavy for that and instead designed for 5-6" plastics.  

 

Maybe I need to try my dad's 7' M zodias with this setup.  I've fished it before, but not for this.  It might be a good shout.  

I think you are probably right about going to heavier.  There is also the 610MH solid tip to consider. 

 

I do wonder if solid tip is even the right choice when you get to 3/8+oz.  The 7ft M expride (normal tip) or even the 72ML (which I own but only use for dropshot, it fishes like a medium) might be good picks.

@smesx- I have the 72ML in the PA and while it’s an awesome rod I need something just a little heavier for the bigger end of what I’m throwing.  This fish ate the 5” on a 3/8 oz (down at 35’) but it’s really loading up the rod to cast it.  I want something just a bit heavier.

 

I have the 6’10” UL/M PA which acts like the solid tips are described- super light tip that just bounces around like an ice rod and that collapses when you set the hook.  Maybe I’ll just stick with that for the lighter stuff and pick up the 7’ M for the bigs.  

 

6'10" Expride with the solid tip and a Vanford is hard to beat for this.