Considering a solid tip spinning rod for bottom contact "shaking" techniques like Ned or small Neko. Something like a Daiwa Steez AGS "The Ned" or an Orochi X10 "Medusa". Or similar.

Any bottom contact enthusiasts here using a solid tip? Insights or experiences?

I just picked up a solid tip, but haven’t fished it yet. My intention is minnow shaking. Having spooled it up though, it should be a fine Ned rod if you want. The tip is really soft. Think about the fastest extra fast action you’ve ever felt and make the top 12” even lighter yet. It’s like an ice rod grafted onto the top of a fast action. I wouldn’t prefer it for a neko.

Just now, casts_by_fly said:

I just picked up a solid tip, but haven’t fished it yet. My intention is minnow shaking. Having spooled it up though, it should be a fine Ned rod if you want. The tip is really soft. Think about the fastest extra fast action you’ve ever felt and make the top 12” even lighter yet. It’s like an ice rod grafted onto the top of a fast action. I wouldn’t prefer it for a neko.

Yes, many of the same rods being marketed for FFS shaking were marketed as bottom contact too..or before FFS took off (in Japan anyways).

A Ned and small Neko ( sub 5") aren't fished all that differently as far as bottom contact goes.

Curious why you'd think it would work for a Ned but not small Neko (ie shaking in place).

Thanks for your insight!

Hook wire thickness. The solid tip on this PA feels just like the Poison adrena UL/M spinning rod. Assuming it fishes similarly, I like a little more heft in the tip for the slightly bigger hooks I use on a neko. On a Ned, it’s a very light wire hook like on a minnow. On a neko, I’m using #2 VMCs which are probably 30-50% thicker wire. They are super sharp and I’m sure it will work fine, but with the UL/M the fine tip collapses with the slightest pressure (the solid tip PA feels similar in hand). When you set the hook you have to drive the hook set further so that after the tip collapses you’re using the meat of the rod to drive the hook home. On the light wire hooks that’s not a problem. On a neko where I’m working it through light to mild grass I don’t want the rod tip collapsing every time I try to pop it past grass. There is also no benefit to a neko rig the same as there is with a Ned or minnow where you might want that super fine range of motion imparted to the bait.

31 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Hook wire thickness. The solid tip on this PA feels just like the Poison adrena UL/M spinning rod. Assuming it fishes similarly, I like a little more heft in the tip for the slightly bigger hooks I use on a neko. On a Ned, it’s a very light wire hook like on a minnow. On a neko, I’m using #2 VMCs which are probably 30-50% thicker wire. They are super sharp and I’m sure it will work fine, but with the UL/M the fine tip collapses with the slightest pressure (the solid tip PA feels similar in hand). When you set the hook you have to drive the hook set further so that after the tip collapses you’re using the meat of the rod to drive the hook home. On the light wire hooks that’s not a problem. On a neko where I’m working it through light to mild grass I don’t want the rod tip collapsing every time I try to pop it past grass. There is also no benefit to a neko rig the same as there is with a Ned or minnow where you might want that super fine range of motion imparted to the bait.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm already using what would probably be considered light rods for Neko. Expride 7ft Light, Levante Whipsnake (F3 power like the Medusa), RAID Gladiator Defender. I fish along weed edges and not in them. Other times it's a rocky bottom.

Was just wondering if there would be any gain going to the lighter tip as I think there would be an increase in rod tip sensitivity and better shaking control while maintaining contact.

Thanks again for your insight

Yeah, you’re already on a pretty light rod for a neko to me. I’m throwing the 7’2” ML PA for a neko and if I were picking a rod for just a neko i might have gone to a medium. I can’t speak to the sensitivity of the solid tip yet without fishing it. But from a power perspective you’re already used to a lighter tip for a neko so that would be less of an issue for you.

6 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Yeah, you’re already on a pretty light rod for a neko to me. I’m throwing the 7’2” ML PA for a neko and if I were picking a rod for just a neko i might have gone to a medium. I can’t speak to the sensitivity of the solid tip yet without fishing it. But from a power perspective you’re already used to a lighter tip for a neko so that would be less of an issue for you.

The LMB here are relatively small. So I don't throw 6-7" worms. And when not fishing for LMB it's SMB. And while they certainly will take a big bait they seem to prefer smaller here. Makes sense with Goby being their primary forage.

Thanks again!

On 2/15/2026 at 6:02 PM, casts_by_fly said:

Yeah, you’re already on a pretty light rod for a neko to me. I’m throwing the 7’2” ML PA for a neko and if I were picking a rod for just a neko i might have gone to a medium. I can’t speak to the sensitivity of the solid tip yet without fishing it. But from a power perspective you’re already used to a lighter tip for a neko so that would be less of an issue for you.

I have 2 solid tip rods in bc and they both do very well with bottom contact. You probably know this, but want to put it out there for any other readers. The solid tip is actually slightly less sensitive in feel but much more sensitive in deflection. With tension on the line, the tip indicates way more than feel ever could, but in the end it’s more of a visual cue. This doesn’t prevent you from feeling it, rather it highlights the lightest of composition changes.

scott

2 hours ago, softwateronly said:

, but in the end it’s more of a visual cue.

scott

Yes.

To that end, the Steez AGS model has red stripes on the end to help with the visual cues.