Bass Rod and Line Choice

I just picked up a new 6.4:1 Revo STX off of the big auction site and now I am looking for a new rod to pair this reel with. I would like to make this combo as versatile as possible, so I was thinking of either going with a Medium or Medium Heavy paired with a Fast action. I will probably end up using this rod for senkos, plastics, top water, jerkbaits, and maybe some spinner baits as well. My budget for this rod would be anywhere from $80-$150, but nothing more than $150 if at all possible.

Another question would be which would be a better multi purpose line to spool my new reel up with: fluorocarbon or braid?

Thanks for the help guys! My reel should arrive Friday, so I’ll have a couple days to search for a good rod to pair it with

for senkos I perfer a 7’med, for jerk baits& top water med 6’6″ is easyer to handle. the rest MH 7′ ,mojo st crioux seams to be a good rod, I like Cumaras,but they’re more money and they have small guides now and I am undecided about the small quides as I have one for crank baits and am not real imprested so far!mono for any top water app. floro for the rest,I only use braid for rats and dirty heavy cover swim jigs!floro kills the action on top water baits because it sinks and drags the baits down.

Stan

I recommend you go with a 6’8″ medium from St. Croix. There is an Avid up for sale right now on the auction site until around 6PM today. Hope you see my post in time. If not the Mojo in that length is a good rod. They call it the “Topwater ” in the Mojo line.

As for line, if your going to use it for topwater don’t go with FC. I use Fireline Smoke in 14lb test for my topwater fishing. I also like it for fishing weightless Super Flukes.

I like the Denali Jadewood series med. hvy worm & jig rod. It’s 7′ with a fast action and is a great rod for use as a multi purpose rod and only around $100.

As for line, I personally would use fluorocarbon. This way you get a bit more durable line with lower stretch than mono.

I have a couple of the Abu Garcia Vendetta Rods and love them. 7’3′ MH very versatile and under $100. I have of the rods paired with the same revo you bought and it is a great combination.

I’m a big fan of the St. Croix line of rods. I have from the Triumph up to the Legend Elite. The only one I don’t like is the Mojo line up. Had 2 of them (one bass, one muskie), and to me they seem bulky, cumbersone, thicker…just not very sensitive guides or good feel in your hands.

I just picked up a new Rage spinning rod and am anxious to try that: 6-10 Medium action for plastics, spinner baits, etc. We’ll see..

Thanks for the input guys, I have been looking at the Mojo Bass Series rod a little bit: some I like and others I do not. Have any of you had any experience with the Daiwa Ballistic or the 13 Fishing Omen? The Ballistic is on sale right now at TW for $65, but I wasn’t sure how good of a rod it was.. Also, the Omen seems like a very nice rod: lightweight, nice action and power, but I have seen a lot of them that have 1 or 2 off set guides, which kind of concerns me.

I can probably cross the topwater of this multipurpose setup as I have another baitcasting setup that I can use that for. As of right now, I am leaning more towards fluorocarbon. Is fluorocarbon or braid an easier line to cast?

I have been running all Quantum EXO and Smoke rods this year. For the money, I think the Smoke rods are some of the best out there. Before taking the leap, check them out. I’ve been using a lot of braids on my set-ups and have been very pleased.

Smoke rod on Amazon

If you get FC be sure to get some KVD Line conditioner and use it. Makes a big difference

Easiest to least easiest lines to cast:

1) Mono (i.e. Berkely XL)
2) Co-polymer (i.e. Yozuri Hybrid)
3) Braid (Sufix 832 or PowerPro)
99th) Fluorocarbon (pick any brand)

I got to hold one of the 13 Fishing Omen’s at Joe’s today and all I can say is that they are very light. This is probably the rod that I am leaning towards the most and if I purchase it through Reeds I get a free spool of Sufix and also a free 13 Fishing hat, but I am still up for suggestions on rods.

As for the line, I really love that fact that fluorocarbon sinks, but I know how poorly it is for casting situations and I don’t want to have to unspool a backlash every couple of casts. Would I be better off by going with a mono or a braid and just tying a fluoro leader or can I achieve the same result if I fish a braided line and just take a sharpie to the bottom two feet of line?

Thanks for all of the responses so far, you are giving me a lot of food for though

Chris, What is “best” is really a huge dependency upon your application AND personal preference. Not trying to make it a more difficult decision, just stating it as it is. I love the older Cajun Braid and still have a ton of it. When they sold out, I bought as much as I could. That accounts for 90% of my spinning rods and about 75% of my casting reels. However, I have a few casting reels with Cajun red mono for a few specific applications. I like casting mono more when punching lighter cranks into the wind, I do a lot of drp-shotting with a 7′ ML/Xfast, and I like the slower response time with pitching blades on Lake MI for Trout. Other than that, I’ll normally grab a reel with braid first for almost everything. Now the next guy to get in my boat will be the complete opposite.

I’m with Randy I have braid on all my spinnig rods and use floro leaders ,bait casting ,rats, braid all the rest ,floro and have no problem w back lashes, if I haven’t used a rod for a while to get the memory out just hook your bait to the trailer walk out a long cast and strech the line and all the coils are gone. I have 1 rod w mono/copolimer for surface aplications.
Stan

Z I like 35 lb spider wire stealth braid with 8 pound mono line to save that expensive line with an eagle gt rod m-mh, I need help choosing. Between a flipping rig or another spinning combo I have 2 baitcasters 1 spinning and 2 empty spinning rods

If I want to fish senkos, plastics, top waters, jerk baits and some small spinnerbaits and cranks in that order, the Medium action should be the more ideal rod, correct? I have heard that even though it’s doable, the Medium Heavy is more difficult to throw the lighter sized baits, which is primarily the techniques I plan on using with this rod.

I spool most of my baitcasters with Sufix 832 braid paired with a 100% fluorocarbon leader. Works great for me.

Agreed. No fluoro for topwater, because it sinks. Go with mono or braid.

Braid is much easier to cast, but fluoro is invisible. Which is why I tie a fluoro leader to braid.

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I Would I be better off by going with a mono or a braid and just tying a fluoro leader …?”

Yep. Braid. Fo sho!

I made the choice and chose to go with the Omen Black 7’1″ Medium Fast action rod. The Omens just felt so much nicer in my hands and I read so many great reviews that I might as well give it a shot. Plus, I picked up a free hat, a free spool of Sufix 12lb Siege, and free shipping to go along with it. I’ll post some pics once I get the rod shipped to show you the new setup! I can’t wait to get this combo in my hands

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I have heard that even though it’s doable, the Medium Heavy is more difficult to throw the lighter sized baits, which is primarily the techniques I plan on using with this rod.

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That is true. Casting light baits is very difficult to properly load the rod. For the much smaller cranks I throw, I even drop down to a 7′ Md.Lt. / fast tip to maintain casting distance

Good thread…
Nearly impossible to cover everything your planning with one rod but now you have a start…
I fished mainly Medium rods for bass for a few years but the last four new rods I have purchased were MH and Hvy because I am working more jig/trailer, swimjig, and pitching more cover than before.
My hook up rate on plastics went up substantially moving from M to MH to Hvy.

I only use Braid for frogging heavy cover and Musky.

I have had excellent results spooling flourocarbon on baitcasters by using Real Magic and “stretching” the first 30yds. After trying many brands…
#1…Invizx ( also great on spin reels)
#2…P-line Halo
#3…Sufix 100% Castable

I like the cabelas proguide or tourney trail my to heavy they’re very good with good seneitivity for $85 I think

Tom, age old debate but interested in your thoughts… It looks like you have gone to heavier rods with non-braid line. Would the converse also possibly work (depending on application)? In other words medium or medium light rods paired with braided line (and fluorocarbon leaders where needed)?

Your gonna like that rod. I have started to move into the 13 rods if you want to get another one to cover the applications the medium doesn’t look at the 7’3″ MH. That is the most versatile rod in that like up. Between me and my tourney partner we have 4/5 of them. Other wise lets see some pics of it in use!

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Tom, age old debate but interested in your thoughts… It looks like you have gone to heavier rods with non-braid line. Would the converse also possibly work (depending on application)? In other words medium or medium light rods paired with braided line (and fluorocarbon leaders where needed)?

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I know Tom will answer this when he sees it but I have found that the mh/ h rods have a good tip and are quick into a stronger back bone so I do not need to set the hook as hard to make sure they stick. I’m still not 100% convinced that going to a lighter rod with braided line is the right thing to do, the rods I have I use basically technique specific and I feel I would break those rods.

Just my $.02

Matt p

I agree I would want something a little heavier in areas with weeds or heavy cover. But with lighter weeds or in clear water I still prefer medium and sometimes medium light with braid/low stretch line. More sensitive, fun to catch..

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Other wise lets see some pics of it in use!

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As soon as I get the rod delivered to me from Reed’s I’ll update some pics for you guys! I have a feeling this new rod paired with my Revo is going to look and perform very well

Well, I finally got my rod shipped to my door today. I have to say that the STX and the Omen balance incredibly well compared to other baitcasters that I have. Here are a couple quick pics of what I shot today and I will be getting this new setup out on the water for testing this upcoming weekend. I can’t wait!

It’s left handed! I can’t get used to that!