Which Rod For Smallies?

[LittleRedFisherman]

Or bass in general for that matter. I have found a new love for baitcasters, I've decided I want one more casting rod to go with my arsenal, and just go with one spinning rod. I've got two Falcon bucoo's paired with a citica and a curado, which I have fell in love with. One is a medium action, the other a medium heavy. Both rods are incredibly sensitive, and I love them dearly. When I bought these, I almost decided to go with one falcon and a St. Croix premiere rod, as they are about the same price range. I don't wanna go over that price, so was wondering if any of you have compared these two rods. Common sense tells me to go with another Falcon sense I love them so much, but thinking about trying the St. Croix premiere, I guess just to have something different. I've heard there awesome, but Falcon is known for bang for your buck, was wondering if this premier rod would be the same?

[Kee sims]

I love my Boyd duckett

[joeD]

If you love them, why change? Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, Once you change and get to the other side of the fence, there will be another fence and the grass will be greener on the other side of that fence.

And round and round it goes.

If you are satisfied with what you have, there is no reason to change, I know it's tough not to buy and/or buy into the latest and greatest thing, whether it is equipment, or lures or whatever. There is plenty of input vying for your attention telling you that what you own and use is incorrect and is keeping you from becoming the best angler you can be.

Don't believe it.

Unless, hmm. Horses. Wagons. Cars. Airplanes. Rockets. Medicine. Clean water. Education, Birth control. Womens rights.

Nevermind.

Buy it. What you have is crap. Get with it and progress.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I'm a Falcon man. You might consider something in the #3 action. I have one that is my favorite rod and has been for several years. It will handle lures in what I consider heavy for river smallies, but also the lighter ones needed at times to get the proper action in shallow water.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I tend to agree with Joe on this one. If you love what you have why change? I have some really sweet set up's that I guarandamntee you would think are some killer rods and reels. Until you read the lables.

But just to be fair, I do have some Loomis and Falcon equipment.

[Mitch f]

Kind of all depends on which lures you're throwing. There is much overlap in your selection of rods for the specific lure selection though. I would rather try to master 2-3 rods and get good at them than try to choose 4-6 rods that are too specific. Also, since you fish out of a jet boat, you can use a little longer rod than a guy fishing out if a kayak or canoe. A 6-6 1/2' med with a fast action tip will be good for many things.

[LittleRedFisherman]

Thanks for the input guys, Joe makes perfect sense there really, your preaching to the choir, but guess we all get caught up in trying different things. Mitch, your thinking about what I am, I am wanting a medium action fast tip, and from there to 7 feet. I do fish out of the jet more, and those long rods are nice, but I have had them in my Coosa some this summer to. I carried 4 last time I took it to the Southfork, although you can ask GotMuddy about me hanging a senko on a tree as I made a turn. I decided not to use the upright rod holders after that...lol. A 5.5 rod like Al likes to use in a Solo would probably not have done that. Name brands get the best of us at times I guess, but I'm not going to by a 300 doller rod. I'll have to say that those falcon bucoos I got are the most sensitive and lightweight rod I"ve ever used, there worth the 90 bucks to me.

Mitch, I do agree that a medium action rod IMO can be used for just about any presentation. I bought the medium heavy for a jigging/worm rod. But I find myself using the medium more for that, turned my MH into a spinnerbait rig. After nailing some smallies on some topwater recently, I'm wanting another rod mainly for that, I found myself tying to much, as I also am usually running the boat. The biggest advantage I've learned about the baitcasters is that I can be postioning the boat in the current, and cast at the same time. With my spinning gear, I always want to cast with two hands, just the only way I can be accurate. The same goes when running the kayak, I'm getting the bait out there more it seems, much more comfortably.

I'm a Falcon man. You might consider something in the #3 action. I have one that is my favorite rod and has been for several years. It will handle lures in what I consider heavy for river smallies, but also the lighter ones needed at times to get the proper action in shallow water.

Explain #3 action to me? you talking like extra fast tip?

[Al Agnew]

I like the Falcons and the St. Croix, too. Always seemed to me that the St. Croix has a faster tip in their fast action rods than does Falcon.

If you're looking for a topwater rod, it's pretty tough, in my opinion, to find one that will work really well both in the kayak/canoe and the jetboat. Maybe it's just me, but 5.5 ft. is about as long as I can possibly use for walking topwaters from the canoe, while 5.5 ft. is really a little too short for doing the same thing while standing in the jetboat. Basically, I've got all different rods for the canoe and the jetboat. My longest canoe rod at present is 5'9", while my shortest jetboat rod is a 6 footer. Since I'm now using 4 baitcast rods and one spinning rod in both, that means I now have 8 different baitcast rods.

[dennis boatman]

I actually couldn't tell you what rods and reels I own...they all work great...

[LittleRedFisherman]

I like the Falcons and the St. Croix, too. Always seemed to me that the St. Croix has a faster tip in their fast action rods than does Falcon.

If you're looking for a topwater rod, it's pretty tough, in my opinion, to find one that will work really well both in the kayak/canoe and the jetboat. Maybe it's just me, but 5.5 ft. is about as long as I can possibly use for walking topwaters from the canoe, while 5.5 ft. is really a little too short for doing the same thing while standing in the jetboat. Basically, I've got all different rods for the canoe and the jetboat. My longest canoe rod at present is 5'9", while my shortest jetboat rod is a 6 footer. Since I'm now using 4 baitcast rods and one spinning rod in both, that means I now have 8 different baitcast rods.

Wow, that's a lot of rods, but I see where your coming from to get the best presentation from whatever kind of craft your running. What weight of rods do you usually use with your baitcasters? I really like the medium so far for most of what I'm using it for. I'm using ML on my spinning rods.