Bass Boat Forums
Bass Fishing Forums => Rods => Topic started by: Jimmy RodandReel on February 13, 2015, 02:44:19 PM
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What type .......... power/action/length/grip design do you use to fish you T-rigs?
AND.......If you could build your "ultimate" T-rig rod, what would you want?
Mine:
Depending size T-rig I'm fishing............1/4- 3/8oz I fish a 7ft med/hvy with a extra fast tip. Split grips.
Larger than 3/8.............7ft 6in Med/hvy with fast tip. Split grip
(hmm)
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Whatever you build me for it (y)
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Hmmm... those are a lot of questions for a fishing rod (hmm)
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These questions are not even a 1/4 of what I would ask
If I were building a rod for a customer. I'm trying to get
a feel of what folks like here on BBB. (nope)
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Dang it @Jimmy RodandReel just build the dang rod (fp) To be as picky and OCD as I am with installations...I'm probably the easiest rod customer you have ain't I?
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Your close. (yes)
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Hahaha
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These questions are not even a 1/4 of what I would ask
If I were building a rod for a customer. I'm trying to get
a feel of what folks like here on BBB. (nope)
Yep... I hear ya!
I was in the middle of working on about 3 other things when I read that the first time, so it overwhelmed me a tad (giggle)
MH, 6' 9" - 7' would be my preference, good backbone with a fast tip, but enough flex to pitch baits that aren't overly heavy. 4-5 inch flipping tubes or 4 inch beavers with a 1/8 oz. bullet weight.
As far as split grips or not, I like them, but they're not a 100% necessity.
Is that the kind of info you're looking for??
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I love, love, love the cranking rod you built me! (y)
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@Curt Yep! Thanks! (y) (y)
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I'm trying to get
a feel of what folks like here on BBB. (nope)
I have 5 specific "plastics rods" (And besides plastics I likewise throw C-rigs and jigs on some of them) When I started bassin 35+ years ago as a kid I quickly fell in love with the Texas rig and because back then the vast majority of rods were still 5'6" pistol grips, I looked for a virtual pool cue! The casting accuracy of such short rods weren't really hampered by such stiff actions because the rods were so short and I do alot of underhand and "roll casts" when target casting anyway. But as we progressed to longer rods and more specific actions and powers, suddenly a "pool cue" tip wasn't as desirable because they weren't accurate and a softer tip was needed. Thus most of my plastics rods are faster actions with Med/Hvy being the usual power that "feels right".
My main/preferred rod is my G-Loomis "TopWater Special" that is 7'2" Hvy, Fast action. (Reel is a Curado 300E) I guess because this rod was actually built for frogs and what not, it has a much softer tip than the description would lead you to believe. This rod feels very much like a "med/hvy" out on the last 2ft of tip, casts very well and handles like a dream, especially for a 7+ftr. (Handle wise it's a typical exposed blank under the reel seat, twin cork handle.) I actually like some cork on the front of the handle/seat because I palm the reel while working bottom bumpers. Split grips and no front grip rods have taken some getting used to for me. With this rod I can throw everything from 1/4" weights with 4/0 hooks on Brush Hogs and 6" worms (as well as jigs that weight) up to a 11/0 hook with a 12" Manns Jelly worm with a 1/2"+ weight on the ledges of Pickwick/KY Lake in the summer. But I typically just throw the 1/4-1/2oz "med. size plastics" and rig jigs & the BIG plastics on other rods.
My 2nd plastics is as "universal" to me as the above Loomis, it's a St. Croix Avid (SCiii) 7' Med/Hvy, Fast Action. (Pflueger Summit reel) I actually used this rod as my main plastics rig for a couple of years before I bought the Loomis. Like I said, casting and feel wise it'll do whatever the Loomis will do so alot of times I have it rigged up identical to the Loomis except I just have a different style or color plastic on and swap back and forth between the two. Tapered but again "standard" dual cork handle setup.
3rd plastics rig is my "downsize" rig, it's a Falcon Lowrider XG 6'10" Eakins Jig Special, Med/Hvy. (Shimano Castaic SuperFree reel) This rig has a split grip and no cork on the front. I REALLY like this rod for 1/4" or less, under 5" plastics on a 3/0 or smaller hook. Baby Brush Hogs and 1/4oz jigs, especially casting around tight cover are REALLY where I like this rig!
4th is for "HOSS" rigs, it's an ol Challenger IM-8 Doug Hannon 7' Hvy rod. (Pflueger Summit reel) This rig is pretty much only used in the summertime for ledge fishing with 1/2oz+ weights, 7/0+ hooks and 10" or longer worms. (I use Zoom Ol Monsters alot on the TN River ledges in the summer) Again, another traditional 2pc handle.
5th, All-Star T-Series, 6'10" ExFast, Hvy. (Shimano Castaic reel) This hoe handle is a pool cue that I don't even really like it (Bought it for a steal many years ago thinkin I might use it for a backup rod) the tip is so stiff I don't like the way it feels casting so I just use it to "lob" C-rigs with. Some summers this one never even leaves the rod locker. Yep, standard dual cork grip.
So Jimmy, I guess you could say I like a 7ish ft, fast action, med/hvy power rod with some tip for easier/more accurate casting. ALL of the above rods are spooled with 15# fluoro line. The older I get the more I like lighter (physical weight) rods BUT the newer reels keep getin smaller and smaller and actually tiny. I HATE those! I aint the smallest fellow and my hands are rather large so I guess I feel like a bear pawin a golf ball when I try to use the newer reels. Plus it just doesn't make sense to me, rods gettin longer and longer yet the reels gettin smaller and smaller seems like! (hmm)
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Thanks RA! Great run down of your rods. (y) (y)
Only one question. Why a 300E on a worm/plastics rig. That's a big ol reel for a t-rig and HEAVY?
The older I get the more I like lighter (physical weight) rods BUT the newer reels keep getin smaller and smaller and actually tiny. I HATE those! I aint the smallest fellow and my hands are rather large so I guess I feel like a bear pawin a golf ball when I try to use the newer reels.
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Why a 300E on a worm/plastics rig. That's a big ol reel for a t-rig and HEAVY?
The E "looks" big but when I put it on that light rod it really isn't any heavier than any of the other rigs I use. Like I said, I can't stand the super small "tiny" reels today and that E just fits my hand better, especially when "slammin home the steel" during a hookset. I keep my plastics/jigs reels dialed back as loose and easy as possible so that when the lure hits the water I let it free fall straight down until it hits bottom. Even the lightest lure strips line easy off that big E, a wider spool casts smoother and farther than a narrower spool because inertia isn't as "interrupted" by the line and line guide changing directions so much.
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(y)