Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

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uljersey
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Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by uljersey » Tue Mar 10, 2020 3:50 pm

... that turned out to excel at a completely different technique.

I had bought a 7' ML Major Craft Volkey Big Lake Custom with a fast action some years back. It's intended use was for finesse applications, which it was okay at. Not the most sensitive stick by any stretch BUT one day about 2 years ago I tied on a shallow squarebill and wow, talk about the lights going on. This thing absolutely kills it with mid range size cranks, both billed and lipless. The hookup ratio is off the charts, rarely have any come unbuttoned at all, which in some ways goes against conventional wisdom as it applies to cranking rods given it's graphite blank and fast action. It's been my go to mid range cranker ever since. That being said, I did recently acquire a 6'6" M Fenwick HMG with a fast taper as I'm putting together a short range cranking rig for precise targeting. It has a very similar taper to the Major Craft, let's see if lightning strikes twice.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by domthewon » Tue Mar 10, 2020 4:47 pm

7’0mh poison ultima. I bought it for bottom contact, but I found the tip to just feel like it was never going to stop bending on hooksets. Its a fast taper and I’ll call it a Loomis 843 1/2, but would bend nearly in half on me. It’s also plenty sensitive, but I wasn’t landing all the fish I should have been so I downsized the thickness of my hooks and had more success. I got tired of the way the rod bends so much I moved it to single hook technique duty especially chatterbaits and it’s excellent for that technique.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by FishingwithBranden » Tue Mar 10, 2020 9:19 pm

Honestly, mine would probably be the DX795. It’s big and can rip them out, but I just can’t make myself throw it even when I am pitching or flipping.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by Drakestar » Tue Mar 10, 2020 11:30 pm

Great topic! I bought an Expride 6'10" ML S as my new dropshot rod last year, after really liking the 6'10" M for jerkbaits. But I didn't love that spinning rod nearly as much as I thought (over my older Powell DS rod), and I ultimately ended up getting an NRX DSR for a true upgrade.

So the Expride fell into that hole where it didn't really have a use - until I figured out that one of my deep clearwater reservoirs is a great candidate for spybaiting. Been doing that a lot there ever since, and the Expride has become my dedicated spybait rod. Totally unintended, but that rod is perfect for that application: it has a fast sensitive tip to feel deeply submerged weed beds (and keep the bait above them), but it loads deeply into the blank, and that parabolic action helps keep fish pinned on those tiny spybait trebles. (Pretty much the same action - and reason - the Expride 6'10" MC is such a sought-after jerkbait rod). So things worked out really well in the end, although I always feel like a glutton when I admit that I have a dedicated spybait rod and reel :)
Last edited by Drakestar on Wed Mar 11, 2020 9:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by Revofisher » Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:59 am

i bought a st croix legend elite 7 m fast action casting rod for using light texas rigs and small jigs with but it was just a tad too soft for my liking i was going to sell it. One day i used it for small keitechs and underspins and it was awesome for that. I ended up getting another lol. I use it for a lot of stuff that i thought i wouldnt use the rod for at all . I really like it for vision 110 plus 1s, and silver buddy type baits like the damiki vault. once you hook a fish it loads up well and keeps them pinned so in the end im glad i ended up with them but they are definitely used for things i had no plan on using them for.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by Jason Penn » Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:04 am

6'9 mh daiwa ballistic. it's supposed to be a worm/jig rod, but it's too soft for that. it has a fast tip, but it bends to the reel seat on a hook set. i ended up switching it over to a spinnerbait rod, and have been happy with it.

i'm planning on getting one of the new 6'10 mhr rebellion rods this year, and changing the ballistic over to a topwater rod. i think it would also work well as a jerkbait rod.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by russ57 » Wed Mar 11, 2020 7:46 am

Drakestar wrote:
Tue Mar 10, 2020 11:30 pm
Great topic! I bought an Expride 6'10" ML S as my new dropshot rod last year, after really liking the 6'10" M for jerkbaits. But I didn't love that spinning rod nearly as much as I thought (over my older Powell DS rod), and I ultimately ended up getting an NRX DSR for a true upgrade).

So the Expride fell into that hole where it didn't really have a use - until I figured out that one of my deep clearwater reservoirs is a great candidate for spybaiting. Been doing that a lot there ever since, and the Expride has become my dedicated spybait rod. Totally unintended, but that rod is perfect for that application: it has a fast sensitive tip to feel deeply submerged weed beds (and keep the bait above them), but it loads deeply into the blank, and that parabolic action helps keep fish pinned on those tiny spybait trebles. (Pretty much the same action - and reason - the Expride 6'10" MC is such a sought-after jerkbait rod). So things worked out really well in the end, although I always feel like a glutton when I admit that I have a dedicated spybait rod and reel :)
Yea I got this rod around Black Friday, and I have to say, it is probably too soft in the tip for my ned rig fishing. That parabolic action should make it a great trout rod because of those treble hooks on the rooster tails I throw. For my Neds I am gonna end up getting a Conquest 842S.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by njbasscat » Wed Mar 11, 2020 9:19 am

MB X4 Destruction. I bought it for punching mats. When I received it and put a reel on it, I was so un-impressed, I almost sold it. One day I tied on a 1/2 oz chatterbait. After hooking my first bass over 4 lbs that morning, I realized how well it works for moving baits. The softer action keeps them hooked but the power of the rod pulls them out of the heavy grass.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by Drakestar » Wed Mar 11, 2020 9:46 am

russ57 wrote:
Wed Mar 11, 2020 7:46 am
Drakestar wrote:
Tue Mar 10, 2020 11:30 pm
Great topic! I bought an Expride 6'10" ML S as my new dropshot rod last year, after really liking the 6'10" M for jerkbaits. But I didn't love that spinning rod nearly as much as I thought (over my older Powell DS rod), and I ultimately ended up getting an NRX DSR for a true upgrade.

So the Expride fell into that hole where it didn't really have a use - until I figured out that one of my deep clearwater reservoirs is a great candidate for spybaiting. Been doing that a lot there ever since, and the Expride has become my dedicated spybait rod. Totally unintended, but that rod is perfect for that application: it has a fast sensitive tip to feel deeply submerged weed beds (and keep the bait above them), but it loads deeply into the blank, and that parabolic action helps keep fish pinned on those tiny spybait trebles. (Pretty much the same action - and reason - the Expride 6'10" MC is such a sought-after jerkbait rod). So things worked out really well in the end, although I always feel like a glutton when I admit that I have a dedicated spybait rod and reel :)
Yea I got this rod around Black Friday, and I have to say, it is probably too soft in the tip for my ned rig fishing. That parabolic action should make it a great trout rod because of those treble hooks on the rooster tails I throw. For my Neds I am gonna end up getting a Conquest 842S.
Yep, that was it! Great sensitive rod, but just not crisp enough for bottom contact. And now that you mention it, I have thrown finesses swimbaits and tiny propbaits on it, as well.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Wed Mar 11, 2020 11:22 am

Hmmm...Been there plenty with customs.

My custom K2 714 would be my most memorable. Bought it for mid weight Texas Rigs...too soft. I sold off my NRX 852c (kinda mid weight all round rod) and used the K2 in its place. It excels with really any bait under 1/2oz. Fantastic for jerkbaits, topwater, light jigs, light paddletails, senko...pretty much anything.
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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by scooterb » Wed Mar 11, 2020 1:50 pm

I purchased an Expride 7'2 ML about a year ago. Slapped on an Aldebaran and thought I'd use it for light Keitechs, 3in and below. That was not the case. Rod wouldn't load up enough to cast them. It found it's place throwing ned rigs but ultimately was given away to a family member where it now sits in his garage with no use. LOL!

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by Hogsticker2 » Wed Mar 11, 2020 1:52 pm

None. I'm sure I've had a few, but it's too long ago to remember. The 1st thing I look for in a rod - rod blank is versatility. I'll research until the search options are exhausted. I only utilize less than 10 techniques / presentations, so I'm not as specific as many are.
Come to think of it, I did order an NFC X Ray SJ732 not too long ago. It is much softer than anticipated, with a very whippy tip section. I was expecting something closer to my K2 683ml, with a little less power. The plan now is finesse worms, wacky rigged with a 1/16 oz wacky jig head. I may even decide to start throwing the NED rig with it.

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by Somerdink » Fri Mar 13, 2020 7:50 pm

Mine would have to be the whole Diawa Light & Tough series love the rods but all of them were soft including the flipping rod. The 6’6 heavy worm and jig could only find a use for cranks like 2.5 and bigger spinnerbaits, chatterbaits also

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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by zodiak311 » Fri Mar 13, 2020 10:22 pm

This is a good question!
Mine was: Nrx 842MBR casting rod.

I initially bought it for NED rigs, but quickly realized it was absolutely incredible for finesse reaction techniques like scrounger heads, tiny flukes, and tiny cranks.
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Re: Rods you bought for one technique that you weren't thrilled with initially ...

Post by BigG » Sun Mar 15, 2020 10:42 am

njbasscat wrote:
Wed Mar 11, 2020 9:19 am
MB X4 Destruction. I bought it for punching mats. When I received it and put a reel on it, I was so un-impressed, I almost sold it. One day I tied on a 1/2 oz chatterbait. After hooking my first bass over 4 lbs that morning, I realized how well it works for moving baits. The softer action keeps them hooked but the power of the rod pulls them out of the heavy grass.
I found that all my X4's were excellent moving bait rods, the Destruction was a great larger topwater bait rod, also.

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