What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

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LowRange
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What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by LowRange » Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:26 pm

I'm just getting into these baits. Threw a 3/8 oz one seriously for the 1st time today and caught a bunch of bass and even a flathead catfish. I've been bottom hopping and skipping under docks with the bait. Works great. They had been crushing wacky worms around docks but that died off after me hammering them day in and day out for 2 weeks. Switched to the dark sleeper and they ate it.

I've been using my gen 1 Zodias 72M paired to a Tatula Type R with Rays Long cast spool and 12# suffix flouro and it has been great. It's a mod fast that's on the beefier side of M that casts and works the bait well. I feel like I am losing way more fish than I should when they jump but I'm not sure if that is the nature of the bait or the rod.

I plan to use the Orochi x4 711 for the 1 oz baits.

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BRONZEBACK32
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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by BRONZEBACK32 » Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:53 pm

I use a 843 NRX but sold that rod, I will now be using a GLX 892 with the smaller size 1/4oz

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by antisaint » Tue Jun 01, 2021 9:52 pm

A megabass brigand for for 1/2 ounce and a diawa steez bottom contact for 3/4 to 1 ounce.

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by i_am_R2 » Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:14 pm

I use either my Levante Enforcer or 843 GLX MBR.

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by Drakestar » Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:19 pm

Zbone 733, GLX 843 MBR, K2 714... pretty much any bottom contact rod that fishes in that 1/4-3/4oz range. For 1oz Dark Sleepers I might step up a power, but they generally fish lighter than their weight, anyway.

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LowRange
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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by LowRange » Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:27 am

Not super familiar with those rods. Is the dark sleeper pair better to more of a bottom contact taper or a single hook moving bait type rod? I've got an Orochi XX gen 1 EMTF. Would that pair better to the 3/8 and 1/2 oz sized baits?

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by jmb27 » Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:04 am

LowRange wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:27 am
Not super familiar with those rods. Is the dark sleeper pair better to more of a bottom contact taper or a single hook moving bait type rod? I've got an Orochi XX gen 1 EMTF. Would that pair better to the 3/8 and 1/2 oz sized baits?
How do you fish the Dark Sleeper? I fish it like a jig 90% of the time.

I would lean towards a preference of a bottom contact taper rod (the rod you like to fish jigs with) and one that can handle some single hook moving baits (like you mentioned), which would rule out an ex-fast taper for me (unless you fish the lure solely like a jig).

I use the MB P5 Dark Sleeper rod that is a fast action and does both bottom and single hook moving really well, IMO. I also use a Shimano Ultima 66M Versatile for the dark sleeper. I fish the 3/8 to 1/2 oz sizes 90% of the time. I think that the Dark Sleeper can handle the 3/4 oz. size fine, 1 oz. might be pushing it a bit.

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by LowRange » Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:10 am

jmb27 wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:04 am
LowRange wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:27 am
Not super familiar with those rods. Is the dark sleeper pair better to more of a bottom contact taper or a single hook moving bait type rod? I've got an Orochi XX gen 1 EMTF. Would that pair better to the 3/8 and 1/2 oz sized baits?
How do you fish the Dark Sleeper? I fish it like a jig 90% of the time.

I would lean towards a preference of a bottom contact taper rod (the rod you like to fish jigs with) and one that can handle some single hook moving baits (like you mentioned), which would rule out an ex-fast taper for me (unless you fish the lure solely like a jig).

I use the MB P5 Dark Sleeper rod that is a fast action and does both bottom and single hook moving really well, IMO. I also use a Shimano Ultima 66M Versatile for the dark sleeper. I fish the 3/8 to 1/2 oz sizes 90% of the time. I think that the Dark Sleeper can handle the 3/4 oz. size fine, 1 oz. might be pushing it a bit.
I started fishing it like a swim bait but didn't get bit until I started bottom hopping it like a bottom contact bait. That's why I am starting to lean towards my gen 1 EMTF.

Anybody fish these baits deep along weed lines? Sort of like a alternative to a big Texas rigged worm? Find fish deep cranking then go for the dark sleeper in a 3/4 or 1 oz size and bottom hop.

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by jmb27 » Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:29 am

LowRange wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:10 am

Anybody fish these baits deep along weed lines? Sort of like a alternative to a big Texas rigged worm? Find fish deep cranking then go for the dark sleeper in a 3/4 or 1 oz size and bottom hop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOesY1cEysQ

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by Drakestar » Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:10 am

LowRange wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:27 am
Not super familiar with those rods. Is the dark sleeper pair better to more of a bottom contact taper or a single hook moving bait type rod? I've got an Orochi XX gen 1 EMTF. Would that pair better to the 3/8 and 1/2 oz sized baits?
They’re all good bottom hopping rods in my mind, with fast enough tapers to set the hook, but moderate enough to where I’m not worried about a fish slamming a bait when I reel it straight back. Like you mention in follow-up posts, hopping this bait across the bottom works best and I usually do the same.

The official Megabass Dark Sleeper rod specs are
LENGTH 7'1"
POWER Medium Heavy
LINE RATING 8-20lb
LURE RATING 1/4-1oz
TAPER Fast.

Mine are similar but a bit lighter cause I usually don’t go above 1/2 weight. I’ve never fished the EMTF, based on its description and specs I had it pegged as a moving bait and treble hook rod. I like something more traditionally bottom contact and “jig hook” for Dark Sleepers.

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by LowRange » Wed Jun 02, 2021 9:13 am

Drakestar wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:10 am
LowRange wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:27 am
Not super familiar with those rods. Is the dark sleeper pair better to more of a bottom contact taper or a single hook moving bait type rod? I've got an Orochi XX gen 1 EMTF. Would that pair better to the 3/8 and 1/2 oz sized baits?
They’re all good bottom hopping rods in my mind, with fast enough tapers to set the hook, but moderate enough to where I’m not worried about a fish slamming a bait when I reel it straight back. Like you mention in follow-up posts, hopping this bait across the bottom works best and I usually do the same.

The official Megabass Dark Sleeper rod specs are
LENGTH 7'1"
POWER Medium Heavy
LINE RATING 8-20lb
LURE RATING 1/4-1oz
TAPER Fast.

Mine are similar but a bit lighter cause I usually don’t go above 1/2 weight. I’ve never fished the EMTF, based on its description and specs I had it pegged as a moving bait and treble hook rod. I like something more traditionally bottom contact and “jig hook” for Dark Sleepers.
The gen 1 EMTF is the bottom contact rod of the old lineup. It was what the brailist is in the current gen. Both the old EMTF and DSR were versatile sticks with the EMTF being more bottom contact orientated and the DSR more moving bait but both could do either. After fishing with a mod fast beefy M and losing some fish I'll try the jig stick EMTF to see how that does.

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by Obz » Wed Jun 02, 2021 3:46 pm

Kistler H3 LMH for the 3/8 and 1/2. Its pretty dope

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by Obz » Wed Jun 02, 2021 3:47 pm

7footer

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by TravisNY » Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:14 pm

BRONZEBACK32 wrote:
Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:53 pm
I use a 843 NRX but sold that rod, I will now be using a GLX 892 with the smaller size 1/4oz
Similar thinking.

I’ve got one permanently tied to a Conquest 902s.

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Re: What's your Dark Sleeper rod?

Post by BoatBuggy » Fri Jun 04, 2021 2:42 pm

I only throw the 1/2+ oz ones and fish them mostly by swimming them along the bottom. Until now I've been using a GLX 893 for the 1/2 oz ones and a Daemos for the 3/4 and 1 oz ones but I just picked up a P5 Dark Sleeper and Tequila Baccarat and will try those once smallmouth season opens up on the St Lawrence.

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