Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

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Randingo
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Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by Randingo » Sat Mar 04, 2023 4:13 pm

I'll be fishing the 1000 Islands area a few days this year, and much of the time will be dropshotting in 20-35’. For those who aren't familiar with the area, you can see bottom in 35’+, so it's exceptionally clear water. Because of current and other considerations, heavy drop shot weights are necessary.

In the past, I've used the Tatula Elite AGS 7’6 MLM most frequently and with good success, and I'll have that rod with me, but I'd like to upgrade the sensitivity. Obviously, the Steez AGS MLM is a contender here, but I'd also like to consider NRX, Megabass, Phenix, St. Croix, and any other recommendations you might want to throw my way. There may be dropshot-specific rods that fit the bill, but that's not a necessity. In the past, I've been running 8# 832 to a 7# Sniper leader, but at least one outfit will be straight fluoro this year, and if I use a braid to leader setup, it’ll be Sunline SX-1 or maybe YGK S112 sinking braid.

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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by rubs96 » Sun Mar 05, 2023 4:16 am

Casting:
NRX+ 893 JWR

I have the NRX version and it’s unbelievable so the + would be even better based on feedback I’ve heard. The + feels amazing in hand when I’ve played around with them.

I’ve used mine for 1/2oz. and 5/8oz. cylinder drop shot weights (and lighter) but only on Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River. Lots of sensitivity and a great rod for other deep water presentations requiring sensitivity (e.g., jigs, worms, tubes).

Spinning:
The last time I fished a drop shot in 20’+ I used a 7’2” Cumara MH with a 5/8oz. tungsten weight I caught the biggest smallmouth of my life. Used the MH because of the depth and current and I was still able to feel fish, hook them and land them.

I owned the NRX drop shot rod which was great for 1/8-3/8oz. weights. I loved that rod and would like to get the + version eventually. My friends don’t like the NRX drop shot rod because they say it’s not powerful enough and they prefer the 822S SYR Shakey head model for drop shot. I’ve heard the 872 is great for drop shot too.

I have steez 7’6” but haven’t used it for drop shot yet. 7’6” Legend Elite ML and M are both good but I feel the M would be better suited for your wants.

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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by Randingo » Sun Mar 05, 2023 5:12 pm

Thanks for your informative response. You've given me a lot to think about. So far, other than Bubba shotting in shallow weeds, I've never been able to convince myself to use casting tackle for dropshotting. I think I'll pretty much stick with spinning, but maybe I'll rig up one casting setup and give it a try. For this purchase, though, I'll stick to spinning. I've had no trouble landing fish with the lighter tackle, and like St. Clair, this area always produces some behemoth smallmouth. Still, I feel like a rod with a little more power will actually provide better feel, and with the heavy weights, the tip deflection might be easier to interpret as well. I think a medium power should be sufficient, especially because I'll probably only have 6-8# line.Image
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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by Drakestar » Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:13 am

The Steez AGS 761MML would be my go-to rod here, and it’s already on your list. A Trika 7’6” Medium or 6’10” M might also fit the bill (I have the 6’10” M and 7’0” ML and bought do that job well). If pressed, it just fall back to the NRX 822 DSR, though, it’s an awesome DS rod. If it’s underpowered for big hard-charging smallies you’ve already mentioned the SYR as an alternative, and I’d consider the 852 of even more power is desired. Personally, I’d rather have the softer DSR in this situation, because it deflects runs by the fish better. I’ve pulled 4+lbs largemouths out of docks on the DSR and it had the power, and I’ve landed a DD largemouth on that same DSR on an 8lbs leader. In both cases I’d be worried that a stiffer rod might have snapped the leader.

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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by Randingo » Mon Mar 06, 2023 6:33 pm

Thanks, @Drakestar, for your response. I was going to ask people who have experience with both rods whether the Loomis 822 DSR & SYR were actually different, since all the info on the website is the same (power rating, action, and lure weights), so I appreciate that. The Steez AGS MLM may be the correct answer -- the analogous Tatula Elite rod has been extremely good in this application, and I have heard from many that the Steez is a truly special rod... But it also sounds like I’d be happy with any of the four NRX+ models (the two 822s, the 852 & 853), but I feel like, if I decide to get my first NRX, the 852 will probably be the most versatile of the bunch. Some choices are fun because none of the options are anything short of excellent.

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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by dragon1 » Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:19 pm

Randingo wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 5:12 pm
Thanks for your informative response. You've given me a lot to think about. So far, other than Bubba shotting in shallow weeds, I've never been able to convince myself to use casting tackle for dropshotting. I think I'll pretty much stick with spinning, but maybe I'll rig up one casting setup and give it a try. For this purchase, though, I'll stick to spinning. I've had no trouble landing fish with the lighter tackle, and like St. Clair, this area always produces some behemoth smallmouth. Still, I feel like a rod with a little more power will actually provide better feel, and with the heavy weights, the tip deflection might be easier to interpret as well. I think a medium power should be sufficient, especially because I'll probably only have 6-8# line.Image
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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by Drakestar » Mon Mar 06, 2023 8:24 pm

Randingo wrote:
Mon Mar 06, 2023 6:33 pm
Thanks, @Drakestar, for your response. I was going to ask people who have experience with both rods whether the Loomis 822 DSR & SYR were actually different, since all the info on the website is the same (power rating, action, and lure weights), so I appreciate that.
I posted this in another forum not too long ago, might be worth reposting (822 DSR vs 822 SYR vs 852 JWR). Keep in mind that these are my own deductions, it’s not based on official information:



Here's how I see the different rods and ratings . I think they all make sense and are consistent, even though all rods are a 2-power and the lure ratings don't seem consistent at first glance.

The DSR is designed to drive small-gauge wire hooks (not much hook-setting power required for a little DS hook) and to only drag half of the lure weight (the DS weight) across the bottom. Because of that, it can have a rather soft and subtle tip.
The DSR has a higher lure rating than the SYR because even at 3/8oz, the distributed DS rig means that you're not getting into 3/8oz snags. (The pre+ DSR even went up to 1/2oz.)

The SYR is designed to drive heavier-gauge wire hooks (possibly through the plastic) and to drag most of the lure weight (the entire shakyhead) across the bottom. To drive that hook, it needs to be faster than the DSR. But, being a shaky(!)head rod, it can't be as fast as a JWR.
The SYR has a lower lure rating than the DSR because you don't want to get into >5/16oz snags with that rod.

The JWR is designed to drive heavy-gauge wire hooks (possibly through the plastic, or through the weed guard) and to drag the entire lure weight (i.e. a finesse jig) across the bottom. To drive THAT hook, and without it being designed to work shakyheads, it is even faster than the SYR.
The JWR might be able to cast 1/2oz just fine, but you do NOT want to get into 1/2oz snags with that rod. But, in contrast to the SYR, it'll work actual 3/8oz bottom contact lures and support those snags. (That's where that "extra" power despite the 3/8oz lure rating comes from.)

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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by Randingo » Tue Mar 07, 2023 12:59 am

Drakestar wrote:
Mon Mar 06, 2023 8:24 pm
Randingo wrote:
Mon Mar 06, 2023 6:33 pm
Thanks, @Drakestar, for your response. I was going to ask people who have experience with both rods whether the Loomis 822 DSR & SYR were actually different, since all the info on the website is the same (power rating, action, and lure weights), so I appreciate that.
I posted this in another forum not too long ago, might be worth reposting (822 DSR vs 822 SYR vs 852 JWR). Keep in mind that these are my own deductions, it’s not based on official information:



Here's how I see the different rods and ratings . I think they all make sense and are consistent, even though all rods are a 2-power and the lure ratings don't seem consistent at first glance.

The DSR is designed to drive small-gauge wire hooks (not much hook-setting power required for a little DS hook) and to only drag half of the lure weight (the DS weight) across the bottom. Because of that, it can have a rather soft and subtle tip.
The DSR has a higher lure rating than the SYR because even at 3/8oz, the distributed DS rig means that you're not getting into 3/8oz snags. (The pre+ DSR even went up to 1/2oz.)

The SYR is designed to drive heavier-gauge wire hooks (possibly through the plastic) and to drag most of the lure weight (the entire shakyhead) across the bottom. To drive that hook, it needs to be faster than the DSR. But, being a shaky(!)head rod, it can't be as fast as a JWR.
The SYR has a lower lure rating than the DSR because you don't want to get into >5/16oz snags with that rod.

The JWR is designed to drive heavy-gauge wire hooks (possibly through the plastic, or through the weed guard) and to drag the entire lure weight (i.e. a finesse jig) across the bottom. To drive THAT hook, and without it being designed to work shakyheads, it is even faster than the SYR.
The JWR might be able to cast 1/2oz just fine, but you do NOT want to get into 1/2oz snags with that rod. But, in contrast to the SYR, it'll work actual 3/8oz bottom contact lures and support those snags. (That's where that "extra" power despite the 3/8oz lure rating comes from.)
Good information. I think what you're calling a faster tip is, in this case, a more powerful tip. Fast is generally about the percentage of the blank that bends under a particular load. So the DSR and SYR may both have (for example, not accurate) 20” of tip before it starts getting to the backbone of the blank, but the lighter power tip on the DSR may bend 4” due to a couple ounces of weight, whereas the tip of the SYR may only bend 2” with the same weight because it's more powerful. Did I understand you correctly?

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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by Drakestar » Tue Mar 07, 2023 11:09 am

Randingo wrote:
Tue Mar 07, 2023 12:59 am
Good information. I think what you're calling a faster tip is, in this case, a more powerful tip. Fast is generally about the percentage of the blank that bends under a particular load. So the DSR and SYR may both have (for example, not accurate) 20” of tip before it starts getting to the backbone of the blank, but the lighter power tip on the DSR may bend 4” due to a couple ounces of weight, whereas the tip of the SYR may only bend 2” with the same weight because it's more powerful. Did I understand you correctly?
A faster tip shuts down more quickly and transitions into the main blank earlier. That doesn't automatically make it a heavier (more powerful) tip, though - in fact, an X-fast tip could lower both the min and max lure ratings of that rod because at the lower end, a faster, less bendy tip makes it harder to sling lighter baits, while on the higher end, the tip is more brittle and more prone to breaking if too heavy a lure is cast.

I expect an X-Fast rod to transition into backbone more quickly, and thus set the hook more quickly, but the actual lure rating of the rod might not be as high as the lure rating of a comparable Fast rod.

I'd use "softer tip" or "crisper tip" to describe these different rods, but not automatically assume more or less power.

That said, it's all theory and general guidelines, and rods all have their own characteristics. The 852 does have a reputation for actually having more power than the 822 rods, and for being able to work baits higher than its max 3/8oz rating. (But the reasons for that - at least the way I see it - are in that breakdown).

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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by Randingo » Wed Mar 08, 2023 12:03 am

I guess I was having a difficult time imagining any rod faster than the actual dropshot rods I use: an OG Cumara and a first gen USDM Orochi XX Stinger Shot. Both of these are “hinged” with a very short section of extremely light tip that transitions quickly to the backbone. But the actual transition to the power section of the blank must be below the “hinge” or every rod with that action would break... But thinking about the St. Croix dropshot blank I have built as a casting rod, I realize that, even though it’s XF, its tip is both more powerful and slower than the hinged dropshot rods I have, at least in terms of perceived taper. The Loomis DSR is probably closer to the Croix than either of the others. Perhaps if I were to see them loaded with the same weight, I would find that the backbone on the hinged rods actually starts further down from stinger tip than where my brain wants to say it does because those tips are so soft, but it's hard to think of how it looks on the RoD Rack when the first section of the tip is so soft. In any case, whether the taper on the SYR is faster than the DSR or the tip is slightly more powerful, I appreciate and understand your explanation. The thing that would be most helpful to me would be to actually hold and get a sense of the rods before buying one, but I no longer have any idea of where the nearest Loomis dealer is, much less one with a decent selection. There's only one that might have a chance (I just remembered the store...) that’s about an hour away. I'll try to give them a call and see if a drive up makes sense.

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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by Cranky » Wed Mar 08, 2023 12:55 pm

You don’t need two topics for this. Just buy a NRX+ 872 and be done with it. That’s the rod you want.

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Re: Best dropshot rod for 1/2-5/8 ounce weights in deep, clear water

Post by TravisNY » Wed Mar 08, 2023 3:50 pm

Cranky wrote:
Wed Mar 08, 2023 12:55 pm
You don’t need two topics for this. Just buy a NRX+ 872 and be done with it. That’s the rod you want.
Absolutely agreed.

To the OP - purchase it and not like it for what you’re wanting it for contact me and I’ll buy it.

How’s that for a recommendation ?

All I fish are smallmouth and it’s one of the best big smallmouth spins I’ve used in 4 decades.

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