Soft plastics/Hard bodz specific rods

[Kenshin]

just wondering how many of you guys run specific outfits for different purposes i am talking mainly in bream fishing but i dare say it would ring true for bass as well?

ect i have been told SP rods are normally slow tapered soft tipped rods and hardbodys you normally use fast tapered stiff tipped rods?

also new area's of fishing for me what would you aim to use for surface luring with walk the dog and popper style lures, blades/vibes i gather you would treat as soft plastics? also plastics rigged to be used on the surface would you use your surface gear or your plastics rod?

cheers

[Mack_attack]

I personally run the opposite of what you've been told.

I prefer a stiffer tipped rod when working plastics so that every lift of the rod is transmitted to the plastic and is easier to set the hook when you've got a slack line in between lifts. The hooks are usually bigger with plastics than HBs so require more force to set, a soft tipped rod folds over here.

When using harbody lures the hooks are usually smaller meaning they can pull out easier hence why I use a softer tipped rod and since you are usually in direct contact with the lure the softer tipped rod comes in handy to absorb a little of the strike meaning less pulled hooks.

[Kenshin]

its weird how a fair few people suggest oposite opinions on the matter, i have afew rods that fit both profiles ill play around with them both ways the few times i can get out for a bream fish soon

got a nice gl2 loomis that is quiet stiff and i have been using it solidly for afew months but for whatever reason i havent managed alot of sp catches but have done ok on hb's

[kiara_poltegerist]

Kenshin wrote:

just wondering how many of you guys run specific outfits for different purposes i am talking mainly in bream fishing but i dare say it would ring true for bass as well?

ect i have been told SP rods are normally slow tapered soft tipped rods and hardbodys you normally use fast tapered stiff tipped rods?

also new area's of fishing for me what would you aim to use for surface luring with walk the dog and popper style lures, blades/vibes i gather you would treat as soft plastics? also plastics rigged to be used on the surface would you use your surface gear or your plastics rod?

cheers

mate, slow tapered rods are generally technique specific - topwater use generally. the reasoning behind it is that a softer action will impart a better walking action for pencil type lures, and also allow the fish to strike and take the lure off the surface of the water easily due to the relative forgiveness of the blank.

For other branches of luring and fishing with plastics they only retard the action of the lure/plastics and reduce sensitivity alot.

when fishing in lures, keep in mind that even though the lure has a built in swimming action, the lure will generally follow the movement of the rod tip. a stiffer faster actioned rod will allow you to impart more movement and livelier action to the lure. a slower action rod will actually absorb the movements of your lure and retard its action somewhat.

generally if you're not going to specialise totally in one type of lure, i'd say that a rod with a moderate tip and a stiffer middle section would be the best way to go.

if your budget allows, shop around for a solid carbon tipped rod, the solid tip is alot more forgiving while retaining maximum sensitivity.

[hooked_on_trout]

I agree with Mack_attack.

soft tip can hinder hookups on light plastics.

when you flicking very light sp you want a fast action to set the hook.

with HB lures it is less important and can be good if you got a bit of play when a fish hits the lure.

As for top water, I would say you need a fast action, If your using a soft tip rod for "whack the slack", "walk the dog" well the rod gets behind the action of the lure.

BTW the weight you are using and the test of you braid compared to your rod makes all the difference.

I know this because some tackle shop guy so me a $60.00 dollar reel of 4lb PE but did not ask me what rod I was using, I was using a Gloomis 6-12lb, the PE was a disaster, and not suited to the rod at all.

cheers

[Kenshin]

ah this has cleared up my confusiong a bit

reason i was so interested is i have 3 rods i use at the moment

black diamond flats ranger 1-3kg 213cm

gloomis sjr720 mag-light ex-fast action 2-4kg 6' GL2

berkley dropshot 6'10" 2-4kg

i bought the loomis with plastics and vibes in mind because of its stiff action, however i havent had much luck on the rod with plastics yet (have with HB's) although it does have alot of balls in the butt as i have had some large fish on it

the black diamond i got has a soft (possibly medium) taper and is abit of a noodle stick but it punches out hardbodys fairly well i got it to possibly use for hardbodys on flats (fish flats as much as i can) the guy i bought it off used it for plastics so i was a little confused as the tip is soft

the berkley dropshot iv had modifyed and i really do call it an all rounder as iv caught a fair few fish on both hb's and sp's on the rod although im turning towards hardbods for the rod

possibly its my technique with plastics that beating me on the gloomis and not the rod?

also would i use the soft tipped black diamond for surface walkers or would i use the stiffer loomis?

cheers

[kiara_poltegerist]

Kenshin wrote:

possibly its my technique with plastics that beating me on the gloomis and not the rod?

also would i use the soft tipped black diamond for surface walkers or would i use the stiffer loomis?

cheers

haha, could be a myriad of different variables mate. hard to pinpoint one specific reason.

a slightly slower action rod would make dog walking alot easier as it makes the timing easier to get, resulting in less skipping of the pencilbait due to miss-timing.

but then again, if you had only one rod and it was slightly faster actioned, you could still compensate with a slower rythm.

[hooked_on_trout]

Kenshin wrote:

ah this has cleared up my confusiong a bit

reason i was so interested is i have 3 rods i use at the moment

black diamond flats ranger 1-3kg 213cm

gloomis sjr720 mag-light ex-fast action 2-4kg 6' GL2

berkley dropshot 6'10" 2-4kg

i bought the loomis with plastics and vibes in mind because of its stiff action, however i havent had much luck on the rod with plastics yet (have with HB's) although it does have alot of balls in the butt as i have had some large fish on it

the black diamond i got has a soft (possibly medium) taper and is abit of a noodle stick but it punches out hardbodys fairly well i got it to possibly use for hardbodys on flats (fish flats as much as i can) the guy i bought it off used it for plastics so i was a little confused as the tip is soft

the berkley dropshot iv had modifyed and i really do call it an all rounder as iv caught a fair few fish on both hb's and sp's on the rod although im turning towards hardbods for the rod

possibly its my technique with plastics that beating me on the gloomis and not the rod?

also would i use the soft tipped black diamond for surface walkers or would i use the stiffer loomis?

cheers

All pretty light rods, your going to get more bend with 4" plastics and above, the same with large HB like the SX60 for example.

I have a PR 842 6-12 lb, and it has a soft tip (marketed with that in mind), but when people pick it up they say it is stiff, sure but stiff, but not stiff with a 4" plastic on it and a 1/4 jigg head.

cheers

[Kenshin]

those three rods i have i got with bream in mind.... i have afew better models of gloomis in mind (particularly the dropshot and the IMX842-2) abit later but my next purchase will be a heavyer outfit to use on jacks, jew, barra, threadys ect

do you use the 3-6kg loomis for bass?

going to take the loomis for another spin on the flats on friday with the plastics