Favorite BASS rod?
- This topic has 20 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated Jun 23, 2008 at 9:31 pm by
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Hey Guys, whats your favorite Bass rod? I have had the #8 Xi2 for a month or so now and I am finding out (for me at least) that it might not be the best rod for casting BIG HAIR bugs. Long cast are no problem but, it seems to take a lot of line to load the rod up close. I am using a #9 Rio Clouser line that weights like a#9 1/2. As for casting big Deceivers and Clousers this rod is the stuff. It will cast a 300 or 350 grian SA Striper Express into to the backing but, the big floating stuff (hair bugs) give me fits! I know that big hair bugs are not easy to cast but, it seems that some rods are more suited for the task. I have a older St. Croix #8 Legend Ultra that works good for bugs but, it tend to run out of gas at around 60′. Heck, maybe I need to get closer or try on of those new sage BASS rods. 😉 I just can’t see where a 7′ rod will be better than a 9′. Anybody have any ideas?
The new Bass rods from Sage casts like a canon, but that’s another high price tagged rod.
Not sure the other options are. How about getting an old Sage RPL, which is considered medium rather than fast. Put a #9 line on a #8 rod and try out the short casts?
Any other options? This is interesting.
I have an 8wt Scott V2. Thing is money.
Other than that if you look for something else I would suggest something in a moderate action, or you could even go up to a 10wt (Not unheard of for casting bigger bugs).
Todd, recall your recent post about the new Xi2 http://www.itinerantangler.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1211157003?
Go to that post and read my comments about the Xi2. Again, it is a nice rod and I also have the 8wt Xi2. However, admittedly it is not my favorite 8wt stick. I have tried and tried to love the rod because it cost so much $$$ but it is very very picky about the line it is matched. I use it for bass fishing but I use a Wulff triangle taper and it is better. Actually, the best line I have found for bass fishing is a tarpon line at one or two weights higher (I use the Orvis 10wt tarpon line and it is great). Recently, I bought a used/mint 7wt Scott Heliply 8’8″. This has fast become my favorite lake fishing and streamer rod and the Xi2 is not getting much action.
Go to this link http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/speakers/ken/ken.cfm, a good podcast about fly fishing for bass and a very detailed discussion about fly lines for top water and also sinking lines for bigger flies. Sorry Zach, I hate to post links to other sites on the IA board but this one is worth listening. In general, bass fishing on the fly is all about selecting the right line for the right conditions. I think about my brother and other Bass Master competitive fishers, they use multiple setups and have them rigged for different conditions; keep that in mind when fishing – this is not really a one-rod game. The Xi2 will work fine but use it with a heavy sinking line and it will load better.
Also, when I’m fishing for bass I always have a minimum of two (sometimes three) rods rigged up in my pontoon. If I’m fishing on a bigger boat then I usually have three rods with a floating/intermediate/full_sinking line setup. Just something to keep in mind. My go-to setup in general is the 7wt with a sinking-tip setup and my 9wt with a tropical floating line setup for top-water and poppers. The 9wt is actually a great rod for bass because you can muscle the fish out of cover and land them quicker.
Finally, as Spencer and Cameron have said, fiberglass is a great choice for lake fishing. I have landed a few bass recently on my 3wt fiberglass and it is blast. However, I would recommend getting a more stout glass rod on ebay if you are going to go that way.
Bass on the glass
I just got a the Sage smallmouth rod a month ago and it has been out on 4 or 5 trips now. It seems like a mid priced rod for $350 since it comes with the line. I agree with Jay that the rod is a canon, but the very aggressive taper really turns over flies hard and it has taken me a bit to get a non bass bug flies to turn over a little softer. I use the rod in tight quarters smallmouth fishing in creeks
Neal, I went back and looked over your response on the Xi2 just before making this post the other day. I think I will have to give the Triangle Taper a try. I have several Rplxi’s that I tend to think make better bass rods because of the softer tip. Maybe it’s my casting style but, it feels like the Xi2 is driving the bug to hard and over powering the cast. Then again I don’t think SAGE designed this rod for bass fishing. Great rod for salt and fishing everything but, a big bass bug. After I get 45 or 50 feet of line out of the rod tip the Xi2 is a cannon. I just can not get the rod to load for up close shots even with the 9 1/2 line weight and a big bug. All is well when streamers and smaller (size 2 and less) bugs are used.
Its horses for courses look at the design of a rod and what it is designed for.
The Xi2 is a saltwater stick, designed for casting into wind for stuff like bones etc etc, Longer casts and generally not with the big windresistant stuff like bass poppers.That fits the billl with the Bass rods to a T.
short to mid distances big bugs etc etc.The 7′ rod is more accurate period, the flyline is going to turn them over.
Im keen on a bass rod but tossing a couple of
If you’re paying retail than this may be a bit costly, but my goto is a TCR 6 with 7 wght line for bass.
I like the Scott Warm Water series of rods, in particular the 10wt. Basically the heavier weights help toss those big bugs with ease. I fished an 8wt for a long time; still do to some extent. However, I’m learning that the hevier weight, shorter rods are actually easier to cast so long as they are not an ultra fast rod. The Sage Largemouth is a 10/11 wt and if you cast the Sage line it comes with, does well at delivering the big bugs, too. I’m not a fan of the Smallmouth model, mostly because I feel it is too light for what I’m doing.
For the Scott, I like the RIO Clouser line, but the Tropical version. On the deck of a boat the line will heat up (esp here in the south) to near tropical temps during the summer; the mono-core lines just don’t kink up.
Zack, I hear you on the Sage BASS rod. I think I will try one and see how it cast. After fishing with Mike Anderson a few times I am starting to really like the 10 weight and a heavy sinking line. I use a 300 gr on the Xi2 but, like you said a 10 weight works real good with a 450-500 line. Sometimes a foot or two (deeper) is the ticket!
I have been splitting my fishing about 50/50 with heavy sinking shooting heads lately and I am completely sold on their effectiveness if you are after BIG fish.
Here’s a news flash: I’m interviewing Kelly Galloup later this week, who is the guy who more or less invented the kind of fishing that Mike Anderson (and James Buice) basically taught me.
Zach
If youre into those shooting heads and dont like all the work you may want to put one on a two hander or a very stiff switch. Skagit rods cast those heads very nicely and it is a lot easier to match grains to the rod you are fishing.
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