Site Links

Shoutbox

Say Hi or something!


djkimmel

2024-02-26, 11:25:32
Ultimate Sports Show GR coming - March 7-10, 2024 at DeVos Place!

djkimmel

2024-01-16, 16:14:35
Lithium battery for sale. Someone probably wants it.

djkimmel

2024-01-11, 08:23:30
See you at the Ultimate Fishing Show Thursday thru Sunday!

djkimmel

2023-12-30, 12:05:12
Who's dropping by the new forum these days?

Advertisement

Welcome to Great Lakes Bass Fishing Forum. Please login or sign up.

March 28, 2024, 04:56:59 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Recent Topics

Latest Articles

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 19:28:28 +0000
The 79th Annual Ultimate Sport Show - Grand Rapids is March 7 - March 10, 2024 at DeVos Place. Over 4 acres of fishing and hunting gear, outdoor travel, fishing boats and seminars!
Tue, 16 Jan 2024 00:43:52 +0000
Michigan's original sportsmen's show - Outdoorama 2024 up next! February 22 - 25 at Suburban Collection Showplace.
Sat, 23 Dec 2023 15:37:04 +0000
Kevin VanDam headlines a Star-Studded lineup of Seminar Speakers when the largest freshwater fishing show in the country, the Ultimate Fishing Show–Detroit, drops anchor January 11-14, 2024
Tue, 28 Nov 2023 15:46:34 +0000
This is resource page for aquatic invasive plants (weeds) including information on identifying them, and how you can help if you choose to. In Michigan, Starry Stonewort is becoming a real issue with over 120 lakes at least infested with it.
Fri, 03 Mar 2023 15:33:21 +0000
The Ultimate Sport Show – Grand Rapids returns to DeVos Place, March 9-12, offering the latest fishing, hunting and camping gear, as well as seminars

Advertisement

Rod For Great Lakes Smallmouth?

Started by Weedsnager, November 30, 2012, 05:22:03 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Weedsnager

Looking for a couple of new smallmouth rods for fishing lake michigan, anything but dobyns

Waterfoul

I prefer Shimano.  I have a boat full of Crucials and Clarus rods.  My favorite smallie rod is a 7' Crucial MH.

I probably caught over 100 smallies the last couple months on the west side, most on this rod.
Addicted to fishing.  All the time, any species, anywhere!!  Especially in West Michigan!!!

mikesmiph

Please take a look at Grandt Rods, (a sponsor of this site). There are many to choose from and you never have to worry about one breaking (like most other brands). Unconditional life time warranty. And 100% made in the USA. Great prices too. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

bigjc

Both great suggestions, but its still Kistlers for me.  The 7'6" MH spinning rod is hard to beat for great lakes smallies.

djkimmel

Are you looking for spinning, casting, both? What types of presentations do you normally fish? A little more information could help others suggest more specific rod models maybe.

Help stop invasive spcies. Don't move fish between unconnected bodies of water. Clean, drain and dry your boat before launching on another water body.
Unless clearly stated as such, opinions expressed by Dan Kimmel on this forum are not the opinions or policies of The Bass Federation of Michigan.

Weedsnager

Spinning rod specifically for Lake Michigan smallmouth. Your typical Great Lakes smallmouth presentations....tubes, Erie darters, swimming a grub. Must be 7 foot or longer

bigjc


Waterfoul

This is the model Shimano Crucial I like.

http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/global_fish/en/us/index/products/rods/Crucial_Family.html

CRS72MHA  7'2" Medium Heavy/Fast, 3/16-5/8 baits, EVA grips, Fuji Alconite guides and 9.5" Split Grip

Very light, very sensitive and a lifetime warranty.
Addicted to fishing.  All the time, any species, anywhere!!  Especially in West Michigan!!!

fiker

I like the St. Croix Avids which also come with a lifetime warranty.  They cost about $180-190.

I use the ml xfast for drop shot.
The medium xfast for tubes blade baits, wacky rigged jig worms,  and small cranks.
The medium heavy for jigs, beavers, blade baits. 

I have both spinning and casting and I love them all. 

I use a Loomis for my crank bait fishing and top water.

The biggest smallie I ever caught was on the medium lite drop shot.  Plenty of backbone to handle fish.
So much water.  So many lures.  So little time.

Member of  Downriver Bass Association

www.buildwithmomentum.com 734.649.9390

Got Fish??

 Lake St Clair spinncast/smallmouth rod.Drift and drag. 7' to 7.5' med/heavy, At least 60 millions of carbon fiber, med tip. Good line guides (Fuji). The make of rod is a personal preference. Some company's have better hand grips or weighted handles A good rod is like a fine car. Buy the best one you can afford and go!

6 lb Smallmouth

I'm with Fiker- Love my Avid ML action spinning rods.  The 6'9" MLXF is great for detecting the subtle bite and it has a solid backbone when fighting that big one.  The 7' MLF is excellent too.  Give 'em a look!
Formerly known as JerkBate

Nothing beats Great Lakes Smallmouth!

LennyB

I've tried a lot of different rods, from $50 Bass Pro Shops to $365 G. Loomis Glx's. For top quality, I haven't found any rod as good as the Loomis Glx, however, dollar for dollar I think the best rod for the price is Bass Pro's XPS Extreme (Regularly $119 but often on sale for $69 ). The blank is as good as any $100 to $120 rod and has Fuji Guides but the thing I like best about it is the reel seat location. It is a little higher up the blank so it gives better leverage when fighting big smallies. I found a lot of rod makers put the real seat to close to the butt which cuts down on the leverage. I have a dozen of these I use with my clients and have never heard anyone say they didn't like them. For $69, it's hard to find a better rod without spending twice that much.

djkimmel

If you have some time before you buy, and you're in the area and thinking about attending, Grandt Rods will have their huge rod display at the Ultimate Sport Show in March. Rods made in the US with a lifetime warranty.

Grandt Rods has pricing close to their wholesale at the shows and when you buy there you can lock in that price. They have rods from the All American Pro Series to high end rods like the Stealth and Payara that are their own, unique materials designs.

I normally can't afford and don't buy the 'high end' rods from anyone so I have mostly stuck with the All American Pro Series. Often a little over $100 each at shows. I have 7 or 8 of them now. I'm very happy with a number of them. The C10 is the nicest spinnerbait rod I've ever owned. Lighter than rods I've used that cost a lot more. Very sensitive.

I'm hoping to pick up a good 7 1/2 foot spinning rod from Grandt this year for similar techniques to what you're looking for. I'll be at the Grandt Rods booth checking out their spinning rods in March to see what feels the best. Rods are pretty personal. I have recommendations but for some rods, it helps to feel them in your hand first.

Jim Grandt usually has hundreds, maybe over a thousand, rods at the shows. I'm hoping he has the following All American Pro models there for me to try out:
015    7'0 Med Lt   1pc  Jig, Drop Shot, Walleye, Crank  
009    7'0 Med      1pc  Jig, Bass, Lg Crank, Walleye Fluke 
076ML  7'6 Med Lt   1pc  Crank, Walleye, Bass, Fluke, Lt Troll 
076M   7'6 Med      1pc  Walleye, Bass, Fluke, Troll, Drift, Jig
076    7'6 Med Hvy  1pc  Bass Jig, Pike, saltwater Jig, Rig

I would think one of these will work for me. I will probably check out the higher end rods but those are out of my budget. Some of them are very nice to the feel though.

Help stop invasive spcies. Don't move fish between unconnected bodies of water. Clean, drain and dry your boat before launching on another water body.
Unless clearly stated as such, opinions expressed by Dan Kimmel on this forum are not the opinions or policies of The Bass Federation of Michigan.

Crankinsmallies

The new Kistler KLX series of rods are the best in my opinion.  Check them out: http://www.kistlerrods.com/c/fishing-rod/Spinning-Rods.html

Skulley

I like the Daiwa Tony Beane Smallmouth Rod. I have only 4 of them. I would have more but they don't make them anymore. Tennessee smallmouth guide and expert designed this rod specifically for Smallie fishing. The closest thing to this that I have found to this is the KVD Signature Series Rod. Same action and you can throw just about any bait on it. Beane designed his rod so that you could throw any bait that weighed 1/16 oz. to 1 & 1/4 oz. bait. KVD's is about the closest thing to it. The Beane Smallmouth rod is a spinning rod. KVD Signature Rods come in spinning and casting models.



BD.                       ;D
If You Can't Fish With The Big Dogs.........Stay On The Dock!!!!!!

Dodge Ram Trucks
www.ramtrucks.com

Fish For Free
www.fishforfree2.com

YpsiBass

Everyone likes what they like.  For my money, I'd get a Powell rod.  Great customer service too.  Great warranty.

jcox7

Get a full custom rod built try to get a Rouge blank they are rare but the best for smallies IMO there are many builders out there a few are Elite Rods out of Ohio and a newer rod to the area is Alpha both Dan fro Elite and Matt from Alpha can build with the rouge blank. 

Weedsnager

#17
I ended up buying a shimano cumara. It has the best warranty out there.. if i break it, i take it into my local shop, give them  $10, and i have a brand new rod

Waterfoul

Great choice.  I have a couple of Cumara's and I love them!
Addicted to fishing.  All the time, any species, anywhere!!  Especially in West Michigan!!!

Mojo

IMO the older blank Crucials, 6'8. DS rod was the best $160 I ever paid. 7 returns in 2 years, all free over the counter.  The draw back was they are brittle. So the new blanks on the Crucials are the old cumara blanks. Im sold. I got a gloomis for $189 and there seems to be a touch better sensitivity.

Either one, small mouth don't stand a chance once you set the hook with fresh 8 - 10 lb floro. They just absorb so much of the fight !!!! And that's the trick to landing smallies.

Thanks Dan for bringing year round Catch and Release to Michigan

Powered by AnglerHosting.com