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Can anyone suggest a good ultra-light rod/reel to cast 1/16-1/4 for panfish?


sefmonster

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I already have a St.Croix Mojo Bass paired with a Pflueger President 6935 with 8lb.Trilene XL which I used this past season for my all around LMB rod/reel spinning combo since I mostly fish worms but seems a little light for bass and will probably pick up another bass rod this season but now I want to pick up a ultra-light outfit like the President 6925 and pair it with a spinning rod that can throw 1/16-1/4oz with 4-6lb.test for panfish and trout. Can anyone suggest a combo that won't break the bank? I was looking at Bass Pros Micro Lite Graphites but was wondering if anyone has tried them.Their only $49.99 which is a good price.I'm a hardcore saltwater fisherman but started freshwater fishing this past year after getting blown out trip after trip.I haven't fished freshwater since I was a kid and I'm hooked again.Now I have to start making room for all my freshwater gear! Lol.....;) Thanks guys!

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i got my son the st croix triumph travel ul for christmas i made a few casts with it on one of or fishing trips and it is a prety sweet rod.



we were using phoebes in that size range and casted them like a dream.



thinking of getting one for myself


i think the 4 pc ul travel was just over $100 but the 1 piece ul is around $80 which i would think would be even sweeter to cast

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I spend a fair amount of time chasing panfish.  I routinely throw tungsten ice fishing jigs during the summer, as well as small Rapalas, 1/12-1/4 oz Kastmasters, and 1/16 oz  jigs and spinners.  I have gone the ultra-light and micro-light routes, 5' to 7 foot rods, etc, etc and I have decided that I enjoy the lure presentation and the fight better when I am using a rod rated at medium-light or medium.  Last year I stumbled across two Daiwa Crossfire rods 6' and 6'6".  They were about $20.00 each, IM6 graphite, medium action, rated for 1/8-3/4 oz lures and 6-15 lb test line with aluminum oxide guides, etc, etc.  They load really well with the 1/32 oz jigs and easily handle heavier weights.  They are not as stiff as most ML to Med rods.  If you run across either of these, they may very well meet your needs. 


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Its not really a complete ultralight at 6.8 ounces but the Mitchell Pro 310 is a decent reel at the price or just a non-pro edition Mitchell 310. The older BPS Microlite Elite is much better than the current one I believe and probably cheaper too. Lews Speed Spin has worked well for me. 


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Tis the season for sportsmen's shows. Go to one of those and you can get some hefty discounts on some great rods. I pulled the trigger a little too early so I couldn't justify spending the $135 for the North Fork Custom Rods 6'6" UL with North Fork Composites HM blank. Uggg... its better than an NRX imo and retail would probably be ~$500 but again I do already have a nice rod. 


Take a look and take your time and you can find some great deals. If you have access to a beater rod you can use or borrow then use it first until you can buy a rod that will last you a lifetime. I believe I read something somewhere where someone made a close to 1oz UL. See what you like and prefer and to be honest the smaller rods might be even suitable to your environment. Many people who can make do with 1/16oz (instead of 1/32 and under) prefer using 10' and above UL/L rods that were originally made for steelhead as they literally can just drop the presentation right where the fish are no casting involved. A lot of those longer UL/L rods are also in your price range especially when they are on sale. 


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I was looking at Bass Pros Micro Lite Graphites but was wondering if anyone has tried them.Their only $49.99 which is a good price

 

I currently have the 7'6" UL and previously had the 6'6" light.

 

The 6'6" was a nice rod. I don't remember the lightest lures I threw on it but I do recall that it handled my range of standard trout lures well (1/8-1/4 if I had to guess). I started taking it out on the kayak for bass because I loved the forgiveness it had when fighting fish. Largest fish I caught on it was a 20ish inch pickerel on a worden's timber tiger crank. I'm guessing that lure goes 3/8. I lost the rod when a bass pulled it out of the rod holder. I jumped in after it to no avail.

 

The 7'6" is a noodle and loads easily without any weight. I caught a good amount plugging with it when I needed to, but it's not as crisp as I would want for that. I now fish a St. Croix avid that is more crisp and makes for a nice plug or worm rod. What I LOVE this BPS rod for is float fishing. I can throw tiny sensitive floats with it and get good hooksets with its length. The rod is very fun and bends in half with a stockie trout on it.

 

The finish on the Microlite series is pretty good, same with the cork. The cork grips including the insert in the reelseat are thicker than I would make them if I were building a rod but that's my preference. The metal rings dont make as much contact with the reel foot as a graphite reel seat but the reel is held firm and I've never had an issue. The ferrule is not as good as my loomis but better than my lightning rod. I felt that the guides on the 7'6" are larger than need be for small reels and light line. Don't remember if I felt the same way about the 6'6."

 

If I was in the market for a trout rod they'd be on my list for sure. I'm happy with mine.

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Thanks guys! I'll check these out but keep the ideas coming.My buddy showed me his St.Croix Triumph spinning rod model TRS60LF and it's one sweet rod but $90

 

If you like it, buy it. You'll probably have the rod for the rest of your life... with that in mind, does the extra $40 really matter?

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Hey Sef....I got your PM...Lots of stuff in it...I'll put together a reply sometime tomorrow for ya....

 

Regarding a light stick for panfish and trout.....I really like throwing Crickhoppers and little husky jerks. I have a Loomis IMX 5' ultralight and a 5'6 team daiwa f series from a long while back. The daiwa handles them well ....casting wise....but they both stink setting the hooks...

 

I prefer Light action rods vs ultralight. There is a cabelas ML walley rod XMLWS603- rated 4-8 and 1/16-1/4 oz......Their XML lineup is pretty friggin good.

 

For 60 bucks down from 150....i don't think anything comes close.

 

It's a walleye rod so it's gonna most likely have a real quick sensitive tip. If they are anything like the older xml's they'll be great.

 

Worth looking into. IMHO

"Panacheless is no way to go through life"

Tims

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Quote:



Originally Posted by peddiesake View Post





Pick your rods like you pick your doctor or college. Buy the best one you can afford.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Slacker View Post





If you like it, buy it. You'll probably have the rod for the rest of your life... with that in mind, does the extra $40 really matter?


By the best quality rod that will last a lifetime. To me though a Premier is not a lifetime rod but everyone has their own budget and preferences. In addition, an ultralight rod in my opinion should be your last priority in rods as there are a lot of different types of rods you can make do for trout and panfish. 


That being said there are a lot of good ultralight rods out there. For true ultralight ratings of 1/32 ounce the typical highly sought after brands are Phenix, St. Croix, and Loomis Trout Series. I would add anything with a North Fork Composites blank and similar quality components as better than all of the listed above. 


It really depends on what type of fishing you are doing though. To me trout and panfish fishing are very different and I have different preferences when it comes to both. If you really want a rod that will suit both go for something that will suit multi-application trout fishing first as you can use just about anything to catch panfish. You would do well to wait for the Great American Sportsman Show or the Greater Philadephia Sportsman Show  and see if you can get some quality rods deeply discounted. If you are really set on St. Croix Premier rods then they should have them at 25-30% off with free goodies. That being said there might be a lot of great deals there as well. I would also highly recommend Fetha Styx if you are thinking of only throwing 1/16oz and above. I just went to their outlet store recently and got a their UL Homewater Series for $100 and they had late model Chromes for $75. It might be too expensive for you but they also ship at cost tyd. If any store or booth at the show sells Lamiglas they should have the Lamiglas X11 series on sale for around $65 or the Cascade Pro for $50 that would be comparable to a premier or better. 

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