Picked up a Kistler Mag2 last year to replace a Gloomis GL3. Even though the GL3 is 2-piece, it's more sensitive and "better" than the Mag2. Converted the Mag2 throw light jerks and cranks.
So search continues. I typically use 1/4oz weight, unless I'm fishing deeper than 40'.
Megabass Addermine, Dobyns Champion Extreme HP 702/703, St. Croix Legend X Series Spinning Rod 7' Medium, or something else?
I use the Champ Extreme HP but the 742 vs the 702. either are good, I like the longer rod for leverage on bitter fish, especially smallies
The addermine is a fabulous drop shot rod for me, however I use it mostly for ned rig and shakey head. My go to drop shot rod is an 872 Loomis nrx
07 tracker TX 190
75 horse Mercury
999 KVD, 859 , and 798 SI HD
Given your location of "Bronzeland" I'm going to assume that smallies are the object of your pursuits.....
I've handled more than a few dropshot rods over the years but as far as I'm concerned, the NRX 822s DSR is the still dropshot rod every other one would like to be. It will easily handle any smallie that wants to latch onto whatever you're putting in front of their face. That said, if you spend a lot of time drifting / bombing casts to drag a dropshot around like you would a tube but want to to keep everything above zebra mussels, I'd go with a NRX 852c
2013 Ranger Z520c, 2013 Yamaha 250 SHO
2018 Ranger RT198p, 2013 Mercury 150 Optimax
I can't imagine you're going to beat the NRX 822s DSR rod,but I'll throw out another that I really enjoyed which is a bit less expensive. I've really liked the Daiwa Tatula Elite 7'1 Ehler drop shot rod. It's a medium so a bit more backbone, but the feel of it I've really liked. Great shakey head and neko rod as well so very versitile. I've also used the St. Croix Legend Tournament bass rod and it is dynamite as well. I think both of those run $280 retail. The cheapest option I've liked is the Lews Speedstick Lite HM85 drop shot rod. That's a ML and is surprisingly very sensitive. Even with many high end rods in my lineup, that sticks at $160.
Good luck on your search
As much as I prefer a longer rod, my rod locker only holds up to 7' rods.Originally Posted by jonmay
Maybe I should just stick with Gloomis for this since they are proven for me. Pretty sure my current one is the SR843-2 GL3.
Maybe this...for a lot less. http://tackletour.com/reviewabuvillain2spin.html
I use a Champ 702 and love every minute of it!
'06 Xpress X19 TS | 150 Yamaha VMAX
Yup!
LOL holy shit the NRX is expensive. I was accidently pricing the GLX and was thinking ~$400 is a lot but possible. FFFUUUUUUU
I dislike using a spinning reel and have been using a finesse bait-caster reel and ML fast tip rods,might contact Alex of ALX rods ask him about the custom rod he recently made for me Alex dubbed it "franks special" for now its a 7. to 7.6 rod ML fast bait caster I feel it will be a great drop shot deep water rod and even tho its a custom one off right now it is very affordable. So far it field testing good on very light weights and up to 1/2oz
2006 RANGER 519VX
200HP MERCURY OPTI-MAX
Sole member of " THE FISHERMEN FOR LIFE" a fisherman that knows one can make the difference!!
Get in touch with dan at ELITE CUSTOM RODS custom built for 250 or under depending on grips guides ect
Explain to me this "Mag-Medium" power rating. Seems way stiff for DS.
I don't bomb my casts. I do pitch it out a distance. May it be at a corner of a dock or underneath. I also do jig it to back to the boat. Might drift over a hump.
The tip is very soft and parabolic but has a strong lower section. It's anything but stiff. The tip is such that you will often see the smallie take your bait because the tip will bend without offering much resistance to the fish. This tip also acts as a shock absorber when hooked up smallies get to doing their thing. The rod is very responsive to sudden movements and it's pretty hard to lose a smallie that's hooked up on an NRX 822 DSR. One of my buddies uses his NRX for spybaits and has a very good landing ratio with it - if you fished spybaits for big smallies you will know how notorious they are for shedding those little hooks.
Pitching out and hopping it back to the boat is fine. I do it all the time. But if I'm doing a lot of dragging/drifting and need to use a dropshot to stay above the zebra mussels, I'll generally use a rod with a stiffer tip because I find the tip of the NRX to be too soft for when everything gets hung up on the bottom and I prefer the stiffer tip for determining bottom composition.
As you've discovered the NRX 822s DSR isn't cheap and there aren't many used ones for sale. There's a reason for that.....
Last edited by BoatBuggy; 05-14-2018 at 05:45 AM.
2013 Ranger Z520c, 2013 Yamaha 250 SHO
2018 Ranger RT198p, 2013 Mercury 150 Optimax
Megabass Addermine hands down
2019 Phoenix 920 ProXP
Mercury 250 4S ProXS
Check out the ALX Rods BOKU Series - Slot 7 is very popular for dropshotting smallies.
I have the following spinning rods that could be used for drop shotting:
GLX 820s
NRX 852s
Addermine
St Croix Legend Xtreme 6'10 MXF
Steez AGS MMLF 7'6
Based on the 7'6 Steez, I really want to try out a 7' model for drop shotting. You can't go wrong with any of them though.
Villain 2.0s are bad ass rods
I just built one on a North Fork Composites SJ-762 IM blank cut down to 7'3" that turned out very well (NFC is Gary Loomis's new company). I put a set of NFC carbon fiber grips on it and mated them up to a Mudhole Project X aluminum reel seat then wrapped on a set of AirWave guides (placed first according to their guidelines then adjusted as my static testing dictated) and finished her off with an American Tackle Deluxe Hook Keeper that grabs a drop shot sinker very well. The carbon fiber grips are incredible for improving sensitivity over EVA or cork. I think I had about $150 in it when all was said and done, not counting my time of course. I have a good time building rods so I don't factor that in.
NFC just released a new high modulus line of blanks I wish I could've used in this build...I stayed away from their high modulus on this build due to durability concerns, but it sounds like this new new HM material is a lot more resistant to cracking, splitting, and breaking that other HM blanks.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
Hope so. I have a 6'10" ML casting rod that I haven't had a chance to use yet.
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