If you had a Neko Rod dedicated which Rod would it be? Looking to stay under $300 but willing to go up if definitely worth it. I Think I know what I am looking for which would be (something like the Gen 1 cumara 7'2 drop shot Rod extra fast) but cannot seem to find one or something with a very similar action so looking for your input and asking for your opinions. Thank you.
Where are the BIG ones? When are we going?
LOOKING for a Great deal on a Slightly used 20-21' Boat.
Loomis GCX 852 S
I also had a gen 1 Cumara that I liked and finally broke it last year. That's what I replaced it with.
Last edited by Real L; 12-02-2022 at 05:12 AM.
I bought the new St Croix LTB 7’3”M for neko rigs and I think it’s pretty perfect for that technique. $300 and plenty of sales going on right now for an even better price
That Gen 1 Cumara was a special stick. I had two of them and I am not sure there was a better drop shot rod than that stick. Loved it and I regret selling the last one I had.
As for Neko rods, the best one I've fished for under $300 was the Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier 7' Med Fast. That was a pretty impressive stick at any price range and especially for under $300. The other stick I was thoroughly impressed with was the Daiwa Rebellion 7' Med Fast. For $200 that stick is no joke. Incredibly light, crisp and sensitive with an amazing backbone. Seemed far heavier in power than a Med.
I am going to try the Megabass Orochi XX Enforcer and I just picked up the prior gen Steez 7' Med Fast. Both will be on deck next season for a test run to see which performs the best.
I throw the Yamamoto 5" Senko and the Missile Baits 6.5" Quiver Worm using the vmc crossover rings as my go to Neko baits, always fished on Daiwa J Braid Grand 15 lb braid to an 8 to 10 lb Floro leader length around 10 to 15 feet.
I never understood everyone's fascination with spinning rods. I do everything from Neko rig, drop shot and ned rigs on bait casting gear without any issues. Spinning gear is WAY over rated! Just another marketing scheme..
You should let all the best smallie anglers in the world know, i'm sure they'd be shocked to hear the spinning tackle they've been using is garbage....Originally Posted by bgibson
I would 2nd the st croix LTB 7'3, or the 7' ML expride b
I didn't say its garbage. It just isn't everything people want it to be (not magical). Try it yourself and find out the truth. Think outside the box and be a lone wolf.
This rod right here is a excellent Neko rig rod! A lot of backbone and it balances very well also
How fast is ltb tip relative to industry average? How soft is it to show deflection?
Where are the BIG ones? When are we going?
LOOKING for a Great deal on a Slightly used 20-21' Boat.
I would third this and also add that I believe there is another xpride b 7'2" ml that would work
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I am building a Neko rigging rod for my GF right now on a Bushido SJ68/6-12 blank with Recoil guides. She prefers a bit shorter rod (for fishing fellas) than the industry average per technique and the 6'-8" seems to be the right spot for her Neko stick. She throws a Neko all the time and frequently whoops me with it. I just can't slow down enough to fish finesse, way to ADHD to throw a bait and let it sit, lol. Since she drives a school bus, I am making the split grip wrap a school bus yellow base with small black and red accents.
We tend to lean a little more to the ML spectrum on Neko rods as the hooks are generally pretty light wire and anything heavier seems to bend the hooks too easy on bigger fish. Run 10lb braid to an 8lb fluoro leader unless we are on a big fish lake and we'll switch up to 12lb leader. Our leader length is typically in the 3 to 4 foot range and tied on with an alberto knot. Retie the bait often as we deal with a lot of pike here in MN and they'll scuff up the line pretty easy. Usually replace the leader every trip or at most every other trip.
I’m a big spinning rod user but I will say majority of techniques can be accomplished with baitcasters if you have the right rod and reel. Especially with the BFS movement.
A Med power casting rod is the same blank as a Med power spinning. Obviously guides and reel seat are the only differentiating components between the two builds. So the main difference is the type of reel, not the rod used.
imo where a spinning setup shines is the reels drag and vertical free fall capabilities. A spinning reel drag is much smoother than baitcasting, so it benefits in light wire hooks (BFS reels have slowly been catching up though) and smallmouth who run for minutes at a time. I’ve bent the hooks on light wire jigs using casting gear, but when using spinning the drag slips more easily and you don’t bend nearly as many.
The other advantage a spinning reel has is vertical dropping and casting out to a specific target that you want to drop right on. A spinning reel will allow the bait to drop faster and, when casting, allow it to drop vertically. Baitcasting causes the bait to pendulum back to the boat. They are also slower at releasing line.
Some act like a ML BFS setup is gods gift to earth, when it’s the same blank as a ML spinning. It’s just their reel preference. I think spinning definitely has an advantage over BFS but to each their own.
Last edited by ECobb91; 12-02-2022 at 08:22 AM.
1995 Ranger 481v
1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp
100% agree. I have no desire to fish deep presentations with a baitcaster nowadays. Even throw out a MH spinning rod with fairly heavy lures nowadays, just because I want a true vertical fall to maximize my length casts.
2020 Nitro Z20 Pro Package
One might say the same thing about casting gear..... I can do just about everything you can do on a casting rod on a spinning rod, with better retrieve ratio from an inches per turn perspective, casting distance and drag performance.... Today's spinning equipment provides a ton of options in rod specs, powers, actions etc..... Why not??
Last edited by MainelySmallmouth; 12-06-2022 at 06:57 AM.
The Orochi XX jerkbait special is actually a fantastic neko rod
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GLoomis IMX 783s or 843s soft enough to feel the slightest "Bump" and strong enough to bring in the "Biggens" !! I prefer the older ones with the full handle. Not fond of the handle on the IMX Pro's
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i think spinning reels have better drag system for light line
I prefer the Alpha Angler Clutch casting rod for my Neko rigs. I am not one of those people that has an issue with spinning rods, this rod just has a really good action for neko rigging, and I find it easier to pitch to a dock piling one cast and cast 75' to a submerged tree the next cast with a baitcaster.
2022 Falcon F195
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