B"n"M Rod

[gcromer]

I guess it's about time that I use the free B"n"M certificate that I won at the Spring Fling. Most of my fishing is done in somewhat close quarters, swamp, or shooting docks. I've been using U/L and Light action rods mostly.

I had a chance to get my hands on the B"n"M dock shooter and thought that it didn't have the back bone that my other rods had. I know CP likes his 7 foot Sam Henton, but I'm not into the longer rods for casting and I'm not sure how it would do shooting docks. I do have other B"n"M rod that I use for trolling..

I was eyeing the SP65G or the SP55G. I called BnM and asked a couple of question about the eye size and really didn't much of an answer from the girl on the phone. Jack Wells was out.. I was looking for something with larger eyes so I could cast and shoot 4 and 6 pound line with 1/32 and 1/16 oz jigs.... I've heard some talk here about the rods with the small eyes having trouble casting with them.. I think that the rods with the larger eyes are better with the smaller stuff.

I've been using a Shimano CPS56UL that Sam W. picked up for me last Christmas. This has been a great rod, expensive by my standards, but worth every penny. Sam W. caught it on sale at Bass Pro.

So how about some of your thoughts... Anyone have the SP series rods?
Gerald

[chaunc]

I've got the 5'6" dockshooter from b&m and i love it. It's always the first pole i pick up every fishing trip. I put a shakespeare ultralite reel on it, spooled with 4# cabela's clear pro-line and i'm good to go. Even caught northern pike on this setup while crappie fishing.

[CrappiePappy]

YEAH - I think now would be a good time to cash that certificate in ...LOL!! (I thought everyone had already cashed them in !) You will probably get your rod in time to bring it to the Fall Brawl, maybe even have time to practice with it, beforehand ...!!!!
I, too, felt the "dockshooter" was a little "soft" ... but the SH 7ft'r is really too long to really shoot good with. It can be done, I've used mine for dockshooting ... but I prefer to "shoot" with a 6ft Browning/Lews Speed Stick. It's "action" isn't printed on the blank ... but I'd say it's at least a MedHvy. It's not much for slinging a light jig ... but loads up well, and propels a jig a good distance, since it is so stiff. I use the 7ft SH for jig casting to open targets, or deep structure, more than anything else.
I think the tip eye problem, most people are referring to, is in the long poles. They'd have more guides than a 5.5 or 6ft rod, and thus would have to downsize to a greater degree. Plus, with the ends of the long poles being so thin - they'd have to put some pretty small guides/eyes on them. I don't know for sure, but I doubt the SP's would have guides/eyes that were too small to handle lines from 4# - 8#.
You could always get a SH or SP rod - then do some "horse trading" with some of the other anglers. Heck - this tourney may even provide you with yet another rod ....LOL!! (there will be a total of 10 being given away in this Brawl !!) ........luck2ya ............cp