Crappie Casting Rods

[ClearCreek]

St Croix makes a good 7' ultra light bait casting rod blank that I use for cast and retrieve and vertical jigging also. Used 3 of them today.

Crappie wrangler:
I looked at a couple rod building websites that handle St. Croix rod blanks and I could not find a 7' "ultra light bait casting rod blank" available. There are several spinning rod blanks in 7' that are available in an ultra light variety.

I have heard of rod builders wrapping a spinning rod blank with a casting rod handle and guides to make a very light power casting rod.

I appreciate any info you can provide.

Thanks,

ClearCreek

[CrappiePappy]

The poll says casting rods - favorite brands. Are you really asking about casting rods or are you asking about spinning rods? It seems some of the replies are listing spinning rods/reels.

Are there casting rods (with a casting reel mounted on it) that can cast a 1/32 oz jig 25-30 feet or further? Please list those rod and reel combinations, I am interested.

Thanks,

ClearCreek

Pretty sure his intention was "rods to cast jigs with" & meant "spinning" rods. But, to answer your question about "bait casting rods" ... no I don't think there are any "baitcast reels" that would cast a 1/32oz jig. But, one could use a bait "casting rod" and a spincast reel, and cast that 1/32oz jig the distance you stated.

[crappie wrangler]

I think that’s what I did. I used an exposed blank reel seat that was actually to tight for the blank and sanded it to make it fit. I’ll limp out to the boat in the morning and get the blank model for you.

[crappie wrangler]

I can’t cast a single 1/32 oz jig but I can cast a 1/16 or two 1/32 oz jigs. Once you get used to casting it the process becomes easy. The reason for learning to use the bait caster is because of the drag system. I landed a 22” striped bass today that hit my crappie jig on 6 lb line. It would have broke me off on a spinning reel. The drag system is just not as efficient on a spinning reel. The down side is that I now have a callous on my thumb from casting it.

[ClearCreek]

crappie wrangler:

I use casting reels for salmon fishing in Alaska but, they are a little more heavy duty. With the rod/reel combos I use for that fishing I can cast a 1/4 oz lure but not much of anything smaller than that.

I would really appreciate it if you would get that rod blank model number. I have always wanted to wrap a rod and what you are mentioning here has me even more interested.

Thanks a bunch.

ClearCreek

[Lonnie84]

The poll says casting rods - favorite brands. Are you really asking about casting rods or are you asking about spinning rods? It seems some of the replies are listing spinning rods/reels. ClearCreek

Pretty sure his intention was "rods to cast jigs with"

Yes, my intent was the actual act of "casting" like the "cast & drag" style of fishing, mainly I was trying to rule out spider rigging, pulling, pushing or vertical jigging.

[crappie wrangler]

The 7' rod is a 3SW70ML If you prefer a longer rod I also us a 5 weight fly rod also made by St Croix 42F905.2 To make the fly rod cast like any spinning rod just use spinning rod guides on it. Both work very well for me. Actually I made myself several of both models. If you feel the need you can check my thread on building a custom rod start to finish and the tactic I use in gluing on the reel seat that returns the max sensitivity.

Yesterday's results of using those 2 blanks below.



the 2 biggest.

[deathb4disco]

I landed a 22” striped bass today that hit my crappie jig on 6 lb line. It would have broke me off on a spinning reel. The drag system is just not as efficient on a spinning reel.

I disagree on spinning reel drags. Modern spinning reels have incredible drag systems. (Heck, the old Daiwa SS series had a drag that would stop a train.)

Lots of Florida guys use spinning reels for everything up to big tarpon and decent-sized sharks. (I watched Larry Dahlberg on The Hunt for Big Fish land an 80-pound sailfish on a 2000-sized Shimano.)

Personally, my biggest fish on 2# line are a couple of 7-pounders. I've landed lots of carp and catfish up to 20 pounds on 4# line. All of them came on light spinning reels.

[crappie wrangler]

Feel free to disagree.

[crappie wrangler]

It’s not that the drag itself is different it is that the line has to make a 90 degree turn to get back on the spinning reel as opposed to straight on and straight off. I actually use spinning reels but that does not keep me from seeing their flaws in certain situations. I use bait casting reels but that does not keep me from seeing its hinderences in certain situations. It’s not an emotional response, I use what works best given the conditions I am faced with.

Also, I meant no offense to anyone I was just discussing drag efficiency given different types of reels.