New rod

[Big dreams]

I am looking at getting a new spinning rod.  I need something for skipping under docks and such.  What would you all recommend?

[MadWags]

In the All American Series I would recommend the 013 spinning.
This is a 6' MH action. You need strong backbone to pull those fish out from under the dock and a shorter rod for increased casting accuracy. Skipping is much easier with a spinning rod, but a casting rod has better accuracy. The learning curve on skipping with a baitcaster is alot longer than with spinning.

[Waterfoul]

Madwag is correct on everything he said.  Short, MH action spinning.

[Durand Dan]

This isn't high end equipment, but I have had great success wth a MH 6'0" Pfluger President combo I bought at Gander Mountian. What's nice is for the price I don't mind when I whack the dock ends! 

[MadWags]

Nice but I think he is asking about Grandt Rods since he is posting in the Grandt Rods forum.

[Durand Dan]

Whoops! Sorry

[MadWags]

Its all good. 

[mikesmiph]

I almost always agree with Wags. LOL. This time..... yes. Ditto everything he said, but I'm not a dock skipping expert.

[dartag]

the fun thing about learning to skip docks with a baitcaster is you become real good at getting out backlashes ( Pro Overrun ) at the same time. 

I think we need a Grandt demo day.  Would love to try some. 

[djkimmel]

I've been thinking the same thing. Just not sure yet how to actually work it out. Have had brief initial discussions about something. I will have a couple more Grandt rods this year to add to the 4 (or it 5? that memory thing will drive you crazy right dartag?) that I already have.

Maybe MadWags, BrianB and mikesmiph can work something out at the spring DK Open. People can, of course, check out my smaller selection too. I still say the C10 is by far the best spinnerbait casting rod I've ever used! It was awesome last fall up North while I was TOAD hunting - light and sensitive. If fact, I'm getting another one! I think it will be a nice for some crankbait stuff I enjoy too.

[mikesmiph]

While I was in Indy, I picked up an XLH70RP 7' spinning rod to use for tubes on St Clair. Also have quite a few other Grandt rods. If something different cant be worked out, anyone is always welcome to try any of my rods out.

[dartag]

They say the mind is the first thing to go when your age numbers add up to 10 or more.  Forgot what the other thing they said was.

I would swap one of my Powell ( hope I can say that name in this thread ) drop shot rods for the day to try a Grandt ( I know I can say that name in this thread ) drop shot rod.

[MadWags]

Thats fine with me.
But if you are refering to the DK Open to do the swap, do you really think we will be dropshotting?
Just a thought. Certainly you can use mine. I guess you can catch them on just about anything that time of year.

[djkimmel]

Not sure if we can do a day loaner program, but at least have them available after the weigh-in, maybe while we eat, to lift up and get the feel of.

[Big dreams]

I purchased a 7' E-Glass Grandt last spring.  That rod is great.  You can tell they have great attention to detail. 

Would you recommend the new split handles or the straight cork?

BgD

[djkimmel]

Split handles are lighter and some anglers think they are more sensitive. That may well be.

Maybe it is more a matter of preference. I like the feel of cork but I am starting to like lighter rods. Less tiring by the end of the day of a 1,000 casts.

[TCook]

I used to use a 6ft MH for skipping docks thinking it would be ideal but that thinking changed quickly after trying to pull a couple big bass out from under docks with it a couple years ago. Yes accuracy was improved but the rod handle was to short which killed any leverage I had on the fish. Needless to say I lost the battle with those bigger fish and that changed when I switched to the Loomis 852.

[djkimmel]

Guys,
On a sponsor-specific board, please help me out by not suggesting other brands especially when someone asks specifically about the sponsor's product. I appreciate every member who is willing to give sponsor advertiser products a look. That is all I always ask. I use them and wouldn't personally recommend them with my own blessings if I didn't believe and mean what I say. My honest and integrity is very important to me and I hope everyone that knows me understands that. I only say what I mean and believe.

It is very challenging to keep advertisers on the site and very easy to lose them in this economy - 4 already lost this winter. I can't afford to keep losing them. I provide plenty of places to talk about products we each individually prefer and/or feel we need to be loyal to so please feel free to do so there, just not on the boards that specifically pertain to a website sponsor.

[TCook]

Im not bashing Grant just saying in my experiences you need a longer rod to get leverage to move the bass out from under the docks. It just happens I use a longer loomis maybe I should have left the rod brand out. My bad

[djkimmel]

That's all I'm asking in your case. I thought a good point earlier was made that you switched to a casting rod for this technique. That is helpful information.

Many of us, me included, have no idea the length, power or action of that brand and model so it would be more helpful to someone looking for the right action rod to specify the rod length and power instead of just a brand/model number. I see that on here a lot with many brands and models. I know I'm not the only one who isn't that familiar with length, action, color, etc just by a brand and model number.

As much as I have fished in the past, I can't really tell you the length and power of most manufacturer's rod models anymore than I know what color a Yamamoto 281 (or whatever is). I guess 20 years ago I knew what some of the color numbers where, but no longer. I have to go by the actual color. Getting worse too since I misplaced my memory somewhere a while back.

Anyway, the type of rod, action and length are the most helpful in this case for sure and I would still have to ask because I don't know. Others probably don't either.