What is a good Spook rod and why?

[ash]

What is a good Spook rod and why?

I need a rod dedicated to throwing spooks, what is your recommendation and what charecteristics do you like in a topwater rod?

[Ron C]

...personal preference, but my favorite Spook rod is (or was) the Phenix X-10 "Minus-3". Unfortunately, it is no longer available.

The X-10 Minus-3 is a regular Phenix X-10 crankbait rod (one of the best crankbait rods ever made) with three inches removed from the tip. It has the same awesome characteristics of the X-10, but is a little stiffer for insanely long casts and a powerful hook set.

Gary Dobyns' new line of fishing rods will be coming out (very) soon and he has a topwater rod in the line that he says will blow the doors off of any other Spook rod out there. Man I can't wait to get my mitts on one!

Two years ago, Gary convinced me to throw Spooks on braided line instead of mono. (I use 50 lb Power Pro). Since changing over, my hook-up to landing ratio is now about 90%, whereas it was about 50% with mono. At the Clear Lake Fed Championship two weeks ago, my Day-2 partner lost a TOAD (like a 10 pounder) on a Spook because he was using mono. There is no doubt in my mind that he would have landed that monster fish had he been using braid. (You can bet he will from now on).

[DAKINE198]

When you fish braid on a spook do you use a mono leader?

[Ron C]

nm

[swimb8]

Only use a mono liter if your using 40 lb braid or less. For some reason the lighter braids get caught on the front hooks when you walk it fast. When we put the 20 or 25 lb liter on it almost stops it completly. I found with the heavier braids you dont need it. As for looks, It isnt going to matter.

[swimb8]

OH yeah, I use a 844gl3 for mine. just enough tip but good solid backcone. Been using it for years. good luck!

[Lance]

Dito on the 844 GL3

[dockboy]

Hey Ron, I have a question. Would it be good idea for me to fish a Spook on a higher priced rod.?This summer I used my 7' BPS medium heavy. It's like an IM7 with a bit of glass in it. It has lots of backbone and a nice, softer tip, so I didn't lose any fish. But does a higher quality rod give more action to a Spook?

[Ron C]

...has very little to do with how well it performs, although you usually get what you pay for.

I am not familiar with BPS rods, but a 7-foot medium/heavy IM-7 composite rod with a little glass in it sounds like the perfect rod for throwing a Super Spook, Sammy, or Vixen. It also sounds like it might be a great rod for throwing large crankbaits, as well (like a Norman DD-22, Mann's 20+, or Lucky Craft Fat CB, etc.).

Before Super Spooks came into existence (and IM-7 graphite composite rods, for that matter), we used to throw original Zara Spooks (which weigh considerably less) on a medium or even a medium/light action fiberglass crankbait rods. When the Super Spooks came out, we quickly realized that we needed a slightly "beefier" rod to throw them; One that had a little more backbone, but still had that extremely important soft or "forgiving" tip that you mentioned.

As with all reaction baits, your rod must allow the fish to take the bait and turn with it before your hook set, or you run the risk of pulling the bait away from the fish. This is why we need that soft or forgiving tip. And now that more and more guys are throwing their Super Spooks (etc.) on braided line, this soft tip thing becomes even more critical, as braided line (unlike monofilament) has virtually zero stretch to it. As such, it is the soft rod tip that gives us that "forgiveness".

I will never argue with success and it sounds to me like your BPS rod is a perfect match for throwing Super Spooks.

Good Fishing!

Ron C

BTW: Welcome to the Southwest Forum - You are now officially a "Nutcase", just like the rest of us.

[dockboy]

Thanks Ron. But my family already calls me a nutcase.. guess it's bcz I practice my stuff in the pool... their loss! Yeah, the rod is a lower end, about $30. I originally bought way back when for plastics, until I realized the soft tip wasn't great for the cover I was fishing. So it's been relegated to topwater and spinnerbaits and seems to do the job well!

[Smitty]

I think alot of it is about combination of rod and line. If you are going to stay with mono I would use a stiffer rod since the line has enough stretch to keep from pulling hooks.

I like Ron was turned on to the braid for spooks by Gary D. However, I think I have found a great in-between set up. Shooter Defier line coupled with a 7 foot graphite rod in either med-heavy to heavy action. I use a Kistler Magnesium 7 ft senko or c-rig special. The c-rig being the stiffer back bone (around heavy cover, the delta, clear lake as examples) or the senko special in more open water applications and or smaller spook jr type baits.

I think the line plays the biggest role when using treble hooked top water baits. The great part about defier is it wont wrap the front hook like lighter braids, has a small diameter for the lb test and doesnt sink like fluro. I feel the stretch is somewhere between mono and braid much like fluro.

Hope this helps. If you want to borrow a set up and see me on the water let me know.
Smitty

[dockboy]

I started off fishing my Spooks on a medium action bcz I was usually fishing the smaller Spooks and blades back then. Then I relaized that I could never fish in my local club tournies and expect a good limit with smaller reaction baits. So now I rarely fish smaller stuff, except for finesse plastics and the like. I personally use braid on my home lake bcz it's a lot like Clear Lake in the amount of cover we have. I had problems too with the 30lb. wrapping around the front hook, until I switched out to 50. But on Castaic and the other more typical SoCal lakes around here, I usually just fish 12 lb. mono. If I'm going with a smaller bait or have to fish with more pauses and slower, I like a medium action more. Anyways, where exactly is the fish going to get hung up in a friggin' canyon lake? Is he going to hide behind a rock or something So I like mono there; just let'em run! Thanks for the help guys, much appreciated!