Drop Shot Rod

[4x4bassin]

Looking for some recommendations on a good drop shot rod between $150-300 . I have a St.Croix Avid X which I have been using but is a little heavy and I want a designated drop shot rod so I don't have to keep re tying . The Avid X is an amazing rod (you can feel a fish swim by your hook) and I am leaning towards another one but just wanted to hear what you guys think and use . Anyways thanks for your advice in advance everyone.  

[AKRISONER]

I use an older Loomis DSR and absolutely love it. I tried the NRX and found it a bit too light for my liking. the feel was insane, but I like the little bit of extra backbone and power that the older DSR's had especially when trying to handle smallies from long distance in the fall when im drop swimming 3 inch swimbaits. Unfortunately the line of rods has been discontinued.

Ive used the E6x on loan in a tournament last year, i think i actually liked the feel a bit better than the NRX as crazy as that sounds. It just had a bit more oomph to it than the NRX. I also absolutely killed it that tourney and it handled the "big fish" for the tourney so I won some money off of it.

Ive tried the mojo bass drop shot as well and it was ok, but definitely didnt have the feel of the Loomis rods. 

My preference is a stradic Ci4 2500 series, the set up cant be beat.

Edited March 11, 2019 by AKRISONER

[KawarthaAngler]

 

Mine is a 7 foot Shimano Crucial medium action rod.  It's quite light.  I really like it. I think the new Curado line replaced Crucial.

I have a 7'2" heavy action Shimano Zodias I use for punching.  I love that rod.  Its so light yet powerful.  Maybe their 6'6-7' medium power would be the perfect solution.  They are a bit pricey though but really nice.

I did hold approx 7' Abu Garcia dropshot rod in my hand at a recent winter Bassmasters club meeting from a Abu Garcia sponsored pro tourney angler doing a demo .... it was really nice looking and feeling rod.  I can't recall which model it was but it felt like it was up there in quality between the Curado and Zodias.

Also, the new Daiwa Tatula line is really nice.

So much sweet gear ... not enough money. 

[ecmilley]

My favorite drop shot rod is a st Croix legend drop shot rod light sensitive strong . Lots out there to try and think the avix x one of best bang for buck rods out there

[Acountdeleted]

15 minutes ago, ecmilley said:

My favorite drop shot rod is a st Croix legend drop shot rod light sensitive strong . Lots out there to try and think the avix x one of best bang for buck rods out there

I don't have the legend but I have the Mojo bass dropshot rod and I love it. I think the legend is a step up from the mojo but you honestly can't go wrong with St. Croix. The sensitivity in the rods they make is unbelievable. 

[Lape0019]

Currently using a Dobyns Champion 702SF XP and it has worked for me for the last 2 years. Before that, I was using a regular Champion (not XP) and was just as happy.

I have used a Zodias (Can remember if tiwas Medium or Medium light) And I actually really liked it. It was sensitive enough to feel small taps and was light enough to use for hours on end without much fatigue.

 

[BassMan11]

Loomis E6X 822 DSR. They have been revamped so not exactly sure how they feel now. But I have an older one and enjoy it. Its a Mag-Medium.

[Snidley]

I'm told the best drop shot rod ever was the Daiwa Cielo version (the original Cielo not the recent cheap version). It was made from the same SVF graphite(and it's labled on the rod) as Steeze rods but it had a solid TITANIUM tip that enhanced tactile feel on the rod as well as signaling light bites. They are older rods (2005)so you would have to search them out online to find a used one. I have 2 Cielo rods from this original version's line up and I really love them as they are super high quality rods. The originals are a grey/purple/blue flip flop coloured graphite and the later cheap version was  a blue colour I believe. Here's Tackle Tour's review 

http://tackletour.com/reviewdaiwacielorod.htmlt

I'm not a dropshot fan as I seem to attract dinks when I try it.

Edited March 14, 2019 by Snidley

[Musky Plug]

I currently have two drop shot set ups. I have a 7’2” shimano crucial medium xf with a 2500 stradik fj. Was a a little over the $300 dollar mark you’re looking at but I like this setup. I use this one majority of the time for drop shorting because this rod has a soft tip. I feel it allows me to feel the light bites. I also have a 7’3” Daiwa cronos medium xf with a 2500 tatula LT. This was right around the $300 dollar mark. This rod is a little stiffer than the crucial. I use it primarily for jigging raps and spy baits. My brother has the mojo bass drop shot rod and he likes it. I have used that numerous times and would recommend either of these options or something similar. 

Also what I used to do when didn’t have a designated drop shot rod was pre tie drop shot rigs with a barrel swivel on the top end so I didn’t have to waste as much time re tying all the time. Then when I was done I would rap it around one of the foam things I use for worm harnesses then it could be re used.

 

Edited March 15, 2019 by Musky Plug

[David Chong]

My main dropshot is not really a "dropshot" rod! It is a Daiwa Tatula Elite "Seth Fieder" Signature Series Hair Jig Neko Rig rod! It is a 7'6" MLM rod with Fijii AGS guides, picks up line quickly & lots of length to fight giant Smallies!

[4x4bassin]

Thanks again everyone for the input . After a long hunt for those spring sales on rods and reels and testing a couple different setups I went with the G Loomis E6X 820 DSR . Matched it up with a Stradic Ci4 2500 (reel on sale as well so what the hell eh...) . The 820 felt better then the 822 with this reel so I went with it. Beauty setup and I can't wait to lay the beat down on those open water small jaws..... 

[AKRISONER]

14 hours ago, 4x4bassin said:

Thanks again everyone for the input . After a long hunt for those spring sales on rods and reels and testing a couple different setups I went with the G Loomis E6X 820 DSR . Matched it up with a Stradic Ci4 2500 (reel on sale as well so what the hell eh...) . The 820 felt better then the 822 with this reel so I went with it. Beauty setup and I can't wait to lay the beat down on those open water small jaws..... 

cant go wrong with that.

Would be my exact choice if I was in the market for a DS rod as well.

[Snidley]

An  820 seems like it would be  a very limp rod. Literally a zero powered rod would have zippidy do da lifting power. I had an IMX 9000s and it took ages to lift even brown trout at the Niagara Bar. You never lost any fish but it was like fishing with line made out of an elastic band. The rod is a G Loomis so I guess there must be some well established methodology to such a light action but I can't see the actual catching part of the excercise to be very stimulating. Let us know what it's like when you get a decent hookup

[Lape0019]

please let us know what you think of it once you have some time with it. the 820 would not have been my choice solely looking at the specs but it should be more than capable. I would have looked at the 822 based solely on the lure rating. I guess it will depend on how heavyof weights you tend to use.

 

My only experience with a Loomis DSR is with an 822DSR NRX which I had borrowed for a few days. I assume the E6x will act similarly and I found that the rod didn't give you much feel as to how heavy the fish was when you were fighting it. On the plus side, it definitely has the give to keep a fish pinned so you should enjoy it. I just hated that I couldn't differentiate between a 1.5 and a 3+lb bass.

 

and the Stradic C+4+? You will not regret that choice at all. Great all around reel IMO.