Choosing the Best Bass Rods – Part One
By Josh Lantz with Pat Schlapper
Bassmaster Elite Champion, Pat Schlapper, reveals his favorite rods for bladed jigs, hard jerkbaits, punching, walking topwater baits, dropshot, and football jig presentations.
The "best" or "right" bass-fishing rod depends on the type of fishing you'll do, as distinct bass-fishing presentations call for optimized fishing-rod variables, namely length, power, and action. Just as a golfer needs a variety of clubs for varying distances and situations, a bass angler needs multiple rods that excel using the different lines and lures that catch bass in different conditions.
Choosing the Best Bass Rods – Part One highlights the specific rod preferences of Bassmaster Elite Champion, Pat Schlapper, in six of his favorite bass presentations.
Best Rod for Bladed Jigs/Chatterbaits
"Bladed jigs like the Z-Man Jackhammer are a staple at all levels of competitive bass fishing," says Schlapper. "They excel in relatively shallow areas in and around grass and other types of cover. I use 18 or 20-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon line because it is abrasion resistant, it sinks and provides minimal stretch for better sensitivity than monofilament. I look for a rod with a moderate action and more parabolic bend, which helps increase my hookup ratio with moving baits, while also keeping the fish pinned. In most bladed-jig situations, I prefer the fiberglass St. Croix LEGEND GLASS LGC72HM RIP-N-CHATTER rod."
It's 100% linear S-glass, is light, and has the sweetest moderate action of any rod I've ever fished. When bass are more aggressive, I prefer the St. Croix LEGEND TOURNAMENT BASS LBTC72HM RIP-N-CHATTER rod. It's the same length, power, and action, but instead of being all glass, the blank is a hybrid layup of carbon fiber and glass St. Croix calls iACT Glass, which makes it a bit smaller in diameter, lighter and a bit more sensitive than the LEGEND GLASS model. The action is still moderate and bends deeply but is a bit stiffer than the LEGEND GLASS. I'll use one over the other in certain scenarios, but I always have each of these rods rigged up with a bladed jig and ready to go. It's worth noting that St. Croix also offers this same 72HM model in its MOJO BASS GLASS and BLACK BASS GLASS series."
Best Rod for Hard Jerkbaits
Hard jerkbaits are popular lures when bass are in transition and suspended in spring and fall but are effective all season long. "I'm kind of a jerkbait junkie," Schlapper says, pointing to the Megabass Vision 110, Megabass ITO Shiner, Jackall Rerange, and Lucky Craft STAYSEE as some of his favorites. "I'd say the Megabass generally is my go-to. Fluorocarbon line is important in jerkbait fishing because it sinks. I'll use 10 to 16-pound Sunline Super FC Sniper line depending on the size of the lure, the fish, and the proximity to structure and cover. It's a tip-down presentation, so good jerkbait rod isn't too long… 6'6" to 7' is about right for most people. I want medium power and an extra-fast tip so I can make the bait do what I want. I also don't want too long a handle and a comfortable grip. The St. Croix LEGEND TOURNAMENT BASS LBTC68MXF is my favorite jerkbait rod of all time."
I basically have every generation of that rod since St. Croix started making it all the way util now. It's just the right length for me, the handle is good, and it's just got the perfect amount of tip and backbone. If the LEGEND TOURNAMENT BASS series is too much money for some anglers, St. Croix makes the 68MXF in a variety of other series including MOJO BASS (JOC68MXF) and BASS X (BACX68MXF) all the way up to PHYSYX (PHXC68MXF), LEGEND X2 (LXTC68MXF) and LEGEND XTREME (XFC68MXF)."
Best Rod for Punching
Bass can be found buried in heavy vegetation whenever and wherever it exists. It provides oxygen, ambush cover, and cooling shade. Getting a lure in front of bass in such cover – and getting them out once they bite – takes specialized presentations and gear. Punching uses a heavy tungsten weight pegged to a compact creature bait on a heavy, flipping-style straight-shank hook. The weight and rig force the bait straight through thick mats to the bottom, where bass are hiding. "Punching is something I've spent a lot of time dialing in," Schlapper says. "It's a technique where you can lose a lot of fish if you don't have the right setup. I think a lot of people use rods that are either too stiff or too fast. I'm always punching with 60-pound Sunline X Plasma braid, usually with one to a one-and-a-half-ounce weight, a big 4/0 Gamakatsu straight-shank hook, and a Reaction Innovation Sweet Beaver plastic. When you're using braid like that, if you have too stiff of a rod, you'll have the tendency to just rip a big hole and lose a lot of fish. I like a longer rod with heavy power, but with a more moderate action that provides a bit more cushion and flex on the hookset with that heavy braid. The rod I use for punching is the St. Croix LBTC711HMF LEGEND TOURNAMENT BASS, but St. Croix makes similar rods in the BASS X (BACX711HMF), VICTORY (VTC711HMF), and BLACK BASS (RIC710HMF) series."
Best Rod for Walking Topwater Baits
"Topwater walking baits like the Zara Super Spook are very popular and catch a lot of fish. A lot of anglers throw these baits on 16-20-pound monofilament line because it floats, doesn't pull the bait down, and is a bit stretchy so it's forgiving with treble hooks," Schlapper says. "A 7' to 7'3" medium-heavy power fast-action rod like the St. Croix MOJO BASS JOC71MHF is kind of the standard for that setup, but I prefer a different rod because my Spook setup is a little different. I use 30-pound Sunline SX1 braid, which also floats, but I tie a short, 12-to-18-inch 20-pound fluorocarbon leader on it, which goes against the grain a bit. Fluorocarbon sinks, but a piece that short just holds the nose of the bait down a bit and makes it walk easier so I can fish it faster. Also, if you use straight braid, the line is so supple it has the tendency to get caught on the front hook of the lure. That stiff piece of fluoro stops that from happening. Since I have no stretch in the line, I can use a softer, more moderate rod to walk the bait and help keep the bass pinned once it eats the lure. My rod for this setup is the 7'4" medium-heavy moderate-action St. Croix MOJO BASS GLASS JOC74MHM."
Other similar rods from St. Croix would be the LEGEND GLASS LGC74MHM, the BLACK BASS GLASS RIC74MHM, or the LEGEND TOURNAMENT BASS LBTC74MHM. I've caught absolute giants on it this rod and setup, and it gives the best hook-to-land ratio I have found."
Best Rod for Drop Shotting
"When it comes to deep-water fishing, drop-shotting is just kind of a staple," Schlapper says. "My typical dropshot setup is 12-pound Sunline braid mainline, a ¼ to 5/16-ounce dropshot weight – that might change depending on the weather conditions – and an eight to 12-pound Sunline FC Sniper fluorocarbon leader. For nose hooking, I'll typically use a number 2 Gamakatsu Super Tuned drop shot hook and a 4.4 to 6-inch Roboworm. My go-to dropshot rod is the 6'10" medium-light power, extra fast LEGEND TOURNAMENT BASS LBTS610MLXF."
St. Croix offers this LPA in literally almost every rod series it makes – definitely every bass series – and they're all great. St. Croix is known for their 100% tubular carbon extra-fast tips. They are really fast and super sensitive, and that's what you want for bite detection in a dropshot rod, along with a powerful backbone for strong hooksets in deep water. All of these St. Croix 610MLXF spinning rods deliver, I just prefer the LEGEND TOURNAMENT BASS model."
Best Rod for Football Jig and Carolina Rig Presentations
Football jigs and Carolina rigs are two more bottom-contact presentations that Schlapper loves. "I use the same rods for football jigs and Caroline rigs, but two different ones depending on the amount of weight I'm using," he says. "Most of the time I'm fishing a ¾-ounce football jig with an orange Big Bite Baits Twin Tail Grub. I'll rig with 20-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon and fish it on a 7' 4" heavy power, fast-action St. Croix LEGEND XTREME XFC74HF rod. I fish the same rod with a ¾-ounce Carolina rig."
Sensitivity is extremely important with these presentation, which is why I use the LEGEND XTREME. The entire rod – from the SCV/SCVI carbon blank and the guides to the rigid Xtreme Skin handle – are designed to maximize sensitivity. The same 74HF LPA in St. Croix's LEGEND X2 (LXTC74HF) and PHYSYX (PHXC74HF) lineups are also phenomenal choices. When I can go down to a half-ounce football jig, or sinker in the case of a Carolina rig, I'll downsize a little to the 7'3" heavy, extra-fast-action St. Croix LEGEND TOURNAMENT BASS TBTC73HXF or VICTORY VTC73HXF rods."