SLX Rod

apiazza · January 10, 2020, 03:41:51 PM

I'm looking at an SLX XT combo deal right now. I have heavy interest in the reel and for the price I'm considering picking up the rod with it. Rod wise the options are 6'10" or 7'2" in both M XF and MH XF or 7'5" H F. I've never fished extra fast tapers. What techniques might work well with them? I don't want to buy a rod just to buy one, but if I can put it to good use in my rotation I will certainly consider it. I appreciate the help.

apenland01 · January 10, 2020, 03:45:53 PM

There's a special on the SLX reel and rod combo at ALF right now, pretty cheap at $129

The SLX XT combo is $149 and the SLX DC combo is $229

I have no idea about the rods, but it seems to work out you get the rod for about $30 over the retail price of the SLX reel.

apiazza · January 10, 2020, 03:49:44 PM

Quote from: apenland01 on January 10, 2020, 03:45:53 PM
There's a special on the SLX reel and rod combo at ALF right now, pretty cheap at $129

The SLX XT combo is $149 and the SLX DC combo is $229

I have no idea about the rods, but it seems to work out you get the rod for about $30 over the retail price of the SLX reel.

Yup. That is where I was looking, but was trying to avoid announcing it. I also have an additional 10% off for joining their newsletter. So that's $135 for the XT when the reel is 120 itself. hard to pass up, honestly.

apenland01 · January 10, 2020, 04:15:58 PM

LOL, so the rod is only $15.....

You can't buy a cheapo rod at Walmart for that price, so I don't think you can go wrong at all there...

SteveTX · January 10, 2020, 04:29:09 PM

Quote from: apiazza on January 10, 2020, 03:41:51 PM
I'm looking at an SLX XT combo deal right now. I have heavy interest in the reel and for the price I'm considering picking up the rod with it. Rod wise the options are 6'10" or 7'2" in both M XF and MH XF or 7'5" H F. I've never fished extra fast tapers. What techniques might work well with them? I don't want to buy a rod just to buy one, but if I can put it to good use in my rotation I will certainly consider it. I appreciate the help.

M XF and MH XF are extremely popular profiles. They are very popular because they can cover many techniques.

Extra fast are better suited for Texas rigs, Jigs, Flukes, Horny Toads, Senkos, and other weedless lures like these. The faster tip gives the rod better sensitivity for fishing these style lures and the stiffer tip helps for hooksetting past weedless rigs or brush guards.
However you are not limited to just these techniques. Spinnerbaits, Spooks, Buzzbaits, Shaking Worms, Dropshot Rigs and others all can be fished on these. MH rods with F or XF tips have been used successfully for many techniques. Are they perfect maybe not but say in a Yak or on foot you may be limited to a small number of rods and a MH would cover a lot.

apiazza · January 10, 2020, 05:02:01 PM

Quote from: SteveTX on January 10, 2020, 04:29:09 PM
M XF and MH XF are extremely popular profiles. They are very popular because they can cover many techniques.

Extra fast are better suited for Texas rigs, Jigs, Flukes, Horny Toads, Senkos, and other weedless lures like these. The faster tip gives the rod better sensitivity for fishing these style lures and the stiffer tip helps for hooksetting past weedless rigs or brush guards.
However you are not limited to just these techniques. Spinnerbaits, Spooks, Buzzbaits, Shaking Worms, Dropshot Rigs and others all can be fished on these. MH rods with F or XF tips have been used successfully for many techniques. Are they perfect maybe not but say in a Yak or on foot you may be limited to a small number of rods and a MH would cover a lot.

Thanks for such a detailed response. I suspected jigs and t-rigs would be an option. The extra stiffness makes sense in giving a higher amount of sensitivity. As mentioned for $15 I probably will buy one. Just to decide which. I'm thinking 6'10 might be a better option from the kayak if I'm going to try and pit/flip with it a bit. Just need to pick medium or medium heavy. Leaning MH for exactly the reason you mentioned, being able to throw spinners and such with it a bit better than the medium. Medium is listed at 1/4 -1/2oz and the MH is 1/4 - 3/4oz.

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apiazza · January 11, 2020, 08:47:55 AM

I went ahead and ordered the 8.2 reel with the 6'10" MH XF. All the reels in my current arsenal are in the 7.2 world so wanted to try something a little faster. I can swap my regular slx reel onto that rod if I feel the 8.2 is too fast for the presentation.

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