Medium vs Medium Light Rod: Which One Should You Fish?
- By: Luke Simonds
- on
The most common tackle mistake for inshore fishing is people going WAY TOO BIG on gear.
For inshore saltwater fishing, going LIGHT as possible can pay BIG dividends. You’ll spook less fish and feel the bites sooner, all resulting in more tight lines!!
So, how light can you go? Well, you’d be surprised. See the differences between the two most popular rod choices, and when a Medium-Light rod could be the perfect choice for you.
👉 Get Your Slam Stick Medium Light Here
👉 Get Your Slam Stick Medium Here
Medium Light: Ideal for Smaller Lures
The Medium Light version is designed for lighter lures, from ⅛ oz up to about ½ oz. It has a sensitive tip for long casts and great feel, but still enough backbone for solid hooksets.
- Perfect for 3–4 inch soft plastics with exposed hooks
- Great casting distance with lighter baits
- Sensitive action to feel subtle strikes
- Still strong enough to land quality redfish, trout, and snook
Medium: Better for Bigger Presentations
The Medium rod has the same 7’6” length and build, but with more power for heavier lures.
- Ideal for larger paddle tails or weedless soft plastics
- Handles heavier hooks and thicker plastics
- More backbone for stronger hooksets
- Still casts far and keeps fish pinned
Specs You’ll Love (Both Medium & Medium Light)
- Length: 7’6” for long casts
- Weight: Incredibly lightweight build (easy all-day casting)
- Guides: Stainless steel, saltwater-ready
- Handle: Premium cork with ergonomic grip
- Hook Keeper: Side-mounted for quick access, perfect for anglers who fish weedless
Which Should You Choose?
- Go Medium Light if you’re throwing mostly smaller lures and want extra sensitivity.
- Go Medium if you throw bigger plastics and prefer extra power on the hookset.
Either way, both rods are part of the Salt Strong System Bundle, so you’ll have the ultimate setup tailored to your fishing style.
👉 Claim your Salt Strong System Bundle today
Don’t Miss Out
The System Bundle is more than just a rod. It’s the complete inshore fishing solution, your choice of rod, the Otis 2500 reel, the lures our coaches rely on year-round, and all the rigging you’ll need to hit the water prepared.
🎣 One package. One system. Everything you need. All year long.
👉 See the full Salt Strong System Bundle breakdown here
Ready To Take Your Fishing To The Next Level?
If you want more than just the right rod in your hands, the Insider Club gives you everything you need to consistently find and catch fish: proven game plans, full access to Smart Fishing Spots, exclusive gear discounts, and a community of 63,000+ anglers.
👉 Click here to join the Insider Club today and start catching more fish while saving money.
Tight lines,
Luke Simonds
Chief Fishing Addict
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Luke, I’ve been using a medium and medium light for a long time. I never could figure out a decision point for which one to use for what. I wasn’t too far off, so this was a great help.
Good presentation Luke.
Mel Crissey
San Antonio, TX
Thank You Luke. Both those rods look great.
You seem to like pairing with the Otis reel – how does this compare with the Diawa BG MQ?
The BG MQ is the superior reel between the two given that it has more advanced/expensive components and sealing. The Otis wins in terms of weight, line retrieve, and warranty. Both reels are great options for inshore saltwater fishing with 15lb or less braid. If you’re going to be using 20lb or more braid, then make sure to go with a 3000 sized or bigger reel… the BG MQ line is a great option for stronger lines.
I have a love affair going on with my Slam Stick rod. Best inshore rod I’ve tried, and unfortunately I’ve tried about a dozen.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Slam Sticks.
Yeah!!!!! Ordering soon,,,,,thanks!!!
We look forward to seeing what you catch with your new slam stick.
I had the slot machine combo in checkout until I seen shipping ,, 30.00 for shipping broke the deal ,,, So I had a local guy custom make me one ….. but talking to my local guy he said the same thing
That he stopped shipping rods because of that reason. Iwas going to but a Finweck pole they had free ship. So I’m going to pair this rod up with a diawa procyon 2500 , 7′ Med Fast pole . It’s not going to float like the slam stick , I really liked that
I’m sorry to see that you missed out on a top tier rod because of shipping (the $30 doesn’t even cover what we have to actually pay, so we loose out on shipping too).
Note: We give members $100 off on this rod to more than made up for shipping (this is better than building shipping into the price of the rod because it allows members who buy multiple rods at a time to get a better overall rate since up to 3 can fit in one tube that has the $30 fee).
Witch reel do you like best and why Otis 2500 or Daiwa Fuego 2500 ?
Those are my two favorites because they are very light and smooth. The Otis 2500 is my overall favorite because it feels more stable when fighting a big fish and it looks cooler.
FYI… I used a Daiwa Fuego this year salt water fishing and ended up having to send it to get serviced from Daiwa. A representative from Daiwa told me that it’s not made for salt water fishing.
Will there be baitcasting model
That is our plan, but it won’t be until late this year.
Are the new slam stick rods one or two piece blanks
The Slam Stick is currently only sold as a 1 piece. We do have a 3 piece travel version in the works, but that won’t be out until this summer.