CincyBassMan

For less than $200 tour kvd cranking rod 7'4" isnt bad.

Nothing wrong with helping the kid out. We all had someone to give us a push in the right direction as beginners. My mother was single and if it weren't for my grandfather making an extra effort to get me started I would have never gone fishing. I say buy him the vendetta set up that you mentioned and one day he may be telling his kid about the awesome guy (you) and how you took him under your wing. He will also pay it forward!

My son and I fish our float tubes in local gravel pits every yr. Usually june-aug. Always have a great time and reach skinny water that is otherwise inaccessible.

I agree. Definitely add that 7.1:1 reel. Every boat needs at least one moderately fast reel so you dont burn yourself out.

I have the same model and I only use it for cranking. It has a thicker base but is still light enough to crank a dd22 for a significant amount of time. I also have the 7'4" medium spinning rod TKVDS744FA rated for 8-17 lb and surprisingly this rod is rated for lures 1/4- 1oz. I normally use that rod with spinnerbaits and occasionally even for drop shotting in stained water when I want a little more backbone but still a soft action. Hope this helps.

I agree with most on this post. Two separate occasions I stopped at BPS here in Cincinnati and they didnt sell something simple on my list. Last yr it was the Bombshell Turtles and this yr its Megastrike. The salesman directed me to the Ranger boat dealer almost 20 miles away. Oddly enough I found both of these products at a local state run lake that has all of its tackle on a sinlge 10x5 wall. Id almost consider wally world a better shop if they sold left handed baitcasters.

Denny Brauer and Tommy Biffle

Whats the water clarity like? If you are fishing clear water then that is probably the first and biggest obstacle you may be facing. I fish a lot of deep clear gravel pits and your best bet will usually be a weightless senko in a natural color such as black, green pumpkin or watermelon seed or no seed. Cast it let it sink on slack line and kinda give it a jerk upwards every ten seconds or so and repeat. You may see results if not the its the old trial and error that we all face as anglers. Tight lines!

Thanks Darren!

Great question. For the beginner bass angler or for the angler who hikes into remote locations I would suggest keeping it very basic. Medium action rod such as a 6'-6'6" abu garcia vendetta from the v series of rods is an excellent choice of decent quality and can be had for less than $75 from walmart. Next is a decent reel with power and finesse. For this a good starter is a pflueger president 6935 model( spinning). A limber but stout line is also needed. For an all around approach bass pro XPS 12-14 lb fluorocarbon will do the job. Buy a 1/4 lb spool at least if possible to avoid a trip just for line. Use a mono leader if needed for top water or other applications that you may deem it necessary as fluorocarbon will sink. After that use your favorite hooks or at least the best you can afford and have fun.