Milos

Not sure if I remember, the rod seems to be 6-7ft. Definitely over 5ft.

The equipment I have is a plussino telescopic rod, this was my 2nd rod and it didn't have any helpful specs. From looking at it I can assume its a medium at the very least and its made of fiber glass. The thing says 180 GR 30-60g that's all. My other rod is a ultra light spinning rod that can take a maximum of 8 pound braid, and 1/32 - 3/16 oz lures.

Thanks for the help. I do realize that I have been spending too much time studying the technical aspects of the rod,reel,line more than going out fishing. The rods I have is one plussino telescopic rod (tip is broken) my first rod. And the other is the ultralight spinning rod that's a 1 piece.

I don't mind catching small fish, since I fish for fun. But I hear that small baits will help catch bigger fish also if the fish wasn't that hungry. Would this be true? What advantages would I have if I were to use larger baits?

For now I have a ultra light spinning rod, and a medium or heavy spinning rod. The plussino isn't giving any specifications about the rod what so ever. https://www.amazon.com/PLUSINNO-Spinning-Telescopic-Saltwater-Freshwater/dp/B018GFYHDG I got mines back in 2015 in the fall, I think they changed them because mine is fiberglass I think. The thing is like a metal pole, no flex to it at all. I might sell it or something.

I'm looking to buy a bait caster, the things I use are crank baits 1/8oz I prefer to use smaller baits hence I heard that I will get more bites. Also that a big bass that isn't that hungry might go after a smaller bait vs a bigger one. I'll also be using small frogs if I can find any, senkos, poppers, and sometimes deep diving lures or regular swim baits. Basically almost everything but smaller. Some baits I will go a bit lighter than a 1/8oz.

I'm on a bit of a tight budget so I need to know if I have everything right before I buy some fluorocarbon. I know that monofilament is recommended for top water baits, but I will only have one reel to put line on. Can using a popper effectively be possible with fluorocarbon? or is it not worth bothering? The reason why I ask this is because the majority of baits I use are crankbaits, senkos, and other things that go underwater. I want to use top water baits on occasion also.

Does fishing the fishing lines physical weight, or diameter affect your casting in any way? I have a ultra light reel, and it can take a maximum of 8 pound braid and I would assume 8 pound fluorocarbon as well. If I can find a higher pound rating with roughly the same diameter will there be no issues with casting?

For example if I got a White Bird 7'0”, medium heavy, fast action made of graphite. Will it be basically the same as the Abu Garcia with the same exact specs? In terms of performance. Because I see some of the more expensive bait casting rods out there that have the almost the same exact specs of the cheaper ones.

I have 1 rod, that I use for everything. Is it possible that I have monofilament as backing with braid as my main line along with couple feet of flourocarbon as leader to give me benefits of the sensitivity of braid + no line memory and invisible line at the end of my bait. I hear that having monofilament as backing when using braid will help stop it from sliding/digging in to itself. I will have all lines the same pound test rating, and I'll try my best to make sure the diameters are quite close, but how important would that be? How far off in diameter is bad?

I have 2 reels, a HA 3000, and the ultra light pflueger president reel I got from a combo. https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/pflueger-president-spinning-combo-15pflupflprs2spn2com/15pflupflprs2spn2com?camp=CSE:DSG_pg29574_ecom_PLA_452&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqvvLBRDIARIsAMYuvBFJu2RZlnThfweM2NdyZCtWOxdmeyPbUlFSCE6nMzaIjcny3N9uRaMaAn9jEALw_wcB The HA 3000 can take up to 8-12 pound line, but the maximum the pflueger can take is 8/110 braid in lb/yds. For mono its 6/90. Will there be any performance issues, or issues at all if I use this 8 pound test fluorocarbon on the ultra light rod.

Do even the high quality ones have any advantage at all? Any by advantage disregard ease of use, and price. Advantage mostly as in performance wise.

I live in Illinois, Homewood to be exact. I fish at lakes with lots of weeds, open creeks, ponds. I've never been near a river before.

My rod is 1/32 - 3/16 for weight, the action is fast. it can take 2-6 pound line, or braid.

Or lure weights over or under the recommendation for the rod? I'd like to use braided line on my ultra light spinning reel, because it doesn't have memory loss (When the line gets all curly and not as tight). Unless I can find fishing line with lower pound rating that doesn't do that. Also there will be times I may want to use a heavy lure, because this is really the only rod I have. I'd love to get another rod, preferably a bait caster but this is what I have to stick with now.

Thanks for the tips, I did also notice that my lures were getting a lot of weeds on them and I was spending quite some time getting it off the hooks almost every cast. I hear there are weedless baits out there, what are your thoughts on those and do they really work?

The rod I use is a Plusinno spinning rod, here is where I got it from https://www.amazon.com/PLUSINNO-Spinning-Telescopic-Saltwater-Freshwater/dp/B00YOW1TKK/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1501268851&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=plusino+telescopic+fishing+rod Reel came with it. I'm using 6 pound test for line, the rooster tail and crank bait I got from walmart and both are branded strike king.

I'm fishing in Illinois, the things I use is a crank bait, and a rooster tail. Only 1 lake I fish will have a couple fisherman, and the majority of the time either one catches a good size bass or nothing at all. There is walleye located around the middle of the lake, and I think I remember there is this guy that casts his rod way out there with a minnow and catches it.

I feel like I'm doing something wrong, or where I am around doesn't have big fish. I've been fishing for a total of 2 years, and I have only caught a total of 4 carp (weight around 4-5 pound), 2 bass that were around 1-2 pounds, a huge snapping turtle once on accident, and almost caught a grass carp that's close to 3-4 ft. The rest I've caught very small fish like chub, bluegill, baby bass, perch, small catfish. Maybe when I get my Ultra light rod it will be more fun to catch these fish. I've fished in a total of 5 locations, creeks and lakes. Maybe should I go out more and find new places to fish? Do people usually catch a good size fish every fishing trip?

Thanks for the recommendation, I went with the 5ft 1pc UL since if you went over 5ft it would automatically choose light or medium power instead. Can't wait to try it out.

Thanks for the help fellas, I'm stuck deciding between the Pflueger President combo, or the Pflueger Trion combo. Can't seem to find what action these both have, but I hear rods that don't have an action stated will typically be a fast action rod. In terms of action, would a fast action give me better sensitivity/feel?

I've wanted a baitcaster for a long time, would this be a good one if I don't use a specific method of fishing, such as I use frogs, crank baits, poppers, deep diving lures, spoons, rooster tails, senkos. Just about everything. https://www.amazon.com/Abu-Garcia-BMAX3-661M-Baitcast/dp/B011LUQLHS/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1501020735&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=baitcatser%2Bcombo&th=1&psc=1 I do prefer cork over synthetic, is there something else you'd recommend?

I'm fishing for smaller species like bluegill. This is when I don't catch anything for the day, so I'l go with a ultra light rod so I can have more fun catching these smaller fish. My goal is to get a rod that maximizes sensitivity and feel so it feels like I got a big fish on the end of the line when in reality its a small fish. Just to make things more fun.

I understand the concept around power, for heavy rods it will be easier to set the hook but from what I hear it will be harder to sense a bite vs ultra light. But in terms of action, what are advantages over a slow action? Fast action seems to be ideal, because wouldn't you want to know if the fish is biting right away?

I've had 2 rods in my lifetime. 1st was a cheap walmart rod that broke, and plastic reel got damaged. My 2nd one was a plusino telescopic pole with reel. Mistake with that one is its more for sea fishing, as in the rod is pretty stiff resulting in poor feel if something is hitting my bait also no fun reeling in a fish when the pole is doing all the work vs a lighter rod. I have a $60 budget total, I know it's not much but I'm just a student for now.