Tourney/club Equipment

[dam0007]

Ok so I've fished my whole life, I'm now 30. Just registered with B.A.S.S. And working on getting with a club local to me in my state (CT). So with that said I know some guys that are in the 'league' and for example one of them loads his boat with 30-40 poles. I understand the concept, every application could be covered in 2 seconds time. But for someone just starting to get into this what do people reccommend to have as a starter kit?

I have right now 3 dedicated set ups I'm happy with (Crank set, worm set, misc set) looking into doing 1 more for spinner baits.

I have 100s of lures so that's covered. Is there anything I should urgently consider? I wanna take care of everything in the off season so when April comes I'm not unfamiliar with gear and/or spending extra money. Want to be able to just fish. And regardless what anyone says I will not be fishing 80# braid lol

[JCiurej34]

You can pretty much cover everything with six rods, if they're the right length, power, and action. You sound like you have enough to cover a lot, but I would personally get a few more as you go along if you want to cover everything. I would recommend a 6"6" medium rod for topwaters and jerkbaits, a 7'6" mh fast action for pitching and flipping in or around heavy cover, and a 6'6"-6'9" medium power spinning rod which would cover most of the finesse techniques. I recommend these since you already have rods for crank baits, worms/jigs, and a miscellaneous set up. If your looking for a spinnerbait set up I would recommend a 7' mh power rod with a fast action.

[dam0007]

Yea my Misc set up is a 6' M/F spinning. Use it for a lot of top water and light weight stuff. Spinnerbait rod I have in mind is 7'3 MH which I'll match with a 7:1 retrieve reel. Pitching and flipping technique is new to me as I'm new to baitcasters as well, I just started throwing tubes this year with I think 3/8oz jigs. So a set up primarily for that would make sense as well. Also I throw the rod I throw misc stuff with also covers my soft plastic swim baits wondering if I should do a 2nd similar setup but equipped with heavier line rather than switching spools.

[Ima Bass Ninja]

You already have what you need. Use your crank setup for all treble lures I'd go with #12 yozuri on this one,, worm set up for single hook lures id go witb #15 fluoro on this one and the spinning for shakey head drop shot or other finesse applications id shoot for braid with a fluoro leader.

[LgMouthGambler]

I fish tourneys, and have taken my rigs down to just 6. You can cover all you need with 6, and if you have to tie something on, well, a few seconds is no big deal once in a while. If it helps, this is what Ive set my stuff up for. 1. Topwater(spook) with 10lb mono. 2. Swimbait/plastic frogs with 50lb Power Pro. 3. worms/deep plastic presentation with 20lb YoZuri. 4. Cranks with 12lb YoZuri. 5. Flipping/pitching 65lb braid. 6. Spinnerbaits with 40lb braid. The only other thing that you may want to cover if needed is a light finesse setup using a spinning reel.

[roadwarrior]

For enthusiasts, technique specific gear is fun

to collect. However, three rigs cover all the

basics:

#1 6 1/2' or 7' MH baitcaster for jigs, some

soft plastics and spinnerbaits

#2 6 1/2' or 7' MM baitcaster for treble hook

lures

#3 7' MF spinning rod for lighter lures and a

variety of techniques

[dam0007]

Thanks for info guys, gonna work on getting #4 and prob leave it at that for this year. Just got a call today, I landed a spot in a club! So I'm happy.

[LgMouthGambler]

Good luck. Go getm.

[dam0007]

Hell yeah bro!

[webertime]

Non rod/reel stuff...

Culling tags of some sort

Scale

Weigh bag of your own

Bac Rac (I love mine, my boaters love no hooks near their seats).

Lindy leader rolls for you c-rig and drop shot leaders... pre-tie a dozen of each in various lengths and you'll save a TON of time rigging on the water, makes life easier when you need to re-tie and you boater calls for the net.

[dam0007]

Scale check, weigh bag check, I don't run leaders so check N/A, will look into bac rac that seems like a cool idea, now what's the culling tags for, to tell who's fish is who's?

[dam0007]

Actually just looked up that leader roll thing that would be AWESOME for my saltwater box! Thanks for the info didn't think they made something like that. Pretty much any saltwater trip I'm chunking or live bait I do my leaders night before and have been using corks for the past decade lol

[Hanover_Yakker]

For enthusiasts, technique specific gear is fun

to collect. However, three rigs cover all the

basics:

#1 6 1/2' or 7' MH baitcaster for jigs, some

soft plastics and spinnerbaits

#2 6 1/2' or 7' MM baitcaster for treble hook

lures

#3 7' MF spinning rod for lighter lures and a

variety of techniques

This is exactly the setup/approach I use when I head out on the water every time and in the kayak tournaments I enter - simplicity is the best option. One additional suggection for the treble hook rod is to tie on a #2 snap of some form to facilitate rapid changes of lure colors and sizes until you dial in the pattern. Then you can tie direct if you choose.

[Fishes in trees]

Buy as many rods and reels as you can for as many different techniques as you can think of. Take them all with you to the tournament. Make the decision as to which 4 or 5 or 6 rigs you'll take the morning of the tournament, after you've got an idea of how your boater is going to fish and after you've got an idea of how much room you'll have in the back of the boat.

I don't know much about fishing bodies of water where you're from, (CT, I guess), but I know where I live, in MO, I'm going to rig up different for Truman (a flooded river valley with more flooded timber than you'll believe) than I will if I'm co-angling on Table Rock (a classic highland style reservoir.) Some rigs are suitable for both environments and some aren't.

As you fish more tournaments, you'll learn to refine your approach on the different bodies of water you'll encounter.

[dam0007]

I fish regularly just about all the lakes they have the tournaments at. Yea CT is correct.

[Bankbeater]

I would get a rig that you can flip/pitch jigs with.

[dam0007]

Never done that technique before. Really only started throwing tubes/jigs this year. No real luck with em either. I typically use lipless and lipped cranks/rattletraps, spinner baits, inline spinners, worms, frogs.

[webertime]

For your (our area): Rocky "Smallie" Lakes, weedy shallows, and in your case the CT River some funny tidal Largemouth action...

If you haven't already done so, learn tubes/football head jigs (very similar techniques), Drop Shots, Shaky Heads (technique is similar to a tube and DS hybrid), and Carolina Rig.

Flipping a Jig or T-Rig is very productive, fun and easy to learn, takes a bit to master. Tubes/DS/Shaky's can be fished on one rod, C-Rigs, footballs and Flipping "can" be done on another. Treble hook baits on another and a nice MH for spinnerbaits, senkos, etc., sort of a utility rod of sorts.

[dam0007]

@webertime Your suggesting throwing tubes on same rod I dropshot with? Only prob I see doing that is my drop shot rod is a ML. :/ and I'm in the market for a MH spinnerbait set up. Will prob end up another dobyns chronarch combo. - where in CT are you?

[webertime]

I'm up in Vermont, I have fished all over New England though. Your 6' m/f spinning rod could be used for tubes. I didn't realize you used a ML for your DS.

Here's your spinnerbait rod (no need to thank me): http://www.stcroixrods.com/shop/catalog/Freshwater-23-1.html#Legend_Tournament_Bass_Casting_Rod_LTBC66MHF_11-325-23.html

That's a great rod and a steal!

I use (for whatever this is worth) as a non boater:

7'6" H Phenix Recon [766] (Flipping, Jigs, Carolina Rig, Frogs)

7'1" MH Phenix Recon [715] (Keitech type swimbaits, spinnerbaits, bigger cranks, smaller jigs/Texas rigs, some jerkbaits)

7' M Lamiglas Excel [703S] (Spinning rod for DS, shaky, tubes, etc.) A Medium power with a more moderate actions so the tip is pretty soft, a fantastic rod.

These three went with me to all tournaments

I cycle in the following depending on where the tournament is, weather, smallmouth or largemouth bais:

6'6" Medium casting (jerkbaits and topwaters)

7' MH Cranking rod (cranks, ripping cranks out of weeds)

6'8" M XF Spinning rod (senkos/ikas)

Another flipping stick if it's shallow and I'll have a frog on the Recon.

Just another thing to consider if you already don't have one, one of the inflatable life vests, I just keep it on. For me I find the faster and easier I can move around (re-rigging, getting the net for the boater, getting settled when the boater says "we're out of here", etc.) the better I can concentrate at keeping a line in the water and not worrying about loose ends. If you are heading up to VT at any point drop me a line, I'll hook you up.

[dam0007]

Ahhh your killin me!!! That is a good price. Thanks for info bro! Def will hit u up.