Do You Prefer Light Tackle Or Heavy Duty Gear For Bass Fishing?

[Diggy]

I have been shying away from heavier #  lines recently and have been looking at some light tackle/finesse outfits in casting and spinning for open areas to make bass fishing more exciting. I got slightly tired of horsing fish to shore and even when playing the fish a bit, it can be a bit too easy at times. I just watched a swimbait video and even with huge fish being caught which is expected on these lures, the bass were getting into the boat in about 10 seconds if that at times, almost effortless. 

[Felix77]

I find myself partial to finesse presentations.  6, 8lb test FC at most.  Seems like it catches more fish generally and when you get a beast on it's exciting as hell.

 

Don't get me wrong ... I enjoy catching them on spinnerbaits too but when you have a 6lb Smallmouth on an 8another siteC leader with 10lb PowerPro braid on it will get you very nervous!  That's the thrill in finesse to me.

 

As for getting it into the boat in a timely manner ... to me I could care less how long it takes me to get them in as long as they are in!  Experience and practice will make you more efficient but the name of the game is landing them at whatever cost.

[Hyrule Bass]

i love fighting a big fish on light tackle, its just funner.

 

***waits for the "but youre stressing the fish longer and going to kill it crowd" to start crying...

[Felix77]

i love fighting a big fish on light tackle, its just funner.

You said funner ... ;-)

[thehooligan]

Im a finesse junky. At the moment all my rods are medium/medium light action. My 3 spinning combos are 1000 size reels with 10lb braid. My two baitcaster setups are 51e's with 8lb line.

 

I do need to pick up something for frogs this year though...

[PABASS]

My heaviest line is 14# which I don't like, its on an old setup that I only use for jig/frog fishing.  I learned fishing finesses and at the time it wasn't a technique just they way I learned to catch bass so I prefer light tackle 6-10#.

[DINK WHISPERER]

Imo, it depends highly on where you fish. Me, i fish in central/south FL in mainly weed choked heavy cover lakes. So all my gear is inclined towards the heavy side. Flippin/punchin sticks, heavy braid etc. I am however planning a trip down south for peacocks so i will be investing in a couple lighter combos. Maybe, just MAYBE, even a spinning outfit! Haha

[Diggy]

I find myself partial to finesse presentations.  6, 8lb test FC at most.  Seems like it catches more fish generally and when you get a beast on it's exciting as hell.

 

Don't get me wrong ... I enjoy catching them on spinnerbaits too but when you have a 6lb Smallmouth on an 8another siteC leader with 10lb PowerPro braid on it will get you very nervous!  That's the thrill in finesse to me.

 

As for getting it into the boat in a timely manner ... to me I could care less how long it takes me to get them in as long as they are in!  Experience and practice will make you more efficient but the name of the game is landing them at whatever cost.

I fish from shore for fun so much of that is moot to me. It just that its ...oh a fish is on...reel 3 seconds, its in. Repeat for 6-8hrs at times depending on the gear and where Im fishing. Once in a while Ill hook a mayan cichlid, cat, or snakehead and itll change the tempo up at times. 

[Basseditor]

I have 12# on a couple set ups but I don't trust it. I prefer 20-25# FC. I broke off a big one a few days ago. Darn 12#. I may not get as many bites with 20, but when I do they're coming in the boat.

[Goose52]

Most of my water is open and as a result I can get away with fishing lighter gear than most.  I do go up to MH every once in a while, but while I have an H rod, I've never used it here other than some practice casts.  Some years I use more UL and L power rods.  On line, 6 or 8 pound is the norm on spinning and 10 pound on BC gear. The only braid I routinely use is 20lb on spinning gear.

 

Fishing just seems to be more fun with ligher tackle, especially in my water where smaller bass are the norm.  Why use MH rods to go after smaller fish in open water. I can readily land any fish in my lakes (up to 50lb grass carp) with M power rods, and ML makes it even more fun.

 

Using 2012 as an example - heres a summary of the fish I caught by rod power and line test:

 

Fish by Rod Power (both spinning and BC rods):

12       UL

9         L

232     ML

970     M

13       MH

0         H

 

Fish by Line Test:

12      4lb

121    6lb

157    8lb

427   10lb

84     12lb

2       14lb

433   20lb (braid)

[KYntucky Warmouth]

You've gotta land fish on a swimbait pretty quick.  You can't jack around with one or it'll throw it.

[SudburyBasser]

I finesse fished with 20# braid last year and didn't notice much of a problem (had a lot and didn't feel like buying more line). That said, this year I'm going to be using a Stradic CI4 2500 so I had it spooled with lighter line.

 

My other two set ups -- crankbait and top water -- have 20# braid. Overkill for the relatively clean lakes I tend to fish but I'm paranoid.

[0119]

I prefer to light line it. Weightless plastics and small cranks and topwaters. Most of the waters i fish its hard to though due to other species. Im interested in using Charlie Brewers Sliders, stitching and dropshooting but the conditions here aren't conducive to it. Id like the course fish like they do in Europe one day too.

[NWI-Bassin']

Most of my water is open and as a result I can get away with fishing lighter gear than most. I do go up to MH every once in a while, but while I have an H rod, I've never used it here other than some practice casts. Some years I use more UL and L power rods. On line, 6 or 8 pound is the norm on spinning and 10 pound on BC gear. The only braid I routinely use is 20lb on spinning gear.

Fishing just seems to be more fun with ligher tackle, especially in my water where smaller bass are the norm. Why use MH rods to go after smaller fish in open water. I can readily land any fish in my lakes (up to 50lb grass carp) with M power rods, and ML makes it even more fun.

Using 2012 as an example - heres a summary of the fish I caught by rod power and line test:

Fish by Rod Power (both spinning and BC rods):

12 UL

9 L

232 ML

970 M

13 MH

0 H

Fish by Line Test:

12 4lb

121 6lb

157 8lb

427 10lb

84 12lb

2 14lb

433 20lb (braid)

You're using mono right ?

[Goose52]

You're using mono right ?

 

4lb was nylon mono

6lb, 8lb, and 10lb was both nylon mono and YZ-Ultrasoft

12lb was flouro

14lb was nylon mono

20lb was braid

[retiredbosn]

I used to fish U/L exclusively what I found is that the rods are so springy that you don't really feel the fight, the rod absorbs all the shock. I get more enjoyment with a 7 foot MH or M rod. Most pulls, runs and head shakes are transmitted to my hand wrist. IMO fish the way u enjoy the most I really like power fishing cranks, spinner baits, buzz baits etc. I can and do slow down, I like jigs, worm, senko, and finesse. But power fishing is my favorite

[jm37817]

You guys don't know a thriller til you start fly fishing for bass. A one pound smallmouth can feel like the next state record. One year I was fishing for trout on North Fork and ended up catching one of the biggest smallies of my life. Fought the fish for almost 30 min. on my fly rod. Will never forget it.

[I.rar]

Love fishing with light tackle. So much that I got rid of my heavier stuff simply because I never used it. My primary rod is a 6'8 l/f river runner with a saros 1000. Spooled with 15 and 20# braid with a 6# cxx leader. I've landed some chunky bass on this rig and love the fight I get from it.

[A-Jay]

I use the lightest tackle I can for the situation I'm fishing.

 

Sometimes, that's a 4lb test drop shot rig.

 

Other times, it's a Heavy action stick and braid in the slop.

 

As for a favorite - I like the system that allows me to land the fish I'm targeting as well as the occasional surprise.

 

A-Jay

[upnorthbassin]

I think it's the other factors that influence it the most. If you like baitcasting gear you can't really load up the 4lb mono and let it fly. You can't exactly throw a jig w/ trailer that weighs 1oz combined on an ultralight spinning rod. Not to mention the environment....you will have a tougher time around line wrecking structure with lighter gear. There is an in-between though where it's not a 10 minute fight but also you're not going to water ski a 5lb bass either.

[The Rooster]

I used to be all about light tackle. I had multiple UL and L rigs. 8 pound line was as heavy as I went, and then I got my first baitcast reel on a medium rod and used 12 pound line on it. That was as heavy as I went for years. A few years ago I got convinced to try a MH rod with 14 pound line on it. It became my favorite rod and last fall I bought my first H/F rod and spooled it up with 17 pound test to get into some heavier fishing areas. I gave my UL rigs away until I have none now. What's funny is I still have a few UL topwaters and crankbaits in my bag but the only rod I have I could fish them on is a 6'6" M/F spinning with 8 pound line. I guess it would work but those baits haven't seen water in years. These days I prefer a 1/2 oz jig with 1/4 oz of plastic hanging off the back of it. Not really heavy but not light either. Bought my first 3/4 oz rated spinnerbait just the other day. Seems my tackle is moving heavier all the time.

[BenB54]

i like using the big guns & i'm almost always in the meat & potato's of the heaviest garbage i can find, thats what i love doing

 

X2. Flipping, pitching and frogging are my favorite.

[Darren.]

I have been shying away from heavier #  lines recently and have been looking at some light tackle/finesse outfits in casting and spinning for open areas to make bass fishing more exciting. I got slightly tired of horsing fish to shore and even when playing the fish a bit, it can be a bit too easy at times. I just watched a swimbait video and even with huge fish being caught which is expected on these lures, the bass were getting into the boat in about 10 seconds if that at times, almost effortless. 

 

I definitely prefer a lighter approach, thanks in part to Gary Yamamoto's articles on his spinning techniques in which he touts 10 lb braid being capable for most bass angling needs.

 

So I normally use M powered rods and 10 or 20 lb test braid plus leader, that's on spinning and baitcasting. I've horsed some pretty hefty bass out of thick slop and woody areas on spinning gear with 10 lb braid.

 

I've also lost my share of beauties....

[SoCalFisher]

Yea I like light tackle. My phenix recon PHX-C682L and Shimano curado 50e is my favorite set up.

[shootermcbob]

don't really have a favorite. I like both spinning and casting. To me, there is something that is just intoxicating about fishing, the sound of the reel when casting, the feel of the bite, the explosion of a topwater bite, the 1000's of lures and techniques to try.

 

That said, I probably get a bit more enjoyment out of landing a big fish on spinning tackle...7 ft medium cabelas xml, shimano stradic 2500, and yo-zuri hybrid ultrasoft #6 is my preferred rig, with a shimano crucial 6'8" med x-tra fast is a very close second.