Could You... One Rod/reel?

[OkobojiEagle]

Sitting at home last evening after spending the day at a family funeral, my mind was tip-toeing through many memories that caused me to think a while on this... Could I fish the entire season with only one rod/reel and be as successful catching bass as I currently am using several each trip? I came to the conclusion that I'd have to throw out a couple of my largest crankbaits and one or two of my heaviest spinnerbaits, but yes, I probably could. Not limiting yourself on any tackle you are currently using EXCEPT for limiting yourself to only ONE rod and reel, could you be as successful?... (It might be an interesting concept for a bass tournament.) My rod/reel of choice... 6 1/2' med. heavy, fast action spinning rod with 2000 size reel.

oe

[Fishes in trees]

I don't want to do that again.  Back in the day, when I was a meat fishing bush hippie, I only had one rod & reel for a long time.  I learned to  "make do", but over time, as I acquired different rigs for different purposes, I became convinced that multiple rigs for different fishing approaches was the best & easiest approach for me.

 

Of course, back in the day, I was more of a multi-species fisherman, I wanted whatever I could get to bite, so my second and third rigs that I acquired were catfish rigs and then a couple of pan fish rigs before I ever got a second bass outfit.  Of course there was some cross over with these rigs, but not a lot.

 

When I first got access to different boats, one of my first purchases was a heavy duty portable rod holder.  The first decent bluegill that I caught would get suspended a foot or so underneath a bobber and dragged behind my boat as I bass fished.   There are many farm ponds in Missouri where the apex predator is not a bass, rather it is an 8 to 15 lb channel cat.

 

Boy, do I digress or what?  Anyway, to  answer the question, I don't want to go fishing with just one rod & reel if I don't have to.  I like going in my own boat where I have access to15 or 20 different rigs, so I can fish how I want to that day.  If I get to go fish out of somebody else's boat, I will still take 5 or 6 rods.

[Catt]

I could easily

I throw a Texas Rig probably 80% of the time anyway but I still need that other 20%.

[Darren.]

I could definitely do it.

 

I'd have to choose between my Chronarch 50e + 6' M combo on which I can throw nearly every soft plastic I use (weightless), or one of my spinning setups. Probably give the nod to my 5'9" Compre/Stradic 1000FI combo for my do-it-all setup.

[tholmes]

I'm sure I could, a 7' MH casting rod would throw T-rigs, jigs, medium to deep cranks, lipless cranks and spinnerbaits OK. That would cover 95% of my fishing. But I wouldn't want to. 

 

Tom

[SirSnookalot]

I pretty much do that now and when I'm done I can take that same rod and reel and go snook fishing at the ocean.  7' med 8/17 spinning with a 35 supreme, it was my snook outfit before I started using it for freshwater.

[J Francho]

Yes, but it would be a swimbait rod or a jig and worm rod.  Those would be the only two things I could commit to all season.  I'd sure miss drop shotting smallies, though.

[CDobber]

I am in that mental gymnastic battle right now....sought out and purchased a new rod a month ago that could serve as a do it all so I don't have to haul multiple poles AND justify the cost of each.  I do carry an ultralight with me in case of failure or such but it doesn't get used much.  This forum isn't helping my cause, reading how many guys/gals have 6-8 rigs or more.

 

I read a bunch on here about style, sizing and such before settling on the Compre spinning rod, 6'8", M/H, Fast and I intend on using it for most everything I try.  I will learn to retie knots faster so I can go from lures to t-rig and such more efficiently.  It has braided line with a flouro leader so I feel like its pretty versatile, now I just got to find some active holding spots and learn the feel of anything less than a chomp....had to reaction strikes last night frogging over lily pads but didn't have any opportunity to set the hook with either.

[wngan9447]

I could do my 7'2" MH crucial worm and jig... would be weird, but I could make it work.

 

Definitly my 2500 smoke is coming with me...

 

One of my favorite setups, but i've been doing more top water so that bad boy has been given time off.

[MCS]

Yes, I pretty much do everything on two rods and about to add a third. If I had to pick though I would chose my 6'-6" MH/F and spinning reel. Because the versitility of throwing anything from weightless plastics, texas rigs to topwater, jerk baits, shallow cranks and lipless.

[flyfisher]

would be tough but doable for conventional gear that is.  I would probably go with my 6'8" MHF casting set up because i could throw pretty much everything  needed to on that one rig.

 

 

Now for flyfishing it would be a piece of cake.  Either the Sage 9'7wt XP or BASS II and i would be prefectly fine since i rarely take more than one fly rod with me on most trips anyways.

[JD96]

Ya'll act like you can't drop shot on a certain rod just because it's not designed for it.

 

I would take a Chronarch 200E7, 7ft MH rod with a fast tip.

 

I could do 90% of my fishing that I'd normally do with that setup.

 

For me, the biggest advantage of having multiple rods would be the fact that you don't have to change lures nearly as much.

[roadwarrior]

I guess my choice would be G.Loomis MBR844C/ CTE200GT for use as a single all-around rod.

[.ghoti.]

Sure, I could do it, but what's the fun in that? I like having different combos for different applications.

I do think this application specific thing has gotten out of hand. And I'm as guilty as anybody.

I started selling off some of my least used, or unused rods and reels earlier this year. But I've also bought some stuff, because I just can't pass up a bargain when one hits me in the face.

I'm down to 15 casting combos; with three more rodless reels. Five spinning comboes; with one reel-less rod. Two muskie only casting combos. Two panfish only spinning combos. And five fly combos; with one spare rod.

All those spare rods and reels; the poor neglected things, are just begging for mates, so I will most likely end up with more stuff.

I started out the year with good intentions. I was going to get rid of some perfectly good, but seldom used, gear. Which I did. But I also bought some rods and reels. If I find bargains on mates for those spare bits of gear, I'll end up the year with more combos than when I started the year. So much for good intentions.

[flechero]

Easily, but I cut and retie often enough from wear on the rocks, ad a retie everytime I want to change baits (instead of picking up another rod) and I would get less enjoyment out of the day.

 

One rod/reel isn't much of a technique handicap for me, most of my rods are similar power/action/configuration... & I have no trouble casting light to heavy on the same rod.

 

But what would I do with all the extra money?   ...lol

[lmbfisherman]

I'd probably pick any of my MH 7' rods if I had to only use 1.  Specifically I'd probably go for my GLX 853C paired with my Ci4+. 

[baluga]

I would go with my Conquest 100 with GLX MBR 783.   But really, where's the fun of just having one rig. 

[einscodek]

I am slowly moving in that direction as well.

Used to carry 4 rods with me

Now I am making due with a M and a H having cut out the lighter baits and if I cut out the ultra heavy baits, I could theoretically go all day with the M fishing anything from worms, spinnerbaits, cranks, topwater, jigs.  Would it be better to have a rod fit perfectly the lure.. sure.

Could I still fish the majority of them lures on my M.. hell yea.

[Raul]

That is such an easy question to answer, the answer is yes, I could easily have only one rod and one reel for the rest of my life, actually, for the better part of my 3+ decades fishin´ obsession I only owned one setup or I was/are limited to carry only one setup. In practical terms I do own my true dream setup and the only thing the reel need is a spare spool for heavier line, here I´m torn between two reels that I really like: TDZ105H & Chronarch 50Mg.

[BassinLou]

Yes, I could very easily do that. When I go out with my boat I only fish 4 rods. When I bank fish I only fish 1. For my style of fishing, I would stick with my 7ft M/H avid with a Lews MG. I currently have 30lb PP and I could work with leaders if need be.

[tholmes]

Where's the bait monkey? He probably has something to say on this subject.

 

Tom

[SDoolittle]

I could be successful if I was limited to two rods, but I'd have trouble narrowing it down to one because the two rods I use most often are completely different. One is a 7' H/F baitcaster, and the other is a 6'9" M/XF spinning rod.  

[Cgrinder]

Possibly. I've been running a MH 7'1" *** which carries a Citica G6 with 50 lb. braid on it. It does T rigs, frogs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, walkers, and lipless cranks very well, and weightless flukes, dingers, and Senkos reasonably well. I think if I went down to 30 lb or so, it would handle the weightless baits better. I also think the *** Black is on the softer side on MH, especially compared to a St. Croix or Veritas. I feel that it helps in the "all-around rod" department.

 

I will add that I don't drop shot or use shakey heads, though I should. 

[JTMONEY606]

i could but where i dont own a boat and always bank fish i just use 2 rods anyways, a frog rod which i love throwing frogs all year round pretty much, and a MH 7 foot for tex rigs and wacky. i also can throw some top water on the 7 foot rod. poppers and buzzbaits. i still want a good crankbait stick but too be honest i just havent caught enough bass on crankbaits or spinnerbaits too be comfortable with them. i love use them but dont have no confidence.

[derekxec]

I pretty much do that now and when I'm done I can take that same rod and reel and go snook fishing at the ocean.  7' med 8/17 spinning with a 35 supreme, it was my snook outfit before I started using it for freshwater.

 

im almost the same...most of my fishing has been with a 7'6  8/17 with a 2500 reel(bass, snook, redfish, trout, jacks, etc) for the last couple months at least...i even throw a little bit heavier stuff than i should with it but it works fine