Broaden My Setup

[ninjab]

For many years I've been fishing on a setup I was lucky enough to have gifted to me, a Calais 200a and 6'6" G Loomis MH FA.

 

For the past few years I have mainly fished weightless senkos (usually 7"), and the occasional top water bait. The last year I started fishing jigs with grubs and hula grubs. I'm looking to diversify my fishing, adding spinnerbaits, cranks, more jigs, Carolina and Texas rigs for starters.

 

Fishing for largemouth bass mainly, largest bass caught in the lake I fish is around 8lbs. Deep clear water, man made lake (surface coal mined).

 

Where should I start with my equipment expansion? Just planning on 1 rod/reel for now around $200-250.

I was thinking of getting the Daiwa T3 Ballistic 7.1:1 ratio for my second reel (on sale for $110).

And adding a 7'3" MH ***

 

Is this a good choice or should I get something else to better diversify my lineup?

Thanks, I've really enjoyed reading a ton of informative posts here

 

 

edit 7/23/14:

Update

Current setups (and main uses):

Powell Diesel Glass crankbait rod 7' MH with Calais 200A spooled with 12lb invizx fluoro (cranks)

*** Black 7'3" MH F with Daiwa T3 Ballistic 7.1:1 spooled with 15lb abrazx fluoro (jigs/big senkos/spinners/etc)

*** Black Spinning Rod  6'7" Med Lt with a pflueger president spooled with 6lb yozuri hybrid (drop shots/small soft plastics/light topwater/also panfish baits)

St Croix Rage 7'11" HMF currently with a really cheap round reel and 50lb suffix braid (a-rig)

 

What would you change to my current setup? I'm thinking about the following:

Considering changing my crankbait rod to yozuri instead of fluoro to multipurpose it to treble hook topwaters and cranks

Looking to upgrade the reel on my heavy rage, maybe a lews heavy duty in 7.1 or something ($100-150 budget probably) and use it for a-rig/frogs/swim baits

 

Thanks

[ninjab]

Which would you get: Powell Diesel Glass crankbait rod 7' MH or BPS crankin' stick in 7' either med or mh? Both are on sale for $60

obviously for cranking, but probably will be my top water rod as well (planning on putting yo-zuri hybrid on this one and fluoro on my other 2 rods)

[ninjab]

Update

Current setups (and main uses):

Powell Diesel Glass crankbait rod 7' MH with Calais 200A spooled with 12lb invizx fluoro (cranks)

*** Black 7'3" MH F with Daiwa T3 Ballistic 7.1:1 spooled with 15lb abrazx fluoro (jigs/big senkos/spinners/etc)

*** Black Spinning Rod  6'7" Med Lt with a pflueger president spooled with 6lb yozuri hybrid (drop shots/small soft plastics/light topwater/also panfish baits)

St Croix Rage 7'11" HMF currently with a really cheap round reel and 50lb suffix braid (a-rig)

 

What would you change to my current setup? I'm thinking about the following:

Considering changing my crankbait rod to yozuri instead of fluoro to multipurpose it to treble hook topwaters and cranks

Looking to upgrade the reel on my heavy rage, maybe a lews heavy duty in 7.1 or something ($100-150 budget probably) and use it for a-rig/frogs/swim baits

 

Thanks

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

You've got the major bases covered. What kind of round reel? I don't like slow action rods for top water. A "Popping" rod or something else with a fast, yet soft tip lets me impart the action I want. There's a little trade off when it comes to keeping them buttoned up though. I over come that somewhat with a 10# mono line and keeping the tip down to discourage jumping. You might want to consider adding a ML/XF finesse spinning rod.

[ninjab]

You've got the major bases covered. What kind of round reel? I don't like slow action rods for top water. A "Popping" rod or something else with a fast, yet soft tip lets me impart the action I want. There's a little trade off when it comes to keeping them buttoned up though. I over come that somewhat with a 10# mono line and keeping the tip down to discourage jumping. You might want to consider adding a ML/XF finesse spinning rod.

 

round reel is some cheap Chinese brand that I found for free, it is terrible, will need to be replaced as I can't stand it. I'm thinking between a bunch of options for replacing it on that heavy rage rod: lews super duty or speed spool, daiwa tatula 100, etc. Something in the $100-150 range, not sure on what ratio I should get either, would want high ratio for frogs but lower for arig and swimbaits, so maybe split the difference and go 6.3? But I bet I will end up using it more for frogs, as I haven't had much luck with the arig yet.