Multiple rods on the boat deck

[K_Mac]

I have a tendency to collect rods on deck as the day goes on, even if one or two baits are working fine. I will almost always start the day with 4 or 5 combos on deck, even if I know what's been working. You never know when a chatterbait, or spook, or buzzbait, or wacky rigged Senko, or shakeyhead , or squarebill, or scrounger might work better even if you know a jig or worm or creature will. For me, a big part of part of the enjoyment of fishing is experimenting with different baits and techniques.

 

Don't underestimate the guy in the jon boat or the guy in the high end boat with 20 rods on deck. Making judgements about fishermen (or anyone else) based on equipment is silly in my opinion.

[Catt]

When it comes to bass fishing or any type of fishing for that matter everyone has their own personal repertoire of confusion!

 

What works for me may not work for WRB, A-Jay, RoLo, TOXIC, J Francho or anyone else.

 

Individualism is what makes this sport awesome!

 

I have a friend who throws white spinnerbaits & nothing else, he does not fish for any other reason but a fish fry.

 

His freezer is never empty!

[WTnPuddleJumper]

If I fish the TN river I will take 3 rods for Carolina rig set ups.  Big Hook Big Plastic Smaller Hook Smaller Plastic, etc.  I will take 10 -12 rods with me but don't deck em all at once (wouldn't have any moving room).  Same way with tackle.  We all have too much tackle.  I fished a tournament sunday and never even got into my tackle compartment.  I don't blame MLF or Bass or FLW because I have too much stuff.  I have just been adding to the arsenal little by little for thirty years.  I usually don't let the pros influence me much anyhow because most of the toys they are sporting were given to them.  You and I actually are paying for their freebies!!!

[Bluebasser86]

Our lakes don't pattern well, lot of junk fishing goes on. Makes it so 10-15 rods is pretty much the norm. Plus, a lot of lakes I fish are small so I'll go from the deep, clearer water near the dam, to the shallow muddy water at the lower ends in a single day and need a little bit of everything. It's not unusual to catch fish on nearly every rod on the deck either. 

[tkunk]

As a smallie fisherman, I typically start with three rods: drop shot, bottom contact, and swim bait.  If, at any point of the day, I have more than five rods out, I should probably just go home, because it means that nothing's working.

[Choporoz]

On 3/20/2017 at 0:05 PM, Ersteman said:

Good share, Tom! My kayak holds 2 rods and 1 in hand, so that maxes me out at 3 setups. I'm forced to keep it simple.  Kinda like it that way!

sounds like you're not trying hard enough  ....I have just four rod holders on my yak, but have been out with six rods before

[J Francho]

For kayak fishing, I prefer to have more holders than rods.  This gives me places to drop the rod when I'm landing a fish or retying.

[JustinCT]

I have a 19 foot bass boat so deck space is not an issue.  My clumsiness is.  I only have one rod on deck when I'm fishing, the one in my hands.  The others are in my rod locker.  I have 8 setups in my boat at all times but I'm afraid I'll either step on a rod and break it or fall in the water trying to avoid stepping on one.