Mix&Match: Rod and Reel Pairing Advice

[wet_dream]

So that escalated quickly, I went from buying my first freshwater baitcasting combo 6 weeks ago to now owning 5 baitcasting set-ups (1 combo I already had for use in saltwater, flounder fishing). Thanks to Craigslist and some trading on different forums, I've accumulated some combos (at great prices, or so I tell myself lol) for different applications but need help pairing the rods and reels. I'll be doing a lot of fishing from the kayak this year and the convenience of having specific rods for their own applications will definitely help with less time spent tying and rigging on the water. Also, I know a couple of the rods might overlap in their intended uses, but I will also be doing a lot of pondhopping. Naturally, I gravitated towards versatile, do-it-all rods for times when I only want to take 1 or 2 rods with me.

 

REELS:

1) Tatula CT Type-R (8.1:1, 33.9 IPT)

2) Fuego 100XSL (8.1:1, 33.9 IPT)

3) Lews LFS (6.8:1, 28 IPT)

4) Tatula CT (6.3:1, 26.3 IPT)

5) Quantum Accurist PT (6.3:1, 26 IPT)

**this last reel is the flounder reel, John Skinner sold me on this after I watched him slay fluke on bucktails with this reel**

 

RODS:

1) Zodias (6'10" MHFast, 3/8 - 1)

2) Mojo Bass Plastics (7' MFast, 1/4 - 5/8)

3) Premier Crankbait (7' MMod, 1/4 - 5/8)

4) Tatula (7'2" MHRegular, 1/4 - 1)

5) *** *** Green (6'8" MHFast 1/2 - 1 1/4) 

***** green is marketed as a saltwater rod, which I've found to be a rating heavier than their freshwater counterparts. So this is probably a heavy power rod for freshwater use**

 

I've listed the rod and reel with the corresponding numbers as I plan to pair them. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Tell me what you'd do differently.

 

Thanks Bass Resource!

 

/rant

 

[fishnkamp]

First you have assembled some nice gear congratulations. All of the combos will fish nicely.

 

Let me share some thought and ask a few questions. I look at my rods first, then ask myself what lures would that rod fish well.  Also, a little of topic, but you never said if you own any good spinning combos, I believe two spinning rigs are needed to handle most finesse bass needs. One would be a 6'6" to 7' ML and something around a 6'8"medium. These handle thee typical grubs, tubes, drop shots, Sencos, Ned rigs and paddle tail swimbaits like Skinny Dippers, Roboworms and Keitechs.  You probably have that handled but I wanted to mention it.  If I only owned one it would be the medium power fast action rod and a good 300 size reel.

I am going to make a few suggestions.   I am neither holding your rods, nor have I fished some of them, so as I suggest how I would use them, I may be totally off base.  You are going to have to tie on some lures and fish them, I could be totally wrong, because no two manufacturers rate rods the same.

 

Rod 1, your Zodius MH 3/8 to 1 ounce would be my jig rod, specifically swimjigs with trailers, and texas rigs up to 3/4 ounce weight.  I would prefer a  Tatula CT 6,3-1 reel on it.

 

Rod 2 your Mojo Bass  I probably would have another CT 6.3-1, however the Fuego is a nice reel and if you are using it for light plastics the 8-1 will work. Most of the time you will be working the plastics with the rod anyway. One bait I would try on this rod is a paddle tail swimbait on a belly weighted swimbait hook.  I love the Reaction Innovations Skinny Dippers the most, but Roboworm Ripper Worms and Keitech Swing Impact are both nice as well. I also like to fish these same baits on a swimbait jighead like the Picassos in both 3/8 and 1/2 oz. These baits fish really well rigged like this and fished as deep as 30 or 40 feet down for suspended fish 

 

Rod 3 Premier crankbait rod I like the Lews  LFS on here. I would throw cranks, traps, jerkbaits, and even smaller sized spinnerbaits ( 1/4 to 1/2 oz)

 

Rod 4 Tatula 7'2 MH  If this rod is stiff enough I would use this rod for topwater like Pop Rs. chatterbaits, buzzbaits, big spinnerbaits ( slow rolling a big bladed 3/4 ounce spinnerbait deep in the winter), I think you could get away with using this rod as a carolina rig rod as well.  I would match it up with your Tatula CT 8-1 reel. I know I said an 8-1 and said "slow roll a spinnerbait" and it sounds counterproductive, but you would be barely reeling, just fast enough to turn the blades.  I would throw big plastics like a 8 or 10 inch texas rigged worms on this too. 

 

Rod 5 The Green rod and the Quantum are fine but try some things. See if this rod has a quick enough tip to handle fishing hollow bodied frogs, bigger topwater like Zara Spooks, Lunker Punkers, etc.  ALso this rod may handle big heavy football jigs or heavier carolina rigs.  It all depends on what you want to do with this setup the most.  If it works out to be your best topwater setup and that is what you end up doing with it then I would switch the Fuego and the Accurist. Just my thoughts. Find out what type of lure and weight of baits each rod fishes best.  It also does not matter if a certain rod fishes say a frog well if my body of water has no heavy vegetation, like lilly pads and hydrilla. After fishing for 38 years I finally live and fish near water that one can fish frogs and punch heavy baits in.  I had to set up two new combos for fishing here.  I never needed either combo before.  This rig may also allow you to fish an umbrella or Alabama rig. 

 

[wet_dream]

Thank you fishnkamp for taking the time with such a detailed and helpful response! It's quality suggestions and tips like these that made me sign up for this forum, and all the help and information is much appreciated. I'm enjoying the process of trial and error in regards to learning how to fish, specifically for largemouth, but tips I get from you seasoned vets are irreplaceable.

 

To answer some of your questions:

 

1 hour ago, fishnkamp said:

Also, a little of topic, but you never said if you own any good spinning combos, I believe two spinning rigs are needed to handle most finesse bass needs. One would be a 6'6" to 7' ML and something around a 6'8"medium. These handle thee typical grubs, tubes, drop shots, Sencos, Ned rigs and paddle tail swimbaits like Skinny Dippers, Roboworms and Keitechs.  You probably have that handled but I wanted to mention it.  If I only owned one it would be the medium power fast action rod and a good 300 size reel.

 

I have a ton of spinning combos that I use primarily for saltwater but a couple should transition well into freshwater. 1 combo specifically is a 7'6" ML Avid Inshore paired with a 2500 Stradic. I've been throwing keitechs on a 1/4 oz jig and have caught decent numbers the past few outings, mostly smaller fish though. I am confident in this combo for the techniques you listed.

 

I will give your some of your combo suggestions a try. A lot of them were on par for the intended uses I had in mind. I've been slowly expanding the techniques  I'm using on the water, and try to put in an honest effort with a particular lure before giving up and throwing something else. I've also been playing with different types of line (braid, mono, fluoro) to see which I prefer for each application.

 

Probably should have included this in my original post but these were my intended uses for each combo and what line I have on the reel currently: 

 

1) Jigs and T-Rigs (Red Label Fluoro, it was on sale at Walmart so I figured what the heck)

 

2) Light Plastics and Plastics on jig heads(12 lb mono, came with the reel, bought lightly used)

 

3) Small crankbaits, jerkbaits (20 lb super slick, came with the reel used)

 

4) Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, topwater (no line on this reel yet, suggestions??)

 

5) Heavier Jigs and lures in general, this is my heaviest set up currently. Would like to fish frogs but not many pads in the water I fish (30 lb braid)

 

This really is the extent of what I throw currently. I'm trying to take it slow and put in my time with each lure.

 

Thanks again for the tips! And any other suggestions are welcome.

 

 

 

 

[fishnkamp]

Go read the thread  "What do you use a 7' 3" Medium spinning rod for?"  I spent a good time explaining how one bait can be fished many different ways, but will allow you to fish a confidence bait in many different fishing situations.

This goes for fishing a specific technique. if you are fishing a drop shot and do not get bit try a longer  or shorter tag line to the weight, try the typical finesse drop shot worm, but have a couple of packs of different baits to try, something like the Hammer Shads or a goby presentation. Too often we throw one bait all of the time, but only throw it one way.  That thread has a lot of answers in it about this subject.  This mindset  does not mean we buy every lure in every color, it means I pick two or three colors of one bait and learn how to fish it many ways, often requiring different rods to do this, 

[Robert Riley]

20 hours ago, wet_dream said:

So that escalated quickly, I went from buying my first freshwater baitcasting combo 6 weeks ago to now owning 5 baitcasting set-ups 

Funny how that happens.
I support Fishnkamp's recommendations, not gonna make a long post and post the same stuff/

[fishnkamp]

Robert that is not fair, somebody else should get worn out fingers too!! 

[wet_dream]

1 hour ago, Robert Riley said:

Funny how that happens.
I support Fishnkamp's recommendations, not gonna make a long post and post the same stuff/

 

HAHAHA! I agree, it was a very thorough post.