Rod set ups

[GoneFishingLTN]

Ok I know this will get a lot of different opinions and some even the same but I would love to hear this discussion about what do you consider to be the 12 most important set ups. For example 

 

6/6 e glass cranking

7/0 e glass cranking

7mh spinner

7 M spinning rod for ....

 

 

so if if you were starting out what would you get and for what technic to build you up to the full tournament fishing set up. 

Of course you could do just fine with 5 or even less but I would like to hear more about preparing for the tournament level

[Bent]

I think this depends heavily on where you fish and how you fish.  I fish as a tournament co-angler primarily on the Mississippi River, what I need is very different from somebody fishing as, for example, a boater in Florida.  If you're looking for actionable advice, without a few more details you may end up with recommendations that you'd never touch in a tournament.  Or maybe you're just interested in a hypothetical discussion of 12 setups that would allow you to fish any tournament, any time of year, any body of water?

[OnthePotomac]

A 7' MH fast tip for plastics, swimbaits, chatterbaits, jigs and spinnerbaits (and use one for frogs)

A 7' Med moderate tip for crankbaits and top waters (and maybe spinnerbaits)

Before you decide on a glass rod, go to a store and handle them.  Glass rods can be "whippy" and heavy.  Glass and graphite blend not so much and lighter and graphite the lightest.  I have now gone to all graphite and am a big fan of BPS Carbonlite rods (but do have one 2-piece Tourney Trail from Cabelas)  They are inexpensive, incredibly light, and for me have been very reliable and I catch as many fish as the next guy. I have, however chosen to buy nice Shimano reels.

Buying rods is like buying cars in that it is all about what you can afford and are most comfortable with and confident in the brand.  There are lots and lots of excellent rods out there and it does not take $150 plus to own one.  Am I a cheap skate, or just practical?

I only have 7'Med Carbonlite spinning rods, but hardly ever use them.

[clh121787]

I'd have 12 Shakespeare flimzy stix, topped with a variety of zebco 33 and 202's, id throw in a snoopy pole to round off a smooth bakers dozen

[roadwarrior]

[Dtrombly]

x2  7'3" MH/F rods with 7.x:1 reels. Jigs, Texas rigs. 

7' M/F rod 7.x:1 reel. Jerkbaits. 

7 M/F rod 7.x:1 reel. Topwater 

7' MH/MF rod 6.x:1 reels. Spinnerbait chatterbait swim jig 

x2 7' M/M glass rod 5.x:1 reel. Squarebills

7'10" MH/M glass rod 5.x:1 reel. Deep cranking 

7'6" H/F rod 7.x:1 reel. Flipping and frogs

7'11" H/F rod 7.x:1 reel. Heavy cover punching 

8' MH/F swimbait rod 5.x:1 reel 

7' ML/F spinning rod. Drop shot 

 

 

That's what I would do with 12 setups.