Bank Anglers

[NathanDLTH]

A recent conversation with a friend left me pondering a question: What is the number of combos a bank angler should? Then how do you determine the combos? Do you take all finesse? Grab two stouter rods and something light? 

 

Yes you might have quest it, I am a bank angler and currently sitting on six combos. When I go I never take more than three with and frankly it's the same two every time. Typically don't fish a lot of cranks just because it's hard to find areas that are weed free or crank friendly. I'd like to hear what the community thinks. Please refer to the questions above. 

[CroakHunter]

I am bank bound besides the 5 Or 6 times I fish a tournament a year. I have 11 technique specific combos. I usually take 5 or more combos with me but leave 2 Or 3 in the truck if I plan to do a lot of walking. I usually plan out where I go fishing and what should be working and what I need for that body of water.  I fish places I'm familiar with which helps me with that. 

[ib_of_the_damned]

59 minutes ago, CroakHunter said:

I am bank bound besides the 5 Or 6 times I fish a tournament a year. I have 11 technique specific combos. I usually take 5 or more combos with me but leave 2 Or 3 in the truck if I plan to do a lot of walking. I usually plan out where I go fishing and what should be working and what I need for that body of water.  I fish places I'm familiar with which helps me with that. 

I'm the same way. I take 2-5 with me and walk the banks with one to three. Typically its a spinning setup (drop shot) and a M or MH casting rod. But the times I only bring one rod are the most enjoyable. Just the freedom of walking with rod in hand, spot to spot with a small tackle box in your pocket is incredible. If I do just use one rod, its mostly the spinning rod with a drop shot. The other times it will be a MH casting with a jig so I can practice my jig fishing. 

[Team9nine]

Mobility and simplicity rule from the bank, IMO. One outfit, all the time, every time, and whatever fits in my pockets for tackle. Which outfit is based on season, as well as expected weather and water conditions.

[new2BC4bass]

Never carry more than 2 combos at a time while walking the bank.  However, there are always several more sitting in the car.  Number depending on if my wife rode along...in which case I won't be there very long....or if by myself.  With wife...3 or 4, by myself 8-10.

[NathanDLTH]

So I am at 6 combos, somehow I managed to duplicate two finesse presentation combos, one is spinning the other in a baitcaster. I find myself consistently taking 2-3 rods out each outing and however around two currently. I love the flexibility that having this many combos affords, but not really sure if there is any practicality to owning more than I can carry when out fishing. 

[ib_of_the_damned]

56 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Mobility and simplicity rule from the bank, IMO. One outfit, all the time, every time, and whatever fits in my pockets for tackle. Which outfit is based on season, as well as expected weather and water conditions.

Completely agree. Whenever I take more than one setup with me, I am always watching the rod laying on the ground whenever people walk by. I have had someone step on one of my rods before... I was super ticked. But fortunately the person was apologetic and offered to buy me a new rod. Which I gladly accepted, and a week later had a brand new rod! 

[CroakHunter]

Although having more than a few combos as a bank angler isn't necessary. It sure makes it fun having combos that do stuff great. And being technique specific

[NathanDLTH]

Thanks everyone, I'll keep this in mind. No more combos for now. Still trying to figure out what to do with my two finesse set-up, one is baitcasting and the other is spinning.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Combos I take-- panfish, moving bait, bottom contact.

[CTBassin860]

I take 3.One spinning and my jig and frog rods.If I fish a certain spot I leave the frog rod and take the crank stick.So I have a MHF, MXF,and a HF to cover my bases most of the time

[NathanDLTH]

Thanks for the replys, hopefully this will help me and others decide how many combos they need.

[Dtrombly]

I have 6 combos. Spinnerbait, jig/t-rig, jerkbait/topwater, frog, crankbait, finesse spinning. I'll take 2-3 with me, which ones is mainly dependent on the weather. I find myself taking my spinnerbait and jig rods out the most. 

[Falkus]

For the bank fishing that I do at my local lake, I always bring 4 rods. 

 

2 Spinning: MXF and MF for those Wacky and Soft Jerkbait 

2 Baitcasters: MHXF (BPS Carbonlite), Heavy Fast Action (Dobyns Champion 734C) or Dobyns Champion 705 (MH-ModFast) for those style: Texas Rig/Jigs & Chatterbaits/Spinnerbaits or Lipless Cranks

[PatrickKnight]

I wade rivers so I carry less than most

1 medium power spinning rod with 15 lb braid

1 medium light power spinning rod with 10 lb braid

 

If I am hitting a creek I will only take the ml or if I have a plan on what I am throwing sometimes I will only take the medium.

[Bent]

I fish as a co-angler in a small club, but I'm otherwise fishing from the bank.  My setup/tackle choices for tournaments and bank fishing are one and the same, I want just a few setups to cover everything.  I have a 3700 size Plano bag for tournaments and four or five combos ranging from medium light to extra heavy, but when I'm bank fishing I almost always carry just one.  The only exceptions are when I have a long hike from my car to get to the area I want to fish, or if I'm at a spot where there is really limited access to the bank and I'm forced to stay put.  I typically put a small Plano box and some soft plastics in a drawstring bag and work my way down the bank away from my car.  If I don't get bit, I change baits and work my way back to the car, and then switch to a different setup.  If there's more bank than I can possibly hit in a short trip I basically don't stop moving until I get bit, lugging around multiple rods and my 3700 size tackle bag is too cumbersome for that approach.

[Steveo-1969]

If the water in my local river is low enough to safely wade, then I'm wading with only one combo. 98.527% of the time this is a baitcaster. All tackle is in a small over-the-shoulder tackle bag and I'm good to go.

 

If I'm on the bank then I only take two combos, one spinning and one baitcasting. Any presentations I want to fish are covered by these two rods. I hate keeping track of one unused rod while fishing and I can't imagine having 2 or more rods laying around.

[Deleted account]

13 hours ago, NathanDLTH said:

Thanks for the replys, hopefully this will help me and others decide how many combos they need.

 

It won't, cause we are having the wrong conversation. If we start with the premise (as most answer allude to) that there is such a thing as "bank combos" and/or a proper number of outfits to carry, we have missed the point. Not unlike "boat" fishing, it depends on where, and how one intends to fish. If you are going to a familiar place and bringing 5 rods and enough tackle to make your chiropractor smile, shame on you. Additionally, are you fishing an expansive dam wall with no obstructions and deep water in front of you? or are you hiking 2 miles and have to kneel and sidearm to make a cast in a small opening, missing the low hanging branches, while at the same time fending off the hissing Canada goose? Every situation is different and require the tools that best (or at least adequately) fit the job. Adapt and conquer. Ok, off my soapbox...

[fishwizzard]

I find I need a really whippy UL rod to get enough tip speed to really convince a goose that I mean business and will not back down. 

[bueshy]

16 hours ago, MassBassin508 said:

I take 3.One spinning and my jig and frog rods.

This is what works best for me. I plan ahead and have everything rigged up prior to me getting there

[ACSport]

Just getting back into fishing so take it with some salt.

 

I take two combos because that's all I have, I'm exclusively a bank angler right now.

 

1. Abu Garcia Promax casting combo, 7' Medium Heavy Rod, 14lb Berkley fluoro. Mainly used for jigs, river fishing over rocks, and cranks when I can

 

2. Pflueger Trion spinning combo, 6'Medium Light rod, 8lb P-line copolymer. Finesse fishing with soft plastics as well as light jigs and cranks.

 

I usually take both with me in hand when hiking, but I will say I'm starting to use the spinning combo more and more.

[The Fisher]

I sometimes fish small neighborhood ponds (no woods) which will occasionally get a lot of algae just below the surface in spots My pond rigs are a MH/XF baitcaster for wacky rig; ML/XF spinning for Ned Rig; MH/F Baitcaster for jigs and Frogs; M/F spinning rig for Keitech swim baits and rooster tails; MH/F baitcaster for TRigs I have 2 MH/F bait casters because one has a reel with braid and the other one has fluoro

I only bring 2, maybe 3, with me depending on conditions and don't use crankbaits since the fish seem to not respond to them. 

[freelancer27]

WHen you guys are carrying the rods, how do you manage it? Carry them in hand and then put the ones down that you dont use?

[bigturtle]

I carry 1 combo. Im not a fan of having to pick up and move more than 1 rod

[nascar2428]

Four