If You Could Only Have 5 setups

[starkeer]

If you had to limit yourself to just 5 setups what would they be? Not looking for specific brands just action, reel type, line type and test. Just kinda curious as I accumulate more gear during the winter months. 

 

 

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

Five setups, eh? For many here, that's too few.

For me...let's see.

 

4 spinning rods, 1 casting

 

Spinning:

2 MLF

2 MF or 1 MF and 1 MXF

 

Casting:

1 MHF

1 MLF (I'm cheating)

 

Reels are what I have

 

Shimano Stradic 1000

Shimano Chronarch 50e 7.1:1

 

Spinning mainline:

Power Pro Super Slick 8 15# (or 10#)

Leader: copoly or fluoro from 6-15#

 

Casting mainline:

20# to 30# braid

same leaders....

[NathanDLTH]

For me it’s simple or maybe not lol! Please note I am a bank angler and lots of the lakes I fish are loaded with weeds near shore. 

 

1 Spinning/4Casting

 

Spinning-ML or M F, 7ft-7’3 Cronos

Daiwa Tatula 25-3000 braid to leader

 

Casting

Powel Inferno Med/Mod Fast 7ft

Daiwa Tatula SV 6:3 or Curado 70 7:1 Braid or Mono-cranks n top water 

 

Cronos 7’6 Heavy/Fast

Tatula SV 7:3 or 8:1 Braid 50-65lb braid

 

Tatula Elite AGS 7ft MMH/F

Zillion SV 6:3 30lb braid, maybe leader

 

7’4 MH Tatula Elite

Steez A 7:1 Braid to leader, 30-40lb to 15lb flouro leader 

 

Aside from the last set up, the top four were my primary set ups last season and did work for me. If I had to, I’d be okay going to just these 5. 

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

It depends on where, when and how you like to fish. A smallie chaser up north might want 5 spinning rigs and where as someone probing the southern grass mats might use 5 various casting rigs. For versatility I'd start with Roadwarriors basic 3 rod system and supplement with a ML spinning rig and a Flipping stick. 

[FishDewd]

Tbh, I usually make due with just 3 set-ups. I wish I had a reason for 5!

[islandbass]

1 7’ MH casting rod

1 7 Med casting rod

1 7’ med-mh spinning 

1 7’ med light spinning

 

1 8.5’ to 9.5’ UL rod

 

You can gather from this that I hardly ever face heavy cover which is why I didn’t add one to this line up. 

2 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

It depends on where, when and how you like to fish. A smallie chaser up north might want 5 spinning rigs and where as someone probing the southern grass mats might use 5 various casting rigs. For versatility I'd start with Roadwarriors basic 3 rod system and supplement with a ML spinning rig and a Flipping stick. 

True for me too. However, since the OP asked for 5, I indulged. ?

[th365thli]

Yeah it really depends on where you're fishing.

Let's say you're from where I'm from.

 

7' medium-heavy fast casting: spinner bait, shallow crank, jigs, frogs

7.1:1 speed, 12lb fluoro

 

7'4 - 7'6 heavy fast casting: flipping/pitching

7.1:1 speed 50lb braid with fluoro leader

 

7'3 minimum medium/medium-heavy moderate casting: cranking

6.4:1 speed 12lb fluoro

 

7'3 heavy, moderate fast casting: football jigs, carolina rigs

8.1:1 speed 16-20lb fluoro

 

7' medium spinning: dropshot, ned rig, finesse.

2500 size spinning reel, 8lb fluoro

 

 

 

[CroakHunter]

I could handle 2.

7'3 heavy, 8.1:1 reel, 65lb braid

7'0 heavy, 8.1:1 reel, 50lb braid

[new2BC4bass]

6 hours ago, FishDewd said:

Tbh, I usually make due with just 3 set-ups. I wish I had a reason for 5!

I made do with one set up for a good many years.  Now I wonder how I can do less than 10. 

[B-Dozer]

gee, only 5? remember how much fun we had as kids. when we were lucky to have just one

[tholmes]

Spinning:

6'6" ultralight

7' medium light

 

Casting:

7' MH

7' M

6' MH

 

Tom

[Dens228]

I recently added my 5th baitcaster setup.  

My rod actions are

1- M/M

3- MH/F

1- H/F

 

I feel the MH/F are the most versatile and if needed I could use them for everything. 

[S Hovanec]

3 mlxf spinning

1 mxf spinning

1 mxf casting

[Scrapiron]

Hmmm... I'm setup pretty close to th365thli

 

1.  7’0” Medium Heavy/Moderate casting for cranking
   1.  6.3:1 speed 
2. 7’0" Light Medium Heavy/Fast casting for spinner bait, shallow crank, light jigs, worms
   1.  6.3:1 speed 
3. 7’1” Medium Extra/Fast spinning for dropshot, ned rig, finesse
   1. 6.0:1 speed
4. 7’3” Medium Heavy/Fast casting for carolina rigs, frogs, jigs
   1. 7.1:1 speed
5.  7’0” Heavy/Fast casting for football jigs, worms, frogs, pitching/flipping
   1. 8.1:1 speed

 

All casting setups are 30# braid with a leader (FC) and the spinning setup is 10# braid with FC leader

[ohboyitsrobby]

1-7'4 heavy fast. 65 lb braid 6.8:1 reel for punching and launching an a rig.                                                       1-7' mh fast 15 lb cxx 7:1 reel for any single hook applications (i.e jig texas rig spinnerbait)                           1-7'6 mh moderate 5:5:1 reel 12 lb mono for cranking.                              1-7' medium moderate 7.3:1 10 lb mono for topwater jerkbait and small cranks.                                        1-6'9" medium fast spinning rod with a 2000 series reel 5.2:1 8 lb suffix siege for anything I may need a spinning rod for 

[ZebcoZak]

I only have 5 rods but rarely use more than 3 on any day at the lake.  My lake has zero (literally) vegetation so everything is 15lb flouro for casting and 8lb flouro for spinning.  Musky rod is 17lb mono.

 

7'1" medium heavy moderate casting for cranks jerks and other treble hook lures

7'1" medium heavy x-fast casting for heavier jigs spinners/chatters and t rigs (1/2 to 3/4)

7'0" medium heavy fast casting for lighter jigs spinners/chatters and t rigs (1/8 to 3/8)

6'10" medium light x-fast spining for drop shot shaky head and weightless senkos

7'6" heavy x-fast for Musky. Rod is rated up to 4oz so I use it for tossing the big baits

 

 

[junyer357]

I normally cut it down to 5 or 6 when i go with someone else in their boat. The 4 i always bring : 

7'med mod crank

7'2" mh fast spinnerbait

7' med fast jig rod

7'6" mh fast flipping rod

 

After that i adjust to what the plan for fishing is between more cranking rods, topwater, worm, senko, finesse spinning, or a frog. If we plan to fish offshore the deep crank or finesse rig, or pounding rip rap another squarebill, or a senko or tex worm for junk fishing. 

 

[DogBone_384]

Pretty easy to list 5 but limiting myself to just 5 .... fugggeetttaabbbouuuuttttt it.

MH/F baitcast.

M/F  baitcast & spin.

M/M baitcast.

ML/F spin.

 

[WI_Angler1989]

I have 3 setups now:

 

1) 610mlxf spinning/ 2500 reel

2) 66mf spinning/ 3000 reel

3) 7mhf spinning/ 2500 reel 

 

If I can afford to add a 7mf rod, I think I'll be set up juuust fine for my river smallies.

I like the 66mf rod for tight quarters and canoeing, so even though a 7mf would be similar, I think it's worth it. That way my 610mlxf can stay rigged as a dropshot rod and the 7mf can become my tube/craw/finesse jig rod. Plus jerkbaits and topwater would fish well on it too.

 

[Log Catcher]

I can get by with 5 setups. 

 1-6ft medium - crankbaits

 1-6ft medium -spinnerbaits, topwater, swimbaits

 1 66 medium heavy -soft plastics, jigs

 1 6ft medium heavy spinning rod - senko, light weight texas rigs

 1 6ft medium spinning rod -dropshot, shakey heads

[Lures'n'Liberty]

3 8' heavy spinning w/baitfeeders & 50 lb braid

1 4'6" ultralight spinning combo with a couple spools

1 6'6" MH spincast, 20# braid. 

 

Sorry, bass, you lose to the bottom feeders. 

[iaYakker]

Five setups and I would be spoiled! I live off three and that's plenty for me to catch bass!

[Choporoz]

On 2/20/2018 at 11:14 PM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

It depends on where, when and how you like to fish. A smallie chaser up north might want 5 spinning rigs and where as someone probing the southern grass mats might use 5 various casting rigs. For versatility I'd start with Roadwarriors basic 3 rod system and supplement with a ML spinning rig and a Flipping stick. 

Good answer.  I have dozens of rods.  But, if in a kayak, I generally take no more than 5.  Problem with answering this question is that it is always a different 4 or 5, depending on conditions I expect to face.

Here's the thread mentioned above:

 

[Fishinthefish]

I technically only need 4 as I see most rods redundant

 

M/XF 7'2'' casting MHX Pro, Shimano Core 51MG

Light weighted plastics, finnesse jigs, light jerkbaits

 

MH/F 7'2'' casting Rainshadow Eternity, Shimano Chonarch MGL

Jigs, spinnerbaits, heavier plastics, chatterbaits, top water

 

MH/M 7'4'' casting St Croix S-Glass, Censored reel

Crankbaits, jerkbaits, lipless

 

The next rod depends on if I'm in an up north or down south/spring/winter/summer/fall situation.

Up north I'd probably go for a ML setup, for super finnesse stuff where as down south I'd go for a heavier longer rod for casting into true slop where you might pull a 3lb fish out with 10lbs of slop on it.

[Yudo1]

1. ml/xf spinning rod with 2500 spinning reel

2. heavy/fast casting rod with 8.xx gear reel

3. mh/fast casting rod with 7.xx gear reel

4. med/fast casting rod with 7.xx gear reel

5. mh/moderate fast casting rod with 6.xx gear reel