3 rod kayak fishing setup ?

[Shane Y]

I kayak bass fish and only want to bring along 3 rods. Right  now I have a zodias rod with a shimano stradic ci4+ 2500 that I like to use for small jerkbaits flukes, finess type baits ect... I also have a medium heavy fast action rod for a few different applications....what other action rod would you guys just have to have and why? 

[waymont]

I would suggest something similar to a Loomis 3 power casting rod, 1/4-3/4oz with 10lb-17lb line size rod.

To use for topwater, finesse jigs, soft swimbaits with belly weighted hooks, square bills and tons of other applications too.

[Dens228]

When I started in my kayak I took three rods, two MH/Fast, and one H/Fast..........

 

But now I take six...........lol

 

[bayvalle]

I would add a M/M crankbait rod for your treble hook baits.

[kschultz76]

This would really be dictated by where and what kind of cover you fish, which would dictate what presentations you fish. 

 

With no more info for a third rod I’d keep it versatile with something between a Med-Med heavy power and a medium fast action. 

[Choporoz]

I always have a MF baitcaster in my yak...sometimes as many as 3

[TBAG]

I'd suggest a crankbait specific rod.

[DogBone_384]

I carry a ML/F spinning rod, a M/F or M/M casting rod, and a MH/MF casting rod.  The MH/MF is a Kistler which with I can cast pretty light stuff with too.

 

 

[Shane Y]

A crankbait rod is definitely one I've been considering.  What else is good for a medium moderate action? Or even a glass cranking rod? 

[evilcatfish]

What type of waters do you fish? Lakes, rivers, ponds? I usually only bring 3 rods in the kayak but which 3 rods varies greatly depending on where I'm going. I guess a good all around setup would be a crank type rod for hard baits, a mh/f casting setup for bottom contact or single hook moving baits, and a ml or medium spinning rod for lighter stuff. 

[Dens228]

29 minutes ago, Shane Y said:

A crankbait rod is definitely one I've been considering.  What else is good for a medium moderate action? Or even a glass cranking rod? 

Poppers would be one, regular poppers, not Whopper Ploppers. I'll use my cranking rod for those and other surface walkers with trebles, 5/8 oz and under

 

 

[Crankin4Bass]

Switch up the third rod depending on where you go. Either H/F frog rod, M/M crankbait rod or M/F casting rod.

[Brad Reid]

Kayak angling "usually" means shallower water . . . though I know some real studs who fish out deep. And, kayak "usually" means a slight preference for finesse presentations over power fishing especially for those who stay seated.

 

And, we can work really close and under docks and boathouses, back into heavy timber where boats have to stay away.

 

Our greatest advantages are getting into tough places, and stealth. So, long casting for me is usually floating up on a bank or a point and making casts parallel to the bank or fan casting points. I'd use a 7 footer for this, likely medium power, maybe MH depending on what I am throwing. For the short work, bottom and finesse, many know here that I prefer a short rod. I never go out without my 5'6" M powered spinning rod. It'll handle most everything I throw on the bottom, fishes around docks and boathouses better than most.

 

Third? During the proper season, a frog rod is tough to beat as a third option.

 

7 footer for casting presentations

5'6" M for short finesse work

Frog rod.

 

Brad 

[Shane Y]

I fish a little big of everything from big major lakes to ponds and river floating.  I dont go sit out in the middle of big lakes though and fish 30 foot of water. Although I do fish some deep lakes that are horsepower limited or electric only. Then I'll go sit and fish some deep water. 

[fishwizzard]

My “core three” kayak rods are;

 

- 6’ MH/F casting 

- 6’ MH/F casting

- 6’ ML/F spinning

 

There is a fourth spot that gets either a M/XF topwater rod, a M/F light plastics rod, or a MagL/XF drop shot rod. I think this year I am adding a fifth holder so I can bring a wildcard rod.  

[Tizi]

I would go with a medium fast casting rod.

 

Here is what I carry:

1 MH/F casting - texas rig, jigs, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, frogs

1 M/M casting - crankbaits, lipless, top water (other than frogs)

1 M/F spinning - weightless flukes and senkos, drop shot, ned rig, smaller lures

[Crankin4Bass]

4 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

My “core three” kayak rods are;

 

- 6’ MH/F casting 

- 6’ MH/F casting

- 6’ ML/F spinning

 

There is a fourth spot that gets either a M/XF topwater rod, a M/F light plastics rod, or a MagL/XF drop shot rod. I think this year I am adding a fifth holder so I can bring a wildcard rod.  

What brand/models are those 6 footers?

[Glaucus]

LMB: M/F spinning, M/MF casting, MH/F casting. 

 

SMB: ML/F spinning, M/F spinning, M/MF casting. 

[Caliyak]

MH

M

Spinning rod

[fishwizzard]

6 hours ago, Crankin4Bass said:

What brand/models are those 6 footers?

This is my full kayak squad, with 2-4 going out on any given trip. 

 

—Loomis 6’ cr723 imx - single hook moving baits, trickworms/weightless plastics in cover

—Loomis 6’ cr723 glx - jigs, jika-rigs, 3/16-3/8oz t-rigs, t-rig senkos

—Loomis 6’6” mbr782 glx - light t-rigs, shaky heads, wacky rigs, some small cranks, some dropshot

—St Croix Avid 6’2” M/XF - non-frog topwaters, flukes, jerkbaits, small squarebills

—Custom 6’ ML/F MHX-Shooter spinning rod - Ned Rigs, small tubes, small weightless plastics 

—Loomis 6’ SJR720 IMX MagL/XF - dropshot, inline-spinners, hair jigs.

—iRod Fred’s Magic Stick 7’6” XH/MF - frogging, smaller glidebaits

[FishTank]

I have an inflatable single seat pontoon boat, sort a similar to kayak fishing.  I like to use.....

 

6' ML Fast St Croix Avid and Shimano Stradic 2500

6'6'' MH Fast G Loomis 783C GLX and a Shimano Core

6'6'' M Mod. Fast G Loomis Crank Bait Rod and (it varies based on depth) Abu Garcia ALF or Shimano Curado

[MN Fisher]

With my canoe, I have more storage for rod setups, but if I had to reduce it to three here's which one's of my stable I'd take.

 

Fuego CT-XS 8.1:1 on 7' H/F Diawa Aird-X

Trion 30 Spinning on 6' M/F Ugly Stick

Avocet RZ-2000 on 6'6 ML/F Avocet

[Crankin4Bass]

1 hour ago, fishwizzard said:

This is my full kayak squad, with 2-4 going out on any given trip. 

 

—Loomis 6’ cr723 imx - single hook moving baits, trickworms/weightless plastics in cover

—Loomis 6’ cr723 glx - jigs, jika-rigs, 3/16-3/8oz t-rigs, t-rig senkos

—Loomis 6’6” mbr782 glx - light t-rigs, shaky heads, wacky rigs, some small cranks, some dropshot

—St Croix Avid 6’2” M/XF - non-frog topwaters, flukes, jerkbaits, small squarebills

—Custom 6’ ML/F MHX-Shooter spinning rod - Ned Rigs, small tubes, small weightless plastics 

—Loomis 6’ SJR720 IMX MagL/XF - dropshot, inline-spinners, hair jigs.

—iRod Fred’s Magic Stick 7’6” XH/MF - frogging, smaller glidebaits

Thanks! Nice collection!

[fishwizzard]

18 minutes ago, Crankin4Bass said:

Thanks! Nice collection!

The old model CR and MBR rods are ideal for kayak use and can still be found on eBay for pretty reasonable prices.  I'm still on th hunt for a 784c but they seem more rare.  

[Crankin4Bass]

7 minutes ago, fishwizzard said:

The old model CR and MBR rods are ideal for kayak use and can still be found on eBay for pretty reasonable prices.  I'm still on th hunt for a 784c but they seem more rare.  

Thanks for all the detail! I've never seen a mbr784c. Did they just make it in the GL3 or also the IMX and GLX?

 

I have similar setups but with cheaper rods. I just bought a mbr783c GLX for jigs and t-rigs. My first Loomis. Haven't had a chance to fish it yet as we still have ice. After feeling it compared to my $100 rods, the bait monkey says I need upgrade everything else. Thinking I should also get the mbr782c GLX, but not sure what spinning rod to get. Looking for a 6 foot M/F with a short handle.