I think I finally finalized my 2020 rod/reel arsenal!

[kayaking_kev]

I bought the last two reels I was wanting today and think I'm finally settled on a lineup. I was coming from fishing an Ugly Stik GX2 6'0 with a Abu Garcia Black Max my first two years fishing. But, it's done me well and I caught well over 500 fish on it this past season, but decided to upgrade this year.

 

Let me know if you see any holes or would change any reels to different rods, always interested in more experienced opinions. 

 

CASTING

 

Dobyns Xtasy 755c                       Mag-H / F      Daiwa Catalina Left Hand 7.3.1                  Jigs and some Frogging.

 

Dobyns Xtasy 723c                       MH / F           Daiwa Tatula 100 Left Hand 7.1.1               T-Rigs and Plastics, but versatile up to 1/2.

 

Dobyns Extreme HP  702c              ML / F           Shimano SLX MGL 70 Right Hand 6.3.1       Finesse, mainly Ned Rig

 

Dobyns Champion XP Glass 705cb   MH / F          Shimano SLX DC Right Hand 7.2.1             Medium Cranks, 2.5's, & Bladed Jigs

 

Dobyns Champion XP Glass 704cb   M / F            Shimano SLX XT Right Hand 6.3.1              Shallow Cranks, 1.5's

 

Dobyns Kaden 744c                        H / F            Daiwa Tatula CT Type-R Left Hand 7.3.1      Versatile

 

Dobyns Fury 703c                          MH / F          Lew's Tournament MB Right Hand 7.5.1       Jerkbaits, but versatile for 3/8 & under.

 

13 Fishing Defy Black Crankbait 7'3   H / M          Abu Garcia RevoX Gen4 Right Hand 5.4.1     Deep Cranking

 

Lew's Hank Parker Speed Stick 6'10   M / F          Abu Garcia Pro Max3 Right Hand 7.1.1         Jerkbaits, Ned Rig, Light Jigs, Plastics

 

Ugly Stik GX2 6'0                             M / M         Abu Garcia Black Max3 Right Hand 6.4.1      Topwater, Bladed Jigs, & Shallow Cranks

 

 

SPINNING

 

St.Croix Panfish Series 6'9                UL / F         Daiwa Revros LT 2000 Left Hand 5.2.1         Light Lures for panfish.

 

Lew's TP-1 Speed Stick 6'9               ML / F         Shimano Sienna FE 2500 Left Hand 5.0.1    Finesse, mainly Drop Shot

 

Shimano FX Glass 6'0                        M / F          Penn Pursuit III 2500 Left Hand 6.2.1         Moving baits only.

 

 

 

I also got a couple extra rods and reels that I'm getting rid of. SLX 7'2 MH/XF + SLX 7'5 H/F + 13 Concept Z RH 7.3.1 + Daiwa Fuego CT RH 8.1.1.

[PhishLI]

Looks like you're set, until the next Black Friday sale anyway. ?

[bwjay]

You've got some nice rods in there! If I could carry 8 rods with me on my kayak without worrying about tangles and possibly losing one, I would. But the max I'm going to allow for myself is 5 I think, with 4 being the usual max. In a way it's good because it prevents me from having a dozen rods that are over-specialized ("wHaT's ThE bEsT 1.5 sQuArEbIlL rOd FoR hEaVy CoVeR wItH bRaId????"). I may actually end up with a glass rod for cranks at some point which I will swap out for something else on the boat.

[rcjoutdoors]

Nice setup choices, that frogging setup with the 755 & Catalina is sweet. I should have bought more of the Catalinas.

[kayaking_kev]

1 hour ago, bwjay said:

You've got some nice rods in there! If I could carry 8 rods with me on my kayak without worrying about tangles and possibly losing one, I would. But the max I'm going to allow for myself is 5 I think, with 4 being the usual max. In a way it's good because it prevents me from having a dozen rods that are over-specialized ("wHaT's ThE bEsT 1.5 sQuArEbIlL rOd FoR hEaVy CoVeR wItH bRaId????"). I may actually end up with a glass rod for cranks at some point which I will swap out for something else on the boat.

I only got room for 7 rods on my kayak and the most I've taken at once is 6, but most of those were cheap setups. I will most likely only take 4 good setups with me if that and they will all be leashed down, but I do a lot of bank fishing also and have a Rod Mule from Cal Coast that can carry up to 10 setups.

 

If I was throwing a 1.5 squarebill in heavy cover, I definitely wouldn't use my normal 1.5 rod, the 704 Glass, so probably the 705 Glass, it has a pretty stout backbone for a glass rod and weighs almost a full ounce more than the 704 Glass. I've said before I think I could probably jig fish with the 705 Glass. The Fury 703c is a great 1.5 rod also but not for heavy cover.

 

The 13 Defy Black is a nice cheap composite crankbait rod also, it's a 7'3 Heavy / Moderate Action and weighs a little less than the 705 Glass and balances even better.