Downsizing Your Arsenal

[Chris186]

Has anyone ever decided narrow down the amount of rods you have? I think these season I am going to weed some out and have fewer rods that will pull doubly or triple duty. I was getting very specific with my rods, and as I sat back today and looked at all of them I said d**n do I really need a chatterbait rod and a separate Spinnerbait rod? I even have separate rods for like 4 different top water lures . I guess I got a little carried away with technique specific. ?

[jimmyjoe]

  Do you fish competition?     jj

[Chris186]

Just now, jimmyjoe said:

  Do you fish competition?     jj

Nothing major just local stuff

[MN Fisher]

Uh - no. I'm going the opposite direction.

2 Seasons ago I got back into fishing with 3 rigs I had laying around from years past.

Last season, started with 5 new rigs and added a sixth mid-year.

This year I'll have 10 rigs in the canoe and two in the truck for impromptu shore fishing trips.

 

And I don't even fish any tournaments.

[jimmyjoe]

Just now, Chris186 said:

Nothing major just local stuff

   I see. Thought maybe you were just recreational.

   I don't fish competition at all. Can't help you.    ☹️      jj

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Blasphemy!!

[FishTank]

Downsizing.... Where's the fun in that?  

 

It's really not a bad idea but I don't think I could even if I tried. I would just replace them.

 

Also, I know I can only take maybe 5 at a time on a boat and maybe 3 at the most when bank fishing or in a kayak.   I often find that I look at my stuff and go "I can't make up my mind".  Sometimes it would be easier to have just 5 setups that are all the same reel and with different specific rods. 

[Smalls]

You should get your bait monkey checked out, I think he's broken. 

[waymont]

I sold off 5 rods this winter and bought a Loomis IMX Pro and Bantam combo which brings me to 6 casting combos. It felt good to sell some middle of the road stuff and get really nice gear. My style is now fewer setups that are higher quality, over more run of the mill combos. 

[Glaucus]

I actually did that over the winter. I sold all but 6 of the setups I actually regularly use, and I'm making it a point to only buy tackle/lures I actually use a lot and have confidence in instead of buying a little of this and that and this thing I might try or might not. It got to be out of hand and didn't really make sense monetarily for me to have so much stuff as a yak/wade/bank angler. 2 spinning, 4 casting, one main backpack of tackle/lures to be restocked as needed... 

[DanielG]

I have two rod holders on my boat. One for each rod..... I was a guy who used to have a fishing pole. Anyone remember those days? But, now I have two. Then again, I don't see the point. I tried fishing with two and with one in each hand I found that I couldn't reel anything in.

 

Seriously, I've got a decent spinning and a decent casting setup. They work just fine for the fishing I do. My wife collects clothes. I don't want to be that kind person with fishing stuff.

[lo n slo]

i usually carry two or three rods in the little johnny, maybe a couple more in the Javelin. KISS 

[new2BC4bass]

11 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Blasphemy!!

X1000

 

Seriously, tho, there is a point where I think you become something of a collector.  I know that from personal experience as a fisherman who doesn't get out often.  I always used to rotate combos...taking different ones each time.  That would take a few months of fishing at this point in time.  Only because I don't get out much these days.     Plus you come to prefer some rods and reels over others.  I am afraid when it comes to fishing gear I am a hoarder.

 

I would love to get down to 20 combos, but because I am a hoarder I don't see that happening.  I picked up 5 new-2-me rods this winter.  The rods I picked up last winter were only used once or twice last season.  They would have been used more often if fishing in this area was as good as where I was born and raised.  BUT if fishing were good here, I wouldn't be buying...I'd be out fishing.

[KP Duty]

I'm getting ready to let some stuff go I havent really used.  The problem is, I can find just as much stuff I think I need as I'm getting rid of...so it's a wash ?

 

 

[roadwarrior]

 

[Guitarfish]

My arsenal is out of control.  I typically want two of every type set up.  Bassing, trouting, panfishing, trolling....

 

Then I was introduced to salt water. Hooeee!  A  6lb rockfish will kick a 6lb Largemouth's keester. Way stronger. A bunch of fun and easier to find.

 

But since joining up here I've got the freshwater fever again. I have two boats and two float boats ready, lol.

[The Maestro]

Last season I started off taking about 10-12 combos with me. By the end I was taking 6-7 and definitely preferred it. 

[Tizi]

I have actually added to my arsenal:  swimbait set up, heavy/deep cranking set up, and a light drop shot set up.  I have 14 set ups for the 2020 season.  I never bring that many with me, I bring the ones that I think I need based upon season and conditions.

[Scrapiron]

I've gone down to three spinning and two baitcasters to go with 5 BC* rods and three spinning rods.

 

I typically take 1 -3 rods out on the boat or kayak, so it's been good to step up the quality of the gear. I do have 8 BC spools that have different line on them, so that helps.

 

 

*a couple of baitcasters have sentimental value

[Dens228]

I started with two rods in my kayak and wonder why people needed so many.  Now I bring six, will probably go up to seven, and fight the urge to bring eight. 

 

[MIbassyaker]

I have 27 rods, and can use about 5 at a time on the Kayak. But I bring different ones each time depending on where and when I'm going. Sometimes I want both a chatterbait and a spinnerbait rigged up at the same time. Or both a drop-shot and a ned rig. I only get rid of rods once I no longer use them for anything. Currently, I have three that haven't seen any use over the last year, so those may be the next to go, but we'll see if they end up being needed at all this season.

[Fishingmickey]

I probably carry more rods then almost any kayaker. I like having fifteen set-ups ready to go. I do fish a fair number of tournaments and it is really nice to be able to switch gears without having to re-tie.  Yes, I have a problem, but I think it is a good problem to have. I have learned how to keep them organized and very seldom run into tangling issues or keeping them sorted. 

I probably have about forty set-ups. Half a dozen heavy swimbait type Curado 300EJ's & a Tranx. 20 MH rigs with most of them having 15lb fluoro and the others 30 lb braid. I have about five BFS type set ups in bait casting. 6 or so Spinning rigs.

Fishingmickey

 

 

[Bird]

I'm a very stubborn fisherman. Predetermine where I'm fishing and tie on what I'm throwing the night before so I don't have to carry as much.

 

Tomorrow for example will be Neds, Neko's and Jerks, nothing else.....2 spinning and 1 cast.

 

[lo n slo]

5 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

 

good call ?

[bunz559]

Storage is a pain when dealing with tons of combos, but what's nice is not having to re-rig every time you want a different lure on. Not every rod gets used on every outing but when you want/need it, it's ready to go under the deck. Also, things like equipment failure or when terrible backlashes happen, simply reel in the excess line, put it away, and grab the other rod. You don't have to be a tournament angler to enjoy the convenience of this. I used to hate spending minutes picking out backlashes or re-tieing.