How much is too much?

[NavyVet1204]

Simple enough.

 

How many setups do you think is enough? I am currently at four complete bait caster setups and I think I will stop at six. Honestly anymore than that seems like there isn’t any point. Six gives me the flexibility to where if I have an issue with a rod or reel, I can pick up another one and still have backups basically. Plus any particular ones I end up not liking will go unused or sold over time.

 

Who am I kidding. I want as many as I can get lol

 

Edit: We all have infinite space for tackle.

[jbsoonerfan]

I take way too many, but they all have their own purpose (for the most part). I take 18 combos with me, but there are times where I only use 4 or 5 in a day. I keep 10 rigged up for soft plastics, 1 spinnerbait, 1 chatterbait, 1 swimbait, 1 jerkbait, 1 frog, 1 jig and 2 crankbait set-ups. This is what is on there 90% of the time at least. If I know I m going to be on a frog bite, I might get 3 combos ready with frogs the night before I go. I also may have a spinnerbait on my spinnerbait rod and tie one on my chatterbait rod if I am trying different sizes or colors. I don't mind re-tying and it doesn't take much time, I have just found that for my style of fishing I am a lot more apt to switch a technique or color if I can just lay a rod down and grab another one and keep fishing. 

 

There have also been times where they wanted the first thing I started with and I would just use one for that day. 

[mcipinkie]

I had 23 in the Skeeter rod locker when I brought them in for winter maintenance.

 

Every one absolutely critical.  Even the ones that never came out of the locker all last  year.

 

 

[new2BC4bass]

Fish from shore.  I'll take 8-10 combos if I go by myself.  Hardly ever use more than 3 per outing.  I have a lot more combos than that.  About run out of room for more. 

[rtwvumtneer6]

Too much for me would be 1.) Causes marital issues 2.) Puts me into debt.  Other than that, this is the healthiest addiction I've ever had. 

 

However, I feel like there's something to the 6 casting combos (and 2 spinning).  I remember when I got my sixth I felt like I could go to most any water in my area and be prepared.  After 6, things started to get more technique specific.  

[FishTank]

I have 20 combos total.  I take at the most 6 when I am on a boat, 2 on a kayak, and 2 if I am fishing from the bank. 

 

I think 5 is enough but why stop there. 

[Mobasser]

I fished a few club events years ago with a guy who never carried more than 4 rods/reels with him. He won or placed near the top many times. Since watching him years ago, I mostly carry 4 now too. I'm not fishing tournaments any more, so if I have to take a minute to change baits it's no big deal to me.

[PhishLI]

On 1/22/2021 at 6:39 PM, NavyVet1204 said:

How many setups do you think is enough

Even though one was enough for the longest time, now it's whatever fits or whatever I can carry comfortably. I'm good with 6 and sometimes 7 for wading or shore sessions. The two Phish brothers manage to fit 16 on a 12 ft Jon boat plus huge tackle bags for some of our skinny water spots. So yeah, as many as humanly possible.

[BrianMDTX]

Not counting my old stuff (30-50 years old), I have 6 new rigs. 3 baitcasting and 3 spinning. I have a MF, MHF and HF for the baitcasters and a MLXF, MF and MXF for the spinners. Is that enough? Likely. But it’s like guns to me. How many is too many? That’s a different answer to each angler. 
 

That’s a big difference to me between hunting and fishing. I could own a .30-‘06 and use it to hunt basically any big game animal in North America and the vast majority in Africa. But you can’t cast and fish a Ned rig properly on HF rod with a baitcaster. You have to have different rods and reels for different presentations. 
 

Do you NEED 20-30 rigs? Absolutely not. But it’s a problem I’d like to have! 

[CFDoc]

Ive been as high as 18. I’m down to 10 now.

 

So far I’ve done a good job keeping myself convinced 10 is enough.

 

1 - punching

1 - frogging

2 - skipping/jigs

2 - moving baits usually jackhammers 

1 - worm/senko

1 - cranking

1 - shakey head

1 - fluke/ swim baits/ etc

 

It works for me...

 

 

 

 

 

 

...for now.

 

 

[MN Fisher]

Currently my dedicated canoe number is 10. I can take two of my shore-rigs with if I want to, but that'd be the exception rather than the rule.

 

It's evenly divided between casting and spinning - and every rig has it's preferred technique, but there is some overlap.

[JustJames]

Yes I have too many not as many as other, though. Do I still want more? Absolutely as many as my wife allow.

I’m to the point that I only take two combo one for bass and one for crappie with a couple bags of plastic and hooks. I only fish a few hours but I can fish every day, so I concentrate on area and a couple techniques.  

[Teal]

I have 23 at last count (not counting my last 2 new rods)  In the boat carry 10, kayak I carry 4.    They all have their own place

[A-Jay]

I have a rack for 9 in the Old Town canoe.  Usually 5 casting and 4 spinning. 

The Pro-V Bass has a 15 tube deal with easy space for at least 10 more.  Which is usually just about right for me.  5 or 6 spinners and the rest casting rigs. 

A-Jay

[gim]

You beat me to it. The answer to the riddle is “however many you can fit in the rod rack or console.”

[TnRiver46]

Usually 2 spinning and one bait casing is enough. And I usually have one or two more unless I’m in a canoe/kayak or walking the banks 

[DogBone_384]

2 hours ago, NavyVet1204 said:

How many setups do you think is enough?

WAY too open a question...

[Deephaven]

All of them is too much.  All - 1 = perfect

 

[mcipinkie]

Fellows,  I'm sorry my answer was not completely accurate.

 

I had 23 in the Skeeter.  I have more, just not in the boat.  Unfortunately have 4 boats.

 

Funny, listening to some of the replies.  I'm 74 years old, relatively affluent, so can afford pretty much what I want.  I remember about 50 years ago when I got (actually built it, built a couple for rods in trade for a Zebco Cardinal 4)  a spinning rod.  I was in tall cotton, had a bait caster and a spinning rod both.  Big stuff.

[GreenPig]

I've got big swimbait, creek, pond, & lake setups. Specific setups for certain lures. I'm somewhere around 57 and Dobyns just came out with BFS rods.

[waymont]

Some lakes I fish have lots of different types of areas, so in open rocky areas I use lighter gear, when I get to weedy areas I use heavier stuff, and by the laydowns/flooded timber I breakout the next step heavier stuff. So I usually bring 6-7 when by myself and 5-6 with a partner in my small boat. It also changes throughout the seasons too.

[Hammer 4]

Mostly fish from shore, so being that I have to tote all my gear while walking sometime miles, I try to narrow my selection down on any given day. I have 7 rigs 1 spinning for light stuff. My bc rigs run from med, for lighter stuff, and range to my jr swimbait rig for 3 oz. or less. Some of these rigs can and do double duty.

 

I see no reason to buy anymore, unless 1 breaks, or I decide I want to throw heavier swimbaits. FWIW, I'm not a believer that a person needs 1 rig for every technique. In the old days, we made due.  

[kayaking_kev]

I love seeing all the answers, but I think it just comes down to how much an individual can realistically afford, because most of us would like more. But, honestly I love to just take one rod with me when bank fishing, because I'm always on the move, and two when kayak fishing.

 

My problem is that I usually buy rods for great prices that I know that I can sell for what I paid for them. So they are basically like renting them for free, unless I find one I really like, and they can add up in a hurry that way.

 

And, once you start building them yourself they will really start to add up. 

[Lead Head]

3 hours ago, kayaking_kev said:

And, once you start building them yourself they will really start to add up. 

 

TRUTH!!!

[The Bassman]

I own ten combos split evenly between spinning and BC with a few extra rods that can rotate in. I bank walk and only carry one at a time with one other in my car on rare occasions. I try to assess what my best approach will be before I leave home. The fact that I fish familiar small waters make the decision fairly easy. Granted, I've missed the call more than a few times. But I do believe that I focus better by limiting my choices. Now having said all that, it's winter and one of my favorite pursuits is shopping for new stuff.  Bait monkey season is in full swing and there's no vaccine for it.