Setting up rods

[GoneFishingLTN]

Do you get all your rods set up in advance and just adjust weights/baits, keeping the line, reel and rod the same?
so for example do you always have two flipping rods ready but just adjust the bait or?

[Dens228]

My rods always have the same reels/line.  

Most will change lures depending on where I'm going and conditions but usually it's just color.

 

My jig rod is always my jig rod

My plastics rod is always my plastics rod

Etc. 

I do have some rods for multi purpose.......my two cranking rods also get used for poppers, jerkbaits.

 

I fish out of a kayak so try to limit what I bring to 6 or 7 rods.   If I was on a boat I could easily see myself with a dozen. 

[GaryH]

Yes. Rods and reels are always set up in advance. Location and conditions dictate which ones are on deck. But always ready to switch out setups from locker. Bait colors or style can change a lot.

 

 

[Spankey]

My soft plastic rods are rigged but will put on plastics when I’m on the water. I’ll have a Topwater rig setup and ready to throw along with a crankbait rig. Not screwing around with knots in the dark. My plastics are easy to find I keep them sorted and divided by type. 

[DaubsNU1]

I have rod holders for six rods in my boat. Where I am fishing determines what rods I take, and how they are set up. All my bait-casters are spooled with 25-30lb braid. All my spinning rods are spooled with 10lb bright yellow Power Pro, connected to 10lb. fluorocarbon leader.

 

Here is the breakdown:

• One spinning rod always rigged with NED
• One spinning rod always rigged with weightless Senko
• One bait-caster always starts the day with buzz-bait, or Plopper
• One bait-caster always starts day with spinner-bait
• The other rods are rigged based on what I plan on throwing that day...

If my daughter or someone else is fishing with me, I'll cut down to three of four rods, depending on what they want to bring.

 

 

[Tatsu Dave]

Everything is set up in advance from line conditioner to JJ's, will adjust colors and style plastics with what the fish show me for the day. Carry 6 rods at this point w/ my sons 4 that he uses. 10 is all a boat our size can comfortably handle and transport. I only want to retie what gets bit off.........and replace plastics as they get mauled and tore up.

[the reel ess]

I have 5 basic BC combos and two basic spinning. They all serve a specific purpose. I do have them rigged up with whatever I think should work, given the season and conditions, before I leave home. I fish from a kayak so I can't take the entire tackle bag with me. So I take along bags of soft plastics and a box with other hardbaits I might want to give a try. For instance, I may start off the day throwing a Spook. But once the sun gets high, or if the fish completely ignore the topwater, I will change over to a lipless crank. Then I have my frog and jig rods. They always have those baits tied on, except in winter when the frog is useless. Then it gets a T-rig for pitching. Lately, I don't even carry the MH spinning combo.

[scaleface]

I carry 5 to 6 baitcasting rod and reels . One will be a 7 foot hvy "worm rod"  the others 7'0" mh . They  can handle a wide variety of weights when casting  overhanded or in open water , when accuracy isnt a top consideration . When fishing visible cover that range of weight narrows down considerably because then I'm casting underhanded or side-armed where precision is the top consideration. Heres how I find the correct weight .   If  cast are routinely going  left of target , more weight is needed. The rod isnt flexing enough . If the weight is to heavy , the rod over flexes and the cast ends up to the right of target . When its just right   the lure ends up at or close  to the desired location .    Lighter action rods will be incorporated at times , especially in clear water . 

[J Francho]

I prepare my gear for what I want to start with.  That isn't always what is tied on when I get home, nor do I always use all the rigs.

[gim]

I tie up some setups the day before and check the line.  The lures I have tied on are dictated by where I'm going, which is usually to a lake or river I've been to before (but not always).  Tying on the water is often required too but if I can get things ready in advance so that I can fish instead of wasting time on the water prepping, I prefer to do that.

 

Ensuring that my gear is in proper condition ahead of time is a variable I can control, so I will control it.

 

I've got about a dozen rod/reel setups and I regularly use about 8 of them.  The others are not used as often.

[A-Jay]

Some good sticks have laid it out pretty well already.

I also set my rigs up 'in advance'.

The set up is an important (and fun) part of this whole deal for me

and usually happens the day or night before every trip.

Unless I am fishing the same water, the same way & or the conditions haven't changed appreciably

(as much as I can tell from home anyway), as my previous outing,

there's almost always something to be checked if  not at least, re-rigged. 

Fish Hard

A-Jay

[gim]

That is a lot of rod and reels.  How do you have them standing in teepee shape like that?

[GaryH]

5 minutes ago, gimruis said:

That is a lot of rod and reels.  How do you have them standing in teepee shape like that?

Heck that’s only his Monday’s setup.. ?

[Fishlegs]

46 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Some good sticks have laid it out pretty well already.

I also I set my rigs up 'in advance'.

The set up is an important (and fun) part of this whole deal for me

and usually happens the day or night before every trip.

Unless I am fishing the same water, the same way & or the conditions haven't changed appreciably

(as much as I can tell from home anyway), as my previous outing,

there's almost always something to be checked if  not at least, re-rigged. 

Fish Hard

A-Jay

I love the anticipation of setting up the night before. It's one of the many great parts of the fishing experience for me.

[J Francho]

8 minutes ago, gimruis said:

How do you have them standing in teepee shape like that?

Looks like there is some paracord between the Talons to rest them on.  Clever trick.

[A-Jay]

18 minutes ago, gimruis said:

That is a lot of rod and reels.  How do you have them standing in teepee shape like that?

Look closely and you'll see that there is a (temporary) black line or cord strung up between the Talons used to support them.

#oldcoastguardguymove

A-Jay

15 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Looks like there is some paracord between the Talons to rest them on.  Clever trick.

Good eye.

A-Jay

[Bankbeater]

I usually bring rods for jigs, t-rigs, moving baits, and finesse, but I don't rig up until I am ready to fish. Weight and baits are determined by wind, weather, cover, and water conditions.

[padon]

12 hours ago, J Francho said:

I prepare my gear for what I want to start with.  That isn't always what is tied on when I get home, nor do I always use all the rigs.

same here.colors may get changed first and then maybe complete bait selections. some things never change except for weight and color. always have a jig on. always have a worm on. always have a ned on. rigging rods and thinking what i may use  along with reviewing maps during the week or weeks between trips is part of the fun.

[ATA]

All of my rods are carefully paired with reels and specific lines, Sometimes I and in fishing hard core like 5 days a weekI have them all on. 

 But if by some reason< like going for trout in some lakes or going after sharks at surf, Ill have all my reels in over in my reel bag with all my rods cover.

For one when you have the line and lures you are putting tension on the line specially fluorocarbon lines and it will effect them and might break when you hooking your fish, Second its safer everything bag and pack to prevent any accidental tragedy.

I also hear some people have line very tight to keep the lure on keeper snd that constant pressure on rod and creating weak point and it might be result of broken rod.

So since I care about everything I have and I love my rods and reels so I keep them properly and separate like this.

 

[Cgolf]

22 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Some good sticks have laid it out pretty well already.

I also set my rigs up 'in advance'.

The set up is an important (and fun) part of this whole deal for me

and usually happens the day or night before every trip.

 

 

The same goes for me. Whether its a trip to the local lake or planning what to take on a week long fishing trip trying to think like a fish and figure out what to pack is a lot of fun and not the easiest job in the world because I always forget a key bait or rod combo and only use 10% of what is packed?

[Cgolf]

To fully answer the OP my combos for the next trip are as follows.

 

Dobyns Sierra M spin heavier sliders and swing head jigs

Dobyns Sierra ML spin lighter sliders and DS

Cabelas prodigy M Moderate BC Spinnerbaits and possibly swim jigs 

Lews Crush BC Moderate square bills

St Croix Premier MH moderate BC Lipless and light swim baits

Dobyns Champ XP M Moderate Jerkbaits

St Croix Mojo H (1-4) Swimbaits and light Musky lures

 

Also Have a Medium Ugly spin for spy baits and light jerkbaits and 2 musky rods. If one bite is hot some rods do double duty.

 

[Boomstick]

My rods are usually paired with the same reels most of the time, but there is some time I will pair different reels with different rods based on conditions.