Minimalist Fishing

[bp_fowler]

I thought it would be interesting to pick everyones’ brains.

 

Here’s the scenario:  It’s early summer and you’re a bank angler at your favorite hole.
 

You’re limited to two rods & reels and an average sized fanny pack to fill with what ever tackle you want.  
 

What are you taking, and why?

[casts_by_fly]

All of my bank fishing is/was ponds and all are very grassy in summer.  So.. A frog or two, a couple plastic worms with the required weights for that pond, a jig or two and that's about it.  I'd leave the second rod in the truck unless its a pond with big bluegills and crappie.  Then the second rod is a spinning rod with a couple small jigs and I throw a stringer in the pack.  

[Scott F]

If I’m a minimalist, I’m only taking one rod,  a few EWG hooks, a bag of Senkos and a few Ned rigs. I don’t even need an average sized fanny pack. My stuff will fit in a pocket.

[Bass912]

Medium heavy casting rod and a medium powered spinning rod. You can do just about anything with these rods. Pick your favorite confidence baits and go fishing 

[Pat Brown]

Well how do ya do, that's often describing me exactly when I bank fish!

 

I usually bring two rods and a medium size fanny pack full of supplies, so let's get down to brass tacks.

 

Usually a 7'6 medium heavy moderate veritas rod w 20 lb fluorocarbon for jigs/t-rigs/spinnerbait/buzzbait/chatterbait and a 7' medium moderate power veritas with 12 lb big game for lipless/topwater/squarebills/jerkbaits etc.

 

In the fanny pack I bring hooks weights, plastics that I can use as either trailers or as t rigs, a small assortment of whatever they're biting/is in season.  Lately mostly a backup popper and some jigs and plastics are all I have in there but earlier in the spring I packed lipless and jerkbaits In some plastic containers.

 

I can swap things in and out as conditions inspire me etc but 99% of what I use it for is jigs and t rigs because when I'm bank fishing that's what I'm throwing 99% of the time.

[MediumMouthBass]

Medium Spinning combo, 10lb braid to 8lb fluoro leader. Medium Heavy casting combo, 12lb Yo Zuri Hybrid. If its a rocky area without alot of grass, a pack of ned rigs, senkos for wacky rigs, paddle tails for the spinning, for the baitcaster berkley warpig, squarebill, heddon super spook jr, spinnerbait/buzzbait. If theres grass, and alot of it then wacky rig, weightless t rig or a fluke, paddle tail for the spinning. For baitcaster a spinnerbait/buzzbait, popper/super spook jr, frog, Strike King Hybrid Hunter crankbait.

[DitchPanda]

1 medium mod fast casting rod, reel with 12lb copolymer or mono. 1 medium fast spinning rod , reel with 10-20lb braid. 4\0 EWG hooks, 1\4oz poppers and some small wake cranks like Mann's baby 1 minus. Bag of senkos...bag of flukes.

[WRB]

Usually take 1 combo either a casting MHF T-rig w/ sliding bullet weight 3/0 straight shank hook and a bag with variety of worms.

sometimes a spinning combo MF Slip Shot rigged size 2/0 worm hook a bag of finesse worms/reapers and 5” Senko.

That is all I need. At my age bank fishing is usually near or around the marina a few hours. Rarely do that anymore and prefer letting a boat take to the fish.

Tom

[bp_fowler]

2 hours ago, Scott F said:

If I’m a minimalist, I’m only taking one rod,  a few EWG hooks, a bag of Senkos and a few Ned rigs. I don’t even need an average sized fanny pack. My stuff will fit in a pocket.

I like it!

[JediAmoeba]

When I bank fish I always take 2 rods - 1 7' MH because I can cast 99% of tradional lures with it. Then I always have my 8' XXH swinbait rod because swimbaiting is my favorite way to fish. I carry a tackl backpack that has a lot of stuff in it. - 3 3600 size boxes(1 being a deep)and a lot of room for soft plastics and stuff. The deep box is loaded with swimbaits.

 

If I am limited to 1 rod...it's the swimbait rod and a box of swimbaits.

When i started fishing I only had 1 rod and 1 reel and I fished for everything from Perch to Musky with that puppy using 30# braid and leaders when needed....it was a 6'6" ugly stick with a Daiwa baitcaster I bought at KMart. 

[Mobasser]

I often bank fish with one med spinning rod and a small box that clips on to my belt loop. I like to travel light, and a Roboworm or similar usually works.                                   If I took another rod I'd pick a med/hvy casting rod.

[DaubsNU1]

I put together a similar package to fish with my Dad and Brother in his boat....and keep in my car for bank-fishing, spur-of-the-moment trips. 

 

6'6" Medium spinning rod spooled with 10lb braid, 8lb mono. 

 

Small tackle bag with the following:

• NEDs
• Senkos
• T-rigged plastics
• two spinner baits
• two square bills
• Drop shot
• two jig-n-trailers
• one rattle trap
• two chatter baits
• white power grubs and lead-heads
• extra 10lb and 8lb mono spools of fluoro
• Good set of long pliers to remove hooks
• digital fish scale
• bar soap to clean hands
• small towel
• scissors
• Couple of random crank baits, just to fill out space

[crypt]

2 packs of worms. 1 spinnerbait. 1 sqarebill. won't use spinnerbait or crank bait but will have them "just in case" . both rods will be used for worming. everything will fit in a 1 gallon ziplock bag. 

[Pogues2300]

I’d probably just take a 7’ish mh/fast rod. A frog, bullet sinkers, bobber stops, ewg hooks. Then a mix of creature baits and stick worms. And props to you for still rocking a fanny pack! 

[scaleface]

First thing I would do is get rid of one rod , then fill the tackle box with lures of the weight that rod will cast the best .

[33oldtimer]

My universal lures: Beetlespins, Roadrunners, Rooster Tails, Swimjigs, Spinnerbaits, T-Rig: worm, baby brushhog, craw. Spinning combo 8lb mono, Zebco 33 combo 12lb mono. Pliers & knife.

[slonezp]

Spook and senkos

[JediAmoeba]

22 minutes ago, scaleface said:

First thing I would do is get rid of one rod , then fill the tackle box with lures of the weight that rod will cast the best .

I know a lot of people have this perception but like I said - I started out as a teen with 1 rod. I would throw tiny curly tailed grubs on ball head jigs or 7" curly tailed worms on 3/0 hook...1/2 oz spinnerbaits, crankbaits and big rapalas. I would throw scum frogs and other top waters. And then I would also throw 1 oz+ musky spinnerbaits and huge believers or bucktails. I would rig up bottom rigs for catfish and Walleye or maybe throw a float and fly for panfish. Because of all the different things I threw my casting improved immensely and made me a lot more versatile. Fishing from the bank you quickly learned to cast to the left or right if you wanted to catch the most fish. You learned a side arm cast was your friend to keep from hitting tree limbs.

 

All I am saying is don't let your rod limit you - it will make you a much better angler in the long run. Sure, there will be some backlashes and some frustration but in a bit you will cast like Gerald Swindle! 

[slonezp]

31 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

I know a lot of people have this perception but like I said - I started out as a teen with 1 rod. I would throw tiny curly tailed grubs on ball head jigs or 7" curly tailed worms on 3/0 hook...1/2 oz spinnerbaits, crankbaits and big rapalas. I would throw scum frogs and other top waters. And then I would also throw 1 oz+ musky spinnerbaits and huge believers or bucktails. I would rig up bottom rigs for catfish and Walleye or maybe throw a float and fly for panfish. Because of all the different things I threw my casting improved immensely and made me a lot more versatile. Fishing from the bank you quickly learned to cast to the left or right if you wanted to catch the most fish. You learned a side arm cast was your friend to keep from hitting tree limbs.

 

All I am saying is don't let your rod limit you - it will make you a much better angler in the long run. Sure, there will be some backlashes and some frustration but in a bit you will cast like Gerald Swindle! 

Gerald Swindle also talks about poop

 

[Dan N]

I used to carry 2-4 rods around. Now I’m down to 1. 7’ MH fast. 14 lb mono. Small pack of EWG hooks, various wiegts and some bobber stops. A bag of mixed plastic. Rage tail , rage bug can be used topwater, mid water or bottom. My go to. I would agree that a ned rig on a spinning rod is always effective also. 

[JediAmoeba]

1 hour ago, slonezp said:

Gerald Swindle also talks about poop

 

He's spot on!

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, JediAmoeba said:

I would throw scum frogs and other top waters. And then I would also throw 1 oz+ musky spinnerbaits and huge believers or bucktails. I would rig up bottom rigs for catfish and Walleye or maybe throw a float and fly for panfish.

Youre a lot better than I .

[Catt]

Powell Inferno 703C

7' Medium Heavy X-Fast 

Lew's Team Lite 7.5:1 spooled with Berkley Big Game 15#. Johnson Beetle Spin 1/4 oz, white/red dot, tails dyed chartreuse.

 

Diawa Tatula TTU711MHXB 

7'1" Medium Heavy X-Fast 

Lew's Tournament 6.8:1, spooled with Berkley Big Game 15#. 1/8 oz bullet weight, Mustad straight shank round bend hook, 3/0.

Zoom's Ultravibe Speed Worm watermelon neon, tail dipped in Spike-It Dip-N-Glo Chartreuse Garlic.

[king fisher]

One medium spinning rod, with 8 pound mono.  A few #3 inline spinners with some silver, and some gold blades and a couple original floating Rapala's.

[fin]

A second rod means you have to set it down every time you want to cast. If you're going to a certain spot, then two rods are better, but if you're walking the banks, one rod frees you up to cast whenever you feel the urge, like being in a boat beating the banks.