WIYB

[Jeffrey Walker]

Years ago, Golf digest magazine had a series or segment in every monthly magazine called  WIYB.  “What’s in your bag” where pros would list snd comment what clubs they carried and why and other things that were “essential” to their game.

 

So let’s make take that concept and apply it to bass fishing -  What’s in your boat??  what rods or combos are essential to you? what make/model/reel/lures or techniques and purpose do you never leave home without and  anything else that you find “essential”?

 

Looking forward to reading from experienced bass fisherman. 

 

 

 

[optimator]

Ping G-20 irons 

Cobra driver and hybrids

 Scotty Cameron Fastback 5.5 putter

 

?

[A-Jay]

 When it comes to chasing around the local population of brown bass,

I have a reasonably useful arsenal of rods, reels & baits that 'suit' my needs; mostly.

Perhaps just as vital to much of whatever success I might have, on the biggest fish especially,

is the boat itself.  Having safe access to the fish and plenty of space for my gear, both important to me, breeds confidence. 

 Not exactly a secret at this point, but having & knowing how to 'use' the GPS precision receiver with heading sensor to it's fullest potential, has been a game changer.  The internal compass provides constant boat heading displayed on chart screen, even while sitting still. This enables me know to my rigs direction in correlation to the GPS chart for precision boat control.  Once on the water, this is where it starts & ends for me. #spotonthespot

Finally something that isn't really visible but I really do try to remember to bring with me every trip,

is the right state of mind.  Clearly this may be different for every basshead, and I'm no different. 

Where in the past, I can admit that I used to 'go fishing' to get away from it all; to clear my head.  And that was OK.  However the past several years, I've come to recognize that I do enjoy my time on the water much more with a different approach.  Instead of trying to 'escape my life' while on the water, I try to embrace it.  Meaning, there seems to be some correlation between having 'balance' in my personal life and being successful on the water.  Not saying that there's much I can do if the fish don't bite, but my state of mind while I'm fishing certainly does effect how I feel about it. 

And the better I feel, the better I fish.

One of my all time favorite Pro anglers, Rick Clunn used the term Zen many years ago.

A state of calm attentiveness in which one's actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort.  Sort of like that I suppose.

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

 

 

[r83srock]

My essential list, 4 casting and 1 spinning. This covers my style of fishing on any of my local lakes and rivers. I usually keep 8-12 rods in the boat with dedicated top water and cranking rods, and an extra spinning rod, but these five I can live with comfortably.

 

- St. Croix Bass X 7’4” heavy fast 

Daiwa Tatula 150 7:1. 50lb power Pro

 

- St. Croix Victory 7’3” Heavy XF

Daiwa Fuego ct 8:1 30lb power pro

 

- St. Croix Legend Tournament 7’3” MH fast

Daiwa Tatula SV 7:1 30lb power pro

 

- St. Croix Legend Tournament 7’1” Medium heavy XF 

Daiwa Tatula SV 7:1  16lb Yo Zuri flouro

 

- St. Croix 7’ Medium fast spinning rod

Daiwa regal 2500 6:1  6lb yo zuri hybrid 

[softwateronly]

The last 10 days or so, it’s been a 1/2oz and 3/4oz jig, 5/16oz Trig mag zoom worm, and 1/8oz free rig menace grub, all on casting gear.  I’ve spent time trying to force feed a magdraft, swinghead, swim jig, buzz bait and frog to limited success. The preacher jig is starting to find bites, probably gonna add that to the force feed rotation till it hits. 
 

scott

[Jeffrey Walker]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

 When it comes to chasing around the local population of brown bass,

I have a reasonably useful arsenal of rods, reels & baits that 'suit' my needs; mostly.

Perhaps just as vital to much of whatever success I might have, on the biggest fish especially,

is the boat itself.  Having safe access to the fish and plenty of space for my gear, both important to me, breeds confidence. 

 Not exactly a secret at this point, but having & knowing how to 'use' the GPS precision receiver with heading sensor to it's fullest potential, has been a game changer.  The internal compass provides constant boat heading displayed on chart screen, even while sitting still. This enables me to my rigs direction in correlation to the GPS chart for precision boat control.  Once on the water, this is where it starts & ends for me. #spotonthespot

Finally something isn't really visible but I really do try to remember to bring with me every trip,

is the right state of mind.  Clearly this may be different for every basshead, and I'm no different. 

Where in the past, I can admit that I used to 'go fishing' to get away for it all; to clear my head.  And that was OK.  However the past several years, I've come to recognize that I do enjoy my time on the water much more with a different approach.  Instead of trying to 'escape my life' while on the water, I try to embrace it.  Meaning, there seems to be some correlation between having 'balance' in my personal life and being successful on the water.  Not saying that there's much I can do if the fish don't bite, but my state of mind while I'm fishing certainly does effect how I feel about it. 

And the better I feel, the better I fish.

One of my all time favorite Pro anglers, Rick Clunn used the term Zen many years ago.

A state of calm attentiveness in which one's actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort.  Sort of like that I suppose.

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

 

 

Wow so much to digest here 

. thank yiu

[BrianMDTX]

What are the “always”? Pretty simple. I’ll always have a MH/F baitcasting rig for Texas rigs and/or jigs (90% TR’s). Right now that’s a Kistler Helium TCJ-70MH and a Daiwa Fuego FGCT100XS. Also a M/F spinning rig for wacky rigs or weightless Senko TR’s. That’s a Fenwick Fenwick HMX 66M-FS-2 and a Daiwa Revros LT2500. Last is a rig for treble baits. A Dobyns Fury 705CB and a Daiwa Tatula 100H. Those three rigs are always with me. Followed with an array of soft plastics that always include Senkos, Mann’s Jelly Worms, Fat IKA’s, Neko Machos, Zoom Tricks and Rage Tail Craws. Never leave home without them. 

[JediAmoeba]

16 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 When it comes to chasing around the local population of brown bass,

I have a reasonably useful arsenal of rods, reels & baits that 'suit' my needs; mostly.

You seem very organized and regimented- how much does it bother you those few rod socks don't match? Maybe you have a reason for it but I appreciate the organization you have and this struck me...

 

[MN Fisher]

15 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

how much does it bother you those few rod socks don't match?

I dunno about Andy, but my rod-sock color indicates the power-class of the rod.

[Darth-Baiter]

i couldnt list all my rod/reel combos.  i'm not going into the garage to do inventory...that would be weird.  hahah..

 

they are all next to my other tools.  

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, JediAmoeba said:

You seem very organized and regimented- how much does it bother you those few rod socks don't match? Maybe you have a reason for it but I appreciate the organization you have and this struck me...

 

Not to high jack this one but 

I appreciate the sentiment.

We are who we are right ?

However, you're quite correct in that I prefer organization vs the opposite. So the rod sock color selection is actually a 'system' to help me locate the wanted rig in the rod locker.  The type and speed of the reels on each is also part of that. Blue covers MH casting, red covers MH moderate casting, patriotic covers M moderate casting, and black is the deep cranking rod.  On spinning,  yellow is 7 ft M, black is Diawa AGS, and the funky bruised purple color is Victory rods (both spinning & casting).  Not shown are the A-Rig rods, the swimjig rods and finally topwater. So there's a method to the madness and I must admit, it helps me sleep at night. 

 

?

A-Jay

 

 

[Jig Man]

I have a system similar to A-Jay’s.  Mine are color coded according to application in the spinning rod box.  The others are by length.

[Woody B]

I don't have any golf clubs in my boat....or anywhere else.  

 

For rods, I'm a minimalist compared to others here.  I suppose I'm also a cheapskate, at least to some extent.  My workhorses are a Lews Mach, and Mach2 rods.  They're 7 feet, medium, moderate.  I use them for everything from a NED to a Rapala DT.   Next is a Lews Black TP1 (or something like that).  It's 7'3" (or 4) MH- fast.  I use it with various stuff including bladed jigs, Devils Horse's, spinner baits and medium size cranks.   I've got a Cashion (Made right here in NC) "worm" rod.  It's 7' and a few inches, MH-fast.  I've used it for a bunch of stuff, but it's usually got either a shakey head or T-rig on it.  These have various Shimino reels on them including a couple DC's a SLX-XT and a SLX MG70.  These are all spooled with 12 or 14 pound test mono.  My last one is a Duckett, 7 foot plus x-tra heavy.  It's main use is A-rigs during the winter.  I also use it for other heavy stuff, including deep cranks, Carolina rigs with 1/2 ounce or heavier weights, big swimbaits, and big buzzbaits.  It sports a Lews LFS spooled with Sufix 832 50 pound braid.   

[roadwarrior]

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/130634-rod-selection-the-basics/

[KP Duty]

I seem to collect rods and reels, so combos vary from trip to trip.  I always have my pliers, slime towel, plug knocker, and knife with me.  I use a few lines, but CXX is a mainstay.