bare minimum. how FEW rods can you get away with?

[Mobasser]

I usually bank fish with one rod. In the boat, two is fine. One casting, one spinning 

[Tennessee Boy]

A single Zebco spin caster on an Ugly Stick is the bare minimum.  Everything beyond that is a luxury.

[gim]

I get by with 10 setups every time I go bass fishing because 1) my rod locker only holds 7 setups, and 2) I don't like more than 3 on the deck.

 

I could probably make due with half of them most of the time.

[Mike L]

Depends on your waters and what you have the most confidence in. 
 

If walking a shore line, 1 MH/F of your choice. 
 

In a boat with someone else just putzin around 3 can be enough. 
A MH/F, a Heavy and your most all around versatile combo you have for the lightest baits you throw. 
 

In a tournament as a co angler, no more than 6

 

In a tournament in your boat, as many as you can carry. 
 

 

Mike

[T-Billy]

Around 60 apparently. Wait, been getting into muskie fishing lately.... 60 isn't going to be enough. Sigh...........

[GreenPig]

??? I'll usually have 5 big swimbait rods and standard gear. I'm beyond intervention as I'm too far down the hole. I can't help you. I wish you luck especially if the get a bigger boat.

[bp_fowler]

6 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Bare minumum? 2 - MH/F baitcaster and M/F spinning.

 

I could do 80% of my techniques with that pair. Is it ideal? No, there's lots left out, but in a pinch that's what I could cut down to.

^^^ This is what I carry just about every time I go fishing.  If I wanted to expand to 5 rods my list would differ slightly from the OP based on the conditions I see most.

 

I would add the following rods to my current two in no particular order:

 

1.  H/F casting, for punching/frog

 

2.  M/M casting, for the various crank baits 

 

3.  M/M spinning, for treble hooked top-waters & jerkbaits

[DogBone_384]

I fish with an Abu Veritas M/F spinning rod when I run quick shore missions.  It handles anything I tie to it.  One rod is my answer.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I fish often fish out of a yak, small jon boat or a friends boat.  As long as the water is fairly shallow, which the majority around here is, I can do pretty well with 3 rods.

1) 7'1 ML F Tatula with a 2500 10lb X9-6-10lb FC (spinning)

2) 7'1 M F Muse Met MGL #12 FC

3) 7'3 MH F Ark Essence SLX DC  #15 FC

If Im fishing a lake with deeper water then I need to bring at least 2 more outfits to be comfortable.  Essentially more powerful versions of outfit #1(7" M F with 3000HG) and #2 (7'2 MH ModF.)   

 

[Woody B]

1 is minimum.  5 is the max for me.   

 

Added, I keep an extra reel handy.

[keagbassr]

Early spring or late fall I could probably squeak by with 6 or 8, in season maybe 10. Been going with an even dozen in my 10' jon. Can get a little "messy" at times but... rather have it than need it. 

[Jar11591]

Need at least 5, otherwise I’m just up the creek without a paddle. 

[BrianMDTX]

@MN Fisher I’m 100% in your camp. While I will normally bring 4 or 5 rods, there are many times I will only bring two- a MH/F baitcaster and a M/F spinning rig. I can’t fish every bait with just those two, but I can fish a lot. 

[Bankbeater]

Normally four rigs will do it for me.  Six rigs if I bring the ML, and UL.

[Mastercaster]

My normal boat fishing set up is - 8 rods: 6 baitcasters (5 MH-mod fast to XF and 1 H-F) and 2 spinning set ups MLXF and MXF. But the majority of the time I am  T-rigging with a 7'MH-F BC and when it is slow I fish a 6'-10"MLXF spinning setup for wacky worms (avoid the skunk) and I always bring those two when bank fishing. So 2 would work for me. 

[Bigassbass]

Two rods, one ul for pan fish and one bass rod, keep it simple.  And that is to answer your question doesn't mean I only have 2.

 

[Aaron_H]

Without reading anyone else's responses (trying not to influence my own thoughts), I think I could get away with, but not enjoy, fishing with only two rods.

 

A 6'8" medium/fast spinning rod for lighter techniques and jerkbaits.

 

A 7' medium heavy/fast for heavier techniques.

 

I wouldn't love it but it would cover enough of the bases of what I fish to at least be "good enough."

[Alex Ball]

    I think it really depends on the circumstances. 

Bank- I'm going with 2 here. A m/ml rated 1/16-3/8 and a H caster that goes 3/8-1+.

That's everything in my box. Good compromise. 

 Casual boat- 3-4. It's not a tourney so just pick your faves. 

  Tourney- I have the pleasure of riding with a Bass Master Open Angler some. He told me that it's really only 5 rods he'll use consistently in any given tournament. Which 5 is based on the location. But ya 5. 

[Jcj90]

You can pretty much do anything with two. A medium spinning and a MH casting rod. Is it perfect for everything? No, but it gets the job done. 

[Wprich]

Bare minimum I could probably get by with 4 even though I rotate through 13 haha.  

 

The 4 would be:

Medium Light spinning for neds and finesse swimbaits 

Medium spinning for wacky and small crankbaits

Medium heavy casting for all 1/4-3/8 oz work finesse jigs, chatterbaits, and TX rigs

Heavy casting for same above but heavier say 1/2 oz plus baits

[casts_by_fly]

@Darth-Baiter I think you specified further up that it was 'how many to own' not necessarily how many to bring on the water.  To me, that makes me think about how many rods and which ones I use throughout the year and then which of those could be eliminated to minimal concession.

 

I think for me, I could probably whittle things down to 5 or so.

 

- medium heavy casting rod, fast action (my 7'2" Falcon swim jig).  Great rod for swim jigs but also buzzbaits, lipless cranks, light texas rigs, etc. 

- lighter side of heavy casting rod (falcon head turner).  My go to rod for any single hook moving baits, also a great short pitching rod and overall to anything rod

- heavier casting rod (model TBD).  Always rigged with a jig, texas rig, or similar.  Both the Amistad and Heavy cover jig do this job now in different ways/situations.  This might be the toughest choice of which one, but I think I could get it to one

- heavy frog rod (falcon eye crosser)- I like fishing a frog/toad too much not to have one.  This could also maybe do the heavier casting job above, but I prefer a shorter rod for frogs and longer for pitching.

- ML Fast spinning rod- I rarely fish it now, but in this scenario I couldn't just eliminate it entirely from the lineup.  It would also have to do double duty for springtime crankbaits.

 

If I think about the rods that come in the boat each trip through the year (I normally carry 5), these are the ones that usually make the cut.  Early season I'll drop out the frog rod and throw in a crankbait specific rod.  I don't usually carry a spinning rod so #5 is usually 'both' to the heavier casting rod.  Depending on the lake and season I'll grab a topwater specific rod and leave two heavies at home.

[Darth-Baiter]

@casts_by_fly  that's the spirit.  much in the same way, that i dont really drink beer anymore (my liver belongs in a 90 year old person), when i do drink a beer...it is a very good beer.   or steak.  i buy a steak from a rancher that gave it a name...like Ethel. 

 

i was just thinking.  if i knew what i knew then, what i know now.  i think i could have pared it down to 5-6 rod/reel combo, and bought way better combos.   just a thought.

 

because if i really had the gift of time..i would buy Apple and Google stock. 

[Bankc]

One rod.  I can do anything I need with either a M/F or MH/F.  Some baits might be out of the question, but I can still catch the same fish with other presentations that will work with that rod.  In fact, it's not at all unusual for me to go out fishing with just one rod.  It makes me a better angler, focusing on how to get the most out of what I have instead of focusing on all of my options.  

Same with kitchen knives.  Give me good chef's knife and can prepare most anything.  It's not ideal for all situations, but I have 4 chef's knives for a reason, because they can do it all (and it keeps me from having to clean a knife mid prep to prevent cross contamination).  I've also got a bunch of specialty knives, but they get used to make the job easier.  They're not required to get the job done.  

[casts_by_fly]

on one hand I agree with the logic- instead of $250 per rod and 10 rods, buy 5 at $500, right?  But I'm pretty happy with $250 level rods and I'd rather have the right one for the job even if it means leaving a couple home each trip.  So while I probably could whittle it down to 5 for forever, I certainly don't want to.  Any then when the time comes that I can carry all 10 I will.  

[Pat Brown]

I think one would be fine but I'd take two in a pinch just so I rerig less if I'm being limited.

 

I usually bring 5-7 rods on the boat and 1-3 when I bank fish.  Just out of convenience/fun.

 

My 1 rod to rule them all would be a 7'6 MH/mod fast Veritas.  I've caught a lot of very very large fish on that rod and I love how it loads and drives the hooks in on just about everything except light wire treble hooks but I could set my drag for that and be okay.

 

If it was gonna be only one rod only, probably go with 15 lb big game for 'all around' line for any technique.

 

My second rod would have to be a 6'10 MH/XF for reaction baits and lighter lures just out of convenience and not having to retie as much.

 

12 lb big game is fine for that set up.

 

If it's hot out, gonna need a 7' MH/F with 40 lb braid on it for all my topwaters.  I'll run every thing from spooks to poppers to Buzzbaits to frogs on this set up.

 

Beyond that it's mostly technique specific stuff like big swimbait rods and spinning rods and stuff.

 

I could seriously be okay with 1-3 rods most of the time though.  Honestly probably have more success with less options!!!