Should I get multiple rods and reel setups?

[SK9R]

I fish in Massachusetts, where the fishing is no where near as good as the rest of the country, but I still love the sport and going out, i'm not a full on angler with a boat or none of that, although I may get into it, I only have 2 rod and reel combos, 1st is a casting on a 7ft 1in medium heavy fast action rod but its broken at the tip so its a 7ft rod, my 2nd is a spinning rod on a finesse rod but that's it should invest in other rods? I will say i dont find myself having problems catching fish on any lures, but maybe I will feel a difference once getting them?

[PaulVE64]

Are you fishing rivers, ponds or lakes?

[dodgeguy]

Shore fishing ? I'd get a medium casting with a reel to cast light baits and replace your medium heavy with the broken tip.. add a third mh setup 

[TnRiver46]

[garroyo130]

My advice would be to try new techniques with the gear you already have and then purchase rod/reel for that technique if you like it. That way you don't end up with a specialized Carolina rod that just sits there. 

[Darth-Baiter]

replace the broken rod.  life is too short to fish with busted up gear.  the entire action of that thing is off.

 

stay with two, since you are on foot.  one spinning, one casting.  that's what i would do.  all that money you're saving, buy google stock.

[r83srock]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

replace the broken rod.  life is too short to fish with busted up gear.  the entire action of that thing is off.

 

stay with two, since you are on foot.  one spinning, one casting.  that's what i would do.  all that money you're saving, buy google stock.

This is good advice. 

[DaubsNU1]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

replace the broken rod.  life is too short to fish with busted up gear.  the entire action of that thing is off.

 

stay with two, since you are on foot.  one spinning, one casting.  that's what i would do.  all that money you're saving, buy google stock.

 

 ^^ wise words from @Darth-Baiter ^^

 

I will add this...keep the broken tip rod.

 

Broke the tip off one of my old Cabela's spinning rods years back...put on a new tip and shelved it. Seven footer, it was kind of wispy, not stout enough for my likes or needs.

 

Then I discovered drop shot and NED rigs. This rod is now one of my favorites! You never know...

 

[Gera]

If you have the means to purchase them go for it. It really doesn't matter how the fishing is, it just matters that you enjoy your equipment. I guess if you don't end up in debt over fishing gear and your priorities well set, then do whatever with your disposable income. 

[Darth-Baiter]

when i shore fish, i cant stand having too many rods.  i will buy one to holster it to my pack or belt before spring time.  two is my max..

[roadwarrior]

 

[GreenPig]

Buy more gear? Uuuhh YEAH!

Lighter, shorter, longer, faster, ultra light, light, medium light, medium,........ etc. 😁

[Crankin4Bass]

7 hours ago, SK9R said:

I fish in Massachusetts, where the fishing is no where near as good as the rest of the country, but I still love the sport and going out, i'm not a full on angler with a boat or none of that, although I may get into it, I only have 2 rod and reel combos, 1st is a casting on a 7ft 1in medium heavy fast action rod but its broken at the tip so its a 7ft rod, my 2nd is a spinning rod on a finesse rod but that's it should invest in other rods? I will say i dont find myself having problems catching fish on any lures, but maybe I will feel a difference once getting them?

I would just get a medium casting rod.
 

I used to live in MA. When bank fishing, I liked to only carry one 6’6” spinning or casting rod. I was always walking through lots of trees around all the small ponds and lakes in MA so less gear was better. 
 

Spinning seemed to work better mostly because I was fishing from small gaps between all the trees when walking around ponds. Mostly fished wacky or Texas rigs with a 5” senko with this rod. Sometimes I would fish small topwaters or flukes too. I also fished from a kayak and would also carry both med casting and spinning rods and fish texas rig or small jigs with the casting rod. 
 

Over the years I bought lots of other rods but mostly used those two. I had a medium heavy casting rod for bigger jigs and a heavy casting rod for frogs but rarely used those as the fish just are not as big in MA as these other guys have in the south. Also had several crankbait casting rods, but eventually didn’t use those as much cause places I fished had lots of weeds and I didn’t have a boat. 
 

Lots of good trout fishing too, so get a light or medium light spinning rod too. 
 

good luck and welcome to BassResource!

[NorthernBasser]

6 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

 

stay with two, since you are on foot.  one spinning, one casting. 

To play devil's advocate, don't listen to this nonsense. Buy 20 rods, minimum. You'll catch 20 more fish each outing. I think that's how it works. 

[webertime]

You asked the wrong people.  We'll spend your money!

[ironbjorn]

Nope. Not for the banks. Less is more. Most of the time I only take a MH/F casting setup and use anything from wacky rigs to jerkbaits to squarebills to spinnerbaits to jigs. Works perfectly fine. My bank fishing was always way less productive when I carried more than one rod with me. I'd only add a M spinning setup if anything, but you've already got that too. Unless you get a kayak or a boat you're going to find yourself with a lot of gear you don't use or over encumbered on the banks just so you can say you use it. 

[TnRiver46]

I have 3 fly fishing rods and I don’t really like fly fishing……

 

unless of course it’s for bluegill, then it’s downright crazy fun 

[galyonj]

18 hours ago, webertime said:

You asked the wrong people.  We'll spend your money!

 

There ain't nothing I like better'n spending somebody else's money.

[Boomstick]

When I go shore fishing, I find three rods will generally suite my needs almost anywhere I go.

 

#1) A MH/F casting rod for t-rigs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, larger keitechs etc.

#2) A M/F casting rod for things like crankbaits, jerkbaits, poppers, lighter T-Rigs or weightless soft plastics and so forth. My kid has a Dobyns Sierara 703C that is the perfect rod for this - enough tip for soft plastics but the right amount of bend for treble hooks.

#3) A ML spinning rod. for ned rigs, tubes or maybe a drop shot - more often than not ned rigs from shore though.

 

If you happen to have access to heavier cover, a H/F rod might also be a worthwhile addition. This year especially as lakes in Western Massachusetts have gotten really overgrown.

 

On 11/6/2023 at 10:14 AM, SK9R said:

I fish in Massachusetts, where the fishing is no where near as good as the rest of the country

I hear you there. I live two towns from the Vermont border and usually have much more success (and quiet) going north.

[thediscochef]

I would put a new tiptop guide on the broken rod and see how it works out unless you just have the cash burning a hole in your pocket

[PhishLI]

On 11/6/2023 at 10:14 AM, SK9R said:

I only have 2 rod and reel combos, 1st is a casting on a 7ft 1in medium heavy fast action rod

Different people have different preferences and different styles for bank fishing. None are wrong. I don't like leaving a zone not having presented a mix of baits throughout the column. So many times, and often when on the brink of moving on, I chose to throw a hail Mary pass with a counterintuitive bait and it paid off nicely. This happened just last night.

 

I want a minimum of 3 setups;

 

1) Medium spinning rod for throwing the usual suspects. Probably a 6'6" for fishing through tight quarters and overhanging tree branches. Every place I fish is lined with trees up to the water's edge.

 

2) Medium Heavy Fast casting/ 30lb braid. Straight braid mostly but add a leader if you feel it necessary. Throw whatever you like within its range. Adjust drag for lighter wire hooks.

 

3) Heavy Fast casting/ 20LB Mono. Throw baits up to 1 1/2oz. 5"-6" swimmers rigged weedless on a heavy wire swimbait hook, line thru-swimmers, jigs outside of the wheelhouse of the MH rod, heavier chatter baits, and trebled swimbaits/wake baits of which there are many affordable options now that are often the juice when nothing else is working.