How important is it to choose the "correct" rod and reel?

[roch1]

I have been fishing since I could walk and I am now in my mid 30's. This year for the first time I am joining a club to fish tournaments and would like some honest advice.

I have always caught my fair share of fish on all of the equipment I have. I do not own the most expensive gear nor do I think I ever will.

Right now I am set up with (3) 6'-6" All Star rods with two pflueger bait casters and one shimano bait caster. My other rod is a browning spinning rod with spinning reel.

Usually I use the spinning rod for lighter or finesse fishing. The other three I throw anything and everything on these from worm, crankbait, spinnerbait, jerkbait.....etc.

So my question again is how important is choosing the correct rod and reel for the application you intend to use? I have no illusions of grander that I will be fishing in the classic but am I missing out by maybe using a rod that should have been 6" longer or a different action or having the improper gear ratio on the reel.

Sorry for the long post, and sorry its probably a stupid question.

[soccplayer07]

If you are doing well with what you have why change? If you start fishing a new area or use a new technique then you might need a different rod. For instance I fish a lot of heavy grass. I need a heavy 7' rod for punching through mats. That being said almost every application can be done with what you have. Good luck!

[Goose52]

I agree - fish what you have. While there are technical, proven reasons why some rod/reel combos are "optimum" for certain techniques or presentations, I'm not sure that those optimum solutions translate into a firm "x" amount of additional fish caught compared to using "sub-optimum" equipment. Roadwarrior will be along soon I expect with his 1-rod/3-rod advice which is sound advice indeed.

I fished with a limited number of rigs for a long time and as soon as I discovered this site, I started going over to the dark side, getting lots of new gear. It's fun to buy new stuff, but I'm not sure I will catch THAT many additional fish this coming year just because I now have more tackle...

BUT, if one has the bucks, tackle is cool stuff and no harm in getting lots of gear. Boys and their toys kind of thing. Indeed, the tackle junkies and fishing scientists will be along soon to tell you that you REALLY need 23 rods to adequately fish for bass

[roadwarrior]

Technique specific rods are for "enthusiasts".

Almost all your fishing can be done with just

one rod. Beyond that, you only "need" three rods:

Spinning: 6 1/2' or 7', M or MH, Fast Action

(soft plastics and light lures)

Baitcasting: MH or H, Fast Action

(jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and all single hooks)

Baitcasting: MH, Moderate Action

(all treble hook lures)

8-)

[Raul]

You can fish through your entire life with one rod and reel if they are chosen to be realtively multipurpose, shure, I like many other got sometimes more money than brains, add to that that I 'm a tackle junkie and I 've got a big bunch of reels and rods, however looking at in retrospective 1 rod and reel combo gets to see more action than the rest all together. That means that the rest of the setups I carry are there practically just to rub my ego ( look, I got a bunch of stuff !  ).

4 rods and 4 reels ? ---> man you 've got all you need.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Technique specific rods are for "enthusiasts".

Almost all your fishing can be done with just

one rod. Beyond that, you only "need" three rods:

Spinning: 6 1/2' or 7', M or MH, Fast Action

(soft plastics and light lures)

Baitcasting: MH or H, Fast Action

(jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and all single hooks)

Baitcasting: MH, Moderate Action

(all treble hook lures)

8-)

x2 These 3 rigs will let you properly present most any bass bait.

[ToledoEF]

Right now I have:

Spinning

(1) 7' M Fast action

Baitcasting

(1) 7' M Fast action

(1) 7' MH Xfast action

Adding

BC

(1) 7'6 MH fast action

(1) Swimbait setup (up to 5 maybe 6oz)

I would like more setups but Thats all I would really need!

[roch1]

Thanks guys, this puts my mind at ease.

[Paul Roberts]

Technique specific rods are for "enthusiasts".

8-)

Ditto.

Let your waters dictate what you need. If you can keep the bait and rod monkey's at bay :, buy when you see an opportunity on the water you can't adequately cover with what you have. Sounds like that's already happened. If you move to a new locale, or start exploring new waters, you MIGHT find yourself looking for something more -like a dedicated flippin' setup, or an UL spinning rig, or ...

Where I fish, my mainstays are a 6-6 MH spinning rod (10-14lb lines) and a 6-6 M casting rod (10-14lb lines). I've added a M spinning rod (6-8lb lines) for finesse and early spring before the veggies grow up, and a MH casting rig (17-20lb lines) for mid-summer when the veggies are dense. When the rod monkey calls I respond by upgrading these basic rigs.

[b.Lee]

Yeah I bought 4 rods, with everyone help on the boards,

Great advice here

[Raul]

If you can keep the bait and rod monkey's at bay :

Easier said than done !  ;D

[scrutch]

I agree - fish what you have. While there are technical, proven reasons why some rod/reel combos are "optimum" for certain techniques or presentations, I'm not sure that those optimum solutions translate into a firm "x" amount of additional fish caught compared to using "sub-optimum" equipment. Roadwarrior will be along soon I expect with his 1-rod/3-rod advice which is sound advice indeed.

I fished with a limited number of rigs for a long time and as soon as I discovered this site, I started going over to the dark side, getting lots of new gear. It's fun to buy new stuff, but I'm not sure I will catch THAT many additional fish this coming year just because I now have more tackle...

BUT, if one has the bucks, tackle is cool stuff and no harm in getting lots of gear. Boys and their toys kind of thing. Indeed, the tackle junkies and fishing scientists will be along soon to tell you that you REALLY need 23 rods to adequately fish for bass [/quote

I have almost as much fun buying fishing stuff as I do fishing...  I think I'm addicted to buying...there's probably a shrink somewhere that has a name for my condition!

[roadwarrior]

Technique specific rods are for "enthusiasts".

Almost all your fishing can be done with just

one rod. Beyond that, you only "need" three rods:

Spinning: 6 1/2' or 7', M or MH, Fast Action

(soft plastics and light lures)

Baitcasting: MH or H, Fast Action

(jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and all single hooks)

Baitcasting: MH, Moderate Action

(all treble hook lures)

Already posted..but here it is again!

Technique specific rods are for "enthusiasts".

Almost all your fishing can be done with just

one rod. Beyond that, you only "need" three rods:

Spinning: 6 1/2' or 7', M or MH, Fast Action

(soft plastics and light lures)

Baitcasting: MH or H, Fast Action

(jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and all single hooks)

Baitcasting: MH, Moderate Action

(all treble hook lures)

[Goose52]

Technique specific rods are for "enthusiasts".

Almost all your fishing can be done with just

one rod. Beyond that, you only "need" three rods:

Spinning: 6 1/2' or 7', M or MH, Fast Action

(soft plastics and light lures)

Baitcasting: MH or H, Fast Action

(jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and all single hooks)

Baitcasting: MH, Moderate Action

(all treble hook lures)

Already posted..but here it is again!

Technique specific rods are for "enthusiasts".

Almost all your fishing can be done with just

one rod. Beyond that, you only "need" three rods:

Spinning: 6 1/2' or 7', M or MH, Fast Action

(soft plastics and light lures)

Baitcasting: MH or H, Fast Action

(jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and all single hooks)

Baitcasting: MH, Moderate Action

(all treble hook lures)

A little reiteration there RW

You haven't said what the "1" rod would be of those you mentioned. For me, it would be a 7' medium spinning rod...

[Hammer 4]

Welp, there's 1 more, but unless your willing to spend the $$$ and put in the time...not worth it.

Swimbait rig. You can get a good rod for 110.00, reel 120.00..baits...that's another story..lol they run from about 6.00 to 300.00 per.

Anyways, just thought I'd put it out there..

[Goose52]

Welp, there's 1 more, but unless your willing to spend the $$$ and put in the time...not worth it.

Swimbait rig. You can get a good rod for 110.00, reel 120.00..baits...that's another story..lol they run from about 6.00 to 300.00 per.

Anyways, just thought I'd put it out there..

That's one rig that I'll never be tempted to buy. Some of those swimbaits are bigger than the average size bass in my lakes - the swimbait would scare away all the fish! ;D

[kikstand454]

i relate to this post.

i too have just recently "stepped up my game" and decided to try tourney fishing. i got about 4 rigs, and then through knowing others, i ended up with around 27 rigs handed down to me.

its amazing. however, i dont own a boat. so really, i only take 4-5 rods with me at any one time. and i find that its the same 5 or 6 TYPES of rigs...i just rotate similar ones.

the moral is i think you will be fine.

[PondHunter]

The only thing I would add is a Pitchin/ Flippin rig. It depends on how much you would use it to determine whether or not you need one. One of your BC outfits will get the job done, but the extra power of the long rod to hoist a fish plus a bunch of weeds out of the water can be a big plus.

[Tin]

Technique specific rods are for "enthusiasts".

Or those of us who do not with to loose fish. ;D

To me it is everything and I would not chance it.