Bass

[MCTFisher9120]

I see the point for pro bass guys and regular anglers to have a bunch of different rods for bass fishing but how many are really needed. Like, i seem to be able to have decent success with just my 3 rods. However, I'm just asking to see what techniques really need there own rod rather than having the ability to use 1 rod for a few techniques.

 

Example-Can't a 7'MH baitcasting rod be good for both spinnerbait and jerkbait fishing, with even a few more applications. Same thing with a 6'6M action spinning rod can't it be productive for tube, grub, and smaller soft plastic worm fishing to be done well.

 

In your opinion, what techniques really deserve a certain application of rod(action, lenght, etc). Asking for the laydown to rods and reels for techniques.

 

My productive ways to fish for bass has been these applications: Jerkbaits, some crank's, dingers, topwaters, moderate jig fishing in semi thick vegetation, tubes, and small spinners.Essentially all I do while fishing for bass. So with techniques like this, what rod actions/lengths would be suitable, as said before i seem to of gotten good at using just spinning tackle.

 

Kind of a weird thread but just interested in peoples preferences when it comes to matching rods to techniques in fishing.

Edited June 3, 2009 by Mike The Bass Fisher

[gone_fishin]

as you get older and more experienced you'll find a need for different rods for different applications... for several years when i first started fishing i pretty much used just one 6' medium action spinning rod... it was a good "all around" rod/reel combo...

 

also as you get older you'll become really good at one type of fishing over most others (not saying you wont be good at the others, but just better at one type of fishing). my "specialty" is jerkbait fishing... but i've got a totally different approach then most people... you mentioned the 7' MH baitcaster combo for jerkbaits... i use the exact opposite... a 5' 10" medium light spinning combo (for walleye and bass at least - i'll use a 6'6" medium spinning if i'm going for bigger pike). spinnerbaits are done on one of my MH baitcasters. most of my plastics are done with a spinning rod/reel... except when fishing in heavy cover. most crankbaits i'll use my baitcasters though.

 

another thng to look forward to... when you're finished school and you have a full time job you'll start to upgrade all of your rods and reels and start buying top end gear... fenwick, st. croix, etc... and you will feel a huge difference!!!

[Garry2Rs]

As you probably know most Crankbait rods have extra Fiberglass in the blank to soften up the action.

With jerkbaits you want to start and end with slack in the line. A stiffer rod is helpful in getting a short hard jerk.

Some guys use ML, M and MH casting rods for different weight spinnerbaits. The light rod is for 1/4 ounce baits and the heavy for 3/4 ounce baits. Some guys want two or three Jig and Pig rods, depending on the size of the trailer and the weight of the bait.

I bought a special rod to fish Flukes. Regular spinning rods were too stiff in the tip. If my Fluke hung on a lily-pad etc, when I twitched it off, the bait would fly out of the strike zone. I cured the problem with a ML rod with a soft action, now my Fluke climbs over obstructions instead of taking flight.

Some of this is just toy collecting, because we all secretly know that the one with the most toys, when he dies, wins!

[HTHM]

As you probably know most Crankbait rods have extra Fiberglass in the blank to soften up the action.

With jerkbaits you want to start and end with slack in the line. A stiffer rod is helpful in getting a short hard jerk.

Some guys use ML, M and MH casting rods for different weight spinnerbaits. The light rod is for 1/4 ounce baits and the heavy for 3/4 ounce baits. Some guys want two or three Jig and Pig rods, depending on the size of the trailer and the weight of the bait.

I bought a special rod to fish Flukes. Regular spinning rods were too stiff in the tip. If my Fluke hung on a lily-pad etc, when I twitched it off, the bait would fly out of the strike zone. I cured the problem with a ML rod with a soft action, now my Fluke climbs over obstructions instead of taking flight.

Some of this is just toy collecting, because we all secretly know that the one with the most toys, when he dies, wins!

Don't listen to this guy, he knows wwwwaaaaaaayyyyy too much.

[Bassaholic]

When someone asks me why I need all the different rods and reels I have I explain it like this. Try to think of it like golf. Tiger Woods could probably play 18 holes with just a driver and a putter but would he be as good compared to if he had a full set of clubs? Of course not. Now that 6'6"M spinning combo is going to cover you for alot of things. But what if one day out on the "course" you need to burn a 1/2oz+ spinnerbait for smallies or drag a 4lbs largemouth thats covered in 2lbs of slop out of a jungle of weeds? Is that the best "club" for those situations? That being said, I dont think you or I or any non-pro NEEDS a combo to cover EVERY situation and there's alot of set-ups that can be multi-purpose and only a few techniques that require specific gear. The main one that I think of is cranks. A slow-mod action rod seems to work best for cranks.........of course I'm still going to buy as much gear as I possible can.

[dada2727]

One thing I would recommend is going no lighter than MH for a spinnerbait application. I find with the large hook on spinnerbaits, the extra backbone is needed to get a good hookset. I land a lot more fish since I made the switch.

[Rodwrap]

As a rodbuilder, I Luv Bass guys. They can't tie knots. They have the wife tie 45 lures to rods for the day...they just change rods

 

Then the rods come to me every Monday to replace the stepped on guides from the weekend tourneys

[Rich]

Jerkbaits/crankbaits the rod needs to be lighter, with more give. Helps keep from ripping the trebles out on hooksets. Spinnerbait rod needs to be more sturdy. One big hook, so it takes a little more power to drive it in. Flippin'... well I just can't do it without a flippin' stick anymore. Don't know how I ever lived without one. The power to drive the hook home and get the fish out of the heavy stuff fast. Way less lost fish that way. And I usually bring a 7' M spinning rod out for the other stuff I don't use so often.

 

So yeah, 4 - 5 rods is usually enough for me. I think after that it's just a convenience thing. Less knot tying. In tournament fishing, time is money. That 30 seconds to tie a new knot could be one less fish I suppose.