Rod & Reels

[G-Man]

As a new bee I want to improve my collection of Rods & reels and buy one a month...or as many as I can get without my wife freaking.

Some of the reading I have done suggest a separate rod & reel for each lure type.

That being said can I get some suggestions on what rod and reel to get for each different lure type.

Keep in mind Im a new bee and have not mastered Bait casting reels so if you know any good spin cast reels - I welcome them.

If you think I need to REALLY learn to use a Bait caster I will spend the time to learn.

Thanks!

[BigBassin144]

A budget per rod and per reel would really help, or even a budget for the whole combo. Because without knowing what you want to spend, I could recommend a $50 combo or a $1000 combo.

BB

[G-Man]

I was thinkin $100-$200 per set up.(rod & reel)
A stretch at up to $250
Is that doable??

[MississippiBoy]

DEFINITELY learn how to use a baitcaster. You're severely limited in your choices of reels if you stick with just spincasts. As a general rule, baitcasters will be more durable and reliable than most spincasts. Now, there have been millions of fish caught with them, but baitcasters are a much better tool for a bass fisherman.
For now, I'd recommend just a few basic setups. For a general all-purpose rig, try a 7' MH power rod with a fast tip. This rod will do just about anything...it's like a Swiss Army knife. It's not perfect for everything, but it's certainly capable of doing a lot. Pair it up with a 6.x:1 ratio baitcaster, and you'll be in good shape.
Also think about a 6'6" or 7' medium power rod, with a slightly slower tip. This will be for cranks and some topwaters, or basically anything with treble hooks.
The third one I would recommend depends on what you like fishing. For me, I'd get a Heavy power 7' or 7'6" rod with a 7.x:1 ratio reel, for frogging or even jig fishing. Or get a 6'6" MH rod for more accurately placing spinnerbaits close to cover. Or a 7' Medium power spinning rod for dropshot.
The possibilities are endless...we love helping other people spend their money.

[bcklash]

Learning to use a baitcaster is frustrating. But once you master it, it opens a lot of new doors. (mainly for the baitmonkey)

[Tavery5]

G-Man, if it were me starting out, I would spend my money on 7ft + rods, in a Med or Med Heavy Action with Fast tips. These rods in my opinion will offer you the most flexibility. There are several good rods in the 100 -125 dollar range right now. Abu makes the Vendetta and the Veritas, both worth looking at. Falcon makes the Bucoo, both in a regular guide and a micro guide. St Croix makes the Mojo and Premier in that price range. W&M Skeet Reese rods fall in that price line. E21 Carrot Stix fall in this price range as well.
As far a reels go, I have trouble recommending anything other that the Shimano Citica in this price range. It fishes allot better than a 100 dollar reel. I will let someone else make some other reel recommendations. good luck

I failed to mention that these are all BC rod and reels, you almost have to learn to use them, it is not that difficult, we can help you out.

[BigBassin144]

That's a good price range, and IMO, the beginning of the "most for your money" range.

Let's start with the rods. There are lots of the great rods in the $100-150 range. At the lower end, Abu Garcia Veritas, Falcon Bucoo, Lamiglass Excel, BPS Carbonlite, etc. At the higher end of that range, you've got Shimano Crucial, Powell Max, and Dobyns Savvy.

As for spinning reels, there are some good choices for 100 bucks. Pflueger Supreme, Daiwa Exceler, Daiwa Tierra, Shimano Symetre.

If you're new to casting reels, then I'd suggest spending more of your budget on a decent reel to learn on than going cheap. I prefer Daiwa reels. You can get the Daiwa Viento for $90 on tacklewarehouse.com. It retailed for over 200. It's a great reel (I own one), and a steal at that price. Other choices are the Daiwa Exceler or Tierra reels should also be good choices. The Shimano Citica is also a decent choice for a little over $100. The Abu Garcia Revo S or Orra SX should also be considered.

That should give you a good place to start. If you have any more specific questions, don't hesitate to ask.

BB

[MississippiBoy]

Originally Posted by G-Man

I was thinkin $100-$200 per set up.(rod & reel)
A stretch at up to $250
Is that doable??

That's very doable. Figure a good basic reel for about $100 or a little less, and say $70-$100 for a good rod. You can spend as little or as much as you like, of course, but that's a good start. There are good rods for less...the Berkeley Lightening rods are great for not much money...about $40 or so. Others can recommend some specific brands, but you've got a ton of choices in your price range.

Man, those guys are quick...told you they'd be along shortly.

[bamabassman]

you CAN get great set ups with that price range buddy. the great folks here have given oyu some wonderful choices. now don't get too set on a perticular brand name. there are GREAT rods AND reels out there in oyur price range. read the TYPE of rod first in my opion. rod action is very key to what type of bait oyu use. tavery gave you and excellant rod TYPE for beginning with a bait caster. after you have learned the basics, THEN oyu can go after specific rod per bait.

you didn't mention how MANY set ups you wanted to start out with. at least i don't think oyu did. anyway, we need ot know just how many set ups you have in mind. that way we can give you some ideas on what to start out with. we don't want to confuse oyu pal. there are many set ups that can do the duty of 2-5 different baits.

[G-Man]

Id like to get six set ups by Spring Break

[bamabassman]

OK!!! now you opend a can of bait monkey whup arse!!! hahahaha. your monkey is WHUPPING YOU LIKE A RED-HEADED STEP[ CHILD SON!!! LMAO!!!


ok gang...............let him have it.


i am gonna only say this as far as reels go.............ABU GARCIA!! you gotta get a winch, OOPPPPSSSSS!! TOO HIGH DOLLAR i think. sorry.


for real now. get a really nice rod FIRST. then look at reels, feel them in oyur hand, put them on a rod, any rod jsut to get the feel of it. see if oyu like it. and then oyu can decide on which oyu prefer.

now i am gonna set back and let the gang tell you more. they know mor of the tech stuff than i do.

[pro reel]

I would get one of the BC setups with a short rod. Something like a 6 ft with a short handle. That would be used for side arm roll casting of spinner baits and or several other baits that get fished close to the boat. IMO, it's easier to learn a casting reel with a shorter rod.

[BigBassin144]

First off, definitely learn to use casting gear. Read the article on how to set up your casting reel that I PMed you last night. Secondly, learn the difference between Power and Action (both, "power" and "action" are links to similar threads discussing this topic. These terms are commonly, and incorrectly, used interchangeably by both people and rod manufacturers.

If you're looking to get 6 combos by Spring, here are my recommendations. Combine these specs with the brands I and others have recommended above and you should have some good combos.

(length, power, action - technique)

7' MH F - baitcasting. Arguably one of the best general purpose rods. Will work for fishing worms, lighter jigs, bigger spinnerbaits, etc.

7' M F - casting. Will work great for lighter worms, finesse jigs, spinnerbaits, etc. Can also use a 6'6" M F if you prefer shorter rods.

7'-7'3" H F - Casting. I'd use this for all your heavier jigs, pitching/flipping plastics, and t-rigs with heavy weights. Can double as a frog rod if you fish them.

7' M-MH MF - casting. Crankbaits. The slower action (moderate fast) gives the rod a nice bend for crankbait fishing. Choose M or MH power by what cranks you fish. go MH for heavier cranks (1/2oz+).

7' M F - spinning. Great all purpose spinning rod. cover most anything too light for casting gear or things you just prefer to fish on spinning rods. wacky rig, shaky head, very light t-rigs.

7' ML XF-F - spinning. I'd use a rod like this solely for dropshotting, but could be used for other light spinning tackle techniques.

These recommendations should cover most general fishing situations. I'd also check out my Rod Selection Guide for more specs on technique specific rods. It's great to get a baseline of what should work well for certain techniques. Just remember, nothing is set in stone and you can use whatever youwant.

BB

[Carver]

My advice is not to get caught up in the "specific rod syndrome" That only works for the manufacture. Shop for rods that you like, ones that feel good to you because no matter how much you pay for a rod you won't use it if it doesn't feel good.
As far as reels are concerned I have heard some good things about the ABU Ora.

[Ebbetsguy]

2 bits of advice, none on brand name, everyone has their own, but this is some good general advice

1. Check out FFO-Tackle.com, they are the pure fishing overstock and refurb site, you can get some good deals on a lot of labels on reels, after you get to the site>> click reels, then bait cast
Keep an eye on the Clearance Sections ( Bargain) of Tackle Warehouse, Cabelas and BPS, a lot of deeply discounted reels show up. Check the for sale sections here, Ny Bass and Bassresource.com; you can get some good deals, there are 3 on this board right now.


2. Rods I like 6'6" rods for bait casting , because of shoulder issues. Most like 7 ft Med Heavy/Fast rods and truthfully they are the best overall rods you can buy, technique specific sells rods for the manufacturers , I have found no merit to this concept. Either way you get a good quality 7 ft mh/fast rod is a good place to start

[DVT Mike]

To effectively fish for bass, you can get by with three rigs:
7' Med Hvy / Fast action casting for jigs, plastics and single hook lures 1/2 oz>
7' Med Hvy / Mod or Mod Fast action casting for trebel hook baits (Crankbait...)
7' Med / Fast spinning for baits <1/2 oz

I like 7' rods for the extra casting distance when needed.

The main things to remember in leaning baitcasting are to adjust the reel correctly for the baits weight and don't force or muscle the cast. Let the rod load and do the work.

When you get the basics down, you can pick up a few application specific outfits. Mine include a Flippin' stick, Drop Shot/Finesse spinning, 6' 3" spinnerbait/top water. For your jig & plastic setup I suggest you scew the budget toward the rod and get the highest quality, most sensitve you can afford.

[G-Man]

Thanks to all !
This was very helpful!

[tim4081]

[QUOTE=DVT Mike;324452 I suggest you scew the budget toward the rod and get the highest quality, most sensitve you can afford.[/QUOTE]

This is great advice. When picking out your rods for bottom contact techniques such as jigs, worms and other plastics, focus your dollars on the rod more than the reel. On the flip side, if you're going to be throwing a lot of cranks, spinnerbaits etc, spend more of the budget on reels.

One other suggestion, be sure you get the equipment in hand if at all possible before buying. Try different reels you're interested in on different rods. All rods have different balance points that are affected in turn by the different weights of the reels. The overall balance of a combo can make a great difference to your comfort and ability to cast precisely and with good distance (not to mention fewer backlashes).

Good luck and let us know what you end up with and how you do with them.

[keithdog]

Sounds like you have enough great advice here to get started. The only thing I wanted to add was a suggestion for a combo. Price wise, the BPS Pro Qualifier is hard to beat at $99.00. It often goes on sale too. Now that paired up with the Garcia Vendetta rod would give you a nicely balanced outfit. That rod sells for about $90.00 and was built around the Garcia Revos for balance. The Pro Qualifier has a very similar feel to the Revos, and when I tried it on a Vendetta a couple days ago at BPS I was really impressed with how the combo felt in my hands. Just something else for you to think about looking into.

[G-Man]

Thanks for your help

[LonewolfZ]

You could take a look at BPS. Was there last night and got a new Carbonlite with a Pflueger President for 130 after taxes. The 7ft M Carbonlite is normally 110 by itself. Seems to be a hell of a deal.

[Rebbasser]

Spin Cast-It is tough to beat a good 'ol Zebco 33

Fro a baitcaster the same can be said for a BPS Extreme reeL. You can often find them for a great price and it really is a great reel for the $.

[fish4942]

Originally Posted by G-Man

As a new bee I want to improve my collection of Rods & reels and buy one a month...or as many as I can get without my wife freaking.

Some of the reading I have done suggest a separate rod & reel for each lure type.

That being said can I get some suggestions on what rod and reel to get for each different lure type.

Keep in mind Im a new bee and have not mastered Bait casting reels so if you know any good spin cast reels - I welcome them.

If you think I need to REALLY learn to use a Bait caster I will spend the time to learn.

Thanks!

I recommend getting into baitcasting. Before I jumped in I had no idea how a baitcaster worked. I thought it was just like a spincast until BPS schooled me on it. If you just want to get your feet wet a little bit to see if you like it, I would definitely recommend going to BPS and getting the Bill Dance baitcaster combo for about $50.00. That was my first baitcaster about 3-4 years ago. I still have it and use it occasionally just because it was my very first. That’s what I’ll start my son off with when he’s ready. I looked at the latest version just the other day and it’s much nicer than my first one. Even has a nice split grip rod now.


If you want to get your feet wet with a quality setup that’s a workhorse but don’t want to break the bank, I recommend the BPS Pro Qualifier ($100) and Berkley Lightning Rod Shock ($50.00). The Pro Qualifier often goes on sale every now and then so keep checking the BPS website. They drop it down to like $80-$90 out of the blue sometimes. It’s a steal at either price and it’s a quality reel.


Many people will tell you to spend the extra cash on a quality setup to learn because you’ll get frustrated trying to learn on inferior tackle. I agree, but I don’t agree on spending hundreds of dollars on 1 setup for one application. If you have the coin and the means to do this, then yes, jump feet first. But it appears you have a financial advisor, aka wife that helps you manage your finances. I advise you to take your time in building up your arsenal of rods and reels. You’ll be experimenting with all kinds of baits, fishing lines, rod lengths, etc. and eventually you’ll narrow your preference down to certain types. No need to buy a whole bunch of stuff right from the start. Start off with a setup like I mentioned above and fish as many different baits and lures as you can with it. Don’t get caught up in all the specifics you’ll hear like a certain rod has better sensitivity and backbone and a fast tip action and a certain reel has better drag and magnetic and centrifugal brakes and power and this and that. Yes, all that stuff plays a role in the gear you buy, but starting out you won’t even know what most of that stuff means or how it applies when you’re on the water. You just want to get that puppy in the water and hook a fish for the first time on your baitcaster. You still land the fish the same way you do with any rod and reel, you crank the handle and the line retrieves and brings the fish to you. It’s been like that since the beginning and it will always be like that. Regardless of what reel and rod you have.


So here’s my suggestion for your first setup:
Reel: Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier (6:4 ratio)
Rod: Berkley Lightning Rod Shock (6’6” MH)
Line: Berkley Trilene XL Monofilament (12lb)


BTW, don’t be like me when I started off. I started watching Roland Martin, Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Shaw Grixby, and a bunch of other shows thinking I needed a heavy line in order to haul in those lunkers. I was pumped and just knew I was going to tie on the same bait / lure they were using and start slaying those hogs. Uh, NOT. So don’t get too big with the line. 12lb test should be just fine starting out. It’s when you start to target the rough stuff and then consider heavier line or even braid.