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  1. #1
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    Aug 2017
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    How Many Rods do You Fish?

    Hey guys, been looking at the pro setups and other fields. I run light, I have one tackle box, 2 of the Plano 5-20 stow away's for sinkers and hooks and a BPS Large plastic bait bag. Right now I have 4 BC setups with all rods med heavy from 7' to 7' 6", I have one spinning reel on a 7' finesse rod. On the BC's I use one for crank baits, one for spinner baits/buzz baits, one for top water baits or jerk baits and one for drop shot rigging or just plain ole Texas rig. I use the spinning reel for finesse work, "wacky worm" or jigs. I feel like this is plenty and my combo's are average cost no hi dollar stuff but not dirt cheap either, so it feels good. I see a lot of guys running over 8-12 combo's for 1 guy in a boat???? Do I need to step it up a rod or two to keep my baits a little more separated? I think a lot of this is because they have secrete weapon rods or something lol. Just looking for tips and stuff, thx again.

  2. Member
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    Nov 2011
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    Cedar Falls, Iowa
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    #2
    You certainly don't "need" more combos. I usually carry 15-18 in my boat and have another 12-15 at home. Each has there specific use though they all can carry multiple duties. Over the years I just kept adding to my arsenal. If I were you I'd just pick up a rod or reel here and there. Wait until stuff is on sale too. I have bought very few of my rods or reels at list price. If you're comfortable with what you got, no need to change though.

  3. Member
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    Mar 2014
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    Ottawa Canada
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    #3
    I own 10 but use 9 quite frequently. If you're comfortable with what you s got, o need to get more unless you want to.

    I use:
    1 for frogs
    1 for jigs
    1 for spinnerbaits/buzzbaits
    1 for jerkbaits/spooks
    1 Texas rigs
    1 for squarebills/ a few deeper cranks
    1 for bigger cranks/large crankbaits.
    1 for wacky rigs and drop shots
    1 for dragging tubes (this is the one that doesn't get used much.
    1 for chatterbaits.

  4. Member
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    #4
    Right on, thx Tyler. I kinda feel like I could use 4 more combo's, this would let me set each rod for a specific type of lure, then I could run the different lb test etc.. needed for that action. Guess I was trying to just talk myself out of buying more LOL. Now that I think about it I really do need a couple more spinning combo's at least. Thx Lape just seen your post and editing here. Do you run a straight heavy with your deep cb rod?

  5. Member Jeff Hahn's Avatar
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    Oct 2011
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    #5
    It sounds to me like you have all of the bases covered with the rods you currently have. I seldom carry more than 5 rods and on lakes I know well and know the best lure to use, I often only carry two or three rods.
    "The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

  6. Moderator Fishysam's Avatar
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    Oct 2016
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    #6
    If I could do it all over I wouldn't have more than 5 rods, but now that I have I can't go back
    Mercury 250 proxs 2B115089

  7. Member
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    Aug 2017
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    Knoxville, TN
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    #7
    Woo yeah you guys just helped me out lol. I am going to snag one more spinning combo in med hvy then I will be set. I hardly ever fish more than 3 rods a day, I usually stick with a crankbait, drop shot or swim bait/popper.

  8. Member
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    Feb 2014
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    Farmington, MN, USA
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    #8
    A lot of it depends on the fishing you do such as just fun fishing vs tourney fishing. I am a tourney angler and i will most often have 10-12 rods on deck. Some of those are doubled up especially up here in MN due to the good chance of being bit off by a pike, at which point i will pick up a second rod that has the same thing tied on as to not waste unnecessary time. Also have to be ready to fish the current conditions more and fish more by your gut feel. When im fun fishing, which is rare now, i will usually only have the stuff on deck that i really enjoy using, jig, flipping bait, drop shot, ned rig. So on those random fun days i will only have at most 6 rods out, usually less. I look at setups like golf clubs as the old cliche goes. Basically each combo is setup for a certain circumstance and technique. Most of my stuff is not multipurpose and have specific uses designated per setup. I must be well over 30 total combos at this point, and will at all times have no less than 20 in my boat in case a situation arises.

  9. Member
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    Jun 2004
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    Flowery Branch, Ga.
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    #9
    Prefishing, as many as 15. Tourney days, usually 1 to 3.

  10. Member
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    Aug 2017
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    Knoxville, TN
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    #10
    That makes sense because every cast counts snd tieing on could cost you a fish. I will fish some tourneys but I know it wont be as serious as a lot of you tourney guys. I will also stick pretty close to 5 to 6 lakes and they all fish similar. I am getting one more spinning combo so I can ned rig it.

  11. Member
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    Jul 2014
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    Tn
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    #11
    I have 7 combos. 3 fairy wands and 4 man rods. If I can't catch them on those I don't need to be fishing

  12. Member
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    Jan 2016
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    Missouri
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    #12
    Took 6 out the other day, more than I've taken out so far, and had the best day on the lake yet, including buddy catching a new PB. I really think being versatile and throwing a bunch of different baits without much wasted time was key to helping us find the bite and get keyed in on it. More than that and my poor 12' jon boat will be swamped but that's about perfect for me.

  13. ARW Fishing fluke1987's Avatar
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    Feb 2012
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    Huntley, IL
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    #13
    I usually have 6 to 7 rods with me, especially on tournament day :)

  14. Member
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    Sep 2007
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    Greensburg Pa
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    #14
    Love these threads as it makes me reconsider my rod lineup. I limit the on deck rods to 5. Here is what I am carrying in my boat this year.

    spinning rod for weightless worms
    spinning rod for weightless flukes or Texas rigged weightless worms
    spinning rod for Ned rigs (new for me this year).
    spinning rod for weightless Zoom Horny Toads (New this year for me as well)- too much grass this year for traditional topwaters.
    casting rod for spro frogs
    spinning rod with original Gitzit for rock/open water fishing
    casting rod for heavy jig pitching in weeds
    spinning rod for skipping Beaver style baits
    casting rod for early season spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and now with Silver Buddies or Hopkins Spoons
    casting rod for swimbait or swim jigs
    spinning rod for drop shot
    casting rod with Texas Rigged large SK Coffee Tube Bait


    I have done well well this year on Ned rigs, Horny Toads fished very fast, Coffee Tubes flipping docks and weeds, flukes and naturally weightless wacky worms. Been a lousy year for me on the Spro Frogs, drop shot and swimbaits.
    '14 Triton 18XS 150 Optimax Pro XS Fortrex 80
    Kropf Park model on Chautauqua Lake
    Fish Chautauqua Lake and Lake Erie
    Love bass and fly fishing for Trout and Steelhead

  15. Member Jeff Hahn's Avatar
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    Oct 2011
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    Alliance, Ohio
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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Hahn View Post
    It sounds to me like you have all of the bases covered with the rods you currently have. I seldom carry more than 5 rods and on lakes I know well and know the best lure to use, I often only carry two or three rods.
    An FYI - I was also including tournament days in my response. When prefishing, I will take 4-5 rods. On tournament day, it's usually 4 max and hoping I never have to use more than 2 of them. If I need any more than that small number of rod and reels combos, it means I didn't practice nearly enough.
    "The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

  16. Member
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    Aug 2017
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    Knoxville, TN
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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Hahn View Post
    An FYI - I was also including tournament days in my response. When prefishing, I will take 4-5 rods. On tournament day, it's usually 4 max and hoping I never have to use more than 2 of them. If I need any more than that small number of rod and reels combos, it means I didn't practice nearly enough.
    That makes sense as I don't think I'm good enough to know what to do with more than 6 rods. I remember fishing with my uncle and he kept 8 rods up front strapped down so there were always 7 rods at his feet. One day we were fishing a really heavy cover spot with a lot of twigs and submerged trees. He got snagged and when he pulled the line snapped and so did one of his St. Croix rods when he stepped on it. That kind of worries me too lol. I have a smaller boat (17.5") and it does have a rod box but 5 is the max in there so I would have oo many rods on the deck if I got way above 6. I know at your feet is the best place to keep them but it makes me cringe to think about stepping on one.

  17. Scraps
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    Havertown, PA
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    #17
    I seem to fish best with no more than five rods on the deck, preferably four and those are probably with multiples of the same with same bait types but maybe different size and weight. Over the last ten years, with less and less time to actually fish and figure things out, it appears my "need" for more rods has increased exponentially. I would stay away from this mentality. I also seem to think rods can only be purchased in pairs of two and the number of times I can remember this being a necessity or an advantage I can count on one hand. I have one single rod, jerkbait rod, that is a single - but will buy another.

    My lineup, all Powells with Lew's Tourney Pros, BB1s or MBs:

    1 - 610CB Max 3D, jerkbait/topwate rod;
    1 - 705 CB Max 3D, spinnerbaits and cranks around 1/2oz;
    1 - 725CD Max 3D, light cranking rod for baits around 3/8oz;
    1 - 711CB Max 3D, deepwater crank launching rod, for deep cranking and structure fishing;
    2 - 705CB Endurance, heavier composite cranker rated to 10oz for baits around 1/2oz. Really like the moderate action of this rod and how it fishes;
    2 - 755CBs, composite cranking rod used for bigger squarebills, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and chatterbaits. Lately been using this rod for target fishing and kind of like it for that despite the length;
    2 - 753s Max 3D, jig/worm rod, bought these to get into deep water jig fishing in a private lake I joined last year. Work still in progress or being reconsidered;
    2 - 775s Max 3D, flipping/pitching rod;
    1 - 734 Max 3D, all-purpose HVY action rod but does work for MH duty. Right now have a frog and braid on this rod and like it for that tech;
    1 - 734 Nusance, all-purpose rod, little heavier than the 3D version. Swimbait on this rod right now;
    2 - 713 Spinning Max 3Ds, one has braid with leader, the other has straight 8lb FC. Would like this rod in a 610 for finesse worms like old-fashioned Sliders;
    2 - 61- spinning, Diesels, carry these for my girl on the odd day that she fishes with me.

    I know complete rod lineups weren't requested, but. Making this list makes me think......I could use a few more. Hahah.

    Things I think I need to add, a 795 for A-rig fishing. Maybe another 610 spinning rod.
    2017 Phoenix 819
    2016 200ProXS, s/n 2B359849, Mod 1200P73BD

  18. Member
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    Aug 2010
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    Minnesota
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    #18
    I have many and they get rotated in/out as I need them for different conditions, time of year, etc.

  19. Member
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    Jan 2014
    Location
    Cincinnati Metro
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    #19
    To me more then 15 rigs in the boat creates too much clutter and the clutter bugs me and creates overhead getting rods in and out of locker. I fish south florida mostly and I will typically use 4 to 6 rigs to find what they want and then I frequently have just 3 rods up on deck. I will have another 2 or 3 in the locker with unique baits. So 9 total.

    In Kentucky, I will typically have 14 because the range of what I fish.

    Remember this- 25 rigs is 25 reels to maintain and spool.
    2024 Phoenix 818
    2024 merc 175 pro xs 3B411947

  20. Member
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    Nov 2008
    Location
    Raleigh NC / Falls Lake
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    11,210
    #20
    As said above . I have many and rotate as need . I may have 10 - 12 rods on deck and may just fish a few if i find a pattern .

    I will have 3 of the same rod length and action ....but will have three difference lines and bait colors on them , so i want have to retie .

    I guess i am just a junk fisherman . It's work's for me . And i don't fish TX

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