Your Best Rod, Reel, and Line Setup for Big Bass?

[George Cawthorn]

Hello from most of the time sunny California to all Prostaffers!!

This question is specifically about the rod, reel and line combo that you are most confident with of taking down the largest bass that you are likely to tangle with in your most often fished conditions.

Hook, lure, presentation, technique are not part of this question.

In other words I’m asking the Prostaffers what is you big stick setup, the strategic weapon in your arsenal. The one rod, reel, and line combo that you have most confidence in for winning a fight with a big customer?

Some might think hey that’s a great question geobass but could you also put some chips up on the table first?. Fair is fair....

The following is my current best major weapon setup... the rig I would lean on and be most confident that IF I PLAY IT RIGHT, I could win a fight with the biggest bass I’m likely to tangle with where I fish the most.

Rod: 7’ Medium Hard Action, Bass Pro Shops Extreme trigger

Reel: Quantum Energy PTi baitcaster

Line: 10 lb. Toray clear flourocarbon

My most often fished condition from the shoreline is clear open water with little cover. Mostly only minimal grass and some rocks on the bottom.

Thanks for all your answers!!

Good fishing to you guys, later............. geobass

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Geobass, I would likely go with my 6'6" Berkley Lightning rod (med.heavy)with a Pheuger Supreme reel filled with 14# Stren brown line. I fish a olot of brush and fallen trees and the Stren seems to hold up best. The Pheuger reel is strong and casts well and the Lightning rod has all the strength I need. If I fished in Cali or Florida I would certanly change my setup. Johnnie

[Socal Bassman]

Geo,

As easy as your question may seem, I'm afraid I can't answer it. Well, I can't just chose one setup. The reason is, there are a variety of cover and structure in the lake I fish the most and each calls for a different presentation.

If I'm going to fish heavy cover with a jig... My Kistler Helium LTA 7'6" Heavy action rod and Shimano Chronarch SF spooled with 15lb. test Izorline Platinum is tough to beat.

On the light side, if I have to finesse these fish from rip rap... I'll reach for the trusty Kistler Helium 6'9" Med. Heavy action rod and Shimano Chronarch MG spooled with 8lb. test Seaguar Carbon Pro fluorocarbon.

Being a Californian... We occasionaly venture into throwing the big swimbaits. You and I both know that some of these baits are not light, nor cheap. There is no way I am going to attempt chucking a $40, 5oz. Huddleston on my flipping stick. For this type of fishing, I look to what I call my "Super Heavyweight Champion", the 8' Mag Heavy action Loomis BBR966C and Shimano Calcutta 400 spooled with 65lb. test braid.

[brendanc]

Geo,

Daryl is right, it really depends on the technique you are using. For example, the rod/reel you might use for a giant swimbait, may be different from the rod/reel you would use for fishing a heavy jig in cover. If you can narrow down the application, it may be easier to give an accurate recommendation. That being said, not everyone is in the financial position to purchase a rod and reel combo for every technique they are going to use. If that is the case (for anyone else who may be reading this post), you need to weigh out the features that each set up offers and make a sacrifice in order to come up with (what I like to call) a multi-purpose combo. Let's look at some extremes, treble hooked baits versus single hook baits. We'll use a jig -vs- a crainkbait. A good crainkbait rod will have a more moderate action (the rod will bend more) than a flipping stick. This serves two purposes: 1) you will be able to cast further with a moderate action rod. 2) the tip is more forgiving, so that your treble hooks don't rip out when fighting a fish

If you tried using let's say a 7' Med-Heavy power, medium action rod for jig fishing, you would find that your ability to drive the hook point in on the initial hook set, as well as to load the rod as you fight the fish, would be dramatically reduced. See the dilemma?

So what can one do? Here's what I did when I first got started. The way I figured it, you can always use rod control and drag to compensate for a stiff blank. Granted, I was going to have to lose some cast-ablity, but I was OK with that, because the alternative was not being able to fish a big crankbait.

I chose a heavy power rod with a fast action, but it felt more like a (I made this word up) "semi-fast" action. It was basically about 75% backbone and 25% tip. I could cast well enough to use a big crankbait, but still had the power and enough stiffness to get a good hook set with a jig. Is this ideal, no, but I made it work for a few years and it got me by.

The down side: I eventually needed to buy two set ups, which if you count the original semi-fast action crank-jig rod that was three rod/reel combos in the end and the semi-fast multi-purpose rod sits on the rod rack in my garage and only gets used when a newbie wants me to take them fishing and they don't have their own tackle... (It's the old: "Here, you can break this one")

I never even mentioned reels, because that would be another page of info. I'll just say this about the reel choice, high speed reels (> 6:1 ratio) can be slowed down more easily that you can speed up a slow speed reel (< 5:1 ratio). Ever try catching up to a bass running at the boat with a 5:1 ratio reel? Have fun with that one... With reels, it's mainly about quality and line size accommodation.

Well, that's my two cents... actually I think that was more like $8.49, but whatever...

BC

[George Cawthorn]

Great answers guys!!! I appreciate all the feedback and info.

Johnnie... I think I know the answer already to this question because you have said you are mostly into cranking but since you didn't say so I just can't resist asking...

Is that a baitcaster setup you're taling about or is that a Yankee stick you were describing? LOL

Good fisning to ya, later................ geobass

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Yankee stick!!! I wouldn't have such a thing! Just kidding, I believe you're referring to a spinning combo. I'm talking about a regular baitcasting setup. I NEVER use spinning tackle for crankbaiting, I would be worn out and so would the unit. There's way too much wobble with spinning tackle for heavy duty crankin'. Good luck buddy, Johnnie

[George Cawthorn]

Glad to hear that Johnnie!! Thanks for putting my doubtls to rest. Like I said I sorta knew that was the case but I figured you'd get a good laugh out of that one!!

And BTW guys I have to say that I've only been a member for about two months now and I really do appreciate all the great info and feedback I have received from all of the Prostaffers to my questions. You guys are great and have been a big help to me already!!!

Good fishing to ya, later............ geobass

[brendanc]

Thanks Geo,

We all try to help when we can... Glad to have you as a member of the site too.

BC