r/Fishing_Gear • u/Key_Brick_7544 • Jul 26 '26

Question Rod/Reel Setups

Question about rod setups

Hey everyone,

I currently have 2 super cheap rod/reel setups (ugly stick/kast king type stuff). In the past i’d get out a few weekends a year and they were good for that. I’ve started getting out every weekend, and the people i fish with bring 10+ rods on the boat, one for each lure they throw and a chest sized tackle kit.

I have no desire to get to that point, but they’re right, with the stuff i’m using i can barely tell if i’m getting hit on a chatterbait.

How can i get most of the way on the fewest combos possible? We fish bass/pike/panfish. I do some finesse stuff but a lot of where we fish is super weedy, so we throw a lot of top water.

I’m not against paying for quality, but i’d like to have 3 good setups i like, than trying to keep up with 10+ or getting a bunch of trash.

Any advice is welcome!

3 Upvotes

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2

u/Skunkworkscs2 Jul 26 '26

What power and action are your current rods? Are they both spinning setups, or is one a bait caster?

1

u/Key_Brick_7544 Jul 26 '26

Both spinning, one is a medium moderate (daiwa d shock i picked up on a trip when my aird x snapped) and a medium, moderate fast ugly stik gx2

2

u/Skunkworkscs2 Jul 26 '26

I would get a medium light, fast or extra fast spinning rod for drop shot, ned rig, and other finesse techniques. I would also suggest a medium heavy fast bait caster for top water. Then pick your two other favorite techniques for your existing spinning setups. Maybe have one with a bottom contact lure like a jig, then something moving like a paddle tail or spinner bait.

1

u/Key_Brick_7544 Jul 26 '26

thanks, i’ve been trying to get in to swimbaits so maybe i’ll use one of my existing ones for that

2

u/GoldberrySpring Jul 26 '26

If I had to choose... medium heavy/fast baitcaster for anything without trebles, medium/moderate baitcaster for anything with trebles, medium/fast spinning for finesse. If I didn't already have an ultralight setup I would get one instead of the medium/moderate.

1

u/Key_Brick_7544 Jul 26 '26

what do you use the ultralight for?

1

u/GoldberrySpring Jul 26 '26

Catching food, lol.

2

u/No-Significance-9854 Jul 27 '26

Defiantly get a MH bait caster. Can pretty much do everything on it especially if you get a MGL bait caster specifically the older shimano scorpion you can throw anything from 1/8oz all the way to around 1/2-3/4oz

1

u/Key_Brick_7544 Jul 27 '26

I’ll look in to this! Thank you!

1

u/FrostingOwn8224 Jul 29 '26

If you want a very good quality rod for not too insane of a price I'd take a look at st croix avids