Bass Fishing - Bait Specific Setups

What you have should cover you for soft plastics and spinnerbaits.

For treble hook baits (crankbaits, top water, jerk baits, etc...), I fish a medium/medium heavy action rod with a slower tip. 6.4:1 reels are good all around ratios

For frogs and jigging heavy cover, get a heavy action rod with a fast tip.

I usually prefer my rods 7' at least. Short rods are great in tight situations (floating small rivers), but fishing from a kayak I often find the extra length gives me significantly increased casting distance on more open bodies of water (like a bar pit off of the Red River)

For finesse presentations (wacky primarily), go with a 6'-6'6" ML, fast tip spinning set up.

ETA: In your yak, 3 bass rods and spinning set-up (dual purpose for finesse bass fishing or sac-au-lait) is all you will want to deal with. Everytime I bring more than that I break a rod. That's why I recommended what I did.

Honestly, the heavier action one rarely comes with me and I end up with 2 6'6"-7' MH/Fast rods and one MH/slow rod as well as my finesse set-up. This covers everything I fish with regularly. I can flip/frog with the longer MH/Fast rod when it calls for it but usually end up with TW/crank on the slow rod, TX/dropshot rigged soft plastic on one MH/Fast rod and a spinnerbait or other soft plastic on my third rod.

Thanks for the info as usual guys. Definately planning on investing in more equipment, just didnt want to go pulling useless stuff off the shelves. Coco, if you are joining the yak GTG this weekend, I might get you and Salmon to elaborate so I can pin some good combos down.

Demon, I would have to pry it from the wifes hands. Im sure when she walks into Ladies in Waiting, she throws it on the counter and says "HOOK A SISTA UP!)

when i hit the lsu lakes i usually have one with a spinner and one with a texas rig

These are my main set ups

Flipping/Pitching- 7'-6" Xtra Hvy Graphite Rod, 6.4to1 Reel, 65# Braid
Worm/Jig- 7'-6" Med/Hvy Graphite Rod, 7.1to1 Reel, 15# Flouro
Crankbait- 7' Med Glass Rod, 5.0to1 Reel, 12-15# Flouro
SpinnerBait/Buzzbait- 7' Med Graphite Rod, 7.1to1 Reel, 15# Mono

These are my suggestions, your preferences may be different

1 spinning for finess and crappie/bream 7' med/hvy graphite rod, 8#flouro
current setup (6'6 MH, 6:4:1) for spinnerbait,topwaters and Crankbaits using 12-15# monofilament
1 more for heavy cover and texas rigs 7' or longer heavy graphite,6.4 or faster reel(if fish takes bait and swims toward the boat) with braided line

I would go with 4 combos:

1. 6'6" ML/Fast w/ 12lb nanofil or 8# flouro spinning set-up for finesse and sac-au-lait

2. 7' MH/Fast w/ 30lb Power Pro baitcast set-up for heavier plastics, frogs, jigs, etc...

3. 6'6"-7' MH/Slow w/ 14lb flouro baitcast set-up for crankbaits/treble hook baits

4. Current set-up for plastics/spinnerbaits & buzzbaits

ETA: This is for kayak fishing. If I were fishing out of a bass boat this list would be longer and more technique specific. You don't have that luxury in a yak. Every rod needs to be able to do at least two things. I like versatility in my set-ups. Maybe go a little heavier on the braid on the #2 set-up

There is alot of really helpful tips on here guys. Appreciate it

Got 14 rods & reels of different types & lenghts.
Start the day off with 2 out & before i'm done fishing most all is out

quote:

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I have 6 rods, and I have them rigged up like this:

1. Buzzbait
2. Other Topwater (Pop R, Frog, Brush Hog w/No weight, etc.
3. Spinnerbait
4. Jig & Chunk
5. Texas Rig Worm
6. Rat L Trap

This way I can fish from before dark to well after midmorning without changing any baits.

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This is what I do as well.