A lot of anglers would like to upgrade their rod selection, but they don't know how to get started. As a practical matter it's financially difficult to buy all new rods. At the same time, many of those same anglers believe it's a waste of time to go fishing with less than a dozen.
If you're in that group, this article is for you. It isn't necessary to take out a second mortgage on your house and replace everything at once. Two good casting rods and one good spinning rod will get you through most situations.
For your baitcasting needs you'll need one high-quality, all-purpose rod, and another designed specifically for crankbait fishing. Let's start with the all-purpose model.
Here you're looking for something that'll let you pitch and flip jigs and plastics, throw a spinnerbait, fish a 10-inch Power Worm, crank a ChatterBait and work a Carolina rig. At the same time it should be able to handle smaller swimbaits and buzzbaits.
That's a wide-ranging selection of lures. To handle all of them you'll need something in the medium-heavy range. My choice here is the Duckett Fishing Micro Magic medium-heavy action casting model. It's soft enough to let you throw lighter lures, will give you plenty of feel when you need it and is heavy enough to handle big baits and even bigger bass in tough cover.
Your second baitcasting rod should be one specifically designed for crankbaits, something with a true, full parabolic bend. If you use an all-purpose rod with crankbaits you'll have trouble with light lures and you probably won't get the fish to the boat. You'll tear the hooks out.
Again, I recommend a Duckett Fishing Micro Magic model. Our 7-foot crankbait rod is a perfect all-around crankbait stick. We have shorter models for lighter lures and longer ones for heavier, deep diving baits. The 7-foot model will meet most of your needs, however. It's a solid choice.
I also suggest you purchase one high-quality spinning rod. It'll come in handy when you want to throw tiny crankbaits, floating minnow baits or floating worms. Open-faced spinning tackle is also a great choice for drop shot rigs and shaky heads.
My selection in this category is the Duckett Fishing Micro Magic 6-foot, 6-inch medium action model. It'll do all the things I've mentioned and, at the same time, it has the necessary power to handle bigger fish in tight quarters.
OK, we've covered three sticks that'll meet most of your bass fishing needs most of the time. That's not to say that these rods are all you'll ever need, however. As time goes along you'll want to purchase additional rods that are designed for more specialized applications.
There's no doubt that those rods will make your fishing more productive. But, don't let anyone tell you that you need specialized rods to catch bass, or that you can't fish without them. You don't, and you can.
For obvious reasons I've recommended my rods. I honestly think they're the best in the business. If you go with another manufacturer's system, however, apply my standards before you purchase anything. Make sure your three "get started" rods do what they're supposed to do. After that, you can purchase one specialized rod at a time.
Finally, always check out rod actions carefully. Definitions vary widely from one manufacturer to another. A medium action is not always medium.
