# Do It All Rod & Reel



## Wow (May 17, 2010)

I have a question for you guys and I'd appreciate your help.
Think twice before you answer.
I have been scaling back the weight and bulk of the gear I carry in my kayak so that I can camp and fish out of it for an extended period of time. The approach that makes the most sense is to carry the least amount of gear that's versatile enough to do the job.
I'm forced to carry no more than two rod/reel combos. In the event that one component fails, or gets donated to Davy Jone's locker, both have to do almost everything, 
These excursions will entail stream and reservoir fishing. Everything from Walleye, Largemouth, Pike, Smallies, Trout, Catfish, Perch, Crappie and Gills.
I can take one extra pre-spool along.

So, I ask you: What rod and reel would you take? (weight, length, power of rod), (type, size, weight of reel and line). Remember, I need to cover all the bases with the bare minimum. Thanks for your help.--Tim......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

its important to let us know what type of baits you like to throw. Because you just wont find a rod that will throw half oz spinnerbait for bass and a 1/32 oz jig for gills. what would be the lightest and heaviest baits you would want to use?


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## Smead (Feb 26, 2010)

I'd get a couple of those St Croix pack rods...6' light and 7' medium...for the cost, they come with a free storage case that costs around $30 too...killer deal when Hi's Tackle Box had their 20% off sale.

Scroll to bottom of link page:

http://www.stcroixrods.com/product/premier-spinning


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## russ9054 (May 4, 2011)

Definatly spinning tackle. You can cast,jig,and even troll. 6-8 lb mono will suffice just adjust the drag accordingly. 6'8" rods, i'd say 2 piece. As far as brands and reel designs you'd have to go and look for something that more compact so there's less chance of something breaking. Which gives me an idea; you'd better make one of the rods an ugly stick.


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

I don't think there is one rod that will do it all, but the closest thing I have is a 6'10" extra fast action medium power blank rated for 1/8-1/2 or 5/8oz. lures. It has a limber tip that can make panfish fun, will handle most finesse bass and walleye applications from light T-rigs to 1/4-3/8oz. spinnerbaits and topwater. While it has enough power to handle smaller cats and good size pike. The soft tip really limits how much weight you can throw. Mine is built as a casting rod, but as a spinning rod, it would handle 1/16oz. jigs pretty well, and even will 1/32oz. jigs fairly well due to the length of the rod.

The closest thing I can think of in a factory rod is a St. Croix 3S69MLXF, but that rod feels a little noodly in the tip compared to the rod I use.

Another place to look for a rod with similar properties, but a bit longer would be steelhead hot shot type blanks. The lighter power rods will have limber tips, but a lot of backbone down in the rod. If you like long rods 7'6"+, this would be the way to go.

Rather than focusing on a single rod that will do it all, the pack rods are a great option. A rod built on the Batson SB720-4 will handle the panfish and some light bass walleye presentations. The SB783-3 or SB843-3 will handle most heavier bass walleye applications and pike fishing, and likely cat fishing as well, if you don't go overboard on the weights. The rods can be packed away in a 2" PVC tube for easy storage. I haven't checked, but you can probably pack 2 rods in the same tube. If not, bump up the diameter of the tube just a bit.

Joe


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

Obviously, there are trade-offs. I will have to give up some ability to set the hook with a stout rod, or the stealthyness of 4lb. test. With braid, superlines and mono, I can offset some of the limitations of the equiptment. 
With the exception of panfish jigs, most of the plastics, spinners, cranks and live bait presentations will be moderately sized. 
I won't likely be fishing for all the species on every trip. But I have to be able to respond to the hot bite and the water conditions on different types of water.
Normally, you would take the ideal equiptment for your targeted species. If you could only carry one rod for Walleye, Bass and crappie, what would you bring and how would you outfit it. Thanks, --Tim...............................................................................................................................................................


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

For primarily bass, walleye and crappie, it would be the 6'10" rod (Batson 822.5 blank) above paired with a size 10, 1000, etc. sized spinning reel. One spool with 6lb. mono. The other with 4lb. or 6lb. diameter braid. It's the rod I normally grab when on foot and I can only use one rod, and is one of the most versatile rods I own. It fishes jigs and grubs or tubes of a variety of sizes, small T-rigs, weightless plastics, top waters, small spinnerbaits and buzz baits very well. It's not the ideal rod for cranks by any means, but I've thrown crankbaits on it too when on foot.

Joe


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

I'd go with a 7' med action rod along with a shimano spinning reel in the 1000 size range. The 1000 size is perfect for a lot of species. They usually come with an extra spool so you can rig 1 with 4-6 lb and the spare with 8 lb+. I've got 2 rigged up and for that size of reel,it's perfect for spring crappie jigging/bobber rigs,drifting for eyes in erie,jigging-roostertails for saugeye/white bass during their river runs,and pond bass fishing. The double paddle winder of the spirex can be a burden if you try flipping under tree branches and wallowed out banks but there's other models of shimanos in that 1000 range with a single paddle handle that would work better.Very durable reels and and they cast pretty far with limp mono.. I'm not too particular on my rods,but like a nice 7' that isn't too whippy.

My main combo of a plain 7' berkely lightining rod and spirex 1000 rd, I'll have it rigged with 6lb mono for 1 very tiny ice jig/crappie bobber for indian lake pre lillypad bed crappie.Then snip off that rig and rig a double 1/8/1/4 oz twistertail jig rig for saugeye.When april/may comes around,then it's white bass time at the covered bridge and pretty much ready to tackle any private pond. I fell in love with a 1/16 oz white roostertail for those covered bridge white bass on that combo last spring.


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

grub_man said:


> For primarily bass, walleye and crappie, it would be the 6'10" rod (Batson 822.5 blank) above paired with a size 10, 1000, etc. sized spinning reel. One spool with 6lb. mono. The other with 4lb. or 6lb. diameter braid. It's the rod I normally grab when on foot and I can only use one rod, and is one of the most versatile rods I own. It fishes jigs and grubs or tubes of a variety of sizes, small T-rigs, weightless plastics, top waters, small spinnerbaits and buzz baits very well. It's not the ideal rod for cranks by any means, but I've thrown crankbaits on it too when on foot.
> 
> Joe


This blank is an excellent suggestion.

If I had to carry just two, it would be a 6'10" ML, x-fast (1/8-1/2oz) finesse baitcaster on the HM MHX with 7lb FC and a 7' MH (1/4-3/4oz) baitcaster with braid (unfortunately).

You aren't going to be able to do everything well, especially power techniques like deep cranking, frogging, flipping nasty cover or throwing big baits, but it will cover 85% of the bass stuff while letting you throw small crappie lures.


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

I say a 1000 series Saros or a stradic and a 6'6" to 7' st. Croix avid ml with a fst tip. I would use a 6-8 lb braid. You will be limited on the very heavy and very light, but everything in between would be good to go


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

A Fenwick HMXS 70M-2 may suit you. Somewhere around $70 at Sheffield Gander Mt. It's a 7' 2 piece IM7 rod rated for 1/8-3/4 oz and 4-12lb line. The plain steel guides make it very light for it's streangth. I've thrown 1/8 oz jigs on mosquito for crappie to 5/8 oz jigs for walleye on Erie with it. Also my goto inshore rod on vacation. Handles heavy popping cork rigs well and casts 1/8 oz jigs a long way. Handled a 25" flounder no problem. I used a 35 size pinnacle deadbolt with 10lb powerpro and fluoro leader. Have to replace reel this coming season. Likely a 35 or 40 president.


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## bruce (Feb 10, 2007)

GET LOCKING rod holders and say good by to davey jones.As for combo 7 ft St Croix ml legand one peace, Stradic Ci4 3000f, power pro line. You can go light but You have to have the larger amount of line to back it up and with a 3000 it gives you that. 235 yards of 10lb pp.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

Hey Tim, I just finished my scaled down combos for next year also! I'm down to carrying 3 rigs in my truck. One is a crappie only setup for a shallow crappie lake that I go to...it is a 6' M sensitive with a fast tip and a Zebco Pro "Coffee Grinder" with 8lb Flouro. 
The second is a "Do Everything" Crappie, Gator, Bass, Cat, etc, that is 6'6" MH, sensitive, fast tip, with a Smoke Spinning Reel with 10lb braid.
The third is the same pole with a Smoke Baitcast with 20lb braid!


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## 21938 (Feb 17, 2010)

A 5wt. and a 7wt.(4 piece to stow easily) with floating lines and an extra spool with a sinking tip for the 7wt. A few different tippet spools and you're set. Flies take up very little room


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

I began fishing at first with just a couple rods and reels and we fished for it all. Gills, cats, carp, bass, crappie, etc. It didn't matter what size it was, we fished for it. Now I have noticed that some of the responses seem to be coming from die hard bass guys with high end taste, this isn't one of those posts.

My pick:
6'6' MH Spinning Ugly Stick Rod
Spinning reel such as the abu garcia cardinal c104i, c304i, or a similar sized reel. 
Spool it with 10-12lb test 

Should run around $75 bucks for the combo.


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