If you brought only one rod and reel with, what would it be? Length, action, type reel and line (brand if you think it matters)

a 7' two piece medium action cork handled spinning rod with a shimano spinning reel. spool #1-8 lb XL clear, spool #2- 12 lb XL clear.

"St Croix Finesse" LTBS68MXF 6'8" Medium Power X-Fast Action with a Supreme XT Spinning Reel and 10 lb PowerPro green fishing line. This combo did great from jigging/casting/trolling...

5' two piece light action with Pinacle spinning reel loaded with 8lb Stren clear blue. Spare spool with same.

A 6 foot 2 piece ML Cabela Fish Eagle II with a Shimano Sustain spooled with 8 lb Trilene XL.

Rod= 6'8" medium light, one piece, Bass Pro, Pro Lite XPS Finesse Spinning Rod.

Reel= Shimano Stradic, 2500

Main Spool - 10lb black Fireline
Spare Spool - 6lb Trilene XL

This is a great all around combo. It would have a hard time with larger lures (spinner baits or large crankbaits), but the reel is tough enough to take some abuse.

If you are going to fish deep lakers (where you need lots of line), you may want to go with the Stratic 3000. Same as the 2500 except the spool has more capacity.

Good luck and

I like 7 foot length rods while in a canoe. More leverage from a lower position.

I have 2 one piece rods but I really like the St. Croix medium heavy fast action with the Quantum Catalyst reel. I have 8 Lb. spiderwire on it.

St. Croix Avid 7'0" Medium Light Fast , Ande Low memory or any good 8# thin diameter line with flouro leader, Mitchell 300X (because I have a couple with spare spools) or good spinning reel. (spare spool(s) cabelas pro in rootbeer or p-line in 10#)

I notice no baitcasting equipment mentioned. My shoulder prevents me from using spinning. If the same question were asked about casting is there any input?

Spinning, I generally use a Shimano Stradic 4000FH with Power Pro 15# test. The 3' leader mono 6# test, unless a likelihood of Northern's which I then use a homemade nylon coated stainless steel leader in 10# test. My rods can vary as I will change with species, but normally take a 3 piece, 7' ST. Croix Tidemaster, medium power, graphite or a Cabela's 4 piece, 7', Fish Eagle II graphite.

Have experimented with some telescopic rods lately and while not as versatile as other rods mentioned above, they have performed well when space is an issue when packing.

stratosjoe,
I often bring my Daiwa Megaforce 100TSH reel, again with Power Pro 15# line. I have found the twitchin bar to be very effective on Smallies both on surface or along the bottom. I normally use it on a Cabela's 6' Gold Label rod.

Boppa

Suko -

The Minnesota preference is clearly for spinning reel rigs. There are pros and cons - they can cast a wide range of lures, from pretty light to fairly heavy, are pretty foolproof in use and are cheap. The downside is that they are fragile compared to a baitcasting reel, but that's about it.

You'll probably double the length of your cast, too.

suko sorry to hijack your thread and thanks for the BC response. I have tried switching the handle or changing hands too old and too set in my ways I guess. I use very small vision pinnacles as well as shimanos with 6-8 lb test I get almost the distance but not quite. The biggest drawback is the wind the spinning works far better on casting light baits in to the wind. In Sept hopefully we can fish a little deeper ( I like 15-20+ ft) so I can get by with the BC's again thanks to all GREAT SITE....Joe G

I've brought baitcasters to the BW and it's just too much work throwing lures from low in a canoe. From shore it's pretty comfortable but like others have said - you get more distance with a spinning rod/reel.

6'3" st croix avid ML with shimano saros 2500 reel with flouro line

7 foot Medium cabelas XML TI paired with shimano stradic or Saros. the stradic and saros have just been redone and are very nice.

main spool, gamma clear 8lb

second spool, 12 lb gamma clear.

gama is the strongest line on the market. much better that trilene.

I've been using my quantum pro 4 baitcaster with a 6'6" MH rod only ever since i got back from korea in 1994. It doesn't cast extremely far but is accurate. The reel is too big, but i've become accustomed to baitcasters. I can cast overhead as well as sidearm.

Using a medium heavy rod makes a fight so much easier than something lighter. Just reel them in and flip them into the boat. Listening to everyone else's rigs, I guess I'm just hardheaded.

I went out and got a shimano callista 100 baicaster with a 7'6" medium heavy action graphite rod. It casts farther than the quantum and you can still lay your lure gently on the water where you want it. I used to have problems with birdnesting until I went to braided spiderwire.

6'6" MH 2 piece spinning rod. reel with green 10 lb trilene xl.

trick question i could never go with just 1 rod

I'd like to add that it's important to get the line twist out usually after every 2 or 3 casts by dangling the lure about 5 feet from the rod tip and letting it spin out.

Nothing worse than spending quality fishing time trying to undo the birdnest. I'm curious how it's gonna go with my 16 yr. old. He rarely fishes and doesn't seem to have the patience it takes to work a nest out. He'd rather just put a new spool on. Maybe I should just bring about 5 extra spools for him. :)

TomT,

Maybe you need a swivel if you are getting that much line twist?

Or there is something wrong with your reel. I do have two reels that I have (or have to get rid of) that twist line terribly. I bought new ones this spring to replace them and no more twists?

DD

I use a Cabelas Fish Eagle II, 7 foot medium action spinning rod, with a Phlueger Medalist spinning reel.

Deltaducky, I use a swivel with spinners and crankbaits and will still get some twist. I just think to avoid birdnests it's a great idea to drop the lure and let it spin out occasionally.

I rarely have problems with my reel since I adopted this strategy. For eg: My Dad DOESN'T let his lures spin out and he gets the occasional birdnest ending with profanity and the cutting of line. :)

Happens occasionally, twists with line. -- Yoda

I just got back. I'd have to say:

7 foot light action St Croix spinning rod
Shimano stradic 1000 reel
- one spool 6 lb mono
- other spool 10 lb powerpro

I like the lighter rod/line. It makes it more fun and seems to increase the number of bites.

6'6" medium light Fenwick pole paired with a Shimano Spirex 2000 spool size front drag spinning reel lined with 8lb fireline is my favorite setup. Has always been versatile for me for use anywhere from finesse fishing for bass or walleye to trolling and even to landing a 45" pike.

Just got back from out=r trip to Malberg and about the line twist when using a snap swivel - I realise now that it probably comes from the lure spinning in the air during the cast.

I had no line twist after cating a lure when it didn't spin in the air. Now I just have to cast this way every time. :(

a 6-7 ft two piece medium spinning rod with a Mitchell 300. 8-12 lb test.

If I could afford it, a St. Croix Avid 6'6" ML spinning with a Shimano Stradic and 6lb crystal fireline. 6lb. mono for a slip bob though.

I have found that I can greatly reduce line twist by manually closing the bail after casting rather than reeling to close the bail.