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Choosing Your Equipment
by Chris Stevens
Rods
Here's a question I hear all the time, "Do I have to use
the right equipment to a be successful angler?" Well, the
answer is ES. Fishing is like golf. In golf do you use your pitching
wedge for putting? Having the right equipment can help you cast
better, faster, and more accurate. It'll also help reduce backlashes
and professional overruns, and help you detect more fishing and
give you more hook-ups. Having the right equipment will make
your more comfortable fishing and your fishing trips will be
more enjoyable.
First, let's talk about rods because it is one of the most important
tools for catching and landing bass. Having the right rod will
help you cast more accurate, feel bites, and bring the fish in.
I think sensitivity is the more important factor when choosing
a rod. A sensitive rod will help you feel what's happening to
your bait. With a good rod you can feel the lure hitting stumps
and rocks, you can feel it digging into mud, and you can feel
subtle strikes. Graphite rods are usually more sensitive than
fiberglass, but they're some fiberglass rods on the market that
are just as sensitive as graphite. To make a fiberglass rod,
you take fiberglass and weave it into a material similar to clothe.
The finer the weave, the faster the action of the rod will be.
The weave is measured in modulus. Graphite rods have from 33-
to 60- million modulus. IM6 has 33 million, IM7 has 42 million,
and IM8 has 60 million. Fiberglass has fewer modulus, they usually
have 6- to 13- million modulus. Rods with more modulus are faster,
lighter, stiffer, and more sensitive.
The guides also help with sensitivity. A high quality, low profile,
lightweight guide will increase sensitivity and casting distance.
The number of guides helps sensitivity because they help transmit
line signals to the rod. It is important to have a lot of guides,
but too many can cause a loss in casting performance because
of line friction. 6 and 6 ½ foot rods should have 6 to
7 guides and 7 to 7 ½ rods should have 8 to 9 guides.
There are several types of guides available today. Some guides
have ceramic rings inside the outer metal frames and others have
silicone carbide, aluminum oxide, gold-aluminum oxide, or chrome
plated inner rings. All of these will help reduce friction that
will cause line wear. It is pretty much a personal preference
to which type of guide you want. There are also guides with single
and double feet. Single foot guides are lighter, but they are
weaker than double foot guides are, but they are strong enough
for most bass rods. Double foot guides are stronger, but they
are heavier and they can cause you to loose a slight amount of
flex in the rod. Most companies put both types of guides on their
rods. They'll put the double foot guides at the near the handle
and the single foot guides near the tip where the rod flexes
the most. If you ever change guides on a rod you'll need to know
that guides have a line size rating and you need to buy guides
with a rating equal to the rods.
Now lets talk about handles. Handles are primarily what's comfortable
to you. You can get handles in different lengths, shapes, and
materials. You can get them in wood, cork, foam, and plastic.
Just make sure you get a material that is firm enough to carry
sensitive and one that won't slip out of your hands if it gets
wet. Also make sure you get a reel seat that is made out of a
good composite material and fits the reel good. A good reel seat
will have the rod blank exposed so it can be felt with your fingers
and it'll provide better sensitivity.
Most people have trouble with figuring out which rod to use for
what application, so I'll try to help you with this the best
that I can.
Flipping and Pitching
Flipping requires you to hold the rod tip high (in the 9 to 10
o'clock position), and you'll have to make a swinging motion.
You'll be doing this for extended periods of time so weight is
important, and I would suggest that you get an IM7 or IM8 graphite
rod. Also, you'll need a rod with a good, stiff backbone to get
the fish out of heavy cover. Your rod needs to be stiff, but
it needs some flex in the tip to allow your lures will have softer
landings. I would recommend a 7 to 7 ½ foot rod. The longer
rod makes your flipping and pitching easier, gives you more accuracy,
and it gives you more leverage on the fish. If you use an 8-foot
rod is to long it can make pitching more difficult and maneuverability
more difficult. If you have a lot of overhead cover you might
want to move down to a shorter rod. I think the best flipping
rod is a 7 to 7 ½ ft. IM7 rod that is medium heavy or
heavy action and a medium fast tip.
Jigs and Worms
Your jig and worm rod length is according to the depth of the
water that you'll be fishing, the structure, and the size of
the lure. When fishing depths 15 to 50 ft. deep I prefer a 6
½- ft. rod, and water 5 to 15 ft. deep I prefer a 7- to
7 ½-foot rod. When your fishing deep water you need a
very sensitive rod to help you detect strikes, and you'll also
need a light rod because you'll have the tip in the 9 to 10 o'clock
positions most of the time. So I would choose an IM7 or IM8 graphite
rod. You need a fast rod with medium strength to help you get
good hook-sets. You'll also need a medium light tip to help you
keep pressure on the fish. I think the best rod for worming is
a 6 ½- to 7 ½- ft. IM7 or IM8 rod that is medium
action and a medium light tip.
Crankbaits and Topwater Lures
With crankbaits and topwater lures you'll have to do continuos
casting, so you'll need a light rod. When your doing deep cranking
you'll need a good sensitive rod to help detect strikes and so
you can feel the structure you're fishing. Rod length is pretty
much a personal preference with these types of lures. A 7-foot
rod works better for bigger baits and it gives you more casting
distance. A 6- foot will give you more accurate casting. You'll
need a fiberglass rod for crankbaits and topwater lures because
they are slower and they'll give the fish time to inhale the
lure before you set the hook. They'll also give you more flexibility
so you can keep those treble hooks from dislodging. Medium action
will be fine as long as it gives you enough flexibility for the
lure you're using. You'll also need to match the tip flexibility
to the bait you're using. Lighter lures like a 1/8-ounce crankbait
needs a light action tip and heavier lures like a ¾ ounce
crankbait needs a medium tip. In my opinion the best rod would
be a 6- to 7- foot rod with a light- to medium- action tip.
Spinnerbaits and Buzzbaits
You'll be continuously casting with spinnerbaits and buzzbaits
so you'll again need a lightweight rod. Sensitivity is also important
because bass like to bump spinnerbaits before they strike. A
long rod, 7- to 7 ½- ft. will give you more leverage,
casting distance, and better hook-sets. A shorter rod 6- to 6
½- ft. will give you more accurate casts. You'll need
a quality fiberglass rod to give the bass enough time to inhale
the lure. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits have a single hook, so you'll
need a medium action rod to keep a lot of pressure on the fish.
To help you cast accurately you'll need a flexible tip. I think
the best rod would be a light, sensitive 6- to 7- ft. fiberglass
rod that is medium action with a medium-soft tip.
Selecting the right rod will allow you to
fish more comfortably, cast more accurate, have better hook-sets,
and more importantly you'll be able to catch more fish making
your fishing trips more enjoyable.
Reels
Now lets talk about reels. Reels come in a lot of shapes, styles,
and sizes, and it's important to find a reel that fits you and
your type of fishing. If you have big hands you'll probably want
a round style baitcasting reel. If you have smaller hands you'll
probably prefer a low profile or a small baitcasting reel. You
can get smaller reels with the same gear ratios as the larger
reels, but they'll have less line capacity. Because of the shape
of spinning reels it's usually not that hard to find a reel that
fits you, so you want have to worry much with them.
Baitcast and spinning reels come in a wide variety of gear ratios.
The important thing to remember is the higher the gear ratio,
the faster your retrieve will be. Most gear ratios are from 4.7:1
to 6.2:1. The first number (5.3, 6.2, etc.) is the number of
times the spool will turn every time you turn the handle. For
example, on a reel with a 5.3:1 gear ratio the spool will turn
5.3 times every time you turn the handle. Use a higher gear ratio
for faster moving lures like buzzbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Use a
lower gear ratio on slower moving baits like jigs, worms, and
deep-diving crankbaits.
A quality reel will have a lot of ball bearings and a good drag
system. Most high quality reels now have 6 or more ball bearings
and some really expensive reels have 10 or more. The more ball
bearings you have the smoother the reel will be and it'll give
you long, easy casts. A good drag system is simply one that has
enough strength to help you fight fish and it should be easy
to get use. The drag adjustment should be in a convenient location
so you can adjust it quickly while fighting a fish.
There are three types of reels used for bass fishing.
Baitcasting
Baitcasting reels are heavy-duty reels and they are suited for
lines 10 lb. test and heavier, and lures 1/8 ounce and heavier.
Baitcast reels usually give you a little better lure control
and better accuracy. Baitcast reels do have their problems; they
have a tendency to backlash. The spool spinning faster than the
line is going out causes a backlash. Controlling the spool speed
with your thumb can stop this. Most reels have a magnetic and
tension braking system to help prevent backlashes by slowing
the spool speed. You'll have to adjust the brake for each lure
weight.
Spinning
Unlike baitcasting reels, spinning reels have a stationary spool.
The line is wound on to the spool by the bail, which rotates
around it. Spinning reel can handle most line sizes, but they
work best with lines less than 17lb. test. Spinning reels can
cast those light lures that baitcasters can't, and they give
you an advantage when casting into the win. These reels aren't
perfect either; they have their own line problem. After time
the line twists and it makes knots and really bad tangles. When
this happens it is best to go ahead and change the line. To help
prevent these tangles use a low memory line and periodically
take your spools off the reel and soak them and the line in water.
Spinning reels are really easy to cast, and they are excellent
reels for beginners.
Spincast
Spincast reels, also called closed-face reels are great for beginners
and children. These reels are relatively tangle free and they'll
give you super long casts. These reels are similar to spinning
reels because they have a stationary spool and the spool has
a pin that rotates around it to put the line on it. These reels
have a cover that covers the spool, which gives its nickname
"closed-face".
Reels are like everything else; you get what you pay for. The
more you pay, the smoother and easier to use the reel will be.
So make sure you buy a good, high quality reel.
Line
Out of all your equipment your line has to be the most important.
After all, it is the only thing that connects you to the fish.
Your line is the cheapest of your equipment, but it is important
not to go cheap when buying line. I'd strongly suggest you not
buy those 1- million yd. spools of "bottom shelf brands"
that only cost a dollar. As long as you buy a good, quality line
your line choice is pretty much your preference.
When choosing lines here are some things you'll have to think
about. What color water will I be fishing? What type of cover
will I be fishing? What type of lure will you be fishing with?
What type of fish will you be fishing for? Finally, what type
of rod and reel will you be using?
OK, so what kind of line do you need? First, we'll take about
monofilament lines or "mono" since they are the most
commonly used lines. Mono is a hardened gel comprised of many
synthetic components. Different companies make the mono differently
so every monofilament line isn't the same. They differ in line
diameter, shape, and color.
Different companies have different colors to fit everyone's needs.
Most people use clear mono because it is so versatile. It can
be used in all water- colors. Several companies also make a green
line that works we'll in murky waters, but I strongly suggest
that you not use these lines while fishing slow moving lures
in clear water. Some companies make a fluorescent line that enable
you to see strikes by watching your line. Berkley makes a neon
green line which they call Solar and Stren makes a line that's
clear under water and blue out of the water which they call Clear/Blue.
Another difference in lines is diameter. A thin line gives lures
more action and they allow crankbaits to dive deeper. Thin lines
also give you better handling and easier casting. All of this
started the "super thin" craze. All companies are trying
to make the thinnest line possible for the larger lb. test sizes.
The line diameter is the decimal number next to the lb. test
on the package. So when you find the lb. test that you want search
to see which line has the smallest diameter.
Line stretched isn't really a factor when choosing lines anymore
because it has pretty much disappeared. All lines are now "low-stretch"
or "no-stretch". These lines give you strong hook-sets
and better overall sensitivity. The "no" or "low"
stretch lines aren't all-good. Having lower stretch puts more
pressure on the line increasing the chance of breaking.
Most companies make a "tough" line like Stren's Super
Tough and Berkley's Premium Strength and Big Game. These lines
give more abrasion resistance and they are more forgiving to
nicks. A thin line isn't a good choice when fishing heavy cover
because a nick on a thin line is a lot less forgiving than a
nick on a thicker line of the same lb. test. These "tough"
lines also have a higher breaking load and a higher tensile strength.
Something that a lot of people don't pay attention to is line
shape. You can find the shape of a line by looking at it head
on. Most lines are a perfect circle, but some companies are working
on new shapes like ovals and flat lines. The circular lines cast
farther and more accurately in my opinion. The oval and flat
lines have a tendency to float so I wouldn't suggest that you
use these lines with jigs, but they'll make a topwater fisherman's
best friend.
Here's a question for you. What happened to the "super"
lines? These lines made a big impact on the line market a few
years ago with their small line diameters, super tough strength,
and with absolutely no stretch. Almost every company had a super
line, but now there's basically one company still successfully
producing these lines, Spiderline, formerly known as Spiderwire.
Spiderline is made out of the same materials that are used in
the reinforcements used in bulletproof vests. They take several
strands of these materials and tightly braid it to make one tight
strand.
Braided lines are sold in green and gray colors, and because
of this they're not really a clear water fisherman's best friend.
IF you want to use a braided line in clear water I'd suggest
that you use a mono. or fluorocarbon leader. Another thing with
braided lines is that they have a coarse texture and they work
like sandpaper on your rod and reel components unless you have
titanium guides. To help eliminate the wearing of your guides
and reel components you can take a cotton swab and apply a coat
of wax over them.
A newcomer on the line market for is fluorocarbon. Well actually,
fluorocarbon has been around for a while but it was so stiff
that it could only be used for leader materials. The big advantage
of fluorocarbon lines is that they are virtually invisible under
water because fluorocarbon has the same light refraction as water.
Do you remember when I was talking about monofilament and I said
that all brands aren't created equal? Well, this is also true
fluorocarbon. Not all brands are 100% fluorocarbon, but some
brands like P-Line, Stren Fluorocarbon, and Seaguar Carbon Pro
are. Fluorocarbon doesn't have as good of handling as mono and
braid so I don't use it for all applications. So, I only use
fluorocarbon when I really need it like for finesse fishing or
any other time you need a subtle presentation. When you think
about finesse fishing you think about using lighter lines, but
fluorocarbon changes that. With fluorocarbon you can heavier
lines when you need subtle presentations. Fluorocarbon is stiffer
than mono and braid so it doesn't have the good casting performance
that they have. It also has more memory so I'd suggest that you
use these lines on baitcast reels, and avoid using these lines
on spinning reels if possible. If you need the subtle presentation
and the casting performance you can use only a fluorocarbon leader.
I like to use fluorocarbon leaders on Carolina rigs when I'm
trying to catch lethargic bass. Fluorocarbon also works well
attached to mono when drop shooting.
Now that you know about the types of line, what size line do
you need? This is pretty simple. When your fishing open water
you can use smaller lines that are 8 to 14 lb. tests. You'll
also want a small line when fishing clear water so that the line
is less visible. Fishing crankbaits is another time you'll want
smaller lines because the smaller lines give the crankbaits more
depth and more action. When you're fishing heavier cover you'll
want 17 to 50 lb. test to help you pull the fish out of the cover.
I wouldn't suggest using a mono over 25-lb. test because of its
larger diameter. If you use Spiderline you can get 50-lb. test
in the diameter of 10-lb. test.
It's very important that you stay within the line ratings on
the rod and reel. If you do this your gear should perform at
the level that it was made to.
Like I said earlier the line is the only thing that connects
you to the fish so you'll want to spend a lot of time finding
the line that's right for you and your fishing. With your equipment
it is really important not to go cheap. If you go cheap you get
cheap. So make sure you buy good, quality products and use the
right equipment. It'll make your fishing trips more successful
and enjoyable.
Good Luck and God Bless!!!
Chris Stevens
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