Fundamental Skills: How to Setup Your Rod and Reel

FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS:
HOW TO SETUP YOUR ROD AND REEL

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Two key considerations when selecting a fishing rod for various fishing applications are power (how much a rod bends under pressure on the tip) and length.

Most bass fishing tactics call for casting rods ranging in power from medium to heavy. The three powers most commonly used include medium, medium-heavy and heavy.

Medium action works best for running crankbaits and topwater lures in open-water situations. Medium-heavy rods are ideal for a variety of lures worked through cover. Heavy-action or flipping models perform the power task of hauling bass from thick grass or bushes.

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ROD POWER GUIDE

Making sure you have the right powered rod for the species of fish you’re after will help improve your odds of hooking and catching more fish. Here is a general guideline for which power fishing rods work best for some of our favorite fish:

• Ultra Light: Panfish, Small Trout
• Light: Panfish, Trout
• Medium Light: Walleye, Bass, Trout, Panfish
• Medium: Walleye, Bass, Big Trout, Small Catfish
• Medium Heavy: Bass, Northern Pike, Medium sized Catfish
• Heavy: Bass, Northern Pike, Musky, Catfish, Striper, Big Catfish

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SPINNING RODS

The two spinning rod actions most bass anglers use are medium and medium-heavy. Medium-action spinning rods are best for finesse tactics such as drop-shotting or light-line fishing with plastic grubs and tubes.

Medium-heavy models are used for larger soft plastics or skipping floating worms around dense cover.

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ROD LENGTH

Rods are available in various lengths, but the most popular models are 6 1/2', 7' and 7 1/2'. A 6 1/2-foot model provides more casting accuracy but longer rods are ideal for making long-distance pitches to heavy cover or casting crankbaits in open water. The long models also give you better hook-setting power and leverage when fighting a fish.

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