If you could only have one rod and reel what would it be?

[BowHunter]

Here's one to get you thinking in the off time between seasons. I know everyone out there has severel rod/reel combo's that they use for differnt fish at differnt times of the year BUT IF YOU COULD ONLY HAVE ONE ROD/REEL SETUP what would it be? I'M talking bay bum to inshore/ flounder to stripers if you could only have ONE what would it be? Spin or conventional/Light-Med- Hev action? Penn/Shimano let's get the opinions of the people who fish day in and day out! One rod one reel what would it be?

[chunking]

Type. Conventional.
Rod. 8 foot Lamaglass (homemade)
Reel. Shimano TR 100-G level wind.

The rod has enough backbone to handle just about everything you mentioned and light enough to enjoy the fight.

[finaddict5]

G. Loomis SJR783 6'6" Medium Heavy Action with Shimano Stradic 2500 loaded with 8/30lb Power Pro. Caught everthing from tog, flatties, weaks, blues and stripers up here, to big cudas, jacks, permit, sharks etc. in the Keys; occasional laremouth, smallie and northerns in the sweetwater. It is a great setup and Loomis guarantees for LIFE. They have a very fair return policy as I've used it many times when I've sat on or run over one.LOL The Stradic is like butter and with PP it's line capacity is enough to whip almost anyfish to 25lbs.

P.S. I loved this setup so much that I bought the matching casting combination as well. A G. Loomis MBR783 6'6" medium heavy(same blank as above) with a Calcutta 250 loaded with 12/50 PP. It works just as nicely but it is just easier to toss lighter bait with the spinner and since you said only one set up.... oh well. LOL

[ 01-17-2004, 11:48 PM: Message edited by: finaddict5 ]

[BowHunter]

I've picked a Penn Spin fisher big game 9ft med action 1-5oz with the Penn Live Liner 5600/ 20# Power Pro as my one and only rod and reel combo. out of all the rigs I have if I'm going to throught one in the trunk and head for the shore thats the one I grab. Pluging the beach/jetty or livelineing bait from a boat it workes it might not be the ideal rig for each but it will cover all my bases resonabley well. I have to say I prefer spinning because I only have 4 fingers on my left hand and I would rather hold the rod in my right and crank with the left but thats just me!

[fshlot]

5'6 ugly stik with a 1960 ocean city conventional on it.....wow!!!!...old school!!!....can't go wrong with a ugly stik. ;)

[Striper101]

Loomis MBR844 GLX 7' made into a spinning setup. With a Shimano Stella 4000 with 30lb powerpro on it. I've caught nearly every kind of fish from Seabass to Stripers on it!

[ 01-18-2004, 09:06 AM: Message edited by: Striper101 ]

[surfrat]

G Loomis HotShot series rod 7'10" conventional with a calcutta 400 on it spooled with 150 yds 30 power pro with 12lb mono underneath. bass to 39", weakfish to 31", blues to 35", jiggin seabass and deepwater flukin'...no problems. tip is light enough to throw 1/2oz lures and rod is rated for upto 5oz. not sure of exact model # but probably best all around rod for under $200.
Nick

[nospot2fsh]

bowhunter, I like to use a 5'6" UGLY with a spin reel. I am not comfortable with the conventional reels. I caught my biggest striper with this of setup.

[windmeup]

That's easy! Penn 750 SS with a Penn Slammer rod! Best setup around! And all that for less than $125.00!

[fshlot]

nospotsfsh....i also have two with spinning reels on them....i love them stiks....cheap too :D

[BEACHBASSARD]

JUST ONE THATS A HARD ONE I HAVE SOME MORE HIGHT PRICED OUTFITS BUT IF ICOULD HAVE ONLY ONE IT WOULD BE A 8FT UGLY STICK MED ACTION WITH A 600 SHIMANO STRADIC. YOU CANT KILL EATHER ONE OF THEM

[barnaby]

I fish 99% of the time in the back bays. I have a 7' ML action St. Croix Ben Doerr Surf Rod with a Penn Power Graph III 2000. Perfect because I can use it on the sod banks, fishing the bridges, pluggin' in the inlet, drifting eels in my buddys boat, or anchored up chunking clams. Great all around for my uses.

[ 01-18-2004, 08:11 PM: Message edited by: barnaby ]

[BowHunter]

nospot2fsh,
what reel? I've always been a Penn guy but the Shimono's are looking better every day!

[fishintimeforever]

Bowhunter,
That's easy 975LD on a ML 7' tiger ugly stick. Had tons of fun with that set up. Oh yea that's with 20# mono. :D :D :D

[BEACHBASSARD]

THIS MAY START A (REEL) PI##%$G MATCH BUT I THINK SHIMANO IS MAKING BETTER REEL THEN PENN IN THE SMALLER STUFF.I HAVE AND USE BOTH AND THE SHIMANO SEEM TO HOLD BETTER TO MY HARSH TREMENT OF HOSE AND GO. BUT I STILL THINK THE PENN INTERNATIONAL IS A FINE REEL

[Mike Hammer]

Well It would be my 7' Captain Guts Custom rod with a Penn 5500SS, but I have a 5600L on order from Jim at James Tackle and I expect that will become the set-up of choice. The next would be my Penn 975 on a St Croix 7' medium heavy rod, don't remember the number on it.

[STEPHEN MCGREGOR]

A Penn power stick II 7ft med action with a Penn 965 loaded with 15lb berkley big game,I use this for Stripers,fluke,small blues,dolphin,weakfish,ect.Regards Steve

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

Being a LandBased Fishermen I really Need Two.

For my SodBank Stalking and Bridge Running
I would have to go with my 7'G.Loomis IMX
and my Shimano Sustain 4000FD.

For Fishing off the Jettys and Plugging the
Surf and even DeadSticking Baits on the Beach
I would go with my 9'Lamiglass and VS150.....

[RottnCaptn]

Rod: Cape Fear Advance Tech ADV174-70C, 12-25lb test, 1/2 to 1 1/2oz, 7ft.

Reel: Shimano Calcutta CTE 400

[BowHunter]

Well guys it looks like a pretty even split for the reels bettween Penn/Shimano conventionel/spin the rods on the other hand are more spread out with the ugly sticks a slight favorite over the loomis. When I posted the question I was thinking versitility and was surprised how much durability played in the choises. Thinking back that makes alot of sense "only one" it needs to work every time! Thanks for the responses. Now what about Rigs? Hook w/bait, Bucktail, pinkie/jighead, plug? This should get you thinking remember "only one"! Lets see where this takes us.

[outlaw]

If I had to keep only 1 rod it would be a 5'6" Ugly Stick med. action with a 940 Penn spooled with 30 lb. power pro. good for flounder, blues, weaks, striper. smile.gif

[pj_jumper]

If I had only one combo it would be a seven ft Cape Fear with Stella attached. Very pricy but dam near worth the money. PJ

[LOST A ROD]

WELL LETS SEE 7.6 ST CROIX MUSKIE ROD WITH MY LITTLE DAIWA 300 LOADED WITH 30LB POWER PRO . HAVING FUN WITH THIS. CAN CAST 95YDS. AND SENSITIVE ENOUGH FOR THE LITTLE FISHIES.

[fshlot]

It's hard to pick just one rig...it depends what your fshing for

Flounder...3-way swivel with 24in leader and some hair ;)

stripers...fshfinding rig with a big ole chunk hook

weakies...Oh darn,i forgot what to use for them ;)

[KeysKid]

Defiantly Spinning for those windy days. :D
7-8 foot MH rod with an xtra fast taper.
4000 Shimano Spheros or Stradic.
6 lb diameter power pro.

[fishpole5]

I like the Penn 940 level wind, with a lamiglass or 6ft ugly stick, I've caught all of the inshore fish on them and that's now all I use, 20lb pro or andy tournament.

[fmTuna]

Conventional StarRod Stellar Lite 7' Med
Fuji seat & guides... bought it in florida at a B&T going out of business sale for $30, list for around $100

Shimano Calcutta 401 TE (Lefty).. no bargain here
30# Powerpro

Casts big plugs off the rocks or boat down to 1/2 oz, any bait with up to 5oz weight,
jigs, eels, can troll big plugs with it...

If I get an invite to go on a friends boat and he says only bring 1 rod, this is it for me.

[Brian E. Mullaney]

hmmmmm - it would have to be spin to cover all the grounds and not 10' so I could use it on a boat.

7' Loomis GL2 - Quantam Cabo Spin reel w/ 30lb. power pro.

[Get it wet]

Penn Power Stick light action 10 to 25 lb line with a Penn 5500 ss filled with 20lb Power Pro. This rig has caught me every fish in the sea and bay. It has a light enough tip to detect a small seabass but stacks up to handle Stripers, and sharks.

[Esox1]

Penn 4200 - 9500 for trout to brown sharks. Ugly stick all the way. flourocarbon leaders w/gamagatsu hooks.

[zebrafish]

Wow !! That is one interesting topic.It seems that everyone on this board is from the Joisy area but I have the same things in common with alot of you.I'm lucky in two ways.Living in Salisbury,Md.,I am only 30 mins. from the Chesapeake Bay and only 30 mins. from OC.Md.There are also many farm ponds and tidal rivers and creeks within a few miles.I have everything from ultra-light to stand-up rods and enjoy every type of fishing but here it goes.The one and only do-all rod and reel setup for me:My Shakespeare Ugly Stick Lite,model#1166mh paired with my older but still trust-worthy Shimano Stradic 4000,spooled with 30/8 Power Pro.I've used this rig for Smallmouth on the Delaware and Potomac Rivers,for flounder drifting in the bay and OC,jumbo croakers in the Wicomico River near my house,jigging with trout bombs for big weakies in deep water in the Chesapeake,largemouth and panfish in the local ponds,casting to breaking rock and blues,chumming for said fish,working buktails and crankbaits around the jetty rocks,and even live-lining live herring and spot for big stripers.Oh,don't let me forget bottom fishing the various shoal areas off of Ocean City,Md. for seabass and tog.I bought the Stradic about 7 years ago and it performs as good as ever.I've since bought them in every size,from the 1000 up to the new 8000.I just can't bring myself to spring for the Stella although I can't say enough good things about the Calcutta 400 I have on a Loomis mbr844c.For all-around versatility I'd stick with the Stradic/Ugly stick combo.I also love that rod and prefer a cork handle and at $39.99 it's just like a sore !@#$%,you just can't beat it !I think I paid around $110.00 for the reel back then and had it on a different rod.So for the money that's my pick.Tight lines to all.

[bbum]

Shimano Stradic with fire line attached to a 6ft med star rod. A little expensive but it is only one rod combo.

[NIGHTSTRIKES]

ZebraFish,

Welcome to the BassBarn.Com,
Glad To Have You Aboard.

Yes Your Area has alot of similiar fishing
area's,and you should fit right in here.
Keep us posted on the happenings down
your way,especially when things start to
warm up in the Spring...

Thx

[flukesnatcher]

i have about 25 combos my favorite being my st. croix med-heavy 6ft rod with shimano stradic 4000 with power pro. i have caught 40 lbs stripers down to little croakers and flounder.expensive but well worth it