Baitcaster set up

So, I’m starting to bass fish and I want at least 4 rods. 1 spinning and 4 baitcaster. I want 1 with frog, 1 crankbait, 1 spinner/buzzbait, 1 with heavy jig heads. What kind of actions and power should each rod be? And what kind of line and lb should it be? TIA

I’ve been happy with my St. Croix Mojo Bass rods for $100 each. St. Croix also has a new line of Bass X rods. Just got my first one a week ago. The Mojo Bass rods are imprinted with intended use. There’s a frog rod, crankbait rod, spinner bait rod, etc. If you don’t want to buy St. Croix at least look them up and look at the lengths and actions of each rod to compare with other rod makers for suggested actions for intended use. I suggest trying Seaguar Smackdown. I’ve never had a fish break off 15 lb test but the line is so thin and easy casting you can easily go up to 25 lb test and still easily cast it.

My setup is as follows:
Spinning Rod- 6’8″ Medium Xtra Fast Tuned Up Custom Apex Pro with 10lb Suffix 832 main line with a 15 foot 12lb leader of Seaguar Fluro

Casting Rods-
7′ Medium Fast Action St. Croix Triumph used for light texas rigs, weightless senkos, spinner baits, chatter baits
7′ Medium-Heavy Fast action St. Croix Truimph used for Heavy texas rigs, jigs, spinner baits, chatter baits, carolina rigs, football head jigs (favorite all around rod)
7′ Heavy Fast Action Cabela’s Proguide used for frogging and flipping heavy cover with big tungsten weights (my cheapest rod, because you can get by with less sensitivity for top water)
7′ Medium-Heavy Moderate Action Cabelas IM8 used for crank baits, square bills, top water baits. Basically anything with a treble hook

For line on my baitcaster’s, I use 30lb Suffix 832 on all, with a 15 foot 12lb leader of Seaguar Fluro.

I really wanted to use fluro, but I backlashed so often that I nearly gave up on baitcasters all together. Switching to braid has made my life a lot more enjoyable.

Hope this helps,
Dan

p.s. I plan to switch my Heavy rod over to 50-65lb braid this summer.

Dan’s rod lengths and actions are right in line with the Mojo Bass specific series rods. The Mojo Bass series is newer than the Triumph series, priced about the same. If you like the Triumph you’ll equally like the Mojo’s, maybe even better as I do. My favorite was my Mojo Bass crankbait rod paired with a Pflueger President Low Profile Reel until I lost it off the side of the boat. I recently down graded my frog rod to a Medium-Heavy rod and my other rods to Medium Fast Action rods due to wrist weakness and carpal tunnel syndrome. I’m now throwing slightly lighter and smaller lures and spinnerbaits with equal results to take the strain or Heavy rods off my wrist and shoulder.

I use this as a reference for buying most of my gear.
https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/168342-preferences-matching-rodreelline-setups-to-different-types-of-lures/#comment-1910028

Spinning-m fast.Casting rods-1 heavy fast,2medium-heavy fast,1 medium moderate.You can cover most scenarios with these rods.If you went with a medium fast action I would use it for cranks and buzzbaits.I like a rod with a little softer tip for casting spinner baits/swimjigs.helps with accuracy.Look at several rod brands not every m/h or m/fast is alike.I have several st.-croixs and I love them.I have a coupla cabelas higher end rods and there actions are the same as the Croixs but don’t have the same tip action. As for line your call I love my suffix.I like braid on the frog rod mono on the rest.

Only thing I’ll add is length is more of a preference and comfort thing. No certain length is the perfect set up for everyone. My son is 5’2″ and I’m 6’5″. He uses a lot of rods under 7′ and I don’t think I have a single one under 7 set up on the deck any givin day.

If your like the majority of bass guys you’ll start with 4, soon it will be 14, then 40 and then working your way to 400…

CW

CW is right rod length is whatever your comfortable with.I have everything 6’6 to 7’6.Just counted today,have a ways to go ONLY have 24 rods to rig up,plus a coupla spares just in case the rest go to hell at once.Good luck with the 4 rod theory.

chuck100 wrote:

Good luck with the 4 rod theory.
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I may be a bit older than a lot of you guys out there, so bear with me. I too started out with just a couple rods. Then added one or two every now and then. It was kind of nice always having a rod rigged and ready to grab.

Then it became evident to me keeping a stable of rods and reels and baits in shape and ready to go was expensive and time consuming. Especially when I found myself using just a few choice combos and baits.

Today I’d be just fine with four rods and one tackle box. Not to say I did not enjoy the journey it took to get there. And I’ll not deny anyone that journey. Just know that four rods is all you really need and enjoy the journey.