Different Tackle for Different Tasks
By Marc Rogers
There are probably more choices in tackle than there are species of fish.Most anglers know the basic choices. When purchasing an outfit they choose spin cast, spinning, or bait casting equipment. However, tackle choices are much more broad and involved than these few simple choices.
The goal of this article is to widen your perspective on the different tackle related items available to you. We will cover rods, reels and line.
RODS:
When purchasing a rod you must consider many factors. First and foremost, rods are to anglers as tools are to a carpenter. There is a different rod for every specialized fishing technique.
There are rods made for close work as in flipping and pitching. These are generally six and one half to seven and one half feet in length. The action is usually rated as heavy. Flipping and pitching rods are most often made of graphite. When fishing with this technique a stiff rod is necessary to pull fish out of the heavy cover being fished. Line test as heavy as thirty pound test are used with these rods. Also, new super lines have become very popular for this technique. While these rods are very effective when flipping and pitching they are not as valuable for other fishing techniques. Their extreme stiffness makes casting difficult except with heavy baits
Rods made for making short casts in tight areas are generally shorter in length and are not as stiff. These rods range in the five and one half to six foot length and are most often rated as medium to-medium-heavy action. These too are most always made of graphite and the casting models are sometimes made with a pistol grip. The lighter action makes shorter casts in tighter areas easier to accomplish. These are ideal when using spinner baits and top water lures in and around cover like boat docks and lay downs. Lines used with these rods usually fall in the ten to fourteen pound test range.
When using crank baits most anglers have made the move to long flexible rods. The flexible rod makes for a more limber action. This makes it more forgiving for anglers having a tendency to set the hook too soon and pull the lure away from the fish. Also, when a fish makes that last minute run at boat side longer flexible rods are more forgiving, thus reducing the chance of the fish pulling the hooks free. Furthermore, the length of the rod makes for longer casts that result in more time your crank bait stays in the strike zone while allowing it to reach its deepest running potential.
To this point most of the rod styles could have been either casting or spinning equipment. However, when we get down to light and ultra light actions they most often are spinning rods.When using light lures these rods are a must. They have very limber blanks which allow an angler to fight big fish on light line. Also, in clear water conditions when fish are line shy these rods allow fishermen to use line as small as one pound test.The heaviest line used with light action rods is generally eight-pound test.
It becomes evident there are many choices of rods available for the many techniques of today’s fishing.If I were going to buy just one rod for all of my angling I would choose a medium action, six foot spinning outfit. However, choosing just one rod will be a compromise. If possible, and you intend to take fishing serious, I recommend you have a minimum of one rod in light, medium and medium heavy action with appropriate reels.
REELS:
Your choice in reels will most definitely be dependent on the style of rods you use. The three types we will cover will be spin cast, spinning and casting.All three have their place in the angling arena.
Most of today's anglers will have memories of using spin cast reels when they were children. However, these reels are still used by many adult anglers today.The major advantage of spin cast reels is their ease of use. The disadvantages are the limited casting distance due to the friction on the line when leaving the small opening of the front cover of the reel. Also, the retrieve speed of spin cast reels is slow compared to the other two types. If you are comfortable with spin cast reels you should use them but do yourself a favor and buy a quality reel.
Spinning reels are the most versatile of all reels. A medium action spinning reel can be used with light line as well as line up to fourteen pound test. They can be used for light lures and heavy lures alike. If I owned just one reel it would be a medium action-spinning reel. The major disadvantage is the possibility of the line getting loops in the spool during retrieves. This is caused by line twist and will cause serious problems on the next cast when the loop tries to leave the spool. To solve this problem, after the cast you should lift the rod tip which will tighten the line before beginning the retrieve. Or, you can manually close the bail and then pull the line tight before turning the reel handle.
Level wind casting reels are the reels most often used by today's serious bass anglers. They are the most popular because of their winch like power when fighting fish.Casting reels are limited in use when it comes to light lures, but most bass anglers do not typically use lures lighter than one quarter ounce. When it becomes necessary to use lighter lures anglers generally depend on spinning gear to get the job done.
The reason many anglers do not use casting reels is the fear of back lashing the reel while casting. Today, most reel manufactures have spool controls on their casting reels. The user can increase the force so backlashes become almost non-existent. As the angler gets more comfortable with the reel he/she can reduce the force on the spool and use their thumb to stop the spool while casting. If you have never used level wind reels I encourage you to do so.When used in the right situations they are a great tool. Becoming proficient with casting reels will not happen without practice, but it is not as difficult as you may think.
LINE:
There are many opinions on the best brand and size of lines to use in each situation. Naturally, the line size must be compatible to the equipment being used.You would not want to use thirty-pound test line on a light action rod and reel or use light line with heavy equipment.The new super lines are being used more often with casting equipment but monofilament line is still the most versatile and widely used. The best suggestion is to always buy a premium brand line. When purchasing line you will get what you pay for.
There are more options than most anglers care to think about when choosing the tackle they purchase. One rod and reel will not do everything well. In order to cover all the situations you may encounter it will take more than just one. When you make the final decision on what you will purchase always buy the most quality you can afford. Quality, or lack of, is remembered long after price is forgotten.
