O.T. What is your fishing setup?

mcdawg22

Heisman
Sep 18, 2004
13,703
12,231
113
The taco thread got me thinking we have a lot of different anglers targeting a lot of different species so I’m interested in what you got.

My go to is a Shimano Stradic 4000 on a 6’6’ MH St Croix Tidemaster. When wading for redfish I castnet finger mullet, preferably @ 4 inches long. Free line it on a circle hook on a 20# fluorocarbon leader leader. If finger mullet aren’t plentiful pinfish will do but the slot reds really like those finger mullet. In our area we’ve had the most luck in a falling tide right after the high.

I’m hoping this fall I’ll have a couple of calm days to throw a clouser at dusk. I have a 9ft 9wt Sage that was all but given to me by a buddy and I’ve been itching to try it out.

In my freshwater days my favorite setup was a Texas rigged red shad power worm. On a Daiwa with a 6 ft lightning rod.
 

SirBarksalot

Junior
May 28, 2007
2,996
284
83
How much time you got? Hah. My fly gear...
I’ve got two 5wts, a 7wt and a 3 wt.

My go to for most occasions, is a Scott Radian 9ft 5wt, Galvan Rush Light reel (all that was a gift). Rod is currently in Montrose, CO being repaired, because I was stupid and snapped the tip..in my bare hands btw. Currently have Wulff 5wt triangle taper line, needs to be replaced.

Backup 5wt rod is a Redington Classic Trout

7wt, is an 9ft Orvis Recon, Orvis Hydros reel, one spool with WF floating line, the other with Airflo Streamer Max short. Actually got to use this in Destin last month. Didn’t catch but one lady fish in the surf, but it was fun. Most mornings and evenings it was too rough to really sight fish. Did blind throw top water gurgllers one evening in pretty rough surf and had a lot of action, but couldn’t land anything. Would love to be able to fish salt more.

3 wt, Redington Classic Trout, no name reel over lined with 4wt line.

Leaders/tippet depends on situation.
 
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fieldcorporal

Redshirt
Nov 1, 2010
289
49
28
For bass:

All my reels are left hand crank - I'm right handed and want my rod in dominant hand.

2 x Lews Heavy 7'4" speed sticks, 20lb seaguar floro, Shimano Curados for pitching docks, jigging.

4 x Falcon 7'6" mediums, 15 lb Seaguar floro, Lews custom XPs, exclusive to bass pro, relatively cheap but cast well. For worms, shakey heads and such.

2 x Lews David Fritts Cranking rods, 7'6" medium, 12 lb stren mono, Lews custom XPs for crank baits.

This is what's in my boat. Lots of other miscellaneous try-outs, retireds.

My wife counted the rigs in the racks and wanted to know why I needed 30.
 

Coast Dawg

Redshirt
Feb 28, 2008
364
0
0
More than anything else, I target specs inshore/barrier islands with artificial. Preferably wade fishing.
My primary is a Quantum Smoke Inshore PT on a 6’6” Waterloo Ultra Mag.
 

Uncle Ruckus

All-American
Apr 1, 2011
15,348
6,750
113
Kayak
3 7’6 rods, all spinning. Two St Croix Triumphs and one is a 13 fishing salt water. Two penn battle reels and one Shimano Stradic.
All have flouro leaders. One has a boat monkey cork. One a jig. One top water.

I have a few baitcast reels I use when boat fishing with various rods for different techniques, but mostly St Croix rods. The old white Chronarch is my favorite and I use it for jigging. I use a 200 Calcutta for my pooping corks. I have a 13 fishing reel that I just started using and it’s real light and has worked well.
 

Bulldogbilly

Freshman
Mar 19, 2020
105
83
28
Nice picture of lagoon pass. Wish the guys would finish dredging. They must be working by the hour.
 

M R DAWGS

All-Conference
Apr 13, 2018
2,308
2,212
113
For bass, redfish, and trout I generally use a Toadfish 7’4” MLF rod or a 7’2” MF rod.

Pair those with a Pfleuger President spinning reel. Smoothest reel for $60 that I’ve found, and they hold up through the years even fishing brackish water.

15 or 20 lb Power Pro

Uncle landed a 25lb Jack Crevale with this setup last July 5th and 15lb Power Pro. It was a blast.

ETA: I don’t know how to make the picture straight.
 

WeHollaAtYa

Redshirt
Jun 15, 2014
50
46
18
Mostly inshore fish for trout and reds. 3000 Shimano NASCI on Falcon 6’6” rod for spinning and 4000 Shimano Calcutta on 6’6” Ugly Stick Tiger rod for baitcasters.

I do keep a Shimano 6000 Baitrunner on a 6’ Ugly Stick Big Water rod if bull reds are busting in the passes.

Have used some Penn Battle spinners over the years but have moved to Shimano.
 
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FreeDawg

All-Conference
Oct 6, 2010
4,115
1,120
98
Family boat on the coast is a 22 foot bulls bay bay boat with twin power poles and mg xi5. At my house in central MS I keep my Native Slayer 13 Propel for freshwater and marsh applications.

My main bass setups:
Frog/flippin: Shimano curado 8:1 on a h2o Xpress H/XF 7’3
Topwater/lightweight worm- 13 Fishing Concept Z on 13 Fishing 7’1 Omen Black M/F
Chatterbait/Spinnerbait- 13 Fishing Concept A on 13 Fishing 7’1 Omen Black M/F
Finnesse- Shimano Stradic 2500 on daiwa 7’ M/F (very tippy MF)

Main inshore setups:
popping cork trout- Shimano stradic 2500 on Blacktip 7’ M/F
popping cork redfish- Shimano stradic 2500 on ASC 7’ MH/F
topwater/jigging- Shimano Curado on 13 Fishing 7’3 Fate Black MH/F (very very tippy MH)
redfish- 13 Fishing Origin TX on a 13 Fishing 7’3 Omen Black MH/F

Throw in truck for bank fishing rod:
Abu Garcia Blackmax on 7’ Daiwa Laguna M/F (imo the best cheapo combo you can buy)




 
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PineGroveBully

Redshirt
Nov 13, 2007
8,508
2
0
My default rod that I jig/worm fish is an Abu Garcia on a 7’2 Skeet Reece MH jog/worm rod. I jig fish 90% so it gets the most of my use.I’ve got 2 other Garcia reels that are $80ish but I can’t remember what model they are. They are on 7’ Garcia Veritas rods. I crankbait, spinnerbait, top water with those.Then I’ve got a 5500 Garcia on just a 7’ Berkeley Lightin’ Rod with 30lb braid that I frog fish with.I’ve got a Diawa spinning reel but I only use it for drop shotting but it only gets used a couple times a year.
 

mcdawg22

Heisman
Sep 18, 2004
13,703
12,231
113
Kayak
3 7’6 rods, all spinning. Two St Croix Triumphs and one is a 13 fishing salt water. Two penn battle reels and one Shimano Stradic.
All have flouro leaders. One has a boat monkey cork. One a jig. One top water.

I have a few baitcast reels I use when boat fishing with various rods for different techniques, but mostly St Croix rods. The old white Chronarch is my favorite and I use it for jigging. I use a 200 Calcutta for my pooping corks. I have a 13 fishing reel that I just started using and it’s real light and has worked well.
I’m starting to think Hadad was wrong about you with your rod preference.
 

rockydawg1013

Sophomore
Sep 22, 2014
163
188
43
Too many fly rigs to name. That said I recently picked up a TFO Axiom II-x 7wt and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a solid, yet reasonably priced fly rod.

OP and others. Where are you wading for reds? Possible to do with a fly rod?
 

mcdawg22

Heisman
Sep 18, 2004
13,703
12,231
113
Too many fly rigs to name. That said I recently picked up a TFO Axiom II-x 7wt and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a solid, yet reasonably priced fly rod.

OP and others. Where are you wading for reds? Possible to do with a fly rod?
I’ve heard great things about the TFOs. I wade in Santa Rosa sound in between Gulf Breeze and Navarre. When the reds are running thick in mid-late October, flys can produce, the only problem is if the wind is up or current is strong the grass can be a pain for casting. The other place I’ve tried with minimal luck is the pass at Pickens. You have to strip fast for Bonita, Lady’s or Jacks, so it can get a little tiring. This fall, I may go Pomp fishing and bring the fly rod in case something runs through that I can throw on. People say they catch blues and Spanish on flys but that seems like a recipe for losing a fly every 3 hookups to me.
 

SirBarksalot

Junior
May 28, 2007
2,996
284
83
This fall, I may go Pomp fishing and bring the fly rod in case something runs through that I can throw on. People say they catch blues and Spanish on flys but that seems like a recipe for losing a fly every 3 hookups to me.

would really like to chase pomps on the fly...was told the main runs are in spring/fall so I didn’t bother..plus bad visibility most days.

Spanish and Blues definitely doable on the fly from the beach..some good videos on YT. Think you gotta go heavy on the bite tippet or use a wire tippet. I bought some, but never used it. Crazy how much even a small Lady Fish tears up,tippet.
 

mcdawg22

Heisman
Sep 18, 2004
13,703
12,231
113
View attachment 17162Here are two from yesterday. I wish I could claim the 40 spot red but my friend got him. He was beautiful. Kind of wish he would have let him go but the freezers are empty because it’s been a little slow.
 

rockydawg1013

Sophomore
Sep 22, 2014
163
188
43
Hey thanks for the info! I’ve seen people catch pompano on the fly so I know it’s doable. I just don’t have any experience myself. After 11 years in Colorado I’m back in south MS looking to chase some salty fish with a fly rod.

Rio makes a “toothy critter” leader that will work for you. You can also find bite wire..you’ll just have to learn a couple of new knots. This is what we used for like/musky out west and Golden Dorado in Argentina.
 

mcdawg22

Heisman
Sep 18, 2004
13,703
12,231
113
How does wire roll over? It just seems it could be a little tough.
 

Mobile Bay

All-Conference
Jul 26, 2020
4,243
2,188
113
Hey thanks for the info! I’ve seen people catch pompano on the fly so I know it’s doable. I just don’t have any experience myself. After 11 years in Colorado I’m back in south MS looking to chase some salty fish with a fly rod.

Rio makes a “toothy critter” leader that will work for you. You can also find bite wire..you’ll just have to learn a couple of new knots. This is what we used for like/musky out west and Golden Dorado in Argentina.

Pompano will eat anything in front of them. I catch mine of fishbytes which basically looks like Topps bubble gum.
 

aTotal360

Heisman
Nov 12, 2009
22,578
16,415
113
I'd rather have a $300 rod than a $300 reel. The same people that spend 90% of the budget on a reel are the same people that buy a $1200 rifle and top it off with a Simmons scope.

A high quality rod makes an average reel perform significantly better.
 

jethreauxdawg

Heisman
Dec 20, 2010
11,945
17,317
113
I’m kinda new to it

But this new smoke show I’ve been playing with just gave me a nice rod and reel. She seems like a keeper.**
 

Cdeer

Redshirt
Apr 10, 2020
16
2
3
10 12-14 ft crappie poles (that my wife knows about) some set up for jigging others with slip bobbers
 

Bulldog Bruce

All-American
Nov 1, 2007
5,272
6,521
113
I have a Lowe ST185 w/ 50HP Merc with the Terrova 80 Trolling Motor. I can troll cranks or longline all day with that for Crappie fishing. I have 8 Crappie poles (B&M and Southern Crappie) from 10' to 16' with cheap spinning reels on them.

When I Bass fish I have about 16 working rods from old 5'6" pistol grips that I still prefer to throw the spook with to 7'11" Medium Heavy to throw an Alabama Rig. Mostly baitcast, but some spinning for throwing shakyheads and drop shotting. I usually 8 or so on deck at any one time.

I also have 6 combos for inshore fishing for trout, redfish, snook, etc. Again a mix of Baitcast and Spinning.

I have most brands of Rods and Reels especially since they are up to 35 years old.
 
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