Most versatile freshwater combo and line

[Speedymaru]

So I fish for trout most of the time, and also fish for bass, bluegill, carp, catfish, and will get into steelhead soon. I have a good ultralight rod and reel with 4lb I use for trout and bluegill. What is a good combo and line weight for the rest of the fish I go for? I would like to stay around 50 for the combo if possible. I have never used a baitcaster before but am willing to learn. The combo will be used for mostly bass. I am thinking braid is probably better for this combo but I could definitely be wrong. Any help is much appreciated. Thank you in advance!

 

[martin s.]

Good Morning, I don't know if there is a perfect combo that will cover steel head vs cat and carp and bass. most steel head rods will handle 8 to 12 # test rods are long and slender, carp and cat and bass require around 30 # test and a rod with a lot of back bone. the problem isn't that you can't hook and fight a large cat or carp or bass with steel head equip. but landing them will be the issue. do to there power and weight. cat, carp and bass fishing with braid is ok, mono and a flouro- carbon leader is my preference for steel head. bait caster vs open face reel, is basically personal preference, both have adequate drag systems. For large cat and large carp I use a long heavy salmon rod with 30# maxima. for bass a shorter rod with 30 # fire line. When buying fishing rods on a budget, remember you don't have to buy new. Do your home work, go to the sports shops and find a quality rod that feels right for you. shop craigslist and fishing sights for used high quality rods. for what you will be spending on new, you will get at least twice the quality used. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Speedymaru]

Okay great, thank you very much for the info. So for just cat, carp, and bass, are you saying 30lb braid is best? Does the brand matter that much? And I will keep an eye out on Craigslist and such. Thanks again.

 

[martin s.]

brand doesn't really matter, for carp, a flouro carbon leader should be used as they can be finicky.

 

[Shaun Solomon]

You need an "extra medium" rod to do as much as possible. Not too long, not too short. Not too heavy, not too light. Not too fast, not too slow.

Try a 6'6" medium fast or fast action spinning rod rated for 6-15lb line and a 2500 size reel. I would get either a Shimano (what I use) or a Daiwa reel.

You should be able to find a rod that meets those specs for $50 to 100, and a reel for $30 to $80. Figure $80 to $200 for the combo if you want to get something worth keeping a few years. You don't have to go crazy on it, but much less than $80 or so for the combo and it is more or less disposable.

SS

 

[Speedymaru]

Alright, what line selection would you suggest?

 

[Shaun Solomon]

I would think 8lb nylon would be good. I still say nylon is the best all purpose line. Braid in deep water or grass, flouro for deeper finesse fishing, but mono wins on knot strength and abrasion resistance. You need to change it often though.

SS