For most fresh water fishing... There are extreme that can't be addressed,
but I think the universal fishing is:

A medium power moderate to fast action spinning rod. Length may vary, but a
7' to 7'6" will work better in almost all cisrcumstances except fishingfrom
between heavy trees and brush. If one learns to pitch with it even that can
be overcome to some degree. I would definitely reccomend spending a little
money on your rod if you can have only one. My universal rod is a Quantum
Tour Edition (I have six of them) one piece spinning rod that retails for
around $80. If you have to have a two piece the Quantum Afinity (I have
three of these) is a much cheaper close second and fishes just as well, but
I have snapped the tip off a couple of them. Perhaps just from my own
clutzyness.

Yes a medium light would be better if casting lighter lures, and a medium
heavy would be better if fishing in grass and brush, but we aren't going for
extremes or trying to specialize. We are after that universal rod. That
one rod you can throw in your truck to bang around all day so that you can
stop and fish most any circumstances that come up.

Why spinning? Well because its easier to use. Don't anybody get up on
their high horse about line twist etc.. I have fished for a couple days
catching tons of fish with a single spinning rod and managed to keep line
twist to a minimum. Just like some of you guys can cast a 1/16th oz
roostertail 50 yards into the teeth of a gale on a Shimano Curado without
backlashing I can cast a quality spinning reel and fish with it minimizing
line twist, and if it does twist I know how to straighten it out a couple
different ways.

Anyway, on our search for the universal rod... One must select a reel. The
tendency is to match the reel to closely to the rod. Here I disagree. Go
with a slightly larger reel. Not a monster surfcasting reel, but something
that has a large diameter spool and a lot of line capacity. It just works
better even with light line and lures than a smaller reel. Get on that has
a spare spool. Fill one with 6-10 test depending on your fishing
circumstances and fill the other with 10-17 pound test again depending on
your fishing circumstances. I have gone with the Daiwa Tournament 1600.
Again not a super cheap product, but definitely not one of the most
expensive at around $80.

Go with a top quality line. So far the one mono I have found that works
very well in different sizes is Suffix Seige, but I am sure others will
argue. As an option you might fill one of the spools instead with 30 or 40
pound braid. This would dramitically improve your range of fishing options
to include flathead fishing and heavy cover work. It could also reduce some
middle of the road options. Most folks tend to way over fill their reels or
way under fill their reels. Getting it right is essential. I actually like
to slightly over fill the reel and then break off periodically as the line
starts to set to the reel to get it just right. Your mileage will vary.

Now, with this rod I can fish 1/16th oz Rooster tails on 6lb test in a
stream for tiny trout, or drop cut bait on 14 or even 17lb test vertically
down a rock face to with cut bait for big stripers. It will handle moderate
or even some pretty large catfish in a river, and if you develop some skills
you might even land a monster flathead in some river system.

You can most definitely catch some decent bass on both topwater and
crankbaits, but amazingly you can throw wacky senkos along weed edges and
fish frogs over grassbeds with no more problems than other rods. Depending
on what line you have on your "heavy" line spool you can even get back in
the trash a little bit. Sure its not as good perhaps as a baitcaster for
flipping nonstop all day, and it doesn't have the backbone to horse a really
big fish out of heavy trash, but today we aren't specializing. Today we are
looking for the universal rod.

For panfish it might not be as fun as taking them on an ultralight, but it
will definitely work. Certainly its not as good as a 12ft crappie pole for
crappie jerking, but with a minimum of casting skills and a slip float that
can be overcome as well.

JMHO


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Bob La Londe
Fishing Arizona & The Colorado River
Fishing Forums & Contests
http://www.YumaBassMan.com



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