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6 Bass Fishing Rod and Reel Setups

​As you progress as an angler at some point you will start to out grow your first rod and reel setup and look to purchase some more specialized gear.

​For a lot of fishermen having a few rod and reel setups to hand is more than commonplace.

​Bass tournament anglers on the other hand take it to a whole other level with up to 20 setups on a boat during a pro comp

Different techniques do call for different rod lengths, powers and actions. If you really wanted to you could have a separate rod and reel for every imaginable type of bass lure and rig.

But;

​Not only would that become a pain to store and transport, your credit card would also take a severe beating.

​If you have been fishing for bass for any length of time you may well of heard of the 6 rod bass fishing system.

So what is the 6 Rod and Reel Bass Fishing System ?

The 6 Rod Bass Fishing System is six different rods and reels of varying actions, powers and lengths that can cover most if not all of the most common ways to catch bass.

​Each rod can cover roughly one to three different types of techniques, ​together they should be ​more than adequate for any recreational angler.

​If you were to be limited to only two bass rod setups then the medium power spinning setup and a medium/heavy power baitcasting rod would give the ability to cover a wide range of bass fishing techniques.

​6 Bass Fishing Rod and Reel Setups

​1. Medium/Heavy Casting Rod Fast Action 7′

​This rod is suitable for use with Texas Rigs and as a bass jigging rod. Single hook lures need a fast action as you will need to be setting the hook as quickly as possible.

Jigging also requires a fast action so that you can get as much action through the rod tip and down to the jig to give it some life.

The medium/heavy power is required especially when you are throwing jigs or heavier rigs in and around thick cover.

​2. Medium Power Spinning Rod Setup 6’9″

​When using lighter lures or rigs you are often better off using a bass spinning rod with a medium power rating. Generally below 7′ feet in length.

​A good bass spinning reel will be a size 3000 for general work.

This can be used with small plastic swimbait lures, small jerkaits or any other small topwater lures and some of the lighter rigs like a ned rig or shaky head rig ​.

This type of setup also makes a great drop shot rod providing the action is fast.

3. Heavy Power Casting Rod X-Fast Action 7’3″

​If you are throwing frogs, big swimbaits and flipping and pitching in and around heavy cover then a heavy power baitcasting rod is essential.

A fishing frog lures the is a high possibility that you will end up in heavy weed cover and all the best frogging rods need a lot of backbone.

​A heavy power rating is also essential for a good pitching and flipping rods even though you are working close up to cover that extra length can give you a bit more power to steer bass away from thick weeds.

The best swimbaits are usually larger lures so your swimbait rod needs to be able to handle these larger lures and should be paired with a decent swimbait reel in the 300 or 400 size range.

​4. ​Medium Power Casting Rod 7′ Moderate Action

​If you are casting any kind of slow moving lure with large treble hooks on them then a more moderate action is a must.

Fast action rods are suitable for single hook lures or rigs as you need to set that hook quickly.

With large trebles it is best to delay that strike for a few milliseconds as often if you strike too quickly you can end foul hooking a bass somewhere on the head.

A more moderate action means a softer hook set which is ideal for larger crankbaits or jerkbaits.

​5. Medium/Heavy Casting Rod Moderate/ Fast 7′

This type of setup is suitable for larger single hook lures such as spinnerbaits and swim jigs.

​The best rods for spinnerbaits will ​have a medium/heavy power rating as they are lures that create a lot of drag through the water and you need a bit of backbone when using these types of bass lures.  

A more moderate action is also suitable as a topwater rod for lures with larger treble hooks.

​6. Medium Power Casting Rod X-Fast 6’9″

When using a lure that requires a lot of added action by twitching the rod tip such as a jerkbait then you will get the best results with a rod with an extra fast action.

Most jerkbait rods will fall under the fast to x-fast rod action range.

That means a lot of sensitivity through the tip and the slightest twitch of the rod should be transmitted quickly through your line to your lure.

Top water lures also need such and action if using a topwater frog in and around heavy cover  however you should be using a rod with a heavy power rating as it will have a lot more backbone.