LCG

I just give the rod a quick pop to get the blades going then a slow retrieve from there. Never had a problem. 6'6" mh-f with 30lb braid.

I use a st Croix mojo 6'8" m-xf with a pflueger president xt size 30 for finnese techniques. Usually with 10lb braid to a 8lb leader. No line twist issues while drop shotting. But I always stop the line with my finger and close the bail by hand. Also make sure the knot is centered at the hook and the bait is hook centered. The reel is good value, smooth drag, light, braid ready spool, good gear ratio, and I like the cork (ish) handle.

Medium fast spinning Rod, reel and line depends on techniques but in general 10lb braid and an optional 8lb fluorocarbon leader. Medium heavy baitcasting rod with 30lb braid to 15lb leader. This is very general but it a step in the right direction.

Invest in a $20 landing net and put the rod behind you by stretching your arm back. Then use your free hand to net the fish. Best $20 you'll ever spend.

This is good advice. I have only broken one rod. I fell down a rock embankment, onto my rod snapping it two, and then into a river. Not my finest moment

You have to adjust the size of your bait to the type of fish you are targeting. Panfish, try a 2" trout worm,grub,minnow Bass, 5" senior, trick worm, creature baits It will work.

Trust me on this one...the ugly stick will catch fish, no doubt. I owned the exact combo you linked to and I sold it 6 months later. Compare the ugly stick to any quality rod and you will feel the difference. The ugly stick is a slow parabolic action which is good for crankbaits. Not good for plastics, jigs, and many other techniques. It's also heavier and inferior to other rods mentioned so far. Stick with what others are saying. St Croix, Fenwick, Lew's, Dobyns, BPS Carbonite, etc for the rod. Spend your money wisely and buy quality.

We all started somewhere I began fishing at 33 and in 6 years I have learned a lot. This forum and YouTube can teach you a lot, maybe too much as it can get overwhelming. For $200 I would recommend you decide if you want a spinning set up or baitcasting set up. From there a standard recommend rod would be something between 6'6"-7'6 rod, medium-medium heavy, fast action. For reels I would recommend something budget friendly and proven. Pflueger and Daiwa are my recommendations. My vote for a set up would be a St Croix Bass X or mojo bass (more sensitive), medium power fast action spinning Rod in a length that feels right to you (6'8-7'1") and a pflueger president size 30 reel. There are many good brands out there. Best to get a feel at a local store and see what feels best to you. My experience has taught me that it is far cheaper to buy quality gear rather than buy cheap stuff and inevitably end up upgrading. $200 will get you into a good combo that should last a long time.

I mix but have a few brands that I gravitate towards. St Croix, Fenwick, Pflueger, and Daiwa get my attention first whenever I start looking for something new.

Welcome. Fellow Canadian here, SW Ontario. This is an amazing forum to share and learn from.

What's your budget? Any ideas what techniques you are interested in? What type of water and cover do you fish? In general a Berkley lightning rod gets good reviews for cheap price. If you get into the $100 range the quality options really open up. Pflueger and Daiwa make good budget reels. Used deals can get you a huge upgrade for a very modest price. Something to consider.

I have both tataula and Fuego as well. I have the same opinion as everyone else, t wing is fine but not a huge thing. It's the Daiwa breaking system that is special. Save the money and grab a Fuego. Solid smooth reel.

Neko, Ned, drop shot, wacky, Texas rig, chatterbait, poppers, etc.

As a fellow bank angler let me share some thoughts with you. Until you know which techniques and lures you prefer, I would recommend sticking with versatile set ups. So in general terms a 7ft spinning Rod, medium power, fast action with a reel that offers smooth drag. A second set up that offers versatility is a 7ft casting rod, medium heavy, fast action with a solid smooth reel. Shimano, Daiwa, Pflueger, Abu Garcia, etc.make good reels. Rods are very personal, I personally prefer St Croix and some Fenwick's. As an example, my two most versatile and favorite set ups are a St Croix Mojo 6'8" m-xf spinning Rod with a Pflueger president xt 30 reel with 10lb yellow braid to 8lb fluorocarbon leader mainly for smaller soft plastics,drop shot,Texas rigged worms,senkos,etc. The second is a St Croix Avid X casting rod, 6'6" mh-f with a Daiwa Fuego CT with 30lb yellow braid to a 15lb fluorocarbon leader mainly for jigs,creaturebaits,chatterbaits,frogs,etc. I can cover all of what techniques I prefer with these two set ups. YMMV, for me it works out great.

Sir, you have just met the bait monkey The addiction to buying tackle is a real thing.

Bigger soft plastics...brush hogs, beaver style baits, large 7-10" worms. The color selection is spot on in my opinion. Congrats you are off to an awesome start.

To a bass, food is food. They eat perch no question about it. They also eat bluegills, minnows, worms, insects, crawfish, etc. Mimicking local forage is never a bad idea. Anything that resembles a perch would probably work very well.

I have a compre and an avid x. Both casting rods. The compre is 6'10" mh-xf two piece and the avid x is a 6'6" mh-f one piece. The compre has proven to be decent. Caught carp,trout, largemouth,and smallmouth bass on it. The avid x is a whole other league. Cork handles are much more comfortable and appealing to me. The blank is sensitive and strong. I am currently debating about selling some other rods and buying an avid x spinning Rod to compliment the casting rod. Can't say enough good things about st Croix. The compre is my travel rod and carp/catfish rod. The avid x is my bass rod of choice. It won't allow farther casts, that's rod length and technique of the cast itself. The avid x does cast more accurate, as does my mojo spinning Rod. Accuracy is far more important than distance. Sensitivity goes to st Croix as does build quality, overall feel, and weight. You will not be disappointed with st Croix.

X2 I love hi viz yellow braid, so I either color the line with a sharpie or use a leader.

I would not go lighter than a medium light. Let cover, line strength, and lure weight dictate the power of the rod. UL for pan fish or small trout. Ml is open water or no cover nearby. Light line light lures. M for all around bass fishing. MH for light to moderate cover and under 1oz lures.

Wow that's a horrible fishing trip, especially with young children involved. Sorry for your bad experience. Do what you feel is right. Obviously your relationship with this coworker is already hostile, so that cat is out of the bag so to speak. The rules are there to protect the fish and our sport. Respecting these rules and laws are not optional in my opinion. Like it or not, the law is the law. I feel you did the right thing pointing it out. His response was way out of line and disrespectful to you, your child, and the fishing community as a whole.

I have had good luck with zoom trick worms, brush hogs, curly tail grubs, and a mepps in line spinner, #4 gold. Good luck to you and have fun.

Zoom trick worm Zoom brush hog creature bait Roboworm 4in worm Kalins 5in curly tail grub Reaction innovation Sweet Beaver

This. Except I use 4/0 for both EWG and OWH.