Im joining a club as a co-angler next year so I’m looking to add two new setups. I currently bank & backseat fish with these two:

 

7’ MH XF casting - this is just my all purpose throw everything rod

7’2” M XF spinning - mostly dropshot / wacky when on a boat

 

Im in NJ so we fishing highly pressured waters. A good majority of the club fish are caught on finesse. Most things I’ve read only recommend 1 spinning setup but because of that Im thinking going 2/2.

 

Currently considering:

- 7’ medium spinning setup - Shaky / Ned / Wacky rig. This will allow my to keep my current spinning setup 100% dropshot. This can also multipurpose for jerk bait and small topwater if needed.

 

- 7' M M casting - Crankbaits / RatLTraps / Topwater

OR

- 7’6” H F casting - Jig / Flipping / Frog.

 

My existing MH casting setup would then cover everything else. T-rig, spinners, smaller jigs, etc.

 

Any thoughts, advice or general co-angler tips would be appreciated!

Well, I am a baitcaster guy so my opinion might differ from what you had in mind. I would go with a 6'8 - 7'0 M for treble hook baits. I prefer a shorter rod for jerkbaits and I throw them a lot so I would lean toward the shorter end of that spectrum. The next one I would add would be a 7' - 7'2 H rod for frogs and jigs. I don't like fishing a 7'6 or bigger rod when I am sharing the boat with someone. That is a lot of rod to not only be casting around but also just to have laying around and maneuvering in the boat.

 

 

I'm a 50/50 guy - but I'd go with the M/M casting for the treble baits and agree with JB that a shorter H/F would be fine for flip/frog...I run a 7'0" H/F for those. I also do most of my jig fishing on a MH/F - only the really heavy jigs (3/4oz+) would go on the H/F...course my MH is rated to 1oz, so there is that.

If you can only carry four rigs:  Assuming 2 bait casting & 2 spinning

 

A - BC reaction bait rig

B - BC jig/ worm/ pitching rig

C - Shakey Head/ Slider rig (spinning)

D - Wacky/ Neko/ Drop shot rig. (spinning )

 

Taking seasonal patterns into consideration there are times I might carry different rigs.  A dedicated buzz bait rig/ separate spinnerbait/ chatter bait rigs / top water rig.    Early spring I would for sure have a dedicated jerk bait rig.

Sometime you might want a Carolina rig - I don't know.

 

When I was doing BFL's I generally carried 6 rigs - 7 if I could make them all fit in my rod sack.  I wold generally take 10 or 12 rigs to the tournament and after the tournament meeting I'd make decisions about which ones I'd take the next day.