So looking for thoughts and opinions on what makes the best truck rod combo.  The idea is that this rod/reel combo will be kep in the truck at all times at the ready.  

 

the options are as follows

1) Short Single piece combo.  advantage is always ready, no fuss. Con is the space it takes up. looking at the short Megabass P5 destroyers. 

 

2) Telescoping Rod/reel combo - pro is the extremely compact footprint, disadvantage is the alignment of guides and the inherent lack of congruence with a multi piece travel rod. looking at the daiwa BBB series rods.

 

3) Travel Rod, available as 2 or 3 piece breakdown.  advantage is the strength and convenience. disadvantage is that it provides advantage compared the the 2 above. 

 

any thoughts???

what is your truck rod - always ready 

what am i missing?

I don’t see the point. I can take any rod I own and put It in the truck any time I want. 
 

Around here you hear about “truck guns”. Those are typically a cheap, beater rifle for the ranch for shooting coyotes or whatever when necessary. They aren’t intended to be pretty and usually take a beating. So when I think about a truck fishing combo, P5 destroyer does not come to mine at all. 

11 minutes ago, Jeffrey Walker said:

advantage is the strength and convenience. disadvantage is that it provides advantage compared the the 2 above. 

also I can’t figure out what this means. 

I would say no to the P5 rods. The shorter length version seem more technique driven and it wouldn't be all that great to just have a 6' to 6'6'' rod just rolling around. 

 

Don't like telescoping rods. 

 

I would look at the Megabass Triza line of rods, if you can find them. They sell out quick. 

 

Mine is a 2 piece kastking rod and the picifun allow m. Compact, cheap, and I don't mind laying in the dirt/rocks when unhooking a fish. 

Lots of days during the season.  I just bring a couple with me In The morning. They ride shotgun.  all day long we talk about how we hope to get out. They get so excited. 

I don’t normally carry rods in the truck, however, yesterday I met a friend to go fishing in his boat.  I had a 6’, 6 1/2’, 7’, and a 7 1/2’ riding shotgun and it was fine.

5'6" pistol grip rods from the 80s, I prefer the Lews speed sticks. 40 bucks on Ebay for a really nice one, I pair it with a Daiwa TDX reel and off I go. 

ABU Black Max casting reel, with a Berkeley Lightning Rod.

I keep a bit in the truck....just in case

Pflueger President XT on a 6'6" Aird-X M/F - 10# Big Game

Pflueger Trion-30 on a 6'6" Aird-X M/F - 8# YZH

Plano 3600 Weekender with a selection of bass & crappie lures and a small selection of plastics.

I am not keeping any rod in my vehicle, mainly because i have seen heat damage rods.

I used to carry a truck rod and then realized I never used it and when I did it was meh. I gave up on it. If I came across lots of unknown water on my drives I might give it a shot but if theres a particular place I know I might stop, I'll just take a combo/lures I know will work there. 

55 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

ABU Black Max casting reel, with a Berkeley Lightning Rod.

 

To me, this would be perfect.
 

Actually my first bass rig when I decided to get into bass fishing and away from saltwater fishing. Still have It. It’s now spooked with 15lb big game and designated, along with a few other similar combos, for punch bait cat fishing with the kids lol

When I kept a truck rod, it was a 7' 2 piece spinning rod that was 30 years old with an equivalent 30 year old $50 shimano (that might be worth $10 now).  I throw it in the side box on my truck bed and leave it there with a small pack of hooks/lures/etc.  That said, I only did that for popping to a trout stream.  If I'm going bass fishing I have a plan in place and grab one of my normal rods.  The truck rod is an opportunistic rod that I don't care if it gets beaten around and can stop anywhere I might stop.  If we had a lot of farm ponds with bass and I was driving around a bunch, then I'd throw in a 2-piece medium casting rod and appropriate reel.

I just bought 3 major craft 2 piece rods for this.  On average $145 shipped, but there’s really good options in the $115ea too. So far I’m happy. 
 

scott

A 2 pc worked for me, it tucked under the rear seat out of sight. I used an SC Premier.

 

Don’t bother any more, when I want to fish, I go.

A $24 5'6" Medium Berkley Cherrywood is my Throw & Go rod.

1 hour ago, GreenPig said:

A $24 5'6" Medium Berkley Cherrywood is my Throw & Go rod.

What a tank!

 

scott

I carry a BassX 6’ two piece ML rod with a Curado SLX on it, 10lb braid and 8lb fluro leader. And a 5’4” GLoomis mag-light spinning rod with a Sedona 500 and same line set up.

Also carry a sling “creek bag” for small box of lures and plastic’s.

 

ALWAYS in the truck!

 

If I could only carry one rig it would probably be similar to the Berkley Lighting rod and a 750/1000 size series reel like @Mobasser posted. A nice set up without the worry of being abused or mistreated.

 

It helps I have a Decked drawer system with a dedicated drawer for fishing gear, rods, creek bag, waders, creek net and such.
It’s like cheating.

I have a 3 pc rod and casitas mgl I keep stashed in my car.  If I bring the truck its got a boat in the bed or behind it.