3 rods and a backpack if I'm not near my car. I either lean them on a tree or I lean them on my backpack to avoid getting dirt on the reels. If I'm fishing close to my car then I bring 5 rods set up with a swimbait, stickbait/lipless, frog, creature/tungsten and a fluke. Then depending on how the day goes I switch it up. Maybe throw on a chatterbait or just switch up the colors of my existing lures. But, here in So. Florida i'm usually close enough to my car to be able to leave a few rods in there. It becomes my rigging station of sorts.

If pond hopping I usually have 10 in my car...but what I take as I walk around:

 

A new pond - I will take 3

 

Ponds I know - 1 or 2

 

Pond fishing is pretty simple, you know you are going to catch fish, you just have to decide what flavor you want to catch them on that day.

It depends on how long I'm going to be out and where. If it's a short trip,  I take one rod, a couple of soft plastics, and pliers but otherwise,  two rods and my backpack. 

1. Ideally 1 rod and a small shoulder bag, no more then 7 or 8lbs is best.  Often I take a ML spinning rod and a M+ or MH casting rod, but just having 1 rod is best.  Carrying a big tackle bag or backpack and a bunch of rods just slows you down and in most cases makes one hesiatant to move.  Take only what you need or are very likely to use and put in a small shoulder bag.  Keep duplicates and a bigger selection of tackle in your vehicle.  Every time you move to a new spot and have to set the bag down and find a place to rest the rods, just increases the odds of spooking fish in the immediate area, particularly the better fish.