when in the boat ..yes 4 for worming....different weights etc.   bank fishing usually carry 3 combos. that will cover where I'm at.

This last year I kept 10 rods in the locker of my 18’ Ranger most of the year and it about drives me nuts because I feel it’s too much at times. 3 or 4 out at a time is about max for me. 
 

You only need what you need in that moment. Similar to wrenching or changing an outlet in your home. I might need a meter, a screwdriver and a wire strippers, but if I need to wire a whole room, then the list of tools changes. 
 

I like to be as minimalist as I can but still have options, it’s a tough balance. 
 

I rarely have multiple of the same lure on. Sometimes two different Texas rigs in the summer, we’ll definitely two if you count a punch rig.

I usually carry one rod each for jigs, Texas rigs, moving baits, and finesse presentations.  If I can put an accurate pattern together I will be fishing with one rod most of the day.

1 hour ago, Bankbeater said:

I usually carry one rod each for jigs, Texas rigs, moving baits, and finesse presentations.  If I can put an accurate pattern together I will be fishing with one rod most of the day.

What happens if you get a real bad backlash ??

4 hours ago, Reel said:

What happens if you get a real bad backlash ??

I'll just retie one of the rods I'm not using.  I've done it before.

For sure for crank bait fishing, have several different type baits, running depths etc… available without constant bait switching.

Yes. Several Tex rigs, several worms, several frogs 

If they aren’t bitting that I’m usually going home. 

On 11/8/2024 at 11:41 AM, OkobojiEagle said:

7 rods, 6 reels and 5 different strengths/diameters of line.  Most days I fish 3 or less combinations. I never duplicate baits as is being asked.

I've done this a few times. Often times bringing a reel or two with heavy braid in case I get in a punching situation or something. 

 

On 11/8/2024 at 12:43 PM, Tennessee Boy said:

If I’m on a worm bite I almost always want multiple Texas rigs with different weights that I can switch between.  Sometimes I’ll have three different weights with the same bait.  If the goal is the perfect setup for a presentation then I would need three slightly different setups for each T-rig because they all have different weights.  I would need 50 rods for all of the different options with all the different baits if the goal is to have the perfect rod and reel for a 6 inch Zoom lizard with a 1/4 oz weight.    

50 rods would certainly be on the extreme end, but I wonder if some of the highest level tournament anglers do just that. I'm not advocating for going that far, but I do like to have specific rods for my most confident techniques and a few more versatile setups for when I need to add a second rod for a technique. 

 

On 11/8/2024 at 2:33 PM, A-Jay said:

I am not familiar with how Mr Zaldain fishes jerkbait, but I'm not interested in it either.

Beauty of the sport is we all get to fish the way we want.

If folks want to copy other folks, that's great.

I don't do that and I catch a few on jerkbaits sometimes.

That is one of the things that make fishing so great. I wasn't trying to insinuate that you should fish like him, was just trying to make sure I understood your perspective and how it was in stark contrast to his. One of the great things about the internet and fishing is how quickly you can cut down the learning curve with such unlimited access to information and others' experiences. 

On 11/7/2024 at 12:41 PM, casts_by_fly said:

if I can't make it work with 5 rods then I have made some bad choices.

This is really my mindset. I think the aficionado stuff is great but I really have a few combos that I really like catching fish on that can cover most of the ways I fish. The vast majority of days I could take a MH bait caster and a M spinning rod and not want for anything other than a net man.

 

also - winter seems to have arrived.

On 11/7/2024 at 12:41 PM, casts_by_fly said:

 

On 11/7/2024 at 12:41 PM, casts_by_fly said:

On 11/9/2024 at 9:16 AM, r83srock said:

You only need what you need in that moment. Similar to wrenching or changing an outlet in your home. I might need a meter, a screwdriver and a wire strippers, but if I need to wire a whole room, then the list of tools changes. 

A good analogy. But with any business, time is money. So not bringing the right tools to be efficient on the job would be like not bringing the right setups for the conditions you'll face and the techniques you need. You may get the job done, but will you be as good and efficient as the guy who brought every tool he needed?

 

23 hours ago, Reel said:

What happens if you get a real bad backlash ??

A good point I hadn't mentioned in my original post. But something to consider. I had a few instances in tournaments this year where I blew one up so bad I had to put it away for the day. I'd swap that technique to another setup that was usually slightly less suited for the application. Now I'm considering throwing a couple reels in the boat with varying line sizes for when this happens again. 

I'm in the minority. I have a small yak that is crammed with gear but I only carry one rod. That rod must do everythiing even though it might not be the optimum setup for everything. To be fair, I usually limit myself to one or two types of baits, again it might not be perfect for every situation but I make it work and in doing so I've improved my skill set. I recognize that this is not the norm but it works for me.

7 minutes ago, Crow Horse said:

I'm in the minority. I have a small yak that is crammed with gear but I only carry one rod. That rod must do everythiing even though it might not be the optimum setup for everything. To be fair, I usually limit myself to one or two types of baits, again it might not be perfect for every situation but I make it work and in doing so I've improved my skill set. I recognize that this is not the norm but it works for me.

When you say "gear", do you mean tackle or kayaking gear? When I fished out of the kayak, a normal load for me included about 50lbs of tackle alone.

I guess you could say both tackle, cameras, and yak gear. A 10' sit in doesn't afford a great deal of space and I shoehorn myself into the yak. I used to carry a back up rod but really never had to use it. If I've prepared effectively  I should never have a reason to need it but you know how that goes.

 

I carry one tackle bag that holds 4 3600's, one very small insulated lunch bag, sometimes an anchor or drift chute, 2 Nocqua batteries, a urinal bottle, and sometimes a 3rd GoPro on a selfie stick for underwater shots. Also on board is a hand paddle and trekking stick to assist in launching & beaching.

 

The photos below demonstrate that real estate in my yak is at a premium.

@Crow Horse you've got that piece of plastic loaded to the cork!

If I'm bank fishing I usually have 4-5 rods, all with something different tied on.  In my boat, I have 14-16 rods, including about 3 different jigs, for TX rigs with different weights and baits, and a couple worm rods.