Hi everyone,

 

I’m Filipe, writing from Lisbon, Portugal. I’ve recently gotten into bass fishing and completely fell in love with it. I’m now ready to invest in a solid 2-rod setup. I know two setups won’t cover absolutely everything, but I’m aiming for maximum versatility within a realistic budget.

 

Here’s what I’m planning – one casting combo and one spinning combo. I’d really appreciate your feedback on the gear choices, and whether you think this makes sense for someone still learning but serious about fishing.

 

🎣 Casting Setup (for power fishing, heavy soft plastics, spinnerbaits, topwater, fishing around cover and vegetation):

 

Rod: Major Craft Basspara BXC‑70X

 7'0" – Medium Heavy – Fast action – One-piece – Lure weight: 3/8–1 1/2 oz

 

Reel: Daiwa Zillion SV TW 1000H

 7.1:1 gear ratio – 6.2 oz – 11 lb drag – SV spool + T-Wing System

 

Line:

 Main: 8-strand braid, 0.009–0.010 in (40–50 lb test)

 Leader: Fluorocarbon, 0.015–0.016 in (15–20 lb test)

 Note: For topwater, I might go braid straight to lure or use a monofilament leader.

 

🎣 Spinning Setup (for finesse, light soft plastics, small poppers):

 

Rod: Major Craft Basspara BPS‑66ML

 6'6" – Medium Light – Fast action – One-piece – Lure weight: 1/8–3/8 oz

 

Reel: Shimano Stradic FL 2500

 6.0:1 gear ratio – 7.9 oz – 20 lb drag – HAGANE Gear, MicroModule II, SilentDrive

 

Line:

 Main: 8-strand braid, 0.005–0.006 in (15–25 lb test)

 Leader: Fluorocarbon, 0.012–0.013 in (10–12 lb test)

 (As above, for small topwaters I’ll likely skip the fluoro and use mono or straight braid.)

 

These combos already add up to nearly 800 euros, around $850 USD, which for me is a big investment—but I want gear that will last and grow with me as I improve.

 

A bit of context about the fishing here:

In Portugal, largemouth bass don’t grow as big as in the U.S.—a good fish around here is usually in the 4–6 lb range (2–3 kg). Still, they fight well and are incredibly fun to target. I started with a cheap spinning combo (which I’ve outgrown fast), but even with that, I managed to catch a few nice ones and now I’m fully hooked. (All fish are released—there’s plenty of sea bass at the supermarket, but I’ve got nothing against the occasional grilled one either 😄)

 

I’d love to hear what you think. I’ve done quite a bit of research—reading foruns, watching videos, and even asking AI to help build this setup—but now I’d really value feedback from real anglers with experience.

 

Please keep it simple if you can—I’m still learning and not very technical yet!

 

Also, my gear choices reflect what’s realistically available from online shops within the EU, which is more limited compared to what’s easily accessible in the U.S.

 

Thanks a lot and tight lines to all!

– Filipe

 

I'm a big fan of major craft, I have a few now, and both the stradic and zillion, they're all solid choices.  I do think you have the wrong rod sku for the baitcaster though.  70X is a 3/8-3oz rod; 70H should be the one you want.  Good luck man!

 

scott

I do not have any experience with Majorcraft rods other than hearing people talk about them on here, but I believe the size, power and actions you called out sound reasonable.

 

The only difference that came to mind to me is maybe bumping up from a medium light spinning rod to a medium. Don't get me wrong, I like my ML spinning rods too, and have as many of them as I do M action. My thought is if you only have one, a ML might be a little light for some situations.

 

As for the reels,... It's hard to go wrong with a new Zillion and a Stradic!! Two very strong performers with a lot of good reviews from owners. Myself included!

 

Good luck and have fun!

Thanks a lot for the feedback, both of you — I really appreciate it!

 

@softwateronly – I checked the specs again, and you're right to bring this up. The BXC-70X is actually rated for 3/8–1 1/2 oz, not 3 oz, so there may have been a mix-up in the numbers. That said, I totally get your point: for heavier lures, thicker cover, and power fishing techniques, the 70H might be the safer and more capable choice. I'm now strongly considering that upgrade, especially since I’ll be using braid and fishing around some structure and vegetation. Thanks again for the heads-up!

 

@FrnkNsteen – That’s a great point about the spinning rod. I chose a Medium Light thinking it would be ideal for finesse and small topwaters, but I can see how a Medium might offer a bit more versatility, especially when it's my only spinning setup. I'll definitely rethink that choice now.

 

Glad to hear both reels — the Zillion and the Stradic — are solid picks. It’s reassuring to get that confirmation from people who use and trust them.

 

Thanks again to both of you! Your input is exactly what I was hoping for. Really helpful as I try to build something versatile without going overboard.

 

I think you could fish forever with those 2 rigs.

Send photos of your fish and lakes, we would love to see them!

Hi everyone,

 

Thanks again for all the valuable feedback — it really helped me clarify a lot of things, and I’ve been refining my choices based on your input.

 

Here’s where I’m currently at:

 

🎯 Casting setup (updated):

 

Rod: Major Craft Basspara BXC-70H (7'0", Heavy, Fast)

 

Reel: Daiwa Zillion SV TW 1000H

 

 

After some helpful comments, I’m leaning away from the Extra Heavy (BXC-70X) I had originally considered. The Heavy seems much better suited for the kind of fishing I’ll be doing — mainly Texas rigs, jigs, frogs, heavier topwaters, and spinnerbaits up to 3/4 oz. The XH would probably be too much.

 

🎯 Spinning setup (updated):

 

Rod: Major Craft Basspara BXS-70M (7'0", Medium, Fast, one-piece)

 

Reel: Shimano Stradic FL 2500

 

 

Originally, I was going with a Medium Light, but I’ve started to rethink that after some really good points were made — especially about having only one spinning rod. The Medium feels like a more flexible option for jerkbaits, crankbaits, light topwaters, and even finesse techniques (as long as weights are around 1/8 oz or more). Still trying to balance finesse sensitivity with overall versatility.

 

Both rods are one-piece, which I’m sticking with for performance reasons — and I have the transport/storage setup to support that.

 

Still open to thoughts or feedback if anyone has more to share — I’m learning a lot as I go. Really appreciate all the support and perspective from you guys!

 

Filipe

Looks like you've got some nice rigs. Good luck!

Welcome Filipe 👏

 

I believe you’re on the right track and have made quality choices. 
However I do agree a M spinning stick would give you a bit more versatility. Finding a strong ML(+) or a soft M (-) would be ideal although usually that would be basing your decision on user opinions rather than manufacturers specs. 
Either way it seems as though you’ve thought this through.

I would go with a 7 to 72 m spinning rod... You can still do finesse.. Drop shot... More versitle than just an ultra lite setup... 

Hi again everyone,

 

First of all, I want to sincerely thank all the members who replied since my last post — I truly appreciate the time and availability you all took to help me out. It's been a great experience getting advice from more knowledgeable anglers, and I’ve learned a ton. Some of the more technical topics can easily lead to overthinking when you’re new to this (like I am!), so your input really helps me stay grounded.

 

Right now, I’ve narrowed things down to two one-piece setups — trying to keep them versatile and well-balanced for the conditions I fish from shore and float tube here in Europe:

 

🎯 Casting:

 

Rod: Major Craft Basspara BXC-70H (7’0”, Heavy, Fast)

 

Reel: Daiwa Zillion SV TW 1000H

 

Line: 0.28 mm braid (~40 lb)

Main uses: jigs, Texas rigs, pitching into cover, frogs, buzzbaits, heavier spinnerbaits, topwaters around structure.

 

🎯 Spinning:

 

Rod: Major Craft Basspara BXS-70M (7’0”, Medium, Fast)

 

Reel: Shimano Stradic FL 2500HG (6.0:1)

 

Line: 0.18 mm braid (~20 lb) + 6–8 lb fluoro leader

Main uses: wacky rigs, light Texas/Carolina rigs, 3/16–3/8 oz crankbaits and jerkbaits, poppers, ned rigs (from ~1/8 oz up), finesse plastics on light jigheads.

 

I’m fairly confident in the rod choices at this point — but I’ve started wondering more about gear ratios and whether they truly fit the techniques.

 

The Zillion I’m looking at is an 8.5:1. My assumption is that it’s great for close-quarters work, bottom contact, and fast line pick-up when fishing heavy cover — but I’d love to know if there are downsides I’m overlooking.

 

The Stradic 2500HG is 6.0:1, which I think is a decent speed for most spinning applications I listed above, especially when fishing soft plastics and reaction baits that don’t need high-speed retrieves.

 

Do these ratios seem like solid choices for the roles I’ve assigned to each setup? Or are there specific techniques where you’d recommend going slower/faster?

 

Thanks again to all of you 

 Filipe

 

1 hour ago, Cota_Filipe said:

 

The Zillion I’m looking at is an 8.5:1. My assumption is that it’s great for close-quarters work, bottom contact, and fast line pick-up when fishing heavy cover — but I’d love to know if there are downsides I’m overlooking.

 

 

Personally, I find the 7:1 the "do everything" gear ratio.  Fast enough to pick up line when you really need it and I'm able to slow roll with it relatively easily.  I have an 8:1 on a jig only rod and 2 8:1 in the bfs world.  almost everything else is a 7:1.

 

I have MC Days 692M/F, 692MH/RF, 702X/RF; Days 360 660MH/F and 610M/RF and a couple salt rods as well.  They all handle the listed weights perfectly and can be stretched in either direction as well.  For a 2 rod set up; I don't think there will be many cranks you can't fish, the RF action is super versatile.  Looks good to me.

 

scott

Agreed, a 7:1 would be a much more versatile reel ratio. You can speed up or slow down your retrieve to accommodate different lures. At 8+ you’re eliminating the “slow roll” opportunities; spinnerbait, crankbaits etc……

6:0 spinning would be an excellent choice.

This may help as general guidelines. You may note the 7:1 is the most listed option for most applications 

My spinning rod would be a 7' med. - moderate, instead of m/f. Especially if using braid. 1/16 - 3/8 oz. baits - hard or soft. 

Welcome to the forum.  I feel that a MHF casting rod is an excellent choice as a do-everything rod.  Which is why my MH rods outnumber any other power.  Either a MLF or MF spinning rod is also a great choice for a 1-2 punch.  Power determined by weights you plan on using.  Seems to me you've done an excellent job of researching.

 

Best of luck with your purchases and with your fishing. 

 

I know Major Craft makes some great products, but I'm only familiar with their suzuki rods and have no idea how well their weight ratings run in their FW bass lines.

First off, the reels are about perfect in terms of selection and ratio. A 7 speed baitcaster and 6 speed spinning is about as versatile as you can get.

For a spinning rod I would suggest getting a rod in the power with a 1/8-1/2 weight range in a F action.  Depending on the company that can be a ML or M, but if it can handle 1/8-1/2 you can fish baits under 1/8 and up to 1/2 which means you can fish anything from 1/16 ned rigs to 1/2 Jerk baits.  I would suggest a 6'10 or 7' or 7'1.  

With the casting rod I would suggest going with a rod that has a weight range of 1/4-1oz(usually medium heavy) and a length of just over 7' like 7'2 or 7'3 with a fast action.  

That way you can cover small swimbaits and ned rigs with a 1/16 head all the way to 1oz with some overlap in the middle.  Unless you plan on using baits 1/2 and over with the casting gear I would highly recommend a MH over H as its much more versatile blank.

If you were to add a 6'8 or 7' M power casting outfit to those 2 rods so that you could run cranks, smaller jigs, unweighted plastics in cover and heavier JBs you would have a lineup that could do just about anything.

Hey everyone, just wanted to give a quick update!

After a lot of back and forth, I will end up going with two rods from Major Craft’s Basspara line:
• Spinning: BXS-662M (6'6", Medium, Fast)
• Casting: BXC-692MH (6'9", Medium Heavy, Fast)
Can get both for under 200€ — around 215usd— which is a solid deal for what’s available here in the EU.

 

Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be so hard to find what I was looking for. I started off aiming for 7'0"-7'2", one-piece rods, Fast action, in ML and MH powers — but stock is extremely limited in the EU, at least from reliable online shops. A few good alternatives exist, but they were way over budget. Kind of crazy.

Still, I’m sticking to my original reel choices: a Stradic 2500 FL for spinning, and a Zillion SV TW 1000H for casting. No compromises there.

 

I also recently picked up a savage gear float tube (Pro Motor 180 model). I got it second-hand but never used — basically brand new — at 50%off retail price, so it was a no-brainer. It’ll really help me reach deeper and less pressured water, and I’m excited to learn how to fish from it.

 

At this point, I’ve realized it’s better to just get out and fish, gain experience, and worry about fine-tuning gear later. These rods might not match my original plan 100%, but they’ll absolutely let me cover the techniques I want to work on. I’ll upgrade as I go and figure out what truly suits me based on time on the water.

Also — I’ve learned a ton from this thread. The advice, discussion and brainstorming really helped me rethink my approach. Super grateful for that.

Big thanks again to @new2BC4bass, @detroit1, @GetFishorDieTryin and everyone else who pitched in.
This forum is a huge help.

Tight lines from Portugal 

Solid choices! I’m sure they’ll serve you well.

Fish Hard!

Major Craft rods are well made and good choices with your combo’s👍

Tom

 

Hi again everyone,

 

Thanks for all the help so far — I’ve now settled on my casting and spinning combos, and I’m moving on to finalize my line setup. I’d love your input to confirm I’m doing this right. 

 

(Just a little more patience — I’m almost there! 😄 Thanks again for sticking with me!) 

 

🎣 Casting setup

Using 0.28 mm braid (~40 lb) straight to the lure.

 

Main techniques: jigs, pitching, frogs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and topwater.

 

Q1: If I want to switch to contact baits like Texas rigs or worms, should I add a fluoro leader around 0.28–0.30 mm (~10–12 lb)?

 

🎣 Spinning setup

Using 0.18 mm braid (~20 lb) with a fluoro leader (0.20–0.25 mm / 6–8 lb).

 

Main techniques: finesse plastics, senkos, crankbaits, poppers, ned rigs.

 

Q2: For small topwaters, should I remove the leader and go braid straight to the lure so it floats and walks better?

 

 I know some of this also comes down to personal preference and local conditions, but I really appreciate your input!

 

Just want to make sure I’m not overcomplicating things. Thanks again! 🙏

 

Casting setup: only time I use straight braid is pitching/flipping (50#) and frogs (40#)...I don't do buzzbaits.

Spinner/chatter, jigs and topwater I use 15# straight FC, so personally I'd use a 12#-15# leader for those if you're running braid.

Yes - use a leader for T-Rigs, worms, etc - 12#-15# again.

Leader length....8' minimum for shock absorption....I usually run 12'-15'

 

Spinning setup: I'd use braid-leader for everything, even the smaller topwaters... you want the shock absorption to keep from ripping the trebles out of their mouths.. Minimum 8' leader but for cranks - the leader length should be double the max running depth of the crank - so a crank that can reach 11', you'd want 22' of leader.

Consider buying extra reel spool for the bait caster; one spool with braid and second spool with 12 lb Big Game mono line. Personally not a fan of braid with leader using bait casting reels. 
Tom

I use straight braid (30#) on moving baits/lures,

 braid (30#) with fluro (8-12#) leader on dragging baits/lures.

 

Spinning is always braid (15#) with fluro (6-10#) leader

 

Biggest decision on strength is your target species. As you noted, two to six pound average fish doesn’t require mega lines. Personally I have never found the need for any braid over 30# and 20# co-poly line. A properly set drag is your friend and of larger consequence.

I have caught, as many others have, two to four pound bass on 6# line on ultralight gear.

Hey everyone,

 

Just wanted to thank you again for all the advice — especially the latest comments regarding line setups. Really appreciate the detailed responses from @MN Fisher, @WRB, and @Motoboss — you guys helped a lot!

 

I've now placed all the orders, including both setups and lines. Looking forward to trying them out soon.

 

Also, today I received the Savage Gear Pro Motor 180 float tube. Super excited to hit the water!

 

Thanks again for all the input and support throughout this process. 

 

FC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awesome stuff, glad we could help! Get out there and have fun!