I came to a realization today that having more than one rod can be great to overcome environmetal changes. Today was a raw autumn day, dark gray skies, and a steady cold wind. With the cloud cover and wind chop preventing light penetration, I realized that the smart thing to do would be to switch from the lure I was using, to a bigger and brighter lure. With the low light conditions, and the fact that the pond was very choppy, I figured it would be easier for a fish to see and feel/hear(lateral line and bony ears) a larger lure.

FIrst let me say, I was trout fishing, but that is beside to point. The point is I knew that a fish has to be able to track down your lure in order to bite it, and With the low light levels and the wind disturbance meant that the smaller 1/16 and 1/8oz. lures that might be better for a bright sunny day with little wind would most likely go unnoticed by fish in these rougher conditions. This made me switch over from my 5' UL with 4# to my 6'6" ML with 8# and from my 1/8 ounce kastmaster and 1/8 ounce Husky Jerk to a 1/4 Kastmaster(which is about double the profile as its smaller counterpart) and a Larger HUsky Jerk.

The overall point I am trying to make is that since day to day weather patterns are going to affect fish mood and behavior which translates into the lures we use(Presentation) and where we fish(location).

It makes sense to carry different rods for these different presentations and locations. I now know that stocking up on rod and reel combos isn't just an addiction   but a very valueable tool in successful fishing.

For a beginner I would suggest two combos. One with lighter line and a lighter lure rating for bright sunny days when fish will be spooky, picky and get a very good look at your offering, and a second with heavier line and a heavier lure rating for cloudy windy days, or night/low light fishing that will handle with bigger lures that will be needed to get the attention of a fish's two most important sense:Sight, and Feel.

Fish hunt using sight and feel(feeling vibrations given off by their prey through their lateral line.) So on calm bright days, a small presentation will suffice since a fish will most likely not have a problem seeing or sensing the lure. But on rough days when fish, and your lure, will be competing against low light conditions and the wind churning the water up, using bigger lures will give the fish a better chance at seeing it, and a larger profile will displace more water thus causing more vibration in the water, thus giving the fish a better chance at locating it through their lateral line.

I hope people don't view this post as a rant, I tried to keep it as short as possible while still saying what I wanted to say and giving examples to back everything up.

Just wait until the addiction is full blown... With enough set ups, you really can split hairs on rod power and action or have any number of lures tied on! ;D

Just wait until the addiction is full blown... With enough set ups, you really can split hairs on rod power and action or have any number of lures tied on! ;D

Why "or" ? it 's "and".  

Raul,

I have to draw the line at about 12 on any given day... my rod box only holds 8, and I don't like having more than 4 rods on the deck at a time.  (I rotate depending on which lake I'm heading to)

12 sounds line good round number.