The who, what, when, where, and why of Rods and Reels
- Neil Ferris
- Oct 17, 2019
- 8 min read
When I started fishing, my dad just bought me a rod and reel that was basic. When I switched to a baitcaster he did the same thing. A very general, can be used in all scenarios set up. As I started to learn and get older, I suddenly was overwhelmed at the number of rods and reels on the market. Why were there so many? Then I started to learn that each rod did something different, reel speeds really do matter, and that it was okay to be overwhelmed. As we dive into this very wide topic, remember that not every rod and reel combo works for everyone. Try out different styles until you find the combo that is right for you.
First, lets talk about brands. There are so many brands of rods and reels out there. It seems like another company starts selling rods and reels each year. I have used several different brands in my fishing career. This past year I started a partnership with Enigma Fishing and I can tell you that after using their rods and reels for a short time, I will never use another rod or reel. Enigma rods are durable and have good sensitivity. I can feel everything as I fish with these rods. They come in a wide range of variety and have a rod for every situation. Their reels are extremely durable and never, ever quit. They can take a beating, reel in the big fish, and last a long time. Of all the brands I have used, Enigma stands above them all. In my opinion, they are the best product in their field on the market today!
Now, lets talk rods. Like I said in the intro, overwhelming and confusing. If you are just starting out, don't get too crazy on the combo of your rod and reel. That comes as you gain experience. For a beginning fisherman I would recommend a 6'6 Medium Heavy rod, spinning or baitcaster, and pair it with a reel that has a 6.1:1 gear ratio or very close to it. This set up can be used for almost anything, you will catch fish, and it's a great starting point. For those that are more advanced or even tournament fisherman, rod selection becomes very key to catch more fish. Today we are going to talk about three types of fishing and the types of rods I use. We could sit here and talk for DAYS about all the options and combos. So, today we are going to focus on cranking baits, finesse/spinning combos, and pitching/flipping.
First lets talk cranking baits. To me, cranking baits include chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. There are many more baits in this section, but I use a similar rod for all of these baits. My rod of choice is the Enigma Fishing Atomic 29 Cranking Series rod. I love the action that the Atomic rod gives while not sacrificing the back bone that I need to make long casts. They can take the beating of big fish bites, and bumping the bottom. I normally go with a medium heavy rod so that I can make those long casts. I also like the added back bone, but like I stated earlier, the Atomic rods have a great, soft tip that makes sure you don't rip the bait out of the fishes mouth. When using cranking style baits, you normally lean into a hookset, rather than a big, lean into it hook set. The combo of backbone and soft tip allow this method to be very effective. For chatterbaits and bigger crankbaits I use a 7'4 medium heavy to make longer casts. When I use these two baits I normally make longer casts because of the way I fish the baits. When I'm using bigger crankbaits it allows me to really cast that bait out and lets it get down to a good depth. I will sometimes go to a bit longer rod for really big crankbaits, but I normally don't use those crankbaits. For chatterbaits, I like the 7'4 rod because it allows me to make bomb casts down the bank, and be able to accurately place it as well. Now, for spinnerbaits and smaller crankbaits I downsize. I use a 7'0 Medium Heavy Atomic series rod for smaller crankbaits, because I am normally making shorter casts and aiming for certain cover up closer to the shore. Same for a spinnerbait, but I will even go down to a 6'8 Phenom Titanium Gen2 Series rod, also from Enigma, once again because I really want to keep that Spinnerbait near cover and brush. I will sometimes go to a medium rod for a spinnerbait, but very rarely. Normally I will go to a medium rod if I feel like the fish are having trouble getting it and I'm ripping it out of their mouths. The softer rod allows the bait to hook the fish without ripping it out. I will like all these rods and reels below.
Second, lets look at spinning rods and finesse set ups. Finesse set ups are getting more and more popular each year and are great for smallmouth tactics. A good finesse set up can make the difference between a good day and a bad day on the water. I use a lot of finesse set ups, especially for a ned rig and wacky worms. My go to for almost any finesse set up is a 6'11 Medium Enigma Phenom Titanium Gen 2 Series spinning rod. I love this rod for finesse fishing. This rod is great at casting those light baits and can help you make long accurate casts, and lets you hit the mark every time when making tough, shorter casts. The tip is extremely sensitive, which is helpful for knowing if those fish have your bait. It is also the perfect balance of bite and give in your hookset. I have seen my hook up ratio go up since using this rod. I feel like out of all the spinning rods I have used, it is the perfect mix of all the key elements. I will sometimes go with a little longer of a rod for drop shot rigs. The reason for this is I have seen a lot of guys go with longer rods, so I do as well. I would recommend the 7'2 Medium Gen2 rod for drop shot rigs.
Last rod preference we are going to talk about is for pitching and flipping. Pitching and flipping is my strength as a fisherman I feel like. I spend a lot of time flipping up in the brush and cover. Having the rod for this style of fishing is so important. You need to have a rod that will allow you to feel the difference between a bite and cover. A rod that can take the stress of punching through all the cover. You also need a rod that has a lot of backbone for the big, lean into it hook set. The rod also has to be able to get the fish out of all the cover. I have used many rods for this kind of fishing, but I have landed on two that I feel do the best. The first is a 7'6 Medium Heavy Enigma Phenom Titanium Gen2 Series rod. The Gen2 is my favorite style of Enigma rods, and its the same for flipping. I use a medium heavy for lighter cover, and like to have that 7'6 length because I feel it helps me make really accurate pitches and flips. Like I said, it has great sensitivity that allows me to tell the difference between a fish and cover. I will use this rod with jigs, punching set ups, or anything that I am going to be flipping. Now, Enigma does not offer a 7'6 Heavy style of the Gen2. I have not gotten one of these yet, but for heavier jigs and for heavier cover I would look into a 7'6 Heavy IPPON Series rod from Enigma. While I have not personally used this rod yet, I have heard a lot of good things about it from fellow Enigma users. Like I said, this is good for bigger jigs, heavier cover, and also for Carolina Rigs.
Now, lets shift gears a bit and look at reels. The main thing with reels for me is the gear ratio. I like to have specific ratios for specific scenarios. The first style of fishing we talked about was cranking baits. For cranking baits, it depends on the season. In the spring you really want a steady, tad bit slower retrieval. This allows that bait to be at the speed the bass need to really get it. For these cranking baits I use an E-CAST EC-150 Series with a 6.6:1 gear ratio from Enigma. I like the 6.6:1, because I can use that to get those baits to the speed the fish need it. In the summer, especially with crankbaits, you can speed that bait up a little bit. In that situation I would switch to the 8.1:1 style of the same reel. This just allows you to speed up that presentation a bit without having to burn the bait back in. It allows you to not get tired and allows you to keep fishing at a high level.
For finesse set ups, I always use a spinning reel. Very rarely will I put a finesse set up on a baitcasting set up. Sometimes I will, but it is very rare and since we talked about the spinning rod, we'll talk about the spinning reel that I pair it with. For spinning combos I use the IPPON Gen 2 Series Spinning reel in the IP 30 size. I use the 30 size just so I can put some more line on the reel. This real has the perfect of balance of speed and muscle to fight those fish. With finesse fishing you have to really take it slow and careful when fighting a fish. This real is great for these big fights. Withstands the beating of a fish pulling drag, and makes great casts as well.
Finally, for pitching and flipping I recently made a change. Before partnering with Enigma, I would just find a reel that was close to a 7.1:1 gear ratio. I wasn't too picky other than that. But, Enigma offers an amazing product that has become key since I use a flipping stick so much. The Enigma IPPON Series Flipping IPF100 baitcasting reel is AMAZING. The reel is specially designed by top pros for flipping and pitching. The reel is light weight and compact to help with comfort. It has a 7.3:1 gear ratio, and can just take the beating of constant pitches, big hook set, and drag pulls. This reel has become a must for me when pitching and I know that it will be a key tool for me for many years.
Just like a lot of the topics we have discussed, I would encourage all of you to experiment and find the combos that you guys like. Fishing is great because not everything works for everyone. My combos may not work for you at all, and yours may not work for me. That is what makes fishing unique and what connects all anglers around the world. I will like all these awesome products from Enigma below. I would encourage you that if you have never tried Enigma's products before to try them. You won't regret it and I know you will be pleased with the results you see.
Rods
Enigma Atomic 29 Cranking Series:
Enigma Phenom Titanium Gen2 Series Casting:
Enigma Phenom Titanium Gen2 Series Spinning:
Enigma IPPON Series Casting:
Reels
Enigma E-CAST EC-150 Baitcasting Reels:
Enigma IPPON Gen 2 Spinning Reel:
Enigma IPPON Series Flipping IPF100 Baitcasting:
Commentaires