Everyone needs to know how to use a spinning rod to catch bass. A solid spinning rod and reel set up for bass fishing will help you land more bass, cast further, and create the right presentations for your lures. A spinning rod is an essential tool to get bites especially in clear water and deep lakes. This post shows you everything you need to know about picking the best all-around spinning rod to help you in every situation. By reading this and applying what you learn you should be able to be more effective at “Kraken” bass!
Learning how to use a spinning rod effectively, and knowing how to get it set up is essential for bass fishing. Personally, I catch more bass on a spinning rod than my baitcasting set up hands down every year. The reason a spinning rod is so crucial, is because it enables you to cast those extremely light presentations. These light techniques are sometimes the only thing that will get you bites especially on highly pressured waters .
I’ve been on several trips where people have a spinning rod on deck, but it is to light and not spooled up with the right line. They wind up using one of my spinning set ups because it will cast further, gets more bites, and is better suited for hooking and landing fish. Here is a breakdown of spinning gear set ups at different price points to be able to get out “Kraken” bass.
The first part of your all-around spinning set up is selecting the right rod. When bass fishing you often are burying your hooks in soft plastic baits, so you need something with some stoutness to be able to penetrate through the plastic and into a bass’s mouth. Most people when they start using their small trout rods wind up becoming frustrated because they get bites, but they can’t hook up on any fish. The best all-around type of rod is going to be a medium/heavy action spinning rod with an extra fast tip. A rod like this is stiff enough to get the hook through the mouth. Pus, with the extra fast tip you will be able to detect bites better and improve your casting.
The other thing to consider is the length of your rod. Shorter rods are easier to move and handle, but a longer rod will get you more casting distance. I always opt for more casting distance, because you get a lot more bites in clear water when you can cast further from your boat or the shore. I never use anything shorter than 7 foot. Here is a list of some awesome spinning rods. Plus, links to purchase them at different price points to help you get what you need for bass fishing.
Low End Spinning Rod Under $100.00 – Abu Garcia Veritas
Medium Range Spinning Rod Priced Rod Around $150 – Duckett Terex Spinning Rod
High End Spinning Rod Over $200 – G-Loomis Classic Bass Spin Jig Rod
After you’ve selected your rod, a solid spinning reel is a must. Spinning reels are often geared down a lot lower than a baitcasting reel. This is a plus for finesse fishing. A lower gear ratio enables you to fish your baits slower because your reel isn’t picking up as much line with every turn of the handle. A good spinning reel will cast well, have a decent drag for handling fish, and have the ability to hold enough line to fish deep if you need to. Here’s a list of some of my favorites with links to check them out. These are my favorites at different price points to help get you going in the right direction.
Low End Spinning Reel Under $100.00: Abu Garcia Orra
Mid Level Spinning Reel Around $150.00: Daiwa LEXA
High End Spinning Reel Above $200.00: Shimano Stradic
Once you’ve got your rod and reel, it’s time to spool it up with some fishing line. The best all-around line set up on your spinning gear is a nice 10 – 15 lbs braided line, and then you add a 20 – 25 foot leader of 6 or 8lbs fluorocarbon. Tie the fluoro leader line together to the braid with a double uni-knot, and you should be in business. This knot is a little tricky at first, but with a little practice you should be able to get it down. Using an extra long leader helps prevent you from having to re-tie this knot again and again.
This set up for line has several advantages. The first is it casts extremely well. The smaller diameter braided line has less friction coming off your reel and through your rod eyes, so you can chuck it a mile. Another key advantage with this braid to fluorocarbon set up is the extra sensitivity. It’s amazing what you will be able to feel through the braided line that you wouldn’t be able to detect with straight mono or fluorocarbon. Finally, the other reason is it will save you some money. Braided line is way more durable than fluorocarbon. Plus, fluorocarbon is expensive. Using fluorocarbon as a leader instead of a main line will help cut down on some costs for you.
One word of caution. If you’ve been fishing this set up for a day or so, make sure to check above and below your double uni-knot for damage. Sometimes the line can wear out from bumping through the eyes of your rod. I’ve had a few snap off because I didn’t check it.
Spinning Set Up Main Braided Line: Suffix 10 lbs braid
Spinning Set Up Fluorocarbon Leader Line: P-Line 6 lbs. 100% Fluorocarbon
There are a myriad of baits that work well on spinning tackle for bass fishing. A good rule of thumb to help you determine what to use is by looking at the weight of the lure or bait you are using. Anything under 3/8 oz seems to throw really well on a spinning rod and reel set up. Small shaky heads, squarebill crankbaits, and drop shot rigs work well on spinning gear. Once, you cross over and hit the 3/8 oz mark sometimes you would be better with a baitcasting set up. Heavy weighted baits, and rigs just don’t throw very well on a spinning rod. It can be done, but if you take the time to learn how to use a baitcaster you will greatly improve your bass “Kraken” game with those heavier baits.
Hopefully, you found this information helpful. These tips are things I wish I would have known before starting out bass fishing. My goal is to help you, your family, and friends get out and enjoy the outdoors. These little things can make a big difference in helping you catch more fish during that limited amount of time we often get out on the water. Make sure to browse the blog for anymore info that might help, and don’t forget to subscribe to get notified of new posts in your email.
As Always,
Stay Stoked!!
You need a system to know where to go, what to use and how to work your lures to catch more bass in every situation.
Use this lure color selection chart and perfectly match the color of your lure to what bass are wired to eat without trial and error so you can catch the monsters!
Discover how to perfectly match the color of your lure to what bass are wired to eat so you can catch the monsters!
This is how to entice bass to bite and catch bass on every fishing trip!
Discover how to perfectly match the color of your lure to what bass are wired to eat so you can catch the monsters!
3 Responses
JB i liked the article about the perfect spinning rod. When I went to all the sites you had on your site, none of them were a 7’2″ rod that you mentioned in the article.
Kurt, you are right! I prefer the 7’2″ rods hands down, but I use a lot of 7’s because I got them on clearance deals at some of the local tackle shops. Thanks for following. Hope your fishing season is getting off to a good start.
I prefer an Albright/Alberto knot to a double-uni. Ties quicker and is smaller. I’ve started using Gliss main line instead of traditional braid on my spinning rod. As well as braid goes through the guides, Gliss is that much slicker. Also I’ve found that if you get a wind knot, it will just pull apart. I hate using spinning gear but sometimes it’s a necessary evil.