The sport of Bass Fishing has evolved dramatically in the past 25 years, with significant tackle advancements being made in the form of varied speed reels, varied action rods and technique specific line choices. These advancements have opened new opportunities for the bass angler and significantly improved our ability to catch more and bigger fish.

These new innovations in fishing technology have also added a level of difficulty to the sport, requiring anglers to have an in depth understanding of the specific uses for each design and how to properly match the various components to create the perfect presentation. Each style of rod, reel and line serve a specific purpose, and each bait requires a specific combination of the three for it to be utilized to its full potential. A general understanding of the specifications of the rod, reel and line is required before any decisions can be made on pairing the items together.

Bass Fishing Rods

Whether it be a Casting rod or Spinning rod, you will find that each rod is designed for a specific application. The rods application can be determined by its Action, Power and Length. These descriptive terms can be found in small print just above the handle on most bass fishing rods. The action of a bass fishing rod is a term used to describe the flexibility or stiffness that it has. The power rating describes the rods overall strength. Most bass fishing applications will call for one of the following power ratings.  The length of the rod is most often directly related to the Power rating. Certain lengths are recommended for each style of bass fishing.

Bass Fishing Reels

Baitcasting reels are the reels most commonly known amongst novice anglers as ‘bass reels’. Although not the only reels used for bass angling they are the most popular and most commonly used, mainly because of their great casting accuracy. Most baitcasting reels have ball bearings which support the spool shafts and assist in smoother casting and greater durability of the reel. A fast gear ratio, something around 6.4:1, works best for most bass fishing methods. Slower gear ratios such as 4.6:1 sacrifice speed for more power. The best way to explain how the ratios work is to look at the numbers indicated on the reel. For example, 5:1, shows that it takes one crank of the handle to turn the spool five times.

The other type of Bass Fishing reel is the spinning reel. Most bass anglers reserve spinning reels for light line and small lightweight lures because the line flows off the spool with little resistance. It provides more distance and better accuracy with lures weighing 1 oz. and less and does a better job of handling light line of 10 lbs test and lighter. One similarity between spinning reels and baitcasting reels is the fact that they both can include ball bearings in their make up and both are rated by gear ratios.

Bass Fishing Line

Monofilament

This is a “High Stretch” line with good absorption factors. It’s relatively inexpensive and readily available. However, it has a shelf life due to the fact that it absorbs sunlight, general light, and water, which makes it susceptible to breaking. It also stretches when under pressure which also weakens your line. If you fish often, you should cut off a minimum of a few yards of your monofilament line each week and re-tie your lures. The first few yards get exposed the most to water and sunlight, thus becoming weaker and susceptible to breakage. For example, your ten-pound test line could be scaled down to a two-pound test line. Mono line does float, which is a plus when fishing topwater, spinnerbaits or in heavy cover.

Fluorocarbon

This is a “Low Stretch” line which is typically abrasion resistant and virtually invisible to fish – a perfect combination for the fisherman. Unlike Monofilament, it does not absorb water and sunlight, and therefore does not break down as easily, and has a much longer shelf life. In general though, it is much more expensive than Monofilament line but the trade off is worth it. At a minimum, you should be using a fluorocarbon leader on all your monofilament lines. If you can afford to, then spool up with half monofilament and the other half with fluorocarbon (join your lines using a uni-knot) – or better yet, just spool up with 100% fluorocarbon. It may be more expensive, but in the long run will pay for itself. Fluoro line does not float, making it difficult for use with topwaters, spinnerbaits and fishing in heavy cover.

Braid

This is a “No Stretch” line with amazing strength and a long shelf life. The line diameters it comes in are much smaller than that of monofilament or fluorocarbon, giving you a lot more line capacity on your spool. It can be expensive though and generally is more visible to fish, especially in clear water. You should use a fluorocarbon leader on your braided line in order to not spook the fish. You can use a uni-knot and tie both your braided line and fluorocarbon line together, or, use a swivel to connect your lines. Braided line does float, which is a plus when fishing topwater, spinnerbaits or in heavy cover.

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This general explanation of the specifications on the various rods, reels and line will hopefully help you better understand each ones specific use. With that in mind, we have taken the information above and expanded it even further to illustrate the standard tackle suggestions for each specific type of lure. Here are a few examples of the ideal tackle pairings for bass fishing.

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Follow the link below to download our complete bass fishing tackle selection guide.

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Tags: Bass, does, fishing, fluorocarbon, line, monofilament, reel, reels, rod, specific

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