Bank fishing: The ideal rod and reel

[Capt. BassinLou]

When bank fishing if you can only bring one rod and reel what would it be?

The combo that's always served me well in my neck of the woods for bank fishing has always been a 7ft MH XF, and 6 or 7 speed reel. This type of combination has worked for me because multiple techniques can be thrown from this setup and I still walk around light without carrying multiple rods.

[Oldfart9999]

I used spinning gear. 6'6" with 8 or 10 lb mono throwing smaller baits.
Rodney

[rockchalk06]

Right now, it's my Dobyns DX683FH with a Shimano Curado 50e with Core 7 gears installed.

Its soft for a 3 power, but it works well for most applications that I use. I can run Jerkbaits and Topwater with this. The soft tip works in my favor for treble hooks when a fish makes a run. The butt is a tad too long, but I can make it work. Very sensitive for bottom contact baits. I can also crank light crankbaits and lipless crankbaits with it. Even with the 7 gearing, if I stay small, I will not wear my shoulder out. Weightless swimbaits/senkos will fly with this setup. The short 6'8" length allows me to pitch and cast under docks, trees and in places my 7'3" sticks wont. I have the 50 super tuned, so making long casts with a short stick is easy.

I have an LSCR being made that will have a shorter butt, more power and overall lighter weight to replace this 683. 

[scudzilla66]

I fish a 6'6" spinning rod M action F tip with a 2000 size spinning reel loaded with #25 braid. The areas I fish are relatively small  (meaning you can walk around them in less than an hour...no fishing...all day if you are fishing).
I prefer the shorter lighter rod for making easier casts around low hanging trees and vegetation. Ive pulled some 2lb fish out of the lily pads with this set up and it serves my purpose for a good all around rod.
I do need to explore some other rod options for fishing the deeper centers of the lake with some jigs though.

[LgMouthGambler]

About the same for me, but I would rather a F tip instead of XF just to be able to cast lighter baits easier.

[cortman]

7' MH or M fast action rod with a 6-7 speed reel. Lews' 6.8:1 is the perfect compromise IMO.

[Lipripper]

Well to tell the truth I always had two rods with me. My Frog combo which is a 6 & 1/2 to 7' MH BPS Bionic Blade rod topped off with my Johnny Morris Elite with 30 lb power pro and then a 7' Bill Dance MH with a spinning reel on it that I bought from BPS several years ago as a combo, I have a senko on it and when I get a blow up on my frog and they keep missing it I will toss my senko int that spot right away and most of the time will catch that fish. I also use this combo for my chatter bait and jig fishing.

[flowerjohn]

I don't understand how bringing an all around bank fishing rod is different than fishing from a boat. Apart from the fact that being on a boat affords you the opportunity to have several rods at your side with different presentations on each, it is not so much about the rod but the different presentations that we may need to throw in a hurry because of changing areas fished. Honestly, we could all
fish a 7 to 7  2 med heavy fast all round from anywhere and do ok. No? 


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[Pferox]

I don't understand how bringing an all around bank fishing rod is different than fishing from a boat. Apart from the fact that being on a boat affords you the opportunity to have several rods at your side with different presentations on each, it is not so much about the rod but the different presentations that we may need to throw in a hurry because of changing areas fished. Honestly, we could all
fish a 7 to 7  2 med heavy fast all round from anywhere and do ok. No? 


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I did for years, but it is nice to have a couple different ones with you.  That is where I prefer spinning gear when bank fishing, I seem to have a broader range of bait weights available to me, with one rod.

[FloridaFishinFool]

A 7' MH fast action rod with a Shimano 4000 size spinning reel on it, 15 to 20lb braid.

[Pferox]

A 7' MH fast action rod with a Shimano 4000 size spinning reel on it, 15 to 20lb braid.

I use a Penn Reel, but that is my go to setup.

[ccr425]

7' mh/f with a 7 gear reel is ideal for how I fish. My go to rig is a 7'2" mh/xf rod with a 7 gear reel. My optional "slop" rig is a 7'2" xh/f with a 7 gear reel. I usually throw toads, frogs, Mag uv speed worms, t-rigs, and swim jigs. Both rigs use 50-65lb braid.

[j102]

My Shimano Curado on a MH rod or a Penn 3000 spinning reel on a MH rod.

[SFL BassHunter]

I have found that my Dobyns Savvy 734C can do just about anything except punching heavy stuff.