When the average Bassmaster Elite Series angler launches in competition, he has more than 25 rod-and-reel combos in his boat — all rigged and ready to go with fresh line, lures and knots. Though he may only use a couple of them that day, he has plenty in reserve in case he needs a spare, or must use a technique other than what he has planned for the day.
The average bass angler travels much, much lighter … and the novice or beginner travels lighter yet. Not everyone has the resources or ability to carry a bunch of specialized rods and reels for every plausible situation he or she might encounter.
Elite pro Cliff Prince is sympathetic and understands how overwhelming it can be to learn the ropes of a sport that has so many different techniques and nuances to learn. Sometimes it seems the barriers to entry are just too much and too discouraging.
Fortunately, he’s got a plan for getting started that will satisfy virtually every bass situation you might encounter anywhere in the country at any time of the year, and it takes just four rods and reels.
No. 1: All-around spinning
“This outfit can handle a wide range of finesse techniques — like drop shotting and light Texas rigging — as well as a lot of small baits that weigh 1/4 ounce or less,” says Prince. “No matter where you fish, a combo like this is your go-to rig when fishing’s really tough and you’re trying to get a bite. Then it’s time to rig up a drop shot or small Texas rig and target the post-frontal or heavily-pressured bass we see a lot on the tournament trail or just on a weekend when there are a lot of boats on the water. It’s versatile and will get you bites!”
Prince’s choice
Rod: Fitzgerald Rods Stunner HD 6-foot, 9-inch medium spinning
Reel: Lew’s Team Pro Speed Spin TLP2000
Line: Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon, 8-pound test
No. 2: Light-duty casting
“Because this outfit is spooled with mono, it’s the choice for floating topwaters,” Prince says, noting that fluorocarbon line sinks. “I also like it for lipless crankbaits, small diving baits and vibrating jigs and spinnerbaits when the cover isn’t too thick for such light line. It’s also a great choice for fishing in clear water – anything more than about 3 feet of visibility.”
Prince’s choice
Rod: Fitzgerald Rods Stunner HD 6-foot, 8-inch medium-heavy casting
Reel: Lew’s BB-1 Pro Series Speed Spool casting reel (6.4:1 gear ratio)
Line: Seaguar Senshi monofilament, 12-pound test
No. 3: Medium-duty casting
“With a little bit heavier line,” Prince says, “I like this outfit for big crankbaits, jigs, big Texas rigs, stick worms and light pitching — which is a really underrated tactic all over the country. This combo will see a lot of action because it’s really versatile and lends itself to most power fishing baits and methods. If bass can be caught on larger baits and by fishing fast, this is the rod and reel you’ll be using most of the time.”
Prince’s choice
Rod: Fitzgerald Rods Stunner HD 7-foot, 3-inch medium-heavy casting
Reel: Lew’s BB-1 Pro Series Speed Spool casting reel (6.4:1 gear ratio)
Line: Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon, 15-pound test
No. 4: Heavy-duty casting
“When you need to flip or pitch in heavy cover,” Prince says, “this is your combo. It’s heavy enough to handle all but the densest cover, and the 50-pound braid will pull big bass out of all but the heaviest matted vegetation. This outfit would also be my choice for giant crankbaits, big swimbaits, hollow-bodied topwaters, buzzbaits and castable umbrella rigs. It’s more versatile than you might think, and you don’t need to be fishing in super-heavy cover to get a lot of use out of this combo.”
Prince’s Choice
Rod: Fitzgerald Rods Stunner HD 7-foot, 6-inch medium-heavy casting
Reel: Lew’s Super Duty Speed Spool casting reel (6.4:1 gear ratio)
Line: Seaguar Flippin’ Braid, 50-pound test