The question many bass fisherman face when it comes to selecting the right rod for the right lure, is how on earth do I select the right rod, and do I really need 15-20 rods? Well the answer is Yes, and No. The analogy I like to use is this: When you go golfing, do you take only your putter? Absolutely not because then you can not drive the ball off the tee very far! You would never even make it to the green to use the putter.

The same is true with fishing. There are different applications to be used with different fishing techniques. For flipping and pitching, a lot depends on your height. A taller person will usually benefit from going with a 7 footer, while some one might hight (5ft. is more comfortable sticking with my 6.6'. You also need to look for something light weight. less than 10 ounces definately. When you add the weight of the reel, and the line and the lure, on a tournament day your arms can get very very heavy.

I like G loomis, and kistler rods for the days I'm gonna be chunking 800-1000 or more casts. They are light weight, and great for casting purposes. The only problem is the price tag. But if you can splurge its worth it. Again, like a nice set of golf clubs. For the person looking for a more affordable rod selection, I would suggest looking at Diawa rods. They make some quality product, and the price range usually isn't out of this world, (unless you buy a steeze).

On the other hand, You can be good at bass fishing with 3 or less rods. I can take 3 6ft 6inch rods, medium heavy action, and fish just about any lure I need to effectively. My advice when chosing your rods is to find something comfortable in terms of the grib. I like a good cork handle, nice finger grib, lots of eyes (7 or more) for an even bend on the hook set, and versatility. If you can splurge for 3 quality rods with all of those features, you can fish any circumstance you come across with comfort, and success.

Remember a good Rell match is essential too. Find something that fits the rod well, and keep in mind the type of fishing. Again if you are going for a generic set up of three 6ft 6 rods, I would go with 2 bait casters, and one spinning reel. The gear ratio on your bait casters needs to be 6 to 1 or so. The spinning reel will help you for fishing lures like senkos and cirtain light wait crank baits.

Always remember to keep your rods in good condition. Clean them up after each trip, and keep the line changed on them regularly. I change mine about every 3 trips. By going the extra mile to take care of your equipment, you can justify getting nicer stuff because you will not have to do it again next season! Buy it once, and take care of it.