I often get comments on my Youtube videos asking about my fishing gear. So I’ve decided to give you a run-down of the rods and reels in my arsenal this year.
I’ll start with a photo of them, and then fill you in on the details of each one.
From left to right:
1. Shakespeare Micro Underspin Rod and Reel Combo
. This is a great rod for the kids, but I enjoy using it as well. The underspin reel is like a spincast reel but has a lever instead of a button. This makes it work more similar to a spinning reel than a spincast. The 4′ 6″ ultra-light rod is great for battling even the smallest of fish.
2. This is an aging ultra-light rod (not sure of the make and model at the moment, although I might give it a closer inspection later) with a Zebco 202 spincast reel
. It seems that Zebco used the 202 model number on a wide variety of reels. Some of those were very low quality, others were not so bad. This reel is in the not-so-bad category. It has a smooth drag and casts great.
3. This is a Shakespeare Contender spinning reel
on a Shakespeare Excursion spinning rod
. The reel had been part of a combo but the rod fell victim to a car door and had to be replaced. For small fish, this is my favorite rig. I spool it with 4 lb test monofilament line and it allows long, smooth casts. It’s pure joy to use.
4. This spinning rod is a hand-me-down rod from my older brother. It is about 7 feet in length but was longer before it also feel victim to a car door. I added a new tip and it still works great even if the tip is a bit stiffer than it should be. The reel is a Quantum Optix size 20 spinning reel
.
5. This is a Zebco 7-foot Hawg Seeker Spinning Combo
that a buddy of mine picked up for me at a garage sale. My son Landry uses this rig when we are targeting catfish.
6. This rod is a 7-foot Zebco Catfish Fighter
. I’ve had it for several years and am very pleased. It is not an expensive rod, but it seems to be great quality for the price. The reel is an old Shakespeare that came from a Shakespeare/Ugly Stick combo. I managed to break the original rod pulling it off a snag, so I replaced it with the Catfish Fighter.
7. Last, but not least, is my 9-foot Zebco Catfish Fighter with a Okuma Avenger ABF 50 Bait Feeder Reel
. This is my best catfish rig. The extra length adds 30 to 50 feet of distance to my casts vs the 7-foot version. I’d like to say I’ve battled lots of 30-pound flathead catfish with this rig, but I cannot. The largest I’ve caught to date with it is 10 pounds. This summer seems like the perfect time to change that. 🙂
