Part II - Equipment

Equipment-rods, reels, and terminal tackle. These recommendations are for the panfishing conventional fishing enthusiast, which includes Midwest stream and stocked lake trout. If your interest is bass, steelhead trout, or saltwater fishing the specific equipment recommendations here, won't work.

Panfishing can provide fast action and big numbers. Or not. All species of panfish can be just as difficult to catch as the mid-winter bass sitting in a brush pile 20 feet deep. And here's a fun fact-an adult red ear can be more discriminating and wary than a crystal clear water trout on a sunny day. So what should you consider to cover both ends of that spectrum?

You'll find all types of fishing more fun if you use gear that requires you to use technique and quick thinking to land the fish. Not just overwhelming power of a "cannon piece of equipment". You don't need an expensive reel to panfish. My favorite spinning reel-and I do recommend spinning reels to cast those micro-light panfish lures-has been the Shimano spinning reel for as far back as I can remember. Yes, I'm talking about "that one" that you buy at Walmart. The reel on the right is the now discontinued Shimano 500FD. An awesome and solid reel that you can still get parts for from parts centers like "eRelplacemnt Parts", or "Mike's Reel Repair". As with about everything anymore, each newer generation seems to lack some manufacturing quality that the previous generation had, and so it's true with the newer Shimano FG series, in the middle. Still, I bought them like I was taking a football team out for a week of fishing. If you happen to see the discontinued FD on eBay or similar selling website, grab it.

Here's what I like about the big box discount store Shimano reels-they're made pretty cheap with minimal parts, but with Japanese ingenuity that makes them perform better than a lot of reels twice the price. Further, Shimano uses multiple sizes of shims, varying in thickness reel to reel, to mesh all of the moving parts together properly. This is regarded as a sign of a cheap reel. I love it. But I like to tinker with and clean my own reels. So, with a stock of multiple size (thickness) shims, I can alter how the reel feels or performs. Another feature I like about the cheaper Shimano spinning reels is the drag system. About as simple and as cheap as it gets, but the smoothest and easiest to adjust "on the fly" drag-which is the most important feature with a panfishing reel.

The reel on the left is a newly acquired Lew's. Smooth as butter. But a drag system that has already caused me to lose fish trying to adjust "on the fly". Additionally, I had a Pflueger President just as smooth as the Lew's, but with a slightly better drag system. However, when I took the Pflueger apart for cleaning, upon re-greasing and assembling, the engineering tolerances were so precise I could never get it back to the smoothness of "new", or even that at the point of disassembly. It's easy to decide you'll never take one apart, so the slightly more expensive reel is the choice. But dropping it in the slop of a river or lake, or going down in the mud and burying any portion of an exposed opening on the reel, it will need immediate teardown, cleaning, and reassembly. Try to turn the handle-the gears, test the drag...you'll see what I mean. But the quality consistency of each Lew's, Pfueger, and likely other slightly more expensive reels is usually awesome. Line up five cheap Shimano reels, give the handle of each one a spin and you'll likely find about three different "feels". Again, a feature that I pick the best "feel" and proceed to "remanufacture" the other reels lacking that feel, to get there. Easy to do with minimal parts, shims, and Japanese engineering.

Rods are where you want to spend some dollars. Even so, there's an exception I'll mention here. Not every panfish hits like a buzz saw. And depending on the season, you may never "feel" the bite. So a higher end, ultra-sensitive ultra-light or light action rod is of important consideration. Additionally, these actions are likely going to load and cast a 1/64 oz micro-lure a country mile, depending on the rod manufacturer. Additionally and something to be discussed last, micro-size mono line and I hear that braided line, will cut grooves in stainless steel rod guides. Beginning with the tip top. The tip top being easy to change to a more durable alconite or SIC composition is easy enough, But replacing and rewrapping the guides with the same is something that even I won't do. So, for the rod that's going to "cast and retrieve-cast and retrieve" fish, you need one with the guides and tip top of these materials, or even better materials. None of which will be cheap. I thought I'd found my forever love with St. Croix when suddenly and I'm sure for cost and profit reasons, ALL of their panfish rods started being built with stainless steel guides and tip tops. Fearing that was going to become an industry standard, I surveyed other expensive rods and found that Phenix was and they still are, making their ultra-light panfish rods with Essex SIC material. Say hello to my last three new panfish rods, the Phenix Elixir.

So, when are cheaper rods a good choice? And even a better quality for purpose intended, choice? Bobber fishing. Whether the sophisticated slip bobber setup, or the dime store red and white clip on bobber. The most obvious reason these cheaper rods are acceptable is that "cast and retrieve" is going to be a much lesser percentage than the use already covered, so line cutting grooves in tip tops or guides is going to take much longer. And when it happens-buy another one. You're still half the cost of the rods I covered for constant "cast and retrieve. Second, the sophisticated slip bobber rig involves a stop knot hitting the inside of guides and tip tops likely each cast. If they aren't one piece stainless steel guides and tip tops, they have inserts. To be knocked out or broken by continuous contact with stop knots. And finally, bobber rods can be two piece rods, often slightly cheaper but also giving up some of their sensitivity where they join. You're bobber fishing-that's primarily what you're watching for a strike indication. The Shakespeare Micro Series is still a favorite rod. Purchased at...Walmart. Cheap. I've broken a few. And replaced all of them for a fraction of the price of one of my St. Croix or Phenix rods. But, here's another consideration with these cheaper rods...

...especially as you age. You wouldn't think a rod that weighs 3.95 ounces would be noticeable against a (St. Croix) rod of 2.20 ounces. Spend a day, spend a half day, constantly casting and retrieving that 3.95 ounce rod. I started noticing the difference at about age 67, and gladly spent part of my retirement to buy the more expensive, lighter rods.

So when buying a panfish rod, style of fishing and then sensitivity required for that style, guide and tip top composition, and rod weight are important. Rarely will you find rod weight stated, unless the manufacturer is proud of it. I weighed all of mine. Just assume that under $150 is probably a heavier rod. Under $100 is definitely a heavier rod.

A couple of specifics related to my personal rod choices: I have a specific technique with a marabou jig that absolutely loads the boat or the bank with fish. For decades. I've studied, researched and refined it so well my jigging rods must have absolute, specific features. Not longer than 5 1/2 feet-5 down to 4 feet even better. But with each six inches shorter, hook set and getting the fish in is diminished with a parallel measure to the rod length.

A personal, specific example of rod manufacturers not being standardized on rating rod action and lure weights-I have a 5 foot 4 inch St Croix panfish rod rated ultra-light but for lure weights beginning heavier than what I often cast. I bought into this premium rod manufacturer's declaration so much, I've barely used what may be the best or next best jigging rod that I have, due to the lure weight limitation. A declaration made after picking it up and giving it a "jig flip" recently, and quietly declaring the rod will cast a lure half the weight of the lightest weight recommended. And I've done it before now. Yet, I allowed their "specs" stamped on the rod to make me believe I wasn't seeing the results. Unfortunately, this requirement to actually try a rod in hand leads to (my fishing room looking like a pop-up tackle shop). Most big box stores have a liberal return policy. That helps. But I order from places as far away as Canada and Japan. Those returns as can any online return, can be a logistics nightmare and the return cost as much as half the expense of the rod.

Line. I'm not desperate to get every fish in. (As in, "They're my food source.") So, I fish with no heavier than 4 lb test line. It requires developing real skills playing and manipulating "the route" of a hooked fish. But even more important, casting micro-lures that may be better suited for a fly rod I've found don't cast well with heavier than 4 lb test line. I don't use braided line, so we're talking monofilament or fluorocarbon line.

Additionally and as with anything, supposedly the same specs of line can vary greatly with manufacturer and purpose, Sufix Ice Magic is as limber and soft as the cute blonde's hair after an afternoon at a professional cosmetologist. Additionally, where I can feel a real difference in the cast-ability of easier breaking 2 lb versus "may be more stiff than desired that day" 4 lb line, most ice lines offer the odd in between size-3 lb. The perfect compromise. And 3 lb is what I use 75% of the time. Vicious line has recently produced an ice line, as I recall. And offering a 3 lb test version. Looking forward to testing it though I'm in no hurry, but Vicious line would likely be more suitable for fishing in the brush piles as I often do. But with that feature may come for example, their 3 lb test feels like Sufix 4 lb test, etc. We'll see-haven't touched the Vicious ice line yet.

For the fisherman not a glutton for punishment and many lost trophy fish, I recommend setting up ultralight equipment with 2, 3 or 4 lb test for constant casting and retrieving ultralight lures, and if you're casting a country mile to a brush pile and using a bobber and weights setup or weighted bobber (usually a crappie technique), a 6 lb and probably Vicious line should hold many of those surprise trophies of any species that I've caught, and lost. I recommend HI-vis line for all but trout. Fish with it on light bite days and you'll see what I mean. You're welcome. I believe I've just about convinced myself that bluegill and even wary red ear don't care that hi-vis line is attached to their meal.

Terminal tackle. If I could carry only one ultralight lure year round, it would be the marabou jig. But there are times and species that I find the most stupidly simple plastic bait slid over a jig style hook, to be better. Crappie and Trout Magnets by Leland Lures are my choice. Most of my published trophy pics...were caught on the Creme Lure tube jigs from Walmart. But there's been a noticeable reduction in fish numbers caught with that size lure the last few years, so I downsized to the Magnets when not throwing marabou. Still, in an effort to rekindle fond memories I tied a yellow tube jig on this week and caught a trophy wiper. But the "big lures bigger fish" philosophy IS NOT a rule to be followed. Fish key on size based on appetite which is based on a number of considerations.

My advice for ultralight fishing? Have a selection of the tube jigs and Magnets, or similar styles made by other manufacturers, and some marabou jigs on hand. For panfish as well as trout.

I have a selection of advanced and sophisticated bobbers and systems that would impress a commercial fisherman. On Lake Erie or the Atlantic Ocean. But late this summer I crappie fished with a retired fish biologist. While his fishing skills indicated that he spent more time doing the "fish biology" than the "fish catching" most of his life, that lack of experience and simplicity was priceless and so valuable I threw all of my slip bobbers into the stock cabinet. He used a small weighted clip on styrofoam bobber, from Walmart. Because we were/you're often trying to cast to Pluto to reach where the crappie are. Adding to this simplicity I detected the biologist in him but also the common sense aspect of his education. While a clip on bobber becomes rather tedious to cast when it may be set at the approximate length of your rod, it's still pretty easy to cast. Additionally, something the biologist probably had etched in his memory and that I should know but really didn't think about it much, is that most of the lakes we're fishing where I'm at-7 feet is "deep". Probably near the bottom in the majority of settings. So dump the fancy equipment that takes three times the amount of time to set up.

When I began my "panfishing career" about 10 years ago, I started by carrying a Walmart short rod, and two colors of those Walmart tube jigs. Carried the tube jigs and lead head jig hooks in my pocket. I enjoyed and in fact needed to, answer many questions in my mind that had me investing in more terminal tackle types and tackle packs to carry it. But like a line graph shaped like a mountain, I climbed the mountain to owning the stock of a tackle store, and am now headed down the other side of the mountain and heading back to almost the "carry it in my pocket" days. I just received this "pouch" that fits on my tactical belt, for carrying EVERYTHING I need for a specific target of fish. Women carry makeup bags in their purse that are larger than this tackle pouch. For years I usually carried two rods-what a hassle in the thick brush. A sling pack of terminal tackle. A three pound pack like the larger one pictured feels like 10 pounds at some point in the day. Or at a certain age, most days. Add to that carrying the biggest, heaviest "hassle"-water-and I'm ready for the good ole days. One of the most consistent compliments I receive on the water isn't how many fish I catch. Rather, it's-and this is the phrase used most-how "self contained" I am. Back to carrying only one rod most days, I don't have to lay down a thing and pick it up again before moving to the next spot.

Since I took to almost winter to blog the equipment recommendations, I'm going to add a clothing recommendation blog. Coming on my strict blog schedule of "whenever I get to it". I'll include a water carrying piece of equipment, since a common clothing feature makes the particular water container...perfect. I accidentally discovered the container one day just being observant while visiting the happiest place on earth-Bass Pro Shops.