Roundup Bass Rods
Best Baitcasting Rods for Bass
Five 7-foot medium heavy baitcasting rods for bass, from the Abu Garcia Vendetta I fish to St. Croix, Lew's, Ugly Stik and Fenwick, and what to look for.
Fishing Gear by Category
Browse reels, rods, line, lures, tackle, electronics, waders and more. Every category has reviews, comparisons and buying guides for bass and trout anglers.
Roundup Bass Rods
Best Bass Fishing Rods
Four casting rods the experts keep picking for bass: G.Loomis, Fenwick World Class, Okuma and Lew's, with how many of three roundups name each.
Roundup Bass Line & Leaders
Best Braided Line for Bass and Baitcasters
Five braids expert roundups keep picking for bass and baitcasters, from PowerPro to Sufix 832, with how many of seven lists name each one.
Roundup Bass Rods
Best Drop Shot Rods for Bass Fishing
Three spinning rods for drop shotting bass, from the Abu Garcia Vendetta I fish to a Daiwa Tatula Elite AGS, plus what I look for in a drop shot rod.
Roundup Bass Lures & Baits
Best Soft Plastics for Bass
Five soft plastics I fish for bass: the Senko, Fat Senko, Swimming Senko, Roboworm straight tail and Bandito Bug, with the sizes, colors and rigs I use.
Roundup Bass Reels
Best Spinning Reels for Bass
Five spinning reels the experts keep picking for bass, from the Daiwa Tatula MQ LT to the Shimano Stradic, with how many roundups name each one.
Roundup Bass Rods
Best Spinning Rods for Bass
Five spinning rods named by expert bass roundups: St. Croix Victory, Fenwick World Class, Abu Garcia Jordan Lee, Lew's LFS and Shimano Curado.
Roundup Trout Line & Leaders
Best Trout Fishing Line
Five trout lines the experts keep picking, from Berkley Trilene XL to Stren Original and Sunline Super Natural, based on three published roundups.
Roundup Trout Lures & Baits
Best Trout Spinners
Five trout spinners the experts keep picking, led by Panther Martin and Mepps in all five roundups, with the sizes to buy and how many lists name each.
Roundup Bass Reels
Best Baitcasting Reels for Beginners
Three digital-control baitcasters for beginners: the Shimano SLX DC I fish, the Abu Garcia Revo X VoltiQ and the Shimano Curado DC. Why DC beats a basic reel.
Review Bass Reels
Pflueger President Review: My Spinning Reel
A few years with the Pflueger President size 30 for drop shotting and finesse: why it is the best spinning reel I have used, and the one downside to watch.
Comparison Bass Reels
Spinning vs Baitcaster for Bass
I fish a baitcaster most of the time and rig spinning gear for finesse. Here is how I choose between them, with the two reels I use side by side.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
Best Bass Lures for New England Lakes
The lures I trust on clear New Hampshire lakes like Winnisquam and Massabesic: a Senko, a football jig, a drop shot and a small silver paddle tail.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Drop Shot for Bass
How I rig and fish a drop shot: 3/8 oz weight, nose-hooked worm, leader length from 6 inches to 2 feet, and why I let it sit before I move it.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Texas Rig a Senko
How I Texas rig a 5-inch Senko on a 3/0 EWG hook, why I usually fish it weightless, when I add a light bullet weight, and when I pick it over a wacky rig.
Guide Bass & Trout Reels
How to Use a Baitcaster and Stop Backlash
How to cast a baitcaster as a beginner: the brake and spool tension setup I tell new anglers to use, why backlash happens, and how to clear one.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Wacky Rig a Senko
How I wacky rig a 5-inch Senko with an O-ring, why most strikes come on the first drop, how to work it, and the line and hook that go with it.
Roundup Bass Rod & Reel Combos
Best Spinning Combos for Finesse Bass Fishing
The spinning rod and reel I use for drop shotting, the exact line and rig behind it, plus a lighter rod and a step-up reel if you want to build your own combo.
Roundup Trout Rods
Best Trout Spinning Rods for NH Streams
A 6'6" medium spinning rod that breaks down for the trunk is all you need for stream trout. Two picks, plus the one spinner I threw for years.
Comparison Bass Reels
Shimano SLX DC vs Curado DC: Worth Upgrading?
I fish the Shimano SLX DC. Here is how it stacks up against the Curado DC on specs, and why I would only upgrade for the build, not for the brake.
Guide Bass Reels
Baitcaster Gear Ratios Explained for Bass
What baitcaster gear ratios mean, how 6.3:1, 7.2:1 and 8.2:1 change your retrieve, and which ratio I'd pick for finesse, jigs, crankbaits and cold water.
Guide Bass & Trout Line & Leaders
Mono vs Braid vs Fluoro: Which First Line?
Monofilament, braid or fluorocarbon? How stretch, sink rate and visibility change what you feel and catch, and which line I'd spool on a first rod and reel.
Review Bass Rods
Abu Garcia Vendetta 7' Casting Rod Review
My take on the 7-foot, one-piece, medium heavy, fast Abu Garcia Vendetta: light and sensitive enough to feel jig ticks, and the one-piece transport problem.
Review Bass Reels
Shimano SLX DC 150 Review: All-Around Reel
Two years with the Shimano SLX DC 150 (6.3:1) for jigs, finesse and spinners. What the four-mode digital brake does well, where it struggles, and who should buy it.
Review Bass Line & Leaders
Sufix 832 Braid Review: Smooth and Tough
Why Sufix 832 is the braid on my bass reels: smooth casting, good fray resistance, thin diameters, plus the honest downsides of fading and knots.
Roundup Bass Reels
Best Baitcasting Reels for Bass by Technique
Five baitcasting reels for bass sorted by technique: jigs, finesse, crankbaits, topwater and frogs, with the gear ratio to pick for each. One I fish daily.
Guide Bass Line & Leaders
Braid to Fluorocarbon Leader Setup for Bass
How I rig braid to a fluorocarbon leader for bass: line sizes, how much leader to leave, the double uni knot, and when to skip the leader in weeds and lily pads.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Fish a Football Jig for Bass
How I fish football jigs for bass: the drag-and-sweep retrieve, a hop pattern that never repeats, where to cast, and why you should always set the hook.