Fish on, hang on tight and hope the reel’s drag will hold up to this monster striper run.  Man, this striper must have run 100 yards of line out before I could turn his head.  Slowly, I worked him back towards the boat.  All I have to do is …Crack!  Your new IM8 graphite bass rod burst into a 1000 pieces.  You slump down into your butt seat.  Quietly, thinking to yourself and reflecting on what just happened.  Hmm… ultra light graphite rod may not be appropriate for catching 30 pound stripers.

Professional guides and anglers have known for years it is easier to catch fish with the appropriate gear.  What species of bass and how you intend on catching them will help you to decide what gear to use.

When selecting black bass rods, anglers prefer sensitive graphite blanks, premium cork handles, and blank thru reel seats for direct contact with the blank.  Numerous rod companies have their rods designed by professional touring staffers.  Pro staffers usually design certain rods for specific techniques; for example, pitchin’, flippin’, crankbaiting, dropshotting or topwater fishing.

Striper rods are built for a larger, more powerful fish.  Live bait or large plugs are normally used when fishing for stripers; this requires much heavier rods to cast and land these brutes.  Striper guides and anglers look for durability, toughness, and strength in rods, which can take the daily abuse inflicted on these rods.

Striper reels usually have a bait clicker, solid one-piece design, large line capacity, and smooth drags.  Bass anglers prefer lightweight bait casting reel to have titanium line guide, instant anti-reverse, and numerous ball bearing.  Along with spinning reels that have anti-twist titanium line rollers, up to 10 ball bearings, and are lightweight.  As you compare the difference between the two you will notice, the bass rod is lightweight and made to hold onto all day, whereas the striper rod is heavier and made to sit in a rod holder.

After comparing equipment, it is easy to see why anglers have so many rods and reels.  Using the correct equipment means catching and landing more of the certain species of bass you are after.  Inappropriate tackle will just give you headaches and a story of how the big one got away.