Mixing Brands? 2024

loodkop reply :

KVD recommends in his book Bass Strategies that you build an arsenal with rods/reels from the same manufacturer. The reasoning being that you will be able to develop a better "feel" for your tackle and become more efficient. Any thoughts?

fishnla reply :

I use everything. Every rod and reel I use has a different bait and each bait I feel better on a certain rod reel combo. I use phfluger, abu garcia revos, shimano chronarchs, etc... and use falcon and duckett rods. I dont have a favorite all the time just with certain applications.

SDoolittle reply :

I agree with KVD to an extent. Nearly all of my baitcasters are Revos, but I do have two Shimanos and one Diawa. After casting Revos all day, if I pick up a Shimano or Diawa, it takes a couple of minutes to get the feel for it. At my level, I don't think that it's a big deal, but for a full time pro like KVD, those couple of minutes that it takes to adjust (or pick out a backlash) could mean the difference between cashing a check or going home broke.

3dees reply :

I have been using nothing but Curado's for years. they feel like part of my hand.

Jig Man reply :

All of my reels are shimano and my rods are gloomis and st. croix. That way I don't have to mess with any different feel except stiffness in the rods to compensate for bait weights. That is critical for me especially when it is dark and I have to go completely by feel.

Jigfishn10 reply :

KVD is a smart man. Would you use non-sponsored equipment and make it public?

Gatorbassman reply :

What Kevin says makes sense. I have about half and half Revos and Diawa Advantage Reels but I find myself fishing only the Revos. I would have to say it's all about the consistent feel of the same reel. Same thing with the rods. All my rods are Dobyns Rods and I don't see a reason to change because they fit me.

Red reply :

I have 5 Revos, and 1 each Shimano, Daiwa, and Quantum. My rods are 7 Lamiglas and 1 Powell. The only problem I have is switching to the Curado. That thing is just so small and light it takes some adjustment. Don't get me wrong I like it, just a bit different. That being said, if it wasn't for sales too good to pass up, I would have all Revos.

msolorio reply :

i agree to some extent. its good to use the same rod/reel because each rod and reel will feel the same no matter what baits your throwing therefore eliminating that adjustment period. i disagree a little bit because well some rods and reels feel a little better for some things than others. that bein said id rather have one brand of rod and reel than a bunch cus u just dont have time give for that adjustment period when the money is on the line.

Hi Salenity reply :

To each their own... But I don't get it. A different rod is a different rod no mater who puts their name on it?

That's like saying if I built a rod and sold it to whoever his sponsor is (I honestly have no idea who sponsor's him) and they put their name on it and him saying it's "one of the set"

shackman reply :

All my reels are Shimano and all have magnesium frames except for a D7 that I just purchased but it has the same design and feel of my Core 100 and 2007 Metanium Mg's with just a little added weight cause of the aluminium frame...I do use some different brand rods(cumara,powell.cstix,veritas,kistler) but have to be lightweight to accomidate my lightweight reels..I fell like when I'm using a 12-13oz combo w/12-15# flurocarbon line,I can detect bites that I wouldn't have felt on a heavier combo and no fatigue from fishing all day. I do still have some old B series Curado's and A series Chronarch on old All-Star rods but they don't get used very much.

flippin and pitchin reply :

For me it's about feeling familiar. Certain reels are a better fit in the hand as Red mentioned. I fish Lews, Revos and still use my old CuradoB's from time to time. Rods? We fish 4 different lengths and maybe up to four different actions. How is that familiar? It's not to a point. You apply your experience.

new2BC4bass reply :

I can see where a person would like to find one brand of reel that fits him/her best and stick with them. I haven't reached that point. Still lots of reels out there I would like to try. How can you tell what reel will work the best for you until you try them all.

As for rods, I have a hard time grasping the point that you should stick with one brand because they 'feel' the same. How can a 6'6" Medium Moderate, 7' MH Fast and a 7'6" Heavy XFast feel the same even if they are from the same company? They may use the same style seat throughout the line, but usually handle length varies.

What I can understand is that a medium in a specific company's various lines may, and I have to emphasize 'may', feel the same whereas 2 Mediums from different companies probably wouldn't since there is no standards for rating a rod....either for power or for action.

Because of the non-standards for rating rods, I can understand why a person could get use to using certain types of baits with each of the various power ratings from one company, and then when switching to another company's rods find that they had to use certain baits on a different power rated rod.

james 14 reply :

I'm too much of a cheapskate for all that. We have a store nearby that sells used rods and reels for MUCH cheaper than new and I usually look there whenever I'm in the area.

Perhaps one day I'll get into some big money tourneys and may reevaluate at that point. I definitely like some of my rods/reels better than others but every new purchase usually means another lure option to have on the deck rather than an opportunity for replacement. At this point I think I have enough so I might start considering which ones to trade out.

islandbass reply :

He's the best in the world but I don't see rods like golf clubs. I will use the rod that best suits my needs and bottom line, sometimes company A simply doesn't make the rod with the traits I want for a particular application so I have to use a rod from company B that does.

I might be the odd one out, but I don't go through an adjustment period switching rods or reels regardless how their mated. This included switching from a casting rig to a spinning rig.

In addition, none of my rods or reels are dedicated exclusively to each other. On one outing my curado 101D might be on my crucial and the next time out it might be on my lamiglas. That is how I roll.

SirSnookalot reply :

It's an individual thing, I'm comfortable with anything I'm using, if not it becomes a dust collector. I don't marry myself to any one brand and I mix rods and reels from different companies all the time.

Ever look in a tour pro golfers bag? The bag and head covers may say Callaway with only the driver being that brand, woods may be of a different manufacturer. The irons may not be Callaway and the wedges could be Cleveland, and the putter could be anything......pretty common scenario. Tiger Woods plays with a Titlelist putter ( or Scotty Cameron, same company), with a worn out ping grip, he's made a putt or 2.

Ima Bass Ninja reply :

I like reels that have the same basic size and shape to them .. Even though they may not be the exact same thing going from a big wide spool reel to one that is smaller and more compact would set my ocd into overdrive. This is the reason i stick mostly to PQ's for my setups. I do have a pflueger in there to but its basically the same shape and size of the other in my arsenal. I had 2 Daiwas 1 that i tried to use and 1 that never made it onto a rod and both were probably higher quality reels than what i currently use but since they didn't feel like the others that i had become accustom to, they had to go. Bottom line is if it don't feel right then it ain't gettin used.

Hyrule Bass reply :

i mix and match stuff all the time. doesnt bother me really. i can see what KVD is saying, but i dont follow it.

of course anything new, that youre not accustomed to using, is going to feel different. but after a few uses then im used to it. its about knowing your equipment to me, more so than just getting used to one brand of everything.

TimJ reply :

funny that the golf analogy is used because I have always believed that the best rig for a certain job is the one I am using...and I have an alphabet of rods and reels in use. the only time I used only one rod/reel type was +/- 20 yrs ago when I was fortunate to be assisted by Shimano. they were some great rigs but I just could not duplicate a couple of rigs that I had been using. it is all up to one's personal choice and feel.

Ol� Dirty Basstard reply :

One reel manufacturer and one rod brand. It's efficient. Rod action is so different from brand to brand. This way, I know exactly what I'm getting. It stops me from wasting time and money on the latest and greatest product of the month too.

South FLA reply :

My arsenal is all over the place, mostly with technique specific setups with different brand rods and reels, I have favorites, but I think half the fun of bass fishing is trying different equipment and being proficient with all of it. Believe me you can give KVD a Shimano reel and a Shimano rod in the middle of a tourament and he will still be outfishing the rest of the field.

OnthePotomac reply :

I read an article several years ago by Denny Brauer where he recommended the same thing as KVD

NCLifetimer reply :

What KVD says makes sense. If you were to drive the same car for a week, verse 7 different cars each for one day, at the end of the week you would have a better feel and handling for the one car, and a weaker "feel" for the 7 individual cars.

I would think that reels follow this rule most closely. I have several different reels and all the adjustments are different, if they were all the same i probably would have a better understanding and "feel" for the reel.

Most rods are different actions(unless they are the same exact rod, obviously) so i don't see this applying for rods. A crank bait rod from quantum for example is just as different as a flipping rod from quantum or another manufacture(regareding action and power). I guess you could get use to the handle style and rod lenght.

Personally, I use what feels right. If a reel is about the same size and a rod about the same weight distribution as my others, then it doesn't bother me. If i switched out the small 6.7oz reel on my worm rod for a calcutta, that certainly wouldn't "feel" right.

crispygator reply :

On 1/30/2012 at 11:54 AM, james 14 said:

At this point I think I have enough so I might start considering which ones to trade out.

I love it, culling combo's.......

jj'sbassinforfun reply :

If I had KVD's cash? I'd do the same and every combo would be mucho bucks. So for me its the best reel I can afford on the best rod for the condition I can afford. Maybe I'm just frugal?

Some rods are balanced for certain reels. If you try to match the weight(close), You'll get a similar feel. Or balance it with some coins if need be.

KYntucky Warmouth reply :

I really don't believe that having the same setups makes you more efficient. A professional sponosorship is really where that idea is rooted for beginning anglers. If you've taken the time to become familiar with your gear and can really fish it, it doesn't matter what brand it is. I can switch between different setups easily because I know my equipment, I'm not going to cast my Curados the same way I cast my zillions or a Sol. I know not to snap cast a revo, so if I'm fishing a revo, I won't.

I see this happen all the time here in the flea market and have benighted from it. Someone buys 5 revos because they're new and they think they might like them. 4 months later they're for sale because they wanted to try Daiwa reels, well, the next year the daiwas are for sale because they liked revos better. It makes no sense, to waste that kind of money when you don't know what you like.

If you find a reel or rod that you really like, build gradually. Don't think you need to change every setup when you want to try something new. Personally I am still looking for the perfect setup. I haven't found one rod or reel manufacturer that can satisfies me completely, some have and that's great but I like having different choices and I take different rods everytime I go fishing.

Jim_M reply :

Having the same (or very similar) reel makes a lot of sense.

smalljaw67 reply :

Years ago I would say yes, by all means, have the same reels on the same rods but todays rods are all light, most are in that 3.6 to 4.6 ounce range were years ago some rods were 5 ounces while others were closer to 4 ounces and still others were over 5. When the rods were over an ounce different between each other then going from a heavy rod to a light rod could really screw you up as far as casting accuracy and setting the hook. Todays quality rods, those rods in the $100 to $300+ range are all withing an ounce so picking one up after using another isn't as bad as it once was. I have 3 rods of the same brand, actually identical and then 2 of another brand and then 3 of another, so yes, I have multiple rods from a single manufacturer but if I say switch from throwing a spinnerbait on my Quantum Super light to Throwing a crankbait on my Fenwick Smallmouth rod, I really don't feel any weight difference to cause my casting to be off, in fact both of those rods have a Smoke 150 reel, one is a burner and the other is a cranking gear ratio and the rods are very cloes in weight. If it was 10 years ago, KVD is spot on, the differences in rod from one to another were vast but with such an emphasis on every piece of equipment being light weight, as long as the rods are all with in the same price range and within 3 years of each other then it isn't too important. JMO.

Lucky Craft Man reply :

Rick Clunn takes this even further. He said on one of the older episodes of "The Bass Pro's" is that he uses a 7' Heavy Baitcasting rod for everything, which if you are truly trying to elimnate any "adjustment" period, this is the only way you can do it. All my rods are made by G Loomis, but going from a G Loomis GLX 7'11" Heavy flipping stick to a G Loomis GLX 6'8" Medium Worm rod takes a little adjusting, even though they are all made by G Loomis.

Hyrule Bass reply :

On 2/6/2012 at 10:04 PM, Lucky Craft Man said:

Rick Clunn takes this even further. He said on one of the older episodes of "The Bass Pro's" is that he uses a 7' Heavy Baitcasting rod for everything, which if you are truly trying to elimnate any "adjustment" period, this is the only way you can do it. All my rods are made by G Loomis, but going from a G Loomis GLX 7'11" Heavy flipping stick to a G Loomis GLX 6'8" Medium Worm rod takes a little adjusting, even though they are all made by G Loomis.

This post is an example of why i dont buy into the having one brand of everything theory being discussed.

I think its better to just familiarize yourself with the equipment you do have and become comfortable with that, and with any new equipment you may purchase.

.ghoti. reply :

I remember a seminar where Rick Clunn explained his "system". Not only does he use the same rod; a 7'H-F, but used the same reel, with the same gear ratio, and the same line. So, at that time, every one of his combos was identical. 7" H-F rod, 6.3:1 reel and 25lb flouro line. He claimed that when he wanted to make a bait change, everything felt and performed exactly the same, so he was more efficient. I didn't buy the idea then and don't buy it now. It doesn't make sense. How can that setup, with a 1/4oz crankbait tied on, feel and perform exactly same as it would with a 1oz jig tied on?

If it doesn't make sense with identical components, how can it make sense with different ones? Even if they are from the same manufacturer?

I have rods from a wide variety of companies. They all feel different in some way, and they would if they were all from the same manufacturer. Different lengths, power, action, handle length, grip materials, reel seats and balance points. Putting the same reel on all of them would not change those differences, so it makes no sense to have all identical reels.

Delaware Valley Tackle reply :

IMO this is another example of the confidence in your tackle having a psychological affect on your concentration. Competitive fishing is 90% in the head and instinct. A lot of these guys are so organized they border on OCD, which works in their favor apparently.

Years ago when we raced dirt bikes, 6 of us had the exact same make, model and size of bike and when we would switch with each other, we all HATED the other 5. No 2 felt the same. To some extent, I see the same with reels that I own and work on. Each has its own personality to some degree so I see no need to have identical setups laying around. Not mention, It's hard enough to explain to the wife why you need more than one "pole" lol, it'd be harder if they were all the same.

.ghoti. reply :

On 2/9/2012 at 3:31 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

INot mention, It's hard enough to explain to the wife why you need more than one "pole" lol, it'd be harder if they were all the same.

Thanks DVT, thanks a lot. I have coffee dribbling out of my nose and it's all down the front of my shirt and all over my keyboard. I owe you one. And I always pay up.

roadwarrior reply :

For enthusiasts, technique specific gear is fun

to collect. However, three rigs cover all the

basics:

#1 6 1/2' or 7' MH baitcaster for jigs, some

soft plastics and spinnerbaits

#2 6 1/2' or 7' MM baitcaster for treble hook

lures

#3 7' MF spinning rod for lighter lures and a

variety of techniques

KCL655321 reply :

For reels I like keeping to pretty much one brand, which is Abu for me, due to familiarity with the mechanics of how the reel works & how to adjust it & know they'll all be pretty close to the same. Of course being a Revo fan opens up Pflueger, Lews, & BPS reels which are all really similar to the Abus. For rods, different companies have different actions that I like better for different techniques, so I'm not nearly as brand loyal when it comes to rods.

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