I look at it like this. You buy what you want and be happy and I'll buy what I want and be happy. I just worry about what's in the 21' 10" of my boat. Thats the simplest approach.

I've settled on four rods that do pretty much what you've described.

(1) A 7'6" heavy rod with 30-lb braid for flipping/pitching and distance-casting for C-rigging
(2) A 7'0" medium-heavy rod with 17-lb fluoro for worms, jigs, deep cranks, and anything heavy that need to sink to the bottom.
(3) A 6'6" medium casting rod with 12-lb mono for spinner baits, shallow cranks, or anything that needs to run shallow.
(4) A 7'0" medium spinning rod with 8-lb fluoro for drop-shotting, shaky-head fishing, or any finesse technique; the reel has a spare spool that I can load with heavier mono if I need to.

I'm still relatively inexperience at bass fishing, but my online reading suggests that I can do most bass fishing techniques reasonably well with these four rods.

When I first started learning about bass fishing several years ago, I couldn't figure out why bass pros needed so many rods. Now I understand that a tournament fisherman needs to maximize the time that the lures stay wet, so he can't afford to stop, cut off a lure, and replace it with something else. As a just-for-fun angler, however, I don't need to worry much about that, so I can just rig my four rods with several baits and switch among them as long as I want (or at least until I get snagged and have to break off--but that's a different story).

Some guys due to their strength and skill can be profficient with a wide variety of lure weights and presentations with a single rod/reel combo. I envy these guys when it comes to setting up for a fishing trip or tournament. They are done stringing line on their single rod/reel combos and in bed while I am struggling to figure out the optimum combination of which of my eight or so would be best suited for each of the lures I want to throw the next day.

Brett, sounds like you are well equipped for anything with those four rigs. The only thing I might suggest is that I get much better hook sets on a spinnerbait using 17# line than I do on lighter line. Also, a medium-heavy rod will help. That is, your #2 rod might work better for spinnerbaits. I was having a problem losing fish off a spinnerbait, with a MH rod, until I switched to 17# line and that fixed the problem. Just for your future reference in case ever needed.

you are correct and it just boils down to time on the water. once you figure out a few lakes for many years you know most of the time what it takes to get bit anywhere anytime. your bps expenses go way down when you only buy what you know does the job

Thanks for the suggestions.

If I replace my #3 setup with a medium-heavy rod, wouldn't that be too stiff for a crankbait?

I don't worry about the about the "acclimation time" when switching rods. I am a rig-technique specific person. Most of a my rigs are specific to one or very similar techniques. The rig I use for small cranks always feels the same, my flipping stick always feels the same. I would be doing myself an injustice if I did the same rig thing. I use 5'6" spinning and 6'casting rods for skipping docks only. It is too difficult to skip with a flipping stick and I would have a difficult time punching grass with anything less than my 7'6" flipping stick...IMO

Everybody here in America should be using an American made rod and an American made reel.

Brett, for all but the heavy, deep-diving crankbaits, I would either select a medium power rod with a fast or moderately fast action, or I would select a medium heavy power with a moderate action.

For the DD22 type crankbaits, you will probably want to use your medium heavy power with a fast action.

These are just my thoughts; others may have different preferences.

lol!

You don't have to have a 3/4 ton 4x4 to pull a boat, but it's nice to have one just the same. You don't need a remote control for your television, many people watched television long before remotes were invented. We still use one however.

No, you don't need a different rod for every aspect of fishing, but then no one needs to even explore every aspect of fishing. I could catch bass on soft plastics any day of the week, but I like to mix it up. I could drop shot with a mop handle if I wanted to, but I prefer to have a rod suited for that.

No one is being forced to buy anything, and Rick Clunn is as guilty as anyone when it comes to peddling tackle that no one really needs.

Why? It's America, we are free to chose, aren't we?

This is a funny post. My neighbor used to tell me i didn't need the stuff I had and that his Walmart combo rod and reels will catch fish also. I would just tell him that if that is what works for you then go for it, but it is not up to you to decide what is right for me. He used to act like he had to pay for the tackle I was getting. I don't know why this is such an issue for some people. If you only want to fish with three rods then so be it. I choose not to do so. I would rather have the best tool for the technique I am doing.

I guess some of you only own a hammer, crescent wrench and screwdriver for your complete set of tools. I mean you could have a whole set of wrenches and sockets but why if you can adjust a crescent to the size you need. I guess all the different tools are just marketing hype also.

Yes sir, you are correct.

You are free to use your POS chinease made rod and and chinease
made reel.

I think you made a great point but I think you left one thing out. And I believe it to be a major point. Not only can you use different rods for different things I rarely use some rods for what there made for. I use worm rods for a lot of my spook fishing and spinnerbait fishing. I use a Muskie (spell check) rod for my frog fishing, and I'm not sure what my 8'6 CASTAWAY rod is used for but I use it for swimbaits. Use what you think should work not what is written on the rod some work different for others by the way they fish. When I walk into get my Castaways I just start going through them all till I find what fits I don't care what it says.