Ideal White Bass Rod & Reel

I know you can use about anything to catch white bass, but what might be the ideal baitcast rod and reel for casting to and jigging for white bass? (no hybrid)

Type and brand of reel?
Gear ratio?
Line type and weight?
Rod length?
Rod action?

7 ft medium yellow glass rod at academy cost 14 bucks.
academy H20 express 6.2.1 ratio reel cost 39 bucks.
these have been both reliable and inexpensive boat rods for me. i fish almost evry week at lake fork so i use 40 lb braided line. the braid is just the right sensitiity that my fishing requires. this rig might be overkill for white bass but i have caught numerous catfish over 10 lbs on this combination.

I’ve always spent to much on rods and reels. BUT I recently picked up a Lews super duty wide spool 6.4:1, paired it with a Falcon BuCoo 7’2 MH, moderate fast rod and love it. Cast 1/4 ounce spinners, rattle traps, top waters excellent! Plus has enough “horsepower” behind it bring up hybrids and stripers. Also can use for catfishing(drifting baits a couple feet off the bottom). Expensive combo but works great together.

When bass fishing, you see schooling sandies. The rod that casts the farthest with a lure that will catch fish. My ideal goto setup is a 7ft fast tip spinning setup with 6lb braided.. Will flat out cast a small castmaster farther than anything.. The small spoon is 100 % hookup..

That’s fun!

This is my favorite combo for white bass:

Reel----------------Lew's TS15HMB Baitcaster (Very smooth)
Gear ratio---------7.5:1
Line-----------------100% fluorocarbon (Berkley's Vision gold or red tint) 10 lb
Rod-----------------American Angler 5'6" medium action pistol grip (inexpensive)

I've got that reel in 6.8:1 on the way back from Lew's that I sent in for repair. Should be like new. Any particular reason for the 7.5:1 ratio?

I fish for whites by reeling a Mepps spinner up from the bottom, and they hit it on the retrieve. Most times the bite is light and the smoother the retrieve the easier it is to feel the bite. With the higher ratio reel I don't have to crank as fast to get the speed I want, which results in less shaking and reel movement.

Another advantage is when I have to strip some line off the reel due to a backlash. When that happens the diameter of line on the spool decreases reducing the amount of line reeled in per revolution of the reel. The higher 7.5:1 reel offsets that, so I don't have to reel as fast as I would a lower ratio reel. Not saying that it makes a significant difference compared to a 6.8:1 reel (and I would certainly use a 6.8:1 or lower reel), but every little bit helps. On the smaller reels like the TS15HMB loss of line on the reel drops the bait retrieval rate significantly, so, if too much line has to be stripped off, you should probably put new line on the reel before you go out again. For example for a 7.5:1 reel, assuming a full reel diameter of 1.5 inches, if the radius is reduced by 3/8 inch, the amount of line retrieved in one reel handle crank drops from 35.32 inches to 17.66 inches.

Fish Admirer,

Here is a breakdown on the rods and reels I use for all of the tactics I employ throughout the year for white bass. If you have questions, just give me a shout:

Rods and Reels by Technique


Tailspinners
St. Croix Panfish Series PFS70LXF, 7’, 1 piece spinning rod with Penn Conflict II CFTII1000 reel (5.2:1)


Swimbaits
St. Croix Tidemaster TIS76MF, 7’6”, 1 piece spinning rod with Pflueger Medalist 6035 reel (5.2:1)


Topwater Sight Casting
St. Croix Panfish Series PFS80LMF2, 8’, 2 piece spinning rod with Pflueger Arbor 7435 reel (4.3:1)


Live Shad Fishing
Circle Hooks: Shakespeare Ugly Stik Striper USCA70, 7’ 1 piece casting rod with Abu Garcia 5500LC Linecounter (5.3:1)
Kahle Hooks: Waterloo Custom Live Shad Tightline Special 7’, 1 pc. casting rod with Abu Garcia 5500SLC Digital Linecounter (5.1:1)


Deadsticking
Fenwick Eagle EA70ML-MFS, 7’, 1 piece spinning rod with Pflueger Arbor 7430 reel (4.3:1)


Flatline Trolling
Light crankbaits: Tica Kokanee KLEA76SUL2, 7’6”, 2 piece downrigger rod with Abu Garcia 5500LC Linecounter (5.3:1)
Medium crankbaits: Lamiglas CGR762L Team Kokanee, 7’6”, 2 piece downrigger rod with Abu Garcia 5500LC Linecounter (5.3:1)


Downrigging
Eagleclaw Featherlite Kokanee FL209C2-76, 7’6”, 2 piece downrigger rod with Abu Garcia Altum 120LC Digital Linecounter (5.1:1)


Snapjigging
Fenwick Eagle EA70ML-MFS, 7’, 1 piece spinning rod with Pflueger Supreme SUPSP25 (5.2:1)


Easing
B ‘n’ M Russ Bailey CWRB82, 8’, 2 piece spinning rod with Abu Garcia ORRA SX30 (5.8:1)


Bladebaits
Fenwick Eagle EA70M-FS, 7’, 1 piece spinning rod with Penn Slammer 260 (5.1:1)


MAL Lures (in-line spinners) & Tandem Rigging (slab and teaser)
Berkley Inshore BSINS701ML, 7’, 1 piece spinning rod with Pflueger President PRESP25 (5.2:1)

I use 7 ft medium to medium heavy Gx2 ugly sticks 100% of the time. They are cheap, readily available, and most importantly to me—unbreakable. I pair mine with a Lews Mach II spincast reel with 30 pound braid and couldn’t be happier. Total overkill for solely white bass but I target hybrids more than white bass but wouldn’t change my set up if I specifically targeted white bass. I use to use more “sensitive” smaller, lighter gear but my guests or clients would often lose fish, lures, etc. I eventually ended up with where I am now with a client-proof rig lol

Depends on what you're throwing more than what you're catching. But- I'd say a medium-moderate or medium-fast 6'6-7' rod with a higher gear ratio reel unless you're cranking for them, then a lower ratio. Sand Bass run in the river I use a spinning rod 90% of the time. A 7' Allstar Jig Panfish. It throws those light baits really well.

I use a 7' G Loomis E6X & All Star Medium spinning rods, Shimano Stradic Ci4+ Spinning Reels, spooled with 10 lb line when going after early season ones and when there is no grass or brush/trees to worry about.

When they are schooling in the big groups later I will pull out one of my 7' MH Casting rods, Shimano Curado K reels, spooled with 14-16 lb line and tie on any number of 1/2-1oz baits and let them fly!

I use the 7’ heavy for Striper hybrids and the medium for sandbass. I buy the combo for $50 normally when I catch it on sale...

Shimano Curado DC 7.3:1 gear ratio with a 6’6” medium heavy rod of your choice. 12lb test monofilament. Works great for whites, plenty of power for hybrids and striper as well. I landed a 11.8# largemouth bass while white bass fishing with that same setup.

I appreciate the replys. I fished with a lightweight Daiwa Revros LT 2500 and Axis rod spinning combo and a Daiwa Fuego CT 7.3 and Allstar rod baitcast combo last night under lights, and we caught several large white bass. The larger white bass gave the lightweight spinning combo quite a thrashing. The baitcast combo held up better. It always amazes me how hard white bass fight.

I will settle on a baitcast combo for white bass. I have several suitable reels and rods I can setup. I will always keep one in the boat ready for white bass in case a school surfaces while I am fishing for other fish.

The best thing about the spinning combo is I can cast it a loooooong way.