Thread: Panfish setup advice

Shakespeare Micro Lite 5'6" is a good start along with the Eagle Claw mentioned by Techno (nice price and variety of lengths I have not found locally.) Just remember to pair rod action with the lures you'll be casting. Ultralight is not necessary when using heavier lures; light action is a good compromise.

Olegiller is right on about spool diameter! I recently returned a nice Daiwa spinning reel because it was more suited to ice fishing, not casting, and bought two Gander Mountain spinning reels yesterday for 30 bucks apiece that do just fine; I like Gander Mountain reels because they are well made and have a lifetime warranty. I still use two for bass fishing and they're over seven years old.

Consider spooling with light braid for long casts, almost no line twist, sensitivity to strikes and zero stretch (crucial when using light action rods. I usually tie on a 2' leader of 4-6 lb test fluorocarbon or Trilene XL line for best lure action. The lures I cast are mostly on 1/32 - 1/8 oz. jig heads rigged with soft plastic baits and they easily cast 25-30'