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The Best Panfish Rod And Reel Combos

June 24, 2025

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The right panfish rod and reel is a conduit to the underwater world. Anglers often talk about rod tips, as the connection to lure and biting fish. But truly, the tip is no more important than the line, reel, or other aspects of the tool. Trouble is, the difference between a mismatch and a perfect fit can be subtle, even elusive. You can’t always put your finger on it, but when all the pieces — rod, reel, line, lure — fall into place, you know it.

The Dock Shooter

Some of the biggest sunfish and crappies I’ve caught in recent seasons have been taken by skipping baits below boat docks and other overhanging cover. The rod I use is a 6-foot 6-inch Cabela’s Fish Eagle II (GSII662-2) coupled with a Shimano Sedona 1000FD. The reel’s loaded with 4- or 6-pound braid with an 18-inch fluorocarbon leader.

Its length and soft action match my style of skipping tubes and other softbaits. Other anglers prefer short “shooting” rods coupled with underspin reels, such as the Pflueger Trion Spincast and 6-pound-test mono. The 4-foot 5-inch B’n’M Sharpshooter is a popular option. Anglers grip the back of the lure, loading the rod and pointing the tip toward its target. With a finger on the reel’s trigger, they release lure and trigger simultaneously, shooting the bait well beneath the cover. It’s a method I have yet to master. But watching a shooting specialist, such as Ohio crappie pro Russ Bailey extract slabs from 20 feet back under a pontoon boat, makes a convincing case.

Classic Jig Pitcher

My affection for working diminutive hair jigs and plastics goes back three decades. Even today, it’s hard to outdo a black curlytail grub and 1/32-ounce jig on 2-pound-test mono. In the early years, my favorite rods were a St. Croix Premier (PS66LF) and a Cabela’s Fish Eagle (GS702), models that still sell well.

These 6-foot 6-inch to 7-foot, long-handled, light-power rods enabled me to fling tiny 1/80- to 1/16-ounce jigs for distance. No question that longer — light rather than ultralight — rods cast farther, line and reel being equal. But it’s more than length. The tip section, that is, the final quarter of the blank on the Premier, is soft enough to provide a fast catapult. With a limp 2- or 3-pound-test monofilament coursing through the guides, even a 1/64-ounce jig feels substantial as it hangs from the tip. Done right, a rapid 2-o’clock to 10-o’clock to 2-o’clock pendulum can punch out 30-foot to 50-foot casts, even in moderate headwinds.

It’s tempting to say that softer (slower) tip and butt sections on rods designated ultralight further empower the catapult, resulting in even longer casts. This is true to a point. But excessive softness reduces casting accuracy, jig control, and certainly, sensitivity. Fighting bull bluegills on ultralights is fun, but enticing them to bite is significantly more likely with a precision light-power, moderately fast- to fast-action blank.

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Rod tip “action” is described as the speed at which the rod returns to straight after it’s been fully loaded. Moderately soft tips can be fast in action, even though they provide plenty of cushion for catapult casts. There’s a perceivable difference — one’s sloppy, the other precise. A fast yet appropriately soft tip enhances casting distance and provides measured give, yet allows fine control over jigging cadence. The perfect tip allows me to impart petite, precise darts, twitches, and sweeps to a jig without sacrificing the ability to cushion 2-pound mono. Moreover, new feather-light rod guides add another dimension.

Line Advice

Though the labeling on some light-action rods calls for no less than 4-pound line, many of them fish 2- and 3-pound test beautifully. Beyond classic Trilene XL, Maxima’s Ultragreen in 2- and 3-pound test is a workhorse mono that’s been popular for over 40 years. Sunline Siglon F in 2-pound test is another fabulous mono. Ultragreen, however, remains one of the only lines to offer 3-pound test, which remains a versatile choice.

Many anglers have switched from mono to braid, and I can’t fault the choice other than to make a case for stretch. In certain jig scenarios, the stretch of mono has benefits. It prevents premature hook-sets and lip damage that can occur with braid. Stretch prompts fish to hold a bait longer before rejecting it since they don’t feel you pulling back. It provides a shock absorber that keeps fish hooked better as well. In shallow water, mono wins. Deeper than 20 feet, braid rules.

Regarding fluorocarbon, I never spool it on small spinning reels. Its rigidity causes casting problems. It tends to slap the rod blank, and feels heavier on the rod than comparable mono. For abrasion resistance in heavy cover, or as a means of disguise, it’s often beneficial to add a 12- to 18-inch section of 4- to 8-pound-test fluorocarbon at the end of a mono or braid mainline.

Reel Choice

For maximizing casting distance and minimizing line coils, larger spools help. Designations vary somewhat by company, but it’s usually best to select the second smallest spinning reel in a series. Most of my jigging rods are matched with Shimano Stradic CI4 1000s, Pflueger Purist 1325s, or Abu Garcia Cardinal STX10s.

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With light mono, smooth reel performance is important, and you mostly get what you pay for. Any rough or “dry” spots in the reel’s rotation can interrupt jig contact, which results in missed bites. Likewise, a smooth drag prevents line breakage.

New Wave Jig Pitcher

New rod options elevate performance on several fronts. One of the sweetest introductions in recent years has been St. Croix’s Panfish Series. I’ve fished several models in this 9-rod series and they all have excellent blank actions. Guide and noted panfish angler Brian Brosdahl is a fan of these rods, choosing the 6-foot 9-inch PFS69ULF and 7-foot PFS70LXF for most of his shallow-water jig casting.

The light power, extra-fast action 7-foot PFS70LXF is a gem. Proprietary St. Croix SCVI graphite provides a fine blend of weight, balance, and sensitivity. Progressive Pac Bay Minima guides cut rod weight significantly and position the rings well away from the blank. This separation reduces line slap, increases casting distance, and seems to enhance sensitivity.

The blank features an appropriately soft casting tip, while the butt section has power for setting hooks and hoisting fish. It couples nicely with a Shimano Stradic CI4 1000F and 3-pound Maxima Ultragreen for casting tiny jigs in shallow water as well as working panfish swimbaits. It fishes instinctively, which is the highest praise I can offer.

The “Bull” Whip

When I first cast the 6-foot 7-inch G. Loomis TSR791 — part of their Trout & Panfish Series — it became another new favorite. Loomis classifies it ultralight power and fast action to handle 2- to 6-pound-test and 1/32- to 3/16-ounce lures. Compared to the St. Croix Panfish option, its blank and tip are slightly faster, and with a bit more beef through the spine.

G. Loomis marketing coordinator John Mazurkiewicz suggested I match it with a Shimano Stradic CI4 1000FML Microline reel, which handles thin polyethylene lines, suchas 3-pound PowerPro Microline, brilliantly. I used that combo to fling 1/16- and 1/8-ounce hair jigs for white bass, trout, perch, and crappies.

Its faster tip was ideal for working jigs slightly more aggressively, and for setting hooks in deeper water, whereas the St. Croix combo worked best in the shallows. I also used that combo to fling crappie-sized cranks. Particularly around cover and in ultra-clear water, I added an 18-inch Sunline Metan Invisible fluoro leader.

Vertical Jigger

Much of the year, we fish vertically for suspended crappies and white bass, as well as bottom-hugging sunfish and perch. Fishing a 1/16- to 1/4-ounce jig, spoon, or a drop-shotrig below the boat are money presentations. For these vertical approaches, a 5-foot rod provides pinpoint control and sensitivity. The tip on my old favorite 5-foot 3-inch Fenwick HMG (GS53L-M) is fast enough to transmit bites in deep water, yet the rest of the blank flexes enough to prevent slack line and lost fish during lengthy fights. Its faster tip can deliver minor quivers and bumps to lures 20 feet below.

See also The Dark Side… Night Fishing for Big Brown Trout Let’s Face It, in Most Cases Those Big Brown Trout in Your Local River Aren’t Falling Victim To a Size 10 Woolly Bugger or a 16 Prince NymphTo be honest, you’re probably unaware of what lies beneath the surface tucked against a log jam or wedged under that giant boulder mid-river that you’ve fished countless times. In most cases in my night fishing experience, there’s almost always a much bigger fish that shows itself at night than any other previous fish you’ve might have seen during the daylight hours.The majority of the largest trout I have ever seen were at night in less than 24” of water. Some of the most dominant predators on the planet feed at night… and brown trout are no different.Before we go further into tips, tactics, and tackle, I’d like to preface that night fishing obviously has its additional challenges and even dangers. Safety is by far the utmost importance when fishing, especially night fishing. Understanding every inch of the river you plan on night fishing is extremely important. Knowing every boulder, drop off/ledge, and casting obstruction can prevent you from going for an unexpected swim, broken rod, or even a hook to the face (speaking from experience). Always wear eye protection (clear or light illuminating lenses), two headlamps (you’ll drop one in the river), and try to take a fishing buddy with you just for peace of mind.Where I live in Pennsylvania as well as many places in the country, night fishing is more of a seasonal approach. By all means, you can night fish every month of the year and find some success, but there is definitely a “prime time” to be on the water. Typically, I personally begin my night fishing season during the “post hatch” season. After the majority of the caddis and mayflies hatch in May, and the water becomes skinny and shallow, this is when I find brown trout to be starved and more eager to eat larger meals.This Will Change the Way You Fly Fish Pressured WatersNight fishing in May, June, and even early July definitely produces plenty of fish, but not THE fish we’re all looking for. Once August rolls around and water temps begin to drop into safe fishing temperatures, that’s when you need to fish until the wheels fall off. Sleep becomes a thing of the past and coffee becomes your best friend. Your best shot at consistently catching brown trout 20”+ and even 24”+ is between August and October.The worst conditions for daytime fishing are your best conditions for night fishing. Low and clear water is by far the best water conditions to target big brown trout at night. Dominant brown trout adapt and hide so well during these conditions during the daytime which make them almost impossible to target. Once the sun begins to fade, the fish will migrate out of structure and move into feeding areas for the night.Swing It! Spey Streamer Fly Fishing TipsA mistake anglers often make is fishing the same deep hole they typically would fish during daytime. Brown trout will move into shallow sandy tail-outs, or push into the head of a run where the water might be less than 24” in depth. The inside seam of a deep pool also offers a great ambush point for a large brown trout.Tackle used when night fishing is very similar to fishing big streamers. Any 6wt, 7wt, or 8wt will suffice. On larger rivers, a trout spey or switch rod works great for swinging streamers or skating rodent patterns across the surface. A floating fly line is the most versatile line for night fishing in my opinion. You can fish surface flies, “pushers” that sit barely subsurface in the surface film, or even a streamer if you want to swing a baitfish into deeper pools. Your leader is extremely important when night fishing as well. Typically when fishing a surface style fly, keeping the leader short and stout is critical. Two feet of 20lb tippet to a blood knot, followed by three feet of 15lb tippet is typical when fishing surface style flies. Your leader needs to be strong and abrasion resistant. It’s not “if," it’s “when” you toss your flies into a tree.I have personally witnessed brown trout eat mice, rats, bats, baby birds, and even water snakes. A large brown trout over 24” is not much different than a musky. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when night fishing. The biggest brown trout I’ve hooked at night was on a 6” rat pattern. The most important aspect of fly design for night fishing in my opinion is how much vibration, water displacement, or surface disruption you can create while not sacrificing your hook gap. Thin, but wide profile deer or foam body mouse flies work great. If using streamers, a pusher style fly that rides high in the water column seems to be extremely effective as well.Tied with a Surface Seducer Double Barrel Popper & Slider Body.How to fish you fly is totally dependent upon on moon phases, cloud coverage/ambient light, and speed of the current. A mouse is not going to swim upstream against the current.The two most effective retrieves are: Down and across just like you would swing a wet fly Casting upstream and working the fly back to youIf the current is a classic soft dry fly drift, I almost always work the fly down and across. Your rod tip height as well as your casting angle will dictate the speed of the fly. While fishing short and soft inside seams of a faster run/pool, orienting yourself downstream or below the fish will enable you to cast directly upstream and work the fly right to your feet. This is also a fantastic approach to work upstream along parallel with a heavily wooded bank. I have seen countless times where a fish will strike multiple times with this approach and ultimately eat the fly at your feet after missing 3-4 times in one drift.Be sure to always start your casts short, most fish are sitting right at your feet!At the end of a long night as the sun begins to rise; rest assure, that legendary fish most likely got away. More times than not, they have to make a series of mistakes in order for you to land them. Whether it ran you into a long jam, bent a 1/0 hook, or it came off just short of the net; the giants of the dark will keep you coming back for more. Tip your cap, swig some spiked coffee and keep after it. More often than not, they’ll leave you with a memory rather than a photo that you will never forget. Some nights, all you’ll have left is a fly patch full of chewed up foam. Want More Content Like This? Join the Flymen Mailing List at the bottom of the page!About Stephen Nymick:Stephen Nymick is owner of Stephen Nymick Fly Fishing LLC, and a Guide for Steelhead Alley Outfitters. He began fly fishing at just 5 years old on his local streams in Western Pennsylvania. The day his father took him out to get his first fly rod, he also came home with his first fly tying kit. Stephen has been fly fishing exclusively for over 20 years and has guided for 7 years. Throwing big streamers or mice for brown trout and swinging flies for Steelhead are Stephen’s true passions. You can follow Stephen on Instagram @stephennymick. For further questions, email Stephen at paflyco@gmail.com. To book a trip, contact Steelhead Alley Outfitters at 888-453-5899. Written by Stephen Nymick Filed under brown trout, fly fishing, fly fishing tips, fly tying, freshwater Tweet Comments on this post (8) Feb 26, 2024 Hi Sir/ We are manufacturers of fishing flies based in Uganda. We have qualified tiers who can maintain the best quality that a customer needs, we strictly deliver on time and use the right size of hooks.We tie all types of flies according to the customers orders.We are now looking for someone whom we can partner with for progress in both parties. Thank you as we wait to hear from you soon. under management by Fred— Fred luyali Apr 21, 2022 Hi,Re night time fishing for trout article.Thank you for a thoroughly informative article.Could you let me know what the chewed up flies in the picture are called and do you have any tying instructions you could send me?Kind RegardsDerek Coles— Derek Coles Oct 31, 2021 Dear Sir, I am Betty, a professional custom fly tier and the owner of a tube fishing flies fly group in business. With an experience of 20 years in fly tying in fulling mill company, I do produce all categories of fly patterns etc,Nymphs,Dries,Wets,Salmons,Saltwater, Pikes,Terrestrials etc. The quality of flies lies within my finger tips. I am always impressed with each and every fly that comes out of my vice.I have 20 good fly tiers who have experience in producing quality flies for the fly market globally. I will be glad if you would test my flies sample to match the quality of the same. I can assure you that with my flies you will emerge the best in the flies industry. If you are ready to foster flies business with me, I will be supplying you with a lower price per 1 dozen.I am eagerly waiting to hear from you. Best regards— Fred luyali May 04, 2021 This piece really got me thinking about my terminal obsession with netting three footers out of the Colorado where I live. I’ve actually landed a couple of those ghost browns @ zero-dark-thirty, and broke off even more. Your piece has me plotting already for some unconventional post-hatch, stealthy Ninja type spey missions.— Matthew Fullenwider Mar 18, 2021 I’m gonna be that guy and say that my biggest after dark brown came at 11:55 pm in mid-March…but overall I agree that late summer is the best time to raise fish in the late hours of the night. I would also add that a full moon is bad for mousing but great for streamers.— Patrick Houlton Mar 17, 2021 Nice article. Exactly what areas do you guide ?— John Kersting Mar 17, 2021 Great article, very insightful.— David Mar 17, 2021 Excellent article. I just started drifting my big tailwater after sunset last September to get the feel of casting streamers and catching fish after dark in big flows. Managing the boat and maintaining situational awareness is not for the faint of heart. One thing I wish the article had mentioned was technical specs on headlamps for night fishing— Drew Gilchrist Leave a comment Name Email Message

Shorter rods keep lures positioned within the sonar’s cone angle. With careful boat control, it’s possible (and often critical) to watch lures and fish reacting to them on the screen.

With low stretch and tiny diameter, 3-pound-test Berkley NanoFil shines for deep vertical approaches. Wide-spool reels such as a Pflueger Purist 1325 minimize line coils and lure spin — critical elements for deepwater jigging.

Spinner Stroller / SlipFloat Dipper

When hunting panfish spread across expanses, slowly trolling with a bow-mount trolling motor is essential. Methods differ north to south, but rod choices don’t. Long 9- to 11-foot rods with extra-soft tips and beefy butt sections excel for towing jigs, cranks, and small spinner rigs adorned with plastics or livebait.

For pulling spinner rigs behind 1/4-ounce bullet sinkers in vegetation, I’ve long used an 11-foot Cabela’s Match Rod, now out of production. Last season, I added an 11-foot St. Croix Panfish Series (PFS110LMF2) rod.

These long, moderately-slow-action rods perform double-duty for slipfloat fishing and for dipping light jigs into tight spots in cover. For trolling, 4- to 10-pound mono or braid works. For slipfloats, it’s 4- to 8-pound mono, depending on cover. In wood, many anglers prefer heavier braid and lightwire hooks to straighten and free snagged rigs with steady pressure.

On recent trips, I’ve been impressed by rods from B’n’M Fishing. Designed by Pickwick Lake, Tennessee, crappie guide Roger Gant, “The Difference” rods (available in 8-, 9-, and 10-foot versions) offer soft, yet sensitive tips on IM6 blanks. Crafted for a crappie tactic known as “side-pulling,” these rods also shine for spider-rigging and for tightlining deep crappies.

When drifting and trolling, multiple long rods go in holders, while anglers monitor their spread until a tip arcs deeply into hooked fish. Small line-holder reels, such as B’n’M’s Buck’s Mini Reel is a popular choice, as are specially designed single-action reels with bait alarms. B’n’M, Bass Pro Shops, and Slater’s offer fine trolling reels.

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