Define "Light Tackle" For Me......
 

I know I've seen a thread about this somewhere in the past few years, but damn if I can remember......

Anyway, my idea of "light tackle" for bay fishing is a medium or medium/heavy spinning rod and up to about 14lb braid. Usually throwing 4" or 5" swimbait, Bass Assasin, Ratltrap or medium sized Hopkins.

For freshwater it's an ultralight with 6lb mono or maybe braid. Might even jump up to 8lb if I'm getting all up in the structure or grass. Usually throwing a beetlespin, bobber and jig, small Rebel crawldads, etc.

So what's your idea of "light tackle?"

Spot,
You just about hit it on the head, I use a 6’ or 6’2” M/H action rod spinning or casting and depending on the weather conditions I use a 3/8 to 1oz jig head with a 6” BKD. I like using 12# Power Pro and color to me does not matter. I know some guys use a Med action rod but I like the M/H with a fast tip.

I was thinking the same setup but only with 20 lb. or less.

For the Bay:

Light tackle - 2500 series spinners with 10-15lb braid on 6' - 7 med or med-heavy action rods or low profile bait casters on 6'- 6'6"med or med H rods for fishing weights upto about an oz or so. good for bottom fishing (ie. filling the livewell with spot), jigging,

Med tackle - Penn 965 combos, 310gti combos, Penn 460L with 20-30lb braid or 15-20lb mono, 1-4 oz jigs used for chumming, livelining, jigging heavier jigs, trolling for smaller fish with smaller baits.

Heavy tackle - 330 gtis with 20-30lb class rods. 30lb mono.. good for trolling big baits for migratory fish.

I prefer med action rods....rated for 1/4 to 5/8oz...extra fast action

Easiest way to tell "what is light tackle fishing" would be .....anything that is not a trolling rod that would require some sort of "touch" skill, etc or able to "detect" that little tick , now that would be LTJing......

Kind of like trolling except you actually catch the fish yourself...

I usually troll with 6'6" rods. Some of my friends use rods as small as 5' 6" rods. These rods are lighter than mine; thus "light tackle":D.

You can still use 80# braid and a 32 oz mojo on these LT rods:eek:.

5th (Marty)

I don't think I could cast a 32oz mojo with my medium action rod...so we will call your light tackle rods...heavy hitter light tackle rods...:D

Anytime you are legitimately concerned about your gear breaking while fighting your target fish the tackle is light. Medium bass rod is lite tackle for rockfish, but not for spot. 50# standup might be lite tackle for a grander blue.

lot of good def'ns on web to cover the rest of the world. but around here, someone says 'light tackle' i pretty much assume they're going to talk about something other than trolling. if they say LTJ, i assume they're getting ready to talk soft plastic, and become slightly surprised if they next use word hopkins for example.

now my neighbor doesn't own any trolling rod but whatever he's casting is fair game for getting dragged behind the boat a little bit if they ain't biting. what do you call that?

I'm with you on the soft plastics...
I would define what he is doing as light tackle trolling....