Entry 63-2
Shaw Grigsby's Tournament Equipment Must-Haves
Rods I Always Carry When Fishing A Tournament
Editor's Note: Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Florida, has qualified for his tenth Bassmasters Classic. Grigsby has won 8 B.A.S.S. tournaments since turning pro in 1984. Shaw also has 40 top-10 finishes and has won the gold medal for bass fishing in ESPN's Great Outdoor Games.
Grigsby: All of my rods will be Quantum Tour Editions, with the exception of my spinner-bait rod. For my spinner-bait rod, I use a 6-foot 6-inch medium-action with graphite Pro Series Shaw Grigsby by Galyan's Sporting Goods. It has the most-perfect bend of any spinner-bait rod I've ever thrown, and since I throw spinner baits a majority of the time, this rod goes with me wherever I go. With this rod, I'll have an E600PT high-speed 6.2:1 retrieve-ratio Quantum reel and 20-pound original green Stren line. I'll tie a 3/8-ounce Strike King Pro-Model spinner bait on this setup.
The second rod will be a 706 PT Tour Edition with an E600 PT reel with 20-pound original green Stren line. I'll use this setup for pitching, flipping and typical soft-bait flipping. I'll use a flipping tube, Wild Thang Jr. or a worm, but this is my go-to rod.
The third rod will be a 665 Tour Edition rod with the E600 PT reel spooled with 12- to 14-pound original Stren line. This rod and reel is perfect for jerkbaits like the Wild Shiner, crankbaits like the Series 3 or even the Spit-N-King top-water bait. It's a good medium-action rod.
The fourth rod I like is a 705 Tour Edition spinning rod. I spool it with the new Stren Super Braid 20-pound-test line on the new Quantum spinning reel called the Energy PTI. The reel has 10-ball bearings. I'll have the 20-pound braid on with a 3-foot leader of Stren Fluorocarbon, which is invisible. That gives some monofilament out in front so the fish can't recognize what the line is in clear water. I'll use 15-pound-test fluorocarbon in front and no 3/0 High Performance hook, and I'll cast the Zulu and twitch it. A no. 4/0 hook will weigh it down a little and keep it under the surface.
he last rod I always have to have is a 747 Flip Stick with an E600 PT Quantum reel with 25-pound green Stren or 65-pound Super Braid depending on the situation. With the Super Braid, I use a leader of fluorocarbon if the water is clear or Super Braid if the water is dirty.
