Rods, reels, lines, lures, and the essentials. Organized by category, no padding. The exact gear referenced in the book and the app.
Three rods cover 95% of bass fishing. Don't let anyone sell you a fourth before you wear the first three out.
St. Croix Mojo Bass or Dobyns Fury. Fast action. The rod that does jigs, Texas rigs, squarebills, lipless cranks, spinnerbaits, frogs, and chatterbaits — pick any one and it works.
St. Croix Mojo Bass or Megabass Levante. Extra-fast tip. The rod for Neko rigs, drop shots, Ned rigs, shaky heads. The Easton Fothergill setup.
Dobyns Champion or Lew's Custom Pro. For pitching big jigs, flipping mats, frog fishing, working through laydowns. The rod for fish you didn't think you could land.
A baitcaster, a spinning reel, and you're done. Buy quality once.
Smooth, durable, magnetic brake, and the price point that doesn't make you cry when you drop it overboard. 7.5:1 ratio for the all-purpose retrieve speeds.
For squarebills and slow-rolling spinnerbaits where 7.5:1 burns the bait too fast. The "I want to slow down" reel.
Smooth as silk. The reel for finesse work — Neko, drop shot, Ned. Pair with 10 lb braid and 8 lb fluorocarbon leader.
Two lines. Fluorocarbon and braid. Skip mono unless you're fishing topwater or trolling.
The default casting line. Sinks, near-invisible, abrasion-resistant. 15 lb for jigs and Texas rigs; step up to 17–20 lb for heavy cover and flipping.
For frogs, punching mats, and as a main line on spinning gear with a fluorocarbon leader. Casts farther, sets hooks harder, doesn't stretch.
10 ft fluorocarbon leader on the end of your braid for spinning gear. The premium fluoro that makes a real difference on pressured fish.
The seven from The Bass Playbook. Buy these, in these confidence colors, and out-fish anyone packing fifty.
Colors: green pumpkin (clear), black/blue (stained). Rig wacky, Texas, or weightless. The most consistent bass lure ever made.
5" Senko in red bug + 3/32 oz tungsten nail weight + Owner Mosquito Light #1 hook. The 2025 Classic-winning rig.
Strike King Tour Grade in green pumpkin/brown with a Rage Craw trailer. The big-fish bait.
Colors: sexy shad (clear), chartreuse/black back (stained). Deflects better than anything in its price range.
Colors: sexy shad, chrome/blue back, red craw. 6 of 9 Bass Pro Tour events in 2025 had Top-10s on this category.
Colors: green pumpkin/goby, The Deal. 1/6 oz mushroom jighead. The most consistent finesse rig in modern bass fishing.
Screamin' Eagle with gold/silver willow-Colorado blades in white/chartreuse. The stained-water, wind-blown-bank weapon.
Boring on the surface. Career-extending in practice.
Inflatable, comfortable, automatic. Wear it every time — yes, even bank fishing near deep water. Cheap insurance against the worst day of your life.
580G lenses. The difference between "I'm not sure if there's a fish there" and "there are three fish there." Worth every dollar.
Cuts braid, mono, and fluoro cleanly. Lanyard included. Loses the cap exactly once, then it's tied to your shirt forever.
The Bass Playbook explains why Mike picks these specific brands, sizes, and colors — and when to switch to which one. $19, instant PDF.