Let’s Look Inside Jordan Lee’s Rod Locker, Shall We?
Many anglers on the Bass Pro Tour prefer to have all of their fishing rods in the same series. This allows for a seamless transition when switching from rod to rod as the feel, handles, and balance of rods in the same series typically remain uniform.
That’s not how Jordan Lee feels.
“A lot of guys like the same rod, so everything matches good, but I don’t do that,” says the 2020 Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year. “I like to mix and match between different Abu Garcia models because they’re all unique to me. I mix and match to find what works best for me.”
Rod Thoughts
Lee makes it look easy on the Bass Pro Tour with his laid-back style and huge success. While the rods on his deck may sometimes look like a hodgepodge of different models and colors, they all serve a specific purpose to him.
And his rod lineup includes just about everything that Abu Garcia makes.
“They’re all unique (in their function),” Lee says. “In the IKE Series, I like the 7-foot, 2-inch medium-heavy for fishing jigs and I also like his cranking rods. The Veracity lineup is great, too. There’s a swimbait rod that I cut off some of the handle and it’s now my punch rod. I loved the parabolic action of it. I also like the 7-foot-4 medium-heavy for big squarebills and ChatterBaits.”
That said, Lee admits that the Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier lineup dominates much of his deck space.
“They’re a quality rod and they’ve held up for me,” Lee says. “I’ve been using the same Fantasista rods for a few years and I’m hard on rods, so that’s pretty good for me.”
Lee’s Rod Starter Kit
When choosing rods for various techniques, Lee admits that he favors heavier blanks.
“I tend to go heavier than most because I don’t like to fish flimsy rods,” he says. “I feel like you have better control of fish. I don’t want a straight-up broomstick, but I want some power and still have a little bit of tip to work the bait.”
If cost is an issue, Lee recommends the Abu Garica Veritas lineup.
“It can be easy to get carried away with how expensive rods are now, but at the same time, you get what you pay for,” Lee says. “The new Veritas rods are the best value for the money and they have the same 3M Powerlux Technology that’s in their higher-priced rods to make them so strong.”
When asked for his top picks for rods, Lee advises selecting what you feel comfortable with based on your fishing style, but zeroed in on six actions and lengths.
“For spinning rods, I’m a 7-foot medium guy and think you can do just about everything with that rod,” he says. “I like a 6-foot-1 medium-heavy for spinnerbaits, topwaters, and buzzbaits. For jigs, a 7-foot-2 medium-heavy is a good one for 3/8- and ½-ounce jigs.”
In addition to those three, Lee likes a 7-foot-4 medium-heavy for open-water fishing with moving baits like ChatterBaits and a 7-foot-6 heavy for multiple applications such as flipping, fishing big worms, Carolina rigs, and football heads. Finally, he says a 7-foot-3 heavy is a must for fishing frogs.