Ladies & Gentlemen, I Introduce To You, The Gil Slayer

It was about time. I had researched fishing equipment and tackle for about a week now it was finally the moment to pull the trigger and make my purchases. The first thing on my list was picking up a good fishing pole with a nice reel and lining it up with some killer thread.

I was under the impression I needed the following 3 things to pwn Bluegill:

• A fishing rod - Ultralight, slow action, short, 
• A fishing reel - Smaller sized, 2-8 pound ready, front drag, more ball bearings
• Fishing line - 4 pound test mono

This is what I ended up getting:


My Rod

Shakespeare Ugly Stick GX-2 Ultra Light 2 Piece Fishing Rod - 5' ($40)

I looked at a bunch of different rods in the $20-$50 price range. While this rod is a little clunkier than some of the other options, I figured that would make it more durable. This rod also had a lot of good reviews and was from a popular brand so that sealed the deal since I wasn't sure how to feel out the rod. I opted for the shortest available (5 feet long).  It's no lacrosse stick, but it will do.

My Reel

Shimano Sienna FD 500 ($30)

I picked my reel a little differently. I basically picked it based on reviews of both reels and reel brands. I was looking in the $20-$40 range and the Shimano appeared to be the best at the price point. I opted to go with the smallest one, despite hearing that the smaller the reel the more tangles are possible. I also read that front drag is the way to go over rear drag. Enough about drag.

My Line

Berkley Trilene XL Smooth Casting - 4 Pound Monofilament Test - Lo-Vis Green - 220 Yards ($8)

I really wanted to get some braided line (and I actually did, just didn't put it on). I picked lo-vis green because lakes are green looking...lol seriously, that is why. I got 4 pound because that was what my research taught me. I got mono because I didn't want to make things complicated. I got that brand & kind because...I guess I randomly picked it.


Quite a nice little panfish setup if I do say so myself! Oh and in case you were wondering. This little diddy has a name. The Gil-Slayer...


"Lot's of people name their swords." ... "Lots of c***s" - Game of Thrones