Your Favorite Rod-n-Reel Rig

It's not a secret there are a multitude of factors going into a rod and reel selection.  The anglers skill level, targeted species, and budget come to mind right away...
I'm just kinda curious what everyone uses as their "Go-To" rods and reels...and why?

Rod...length...spin/cast/bamboo stick...weight

Reel...spin/cast...size

Line...mono/braid/???...weight

I know when I was a kid fishing the trout creeks in Eastern Oregon, my favorite setup was a green willow stick...medium weight...about 5' long...with about 20-30 feet of 4-6 lb mono

Hmmm, that depends on what type of fishing you're talking about as there is no one rod/reel that will do it all...well.
Last time I counted I was at 17 rods/reels...I have a couple 7' light action casting rods that I use for Kokanee trolling, a couple different spinning setups for river fishing, a couple bass casting rods, several bottom fishing rigs from medium up to heavy action, a couple trolling rods with linecounter reels for salmon trolling...you get the picture.
For whatever fishing I'm doing I normally have a couple different rods setup and ready to go to save time on rigging. 
I don't get too attached to my rigs...they're just tools to catch fish. I also don't spend a ton of money on them as the often get broken/lost/left behind/lent out/etc...I don't by cheap stuff either, I look for mid-priced quality brands that have favorable reviews/recommendations.

What type of fishing specifically are you refering to?
 

Hmmm, that depends on what type of fishing you're talking about as there is no one rod/reel that will do it all...well.
Last time I counted I was at 17 rods/reels...I have a couple 7' light action casting rods that I use for Kokanee trolling, a couple different spinning setups for river fishing, a couple bass casting rods, several bottom fishing rigs from medium up to heavy action, a couple trolling rods with linecounter reels for salmon trolling...you get the picture.
For whatever fishing I'm doing I normally have a couple different rods setup and ready to go to save time on rigging. 
I don't get too attached to my rigs...they're just tools to catch fish. I also don't spend a ton of money on them as the often get broken/lost/left behind/lent out/etc...I don't by cheap stuff either, I look for mid-priced quality brands that have favorable reviews/recommendations.

What type of fishing specifically are you refering to?
 

I can't disagree at all.I got about that much also.that's not counting fly rods

The one with a fish on it .....
Ask the guys down south that put 12 rods on a kayak for one day of fishing.

To refine your conversation let's decide what type of fishing we are talking about. My squid rod is my favorite for squid but sucks for most everything else.

How long is a piece of string?

Seriously...

I have emotional attachment to a couple of my rigs. For example I have a handmade Fenwick fly rod given to me years ago, but I almost never use it (so it doesn't have a fish on the end of it).

I have quite a collection for different purposes, and always looking at others. I am also usually letting my friends and family use my gear for the same purposes at the same time, so I have at least 2 of something of that same type. Then there are the other differences such as baitcast or spinning reels that I prefer for different purposes. Remember... its not always the size of the rod that counts either...

I think it's possible to have a favorite setup no matter what type of fishing you're talking about.  Or, just a rod you really like, and a reel you really like, but they aren't on the same setup.  It's that rod that for some reason, just feels right.  Whether it's because it is nice and light weight, or has the action that you've come to appreciate.  It's that reel  that never lets you down and requires seems to never quit, even when it's a little behind on the maintenance schedule.  The drag is always smooth and the roller bearing doesn't get stiff.  Sure, you've got other setups for different types of fishing and they work ok, but this one just seems to perform at a top notch level for what it does, rather than how your other setups perform at their jobs.  It's that rod and reel setup that has brought you some great fish memories that you'd grab first on your way out of your garage as it is going up in flames.

Remember... its not always the size of the rod that counts either...

"Like" button...... my prized ultra light collection is my favorite

8'6" Lamiglas Kenai Killer, Tekota 600 for the big ones---G Loomis plug rod and Canyon HS15 for the rest of the time.  9' Spiral wrapped Walker downrigger rod with line-counter Okuma for trolling in the Strait.

I think it's possible to have a favorite setup no matter what type of fishing you're talking about. 

Completely agree...but most are specific to a certain species or fishing style. To be honest, my absolute favorite setup is an Abu Garcia 6601 on a 6' med/hvy tiger stick lite...like you so said, it feels great, I've caught a ton of fish on it and I'd rescue it first from a fire...after my family of course...then if there was time I'd go back for the dog.

These are a few of my favorite things ...

Shakespeare Ugly Stik Tiger, BWC 2201-2 270, with a Abu Garcia BG 7001 HS for bottom fishing.

Berkley Air IM8 Casting, A92-8-6XH, for trolling and heavy casting.

Berkley Air IM7 Spinning, A94-8-6M, with a Shimano Spheros SP4000FA for light casting.  Nothing like hooking a pink or coho on light gear.

Penn Spinfisher Surf 11', SBG-9811MH, with a Penn Spinfisher Metal 750SSm for surf casting.

Lamiglas Trifex 10-20 7' Shimano Talica 8
... Hands down favorite kayak  bottom fishing set up. It has caught everything from 40+" lings to 100+ pound halibut to still feeling a greenling bite.
Way overkill on the reel but it is my baby.

Probably my most favorite and go-to combos

SAMR1174C and Daiwa Saltist 30C - Trolling for Salmon

SASR1002C and Abu Revo Toro - Awesome for Salmon spinners and also doubles as a great Tiger Muskie combo

GL2 853C JWR and Abu STX-L - Amazing all-around Bass rod (topwater, jigs, spinnerbait and big crankbaits)

GL2 821S DSR and Okuma Epixor 25 - drop shot combo

Lami EXS 910 ML and Daiwa Aird 3000 - steelhead bobber-jig

What type of fishing specifically are you refering to?

I wasn't refering to any one type of fishing or style in particular...just a generalized "What setup do you like" question. 

We, as the NWKA, range geographically from NoCal to Alaska...to Montana and Colorado...and I think a few strays a little further out still.
I think it's interesting to see what kind of rigs some of the other guys are using, as I'm always open to a different approach.   ...well, usually...

As for me, one of the best poles I ever had was bought at K-Mart(?) around 1984 ish...
It was a 1 piece rod, about 2-2 1/2' long with a closed faced reel...and was the ultimate ugly puke-tan
No idea of the make, but I caught everything from trout, crappie and small mouth to 24" catfish on it...
Basically a puke-tan Barbie pole...

I think there are some excellent rods and reels out there...
Most of the "high end' rods I've played with seem a little fragile feeling to me. I tend to be a little rough with my gear.  It's to be used, not hung on a wall and looked at.
I appreciate quality, but some of the reels out there cost more than some cars I've bought...

Due to price, strength and reliability, my money is on an Ugly Stik / Pfleuger pairing for an "All 'Round rig"...the 8 1/2 medium or medium heavy spinning...paired with the Pfleuger president 40...dig that reel...
I hold reservations on the new GX2 series Ugly Stik though...simply because I haven't handled one yet...but I do like that they fixed the eye insert issue...

I don't have a favorite setup right now. My favorite rod is the one I toted around with me everywhere when I was a teenager. I inherited it from my older siblings. It was probably made in 1970 or thereabouts. It's hollow fiberglass 2-piece made by South Bend, I think. It's had many repairs but it's caught literally hundreds of fish and I still like the action. I still have it, waiting for when my boy can appreciate it.

About 10 years ago I rummaged around my dad's garage and found a beautiful old deep sea rod he'd used in Florida. He doesn't fish anymore, but I stole it, took it home, and refurbed the whole thing. The now-antique Penn Jigmaster reel shines now, and the rod has new urethane on the wooden handle and some touch-up varnish. It's kind of a broomstick but it's nice to look at. I gave it back to him for Father's Day that year and took him out in my powerboat sturgeon fishing. He caught his first sturgeon on it. I wish I could say that got him back into fishing, but it didn't. Still, it was a good day. So that is one of my favorite combos, but not because it's actually useful to me.

Overall if I had to only have 1 fishing rod it would be a 7' or 7'6" light-action graphite steelhead rod with a cheap spinning reel with 8lb line. Whole setup should cost $60 or less. I feel like I could have fun fishing that for most of what I do.

I likely would have replied by now, had the question been: What is your favorite species to fish for and what's your favorite rod to use. It's just so darn hard to narrow it down to a single rod from my arsenal of 12 (no salt rods yet, so I fully expect it to grow from 12 to 15/16).

Anyway for trout, I'm pretty much glued to my Lami 6'6" 4-10lb 1/8-1/2oz light - fast action using a Shimano Stradic 1000

For steelhead, it's a dead tie (technique dependent) between my:
Loomis 1021C IMX 8'6" 10-20lb 1/3-4oz med - ex-fast action using a Shimano Calcutta 251B
or my
Lami X86 8'6" 8-17lb 1/4-5/8 med/mag -  ex-fast action. using an abu 5501C3
A close 3rd in this category, (which actually gets used more) is the trusty bobber rod which is a
Lami 9' 8-12lb 3/8-3/4 med - fast action using a Shimano Stradic 2500

I expect something to change, as soon as I decide which rod to put my new Shimano Curado 301 on... but have yet to fish with the reel.

Anytime I'm using any of those 3 (ok 4) rods, I feel I'm using my favorite.