I use a variety of rods over the course of a fishing day. One of my favorites is a 7-foot baitcasting model called the Cranking Stick. I use this rod a lot during the pre-spawn for fishing Rat-L-Traps and other type of crankbaits. It has a soft tip that gives when a fish strikes. You need a rod with a flexible tip when fishing crankbaits, one that won't jerk the lure out of the fish's mouth.

We've been catching a lot of bass on my home lake of Toledo Bend in recent weeks by Carolina-rigging a lizard in 4 or 5 feet of water. The rod I prefer for this is the Johnny Morris Signature Series 7-foot rod with a medium-heavy action. The rod's light but very strong, and it's very sensitive.

I like a long rod for spinning, also, when I’m throwing real light lures like a small Rapala or a small Rogue. The rod I use for this is a 7-foot medium-action Extreme XPS spinning rod with a Bass Pro Shops XPS 30 spinning reel. It'll fling a small lure on 8-pound line a long way. I use this rod for fishing grubs, wacky worms and other finesse lures.

The baitcasting reel I use most often is the 5:1 retrieve ratio Pro Qualifier from Bass Pro Shops. This reel comes in several different retrieves, but I like the 5:1 ratio the best. Nobody fishes reels harder than tournament anglers, and that reel stands up well to the rigors of tournament use. The reel's smooth and reliable. You can’t get a better-quality baitcaster for the price.

Tracker Marine pro Tommy Martin has made 18 Bass Masters Classic appearances. He won the Classic in 1974, the first time he competed in the event.