I would love to say this was a post about catching my limit, but it's one asking for advice.

I first started reading the 12's forum posts in 2010 when I got my first 15hp 3.2m RIB and was keen to learn about softbaiting around the Waitemata; I caught up on all the older posts and kept up on all posts from there on in until 2016 when work got in the way of my fishing.

You guys were a source of a wealth of knowledge and encouragement to a very green, but keen fisherman.

Now 6 years later, I finally have a window of opportunity to get back out on the brine and have a slightly large Mac 420 that I am setting up to try and do some regular fishing from. (a little bit bigger boat than 12ft I know, but I still feel like a small boat fisho at heart)

So here's my question.

 I mainly drift fish

I try to avoid bait for the most part (this stems from having to fish in a small RIB), but I'm happy to throw out a livey or a bit of fresh caught bait on a flasher rig if needed

So my preference would be to keep softbaiting, using lures with the occasional bit of bait.

I want to know your ideal rod and tackle set-up for going out on a solo mission around the Auckland area (I mainly launch from St Heliers and head out towards Motuihe, the West coast of Waiheke, and Rakino, sometimes venturing further out towards The Noisies and around.

I generally take out the following

A couple of softbait rods with eggbeater reels with a light and a heavy sized jighead, that I then adjust depending on depth and current.

A rod and eggbeater spin reel with an inchiku ready to go

An overhead real with heavy line and a livebait hook to try and target Kingfish (very rarely gets put in the water though).

I don't currently have, but I'm thinking having something with a lure on for any surface work-ups would be useful

If you had an ideal pre-setup rod and real and tackle combination for days fish, what would it be?