How To Choose A Fishing Rod

 The base of your complete angling setup is a good fishing rod. Using the appropriate kind of rod is important, but so is quality. You cannot, however, throw an old Bass rod and expect to land a Marlin.How to choose a fishing rod for you out of the innumerable varieties of fishing poles available?

Selecting a fishing rod can seem intimidating. Your brain might spin with all the factors to take into account, which range from length and materials to action and power. In light of this, we’ve listed the key points you need to be aware of along with the advantages and disadvantages of the various kinds of fishing poles available.

man looking at rods

What length fishing pole is appropriate?

One of the first things you should consider when selecting a new rod is length. Rods can be between 4 and 14 feet long, and range from sturdy close-quarter fishing rods to long casting poles! It’s crucial to match your rod with the type of fishing you’re going to do because these extremes have certain trade-offs. Why? Read on.

Casting distance is significantly influenced by rod length. Longer rods tend to produce longer casts, but they are far more difficult to handle. However, you are much more constrained in how far you can cast the line with shorter rods, which allow you much more control.

Consider that you are kayak fishing for undersea structure. You don’t need to cast out that far in this case. What you actually need is an easy-to-hold rod. A 5-7′ rod excels in this situation. In order to catch big fish, you need use shorter rods because they are more strong.

A longer 8+ foot rod, however, can save your life if you’re wading or casting topwater walking lures. Although it may appear laborious to swing these rods, you will be able to make some very long casts.

A 7′ fishing pole is a solid all-around option for beginners, according to the majority of fishers.

how to choose a fishing rod

Which type of rod material should I select?

Graphite, fibreglass, and composite materials assist in how to choose a fishing rod (a mixture of the two). Knowing which rod material to select will have a significant impact on your success when fishing because it has a big impact on performance. Let’s examine each type’s advantages and disadvantages.

Fiberglass Rods

Fiberglass fishing rods have been a mainstay of the angling industry for a very long time. These rods are incredibly resilient and sturdy. Additionally, because they are simple to create, they are also reasonably inexpensive.

Fiberglass rods are a wonderful option for beginning anglers due to their robustness and reasonable cost. However, there is a cost to employing them.

Because fibreglass rods are flexible, they offer little feedback, which makes it much more difficult to detect lighter bites. Additionally, they are rather heavy, which is not ideal if you’re battling fish for an extended period of time.

Fiberglass Rods

Graphite rods

Since the 1970s, graphite rods have been used in place of their fibreglass counterparts because they are lighter. These fishing poles are well-deservedly popular, yet myths about them frequently surface. Let’s address some of those.

Those IM6, IM7, and IM8 marks were definitely noticeable if you’ve ever looked at a graphite rod. These are descriptors for various stiffness levels, often known as modulus. The material is more rigid the greater the modulus. To put it another way, a producer can use less material with a stiffer graphite to achieve the same rigidity. You will now have a lighter rod as a result.

An IM8 rod will not, contrary to popular belief, be stiffer than an IM6 rod. The IM8 will be lighter than the other rod, however both will really demonstrate the same stiffness.
Graphite rods have the advantage of being extremely sensitive to biting. This can make casting and general handling a genuine joy, along with the reduced weight. However, using these rods is not always rosy. Graphite rods can also be much more brittle since they are stiffer. The cost is another disadvantage because it is frequently higher than a fibreglass rod of comparable quality.

Composite Rods

There’s a good possibility that fibreglass and graphite rods won’t cut it if you’re the kind of angler that prioritises performance over all else. Composite materials can be useful in this situation.

Composite fishing poles, made of a blend of graphite and fibreglass, provide you all the flexibility you need without adding much weight or sacrificing sensitivity. This is how you manage a 100-test lb line on a 20–30 lb frame rod, to put it simply.

If you’re accustomed to fishing in a number of different waters, composite rods are a fantastic option because of their versatility. The most expensive kind of rods available are composite ones, as you might anticipate. It is undeniable that they bring the fish aboard; the question is whether you will find the additional fee to be worthwhile.

Swift, medium, or sluggish action?

One of the essential performance elements of a fishing pole is action. Action determines how much and where your rod will bend and is governed by the form and material of the rod. Action also determines how quickly the rod returns to its initial position after being “loaded.” The terms “quick,” “medium,” and “slow” refer to this.

The manner you handle your rod and the types of fish you can land with it are both clearly greatly influenced by action. You should be aware of these three key rod actions:

how to choose a fishing rod

Fast Rods

Fast action rods bend near the top, just beneath the tip. The slightest nibbling will cause them to vibrate, directly conveying vibrations to your palm. Strong hook setup is great for fast rods since they can snap back rapidly.

When it comes to hooks, fast action rods work best with single hooks, worms, and big jigs. Fast action rods are excellent for removing fish from dense cover because to their quick moving tips and sturdy backbones.

You can pursue very large fish because to the sturdy backbone. With a rapid action rod in freshwater, you can catch anything from a largemouth to a muskie. The largest Tuna and Billfish of all types can be found in saltwater, making them the cream of the crop.

Medium Rods

The top of the pole bends in medium action rods. You can cast reasonably far with them, and they have good hook-setting skills and feedback. Medium action rods work nicely with multiple-hook setups since they move a little more slowly than fast action rods. They extend the fish’s time to bite as well.

But that doesn’t imply you can’t employ single hooks. The extra adaptability is only provided by medium action rods. Another benefit of versatility is the ability to fish in a variety of waters and catch fish of all sizes.

Slow Rods

You can find sluggish action rods at the other end of the spectrum. Slow action rods are bendable all the way to the butt, making it a lot of fun to fight even the tiniest of creatures. You’re going to adore these if you enjoy fishing for trout or panfish.

Casts made with slow-action rods can be really stunning. Having said that, when casting, you actually need to match the lure’s size to the rod. Use the smallest lure that permits you to make a good cast is a good rule of thumb to keep in mind.

Why use little lures? Because slow action rods need additional time to successfully rig a fish, in contrast to fast-setting heavy action rods. Since their little tips need less force to pierce the fish, treble hooks perform very effectively in these circumstances. Spinners and rattle baits are two other fast-moving lures that work well.

Slow motion rods have the drawback of making it harder to place the hook. Because of the rod’s bend, you must draw back further when the fish bites than with rapid action rods. However, it becomes much simpler to keep the appropriate amount of strain on the fish after the hook is in place.

Rod power 

Rod power, which is closely related to rod action, is a rod’s capacity to withstand pressure. Heavier rods are better for bigger fish, as you can probably expect, while lighter rods are better for smaller fish.

The same reasoning applies to pairing heavier lines with heavier rods and lighter lines with lighter rods. There is certainly some wiggle room here, but in general you want to abide by the markings that are inscribed on the blank of the rod. Use a rod that is excessively hefty, and the line can break. The rod could suffer the same fate if the line is too heavy.

Typically, rod strengths range from Ultra Light to Light to Medium to Medium Heavy to Heavy to Ultra Heavy. Remember that a heavy offshore rod and a heavy Bass rod are absolutely unrelated. Possibly, one is rated for a 25 lb line while the other is rated for an 80 lb line.

how to choose a fishing rod

Rod markings

Okay, you now understand how to choose a fishing rod. How do you know, though, that the rod you just picked up is the right kind? For starters, virtually all fishing poles have distinct marks on them. All the information you require about the rod you are viewing is included in these numbers and letters.

Usually, the first three or four numbers you see relate to the length of the rod. The suggested line and lure weights come after the kind of action.

If so, a medium-heavy 7′ 3′′ spinning rod that can handle lines weighing between 10 and 15 pounds and lures weighing between 14 and 34 ounces is what you need. This rod is two parts, as shown by the number “2” after “73.”

Although not all rod manufacturers do so, the majority do. You can always ask the salesman to clarify each symbol if you’re purchasing your rod in a store.

Components

Most of the rod characteristics we discussed are found in the rod blank, or the actual stick. More than that, there are a few other rod parts you need to be aware of before picking a fishing rod.You’re probably asking yourself, “Do I really need to know about rod guides, too?

We don’t blame you, but you’d be shocked at how much these tiny rings can impact how well you fish. There are a few things you should be aware of, though there isn’t much to them.

The majority of guides are comprised of metal with an interior ceramic covering. The coating lessens friction on the line, enabling smooth movement. These days, ceramic-coated rod guides are almost universal on fishing rods.

We advise you not to purchase one if you encounter one with flimsy metal guides.The amount of guides is the second consideration that you should make. For instance, a 7′ rod may have 6 to 9 guides.

As a general rule, a rod is better off with more guides. By adding more guides, you’ll be able to throw with more accuracy and more evenly distribute the strain on the line and rod. The choice of how many advisors you want to have ultimately depends on your budget. More guides will cost more.

Rod Handle

You’ll come into contact with the rod handle, which is the last thing on our list, the most.

Material

Cork or EVA foam are the two standard materials for the rod handle. The majority of anglers concur that cork is a more cosy material, providing greater padding and warmth on a chilly day. But more importantly, cork is up to three times more sensitive to vibrations than foam.

The disadvantage of cork is that you won’t get as much use out of it as you would foam, and it will cost you more money. Cork is also more difficult to maintain clean and prone to dents, which is a problem if you’re used to leaving your rods on the rocks while wading or storing them in rod holders.

Foam is definitely a better choice for fishermen who don’t want to worry about keeping their gear organised and clean.

These days, you may also obtain carbon fibre grips that have superb sensitivity and no reliability problems. Similar to the argument over rod blanks, carbon fibre is a better option, but it will stretch your budget a little farther.

Shape

Although rod handles come in a variety of shapes, two stand out as the most popular. These are the trigger stick and pistol grip. The pistol grip is a compact, curved handle with an index finger hook. This style of handle is excellent for accurate casting and precise jigging motions.

The longer handle of the trigger stick enables two-handed casting. It is often more effective while combating larger species and allows you to cast far farther than the pistol grip. It just depends on the type of fishing you enjoy as there is no price difference between the two.

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