Most of us have experienced that intense waiting game as we hope and pray for the fish to bite. Whether as a leisure activity or a bonding exercise, fishing is something that never fails to fill us with nostalgia and a sense of relaxation.
Whether you’re visiting the lake for the weekend or camping by the river, fishing is the way to go! An open sea and a couple of hours invite for the time that can both be relaxing and entertaining.
Fishing, though, has a lot of lovers, a lot of people can’t decide about rod they need to buy. It can take a while and a lot of trial and error to find the “perfect” fishing rod. But if you’re in a hurry, fret not! We’ve got you the ultimate guide on how to choose a fishing rod for your next trip to the waters.
Table of Contents
#1, What Do You Need for Fishing?
You might be looking to go in for a fishing trip, and your essentials list could feature many things, including:
- Fishing rods,
- Sunblock cream,
- An insect repellent,
- Waterproof phone casing
Yet, choosing the right fishing rod is harder than you think.
#2, First off, What Type of Rod Do You Want?
The first step to choosing your fishing rod is to understand the kind you may want. A flipping rod is great for freshwater and still areas, but will not work well with crankbaits.
The crankbait will affect the accuracy of the flipping rod and thus, should be used with a spinning one. A spinning rod I especially suites for baitcasting and needs to have the right
power, action, and length trio to be a good one. Where good power and action make the cast longer and precise, the length gives the rod more control.
#3, Get the Pressure Right
The power or the pressure one needs to apply to bend the rod makes a red light, medium, or heavy in power. Many companies also use the medium/light and medium/heavy levels in these. A few companies use the rating of one to five instead, where one is the lightest, and five is the heaviest rod.
The power of the rod decides its ability to work underwater. One rod doesn’t work for all kinds of water and thus, you must keep in mind where you’re going before buying anything. Light action rods take the least amount of pressure and are good for smaller fish.
Similarly, the heavier rods demand more pressure and can be used in the sea to catch heavier fishes.
Video: Fishing Rod Guide | How To Buy Fishing Rods | Spinning & Casting Rod Selection Tips
Video Credit: Mystery Tackle Box
#4, Check the Flexes
The flexor the action of a rod is dependent upon how far off from the tip will it bend when flexed. The action in a fishing rod is either categorized on its speed (slow, moderate, fast, extra fast) or similar to its power ratings (light, medium, and heavy).
The speed variation describes how fast will the rod stop bending and transfer its power to the blank of the rod. For example, an ultra-fast one bends for only 3-4 inches before stopping. Thus, the action of the rod will determine its ability to cast and whether your bait should be light or heavy.
#5, Do you Want it Long or Short?
The power and action of the rod work in combination with its length for longer and more stable casts. Long rods are good for picking more lines on the hookset and help you get a good swing on it.
This doesn’t put a lot of pressure on you as well, and also manages any hiccups while taking in the hooked fish. Thus, longer rods always make up for better fishing.
#6, Crank Baits or Spinner Baits?
Baits are usually dependent upon the power and action of the fishing rod and should be chosen based on the area you’re fishing in. A crankbait with a treble hook has a shallow throat. This means that the hook will only get into the skin inside the mouth of a fish, not giving an effective cut. Thus, these baits usually have 2-3 hooks to dig in deeper.
Thus, a medium rod with fast action works best in this case as it will bend until halfway allowing a deeper cut into the mouth of the fish. This won’t allow the fish to free itself.
Spinnerbaits come with large single hooks than tiny treble ones. These hooks are used to get through the jaw of a fish and are best used for heavy sea fishes. Thus, the use of a heavy rod with fast action will give the bait a good balance without overloading it. This will increase the accuracy of the rod.
#7, Check the Material of your Rod
Fishing rods are made out of two materials, namely, graphite and fiberglass. A fiberglass rod with medium or lighter action gives the rod the perfect bend which stays throughout its length. However, graphite is not only lighter than the latter but also a more sensitive material. It is also stronger than the fiberglass and provides durability to your rod. Therefore, though expensive, it makes for a better choice in a fishing rod.
#8, Are your Line Guides of Good Quality?
Unlike the assumption, the line guides play a key role in choosing your fishing rod. A good line guide helps you detect the strikes that could be transferred to the fishing line through the rod blank. Thus, good quality line guides become tremendously important in fishing. The line guides are usually available in two sizes called standard and micro. The micro guides make for a lighter rod, and are thus, very popular these days. However, they should always be chosen depending on your need.
#9, Look for the Perfect Grip
You could have a fishing rod with great power, fast action, and a good length. But all of this is of no use if it isn’t easy to grip.
The handle of the rod thus becomes crucial to your purchase. Rod handles are usually made of either cork, EVA foam, or both. Both the materials are light and give you a good grip. However, it’s the length of the handle that is able to cast a difference.
A longer handle allows you to hold the rod with both hands, which comes handy when catching a heavier fish. On the other hand. Shorter handles allow for a single-handed grip and roll the cast better.
The process of choosing a fishing rod is dependent upon the type of fishing trip you’re making and the kinds of fish you’re expecting to catch. Understanding the environment you’ll be it makes the process of finding the perfect rod a lot easier.
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