What Should I Look For When Buying A Fishing Rod

Choosing a fishing rod is pretty much the first, and also the most important step to getting into this sport. The efficiency of the fishing rod basically decides whether you can enjoy fishing or catch fish. It’s the foundation of fishing. What really matters when buying a fishing rod? The first answer that pops up in your mind must be the quality. The quality of the fishing rod is the key to fishing.

While quality is a relatively vague definition. There are many aspects included when it comes to choosing a fishing rod. One must look for certain features in order to get the right fishing rod. Here are some factors to look for when buying a fishing rod.

1. Materials

The materials of fishing rods can greatly affect the performance, versatility, efficiency, and user experience. The success of choosing the right fishing rod is knowing what to choose from.

Fishing rods can be made from a wide range of materials. But the popular rod materials today are fiberglass, graphite, and composite (carbon fiber). Each material has its own advantages and deficiency. Let’s take a look.

Fiberglass rods. Fishing rods that are made out of fiberglass are usually lightweight. And the cost is very affordable. They are very durable and versatile, yet require low maintenance. Fiberglass fishing rods are built into slow to medium action. And they are less sensitive than graphite fishing rods. But the point is they are very easy and friendly to use, perfect for people who just started fishing.

Graphite or carbon fiber rods. Carbon fiber and graphite are pretty much the same things. The graphite material is a breakthrough in fishing rod-making history. Graphite fishing rods are lighter than fiberglass rods, yet have more sensitivity, meaning that fishermen can expect longer and more accurate casts with graphite fishing rods. Graphite rods are usually built into medium to fast action; it is quite ideal for both novice and experienced anglers. And the cost is affordable as well. The only flaw is that it can be delicate that would break more often if used improperly, as it is thinner and lighter.

Composite rods. Composite material is a combination of 2 different materials. Composite fishing rods here usually include both graphite and fiberglass. As a result, composite fishing rods perfectly adopt the features of graphite rods and fiberglass rods to a good extent, meaning that they have excellent performance on sensitivity and durability. Its action is a little faster than fiberglass yet slower than graphite, a medium level.

2. Reel seats

The specific difference in reel seats refers to the difference between spinning fishing rods and casting fishing rods. The reel seat of the spinning rod is designed to hold the reel pointing to the handle of the rod, downwards; while the reel seat of the casting reel is designed to hold the reel pointing to the top of the rod, upwards.

One more point is that the reel seat has a difference on the left or right on casting rods. If you choose to use casting rods, you need to decide to go with whether to use a left-handed or right-handed reel.

3. Length

There is no doubt that fishing rod material is very crucial. But the rod length also has a great impact on fishing. Regular rod length can vary largely from 4 feet to 14 feet. The general principle for choosing a rod is: a shorter rod casts a shorter distance and a longer rod casts a longer distance. It’s pretty simple. If you want to make short, accurate casts, a short fishing rod would be just fine. Long rods are designed for long-distance casting and they are heavier, obviously.

Most bass fishing rods tend to be around 6 to 8 feet. If you are going to try sea fishing, much longer rods are needed, such as surf rods. Longer and heavier rods work great for big and heavy baits as well.

4. Action and Power

Fishing rod action refers to where the rod starts to bend when the pressure is applied. It is usually classified into slow, medium, and fast, 3 actions. Generally speaking, the fast action rod provides great sensitivity; it works perfectly when you need to feel the bites, quickly set up the hook, and throw the lures far and accurately. While a slow action rod is great when using light lines and light lures to fish for small species. And medium-action rods are something in between. Fast-action rods are usually graphite rods. While slow and medium action rods can be fiberglass and composite.

Rod power explains how much pressure it takes to make the rod bends, usually rating from ultra-light to ultra-heavy. Usually, the heavier the power is, the harder the casting will be. So as said, heavy power rods are designed to throw heavy lures and set large hooks. The lighter rods are made for lighter lures. If you misuse the fishing rod, you will have a hard time casting the lure and give up eventually.

Now that you know what to look for when buying a fishing rod, you can look into your needs thoroughly and choose the one that suits you best, choosing a fishing rod wouldn’t be tricky anymore. If you are a beginner, we recommend you go with the composite casting rod, with 6 to 8 feet length, medium action, light or medium power.