Fishing Rods and Reels
A daunting task for every beginner fisherman is walking in to the local anglers shop and selecting his or her first rod and reel. There are literally hundreds of rods and hundreds of reels to choose from, each with its own nomenclature that many find a bit baffling. Each type of equipment is optimized for a specific purpose, so let’s break it down this way.
The first thing to know is there are 5 main types of rod / reel combinations. The first we'll discuss is Spincasting. Spincasting is the choice most often suggested for beginners because they are simple to operate, difficult to backlash and very affordable. The spool of line is enclosed which prevents the line from falling off and tangling itself. Because the line is fed through the small hole at the head of the reel, it produces more friction than other reels. The more drag on your line, the less distance you’ll be able to cast your line. If you think you're planning to fish more than a handful of times with your first rod and reel, you'll be better off not choosing this combo. There are better choices in our opinion to come.
Spincasting gear showing here is often the choice for a beginnger because its nearly impossible to backlash and the casing keeps the spool from falling off.
Baitcasting is another type that allows better accuracy in where you drop your line. Pressure is applied with your thumb directly on the unspooling line. This type of combination usually come with stiff rod and sturdy rotating reel, easily handling heavy line. This type of rod is suitable for use with larger lures in dense cover. Anything lighter in this environment and your line is likely to snap.
Baitcasting is often the selection for the seasoned angler. This type of rod and reel combination is suited for big fish, big lures and thick weed growth. This is a great choice to add to your collection if you're finding that your light weight gear just isn't tough enough for those difficult areas.
Spinning gear is different than the above reels in that this reel doesn’t spin, thus making backlash an impossibility. Your line still has a chance of getting twisted and tangled. The advantage with this type of gear is less friction and drag. The line comes off as loose coils, allowing the line to be cast long distances even with small lures. This type of gear is ideal for fishing trout and salmon, perch, bluegills, and can even be used for walleye or bass.
Spinning gear is a great choice for light lures. The open-faced reel allows it to cast long distances as the line flows off the spool easily.
This is an excellent choice for beginner fishermen and women. This type of spinning rod and reel combination can be used in wide range of fishing and equally suited for the beginner to the experienced.
Another type of gear is flycasting. A long rod, typically 8 to 9 feet, is used to cast a heavy line carrying a light lure called flies. The long rod helps maneuver the line through the air as well as positioning and controlling the lure on the water. The rods for fly fishing are rated with a weight designation from 3 to 10 weight which matches the weight of the line being used.
Flycasting is fun and challenging. Some of the primary differences of fly fishing to spincasting is the distinct casting techniques and the bait. Artificial flys, resembling a variety of insects are made of thread, fur, feathers and other materials. Fly fishing was originally a technique used to fish trout and salmon, but has since found to work well with pike, bass, carp and other marine species.
Trolling gear is another type designed for trolling or downrigger fishing. The reels have large capacity reels with long lines. The rods are stiff for trolling heavy baits, or flexible for downrigger setups. Trolling is a fishing method in which lines with baits or lures are dragged by a vessel at a speed of 2-10 knots.
Resources:
Rod and reel products
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The first thing to know is there are 5 main types of rod / reel combinations. The first we'll discuss is Spincasting. Spincasting is the choice most often suggested for beginners because they are simple to operate, difficult to backlash and very affordable. The spool of line is enclosed which prevents the line from falling off and tangling itself. Because the line is fed through the small hole at the head of the reel, it produces more friction than other reels. The more drag on your line, the less distance you’ll be able to cast your line. If you think you're planning to fish more than a handful of times with your first rod and reel, you'll be better off not choosing this combo. There are better choices in our opinion to come.
Spincasting gear showing here is often the choice for a beginnger because its nearly impossible to backlash and the casing keeps the spool from falling off.Baitcasting is another type that allows better accuracy in where you drop your line. Pressure is applied with your thumb directly on the unspooling line. This type of combination usually come with stiff rod and sturdy rotating reel, easily handling heavy line. This type of rod is suitable for use with larger lures in dense cover. Anything lighter in this environment and your line is likely to snap.
Baitcasting is often the selection for the seasoned angler. This type of rod and reel combination is suited for big fish, big lures and thick weed growth. This is a great choice to add to your collection if you're finding that your light weight gear just isn't tough enough for those difficult areas.
Spinning gear is different than the above reels in that this reel doesn’t spin, thus making backlash an impossibility. Your line still has a chance of getting twisted and tangled. The advantage with this type of gear is less friction and drag. The line comes off as loose coils, allowing the line to be cast long distances even with small lures. This type of gear is ideal for fishing trout and salmon, perch, bluegills, and can even be used for walleye or bass.
Spinning gear is a great choice for light lures. The open-faced reel allows it to cast long distances as the line flows off the spool easily.
This is an excellent choice for beginner fishermen and women. This type of spinning rod and reel combination can be used in wide range of fishing and equally suited for the beginner to the experienced.
Another type of gear is flycasting. A long rod, typically 8 to 9 feet, is used to cast a heavy line carrying a light lure called flies. The long rod helps maneuver the line through the air as well as positioning and controlling the lure on the water. The rods for fly fishing are rated with a weight designation from 3 to 10 weight which matches the weight of the line being used.
Flycasting is fun and challenging. Some of the primary differences of fly fishing to spincasting is the distinct casting techniques and the bait. Artificial flys, resembling a variety of insects are made of thread, fur, feathers and other materials. Fly fishing was originally a technique used to fish trout and salmon, but has since found to work well with pike, bass, carp and other marine species.
Trolling gear is another type designed for trolling or downrigger fishing. The reels have large capacity reels with long lines. The rods are stiff for trolling heavy baits, or flexible for downrigger setups. Trolling is a fishing method in which lines with baits or lures are dragged by a vessel at a speed of 2-10 knots.
Resources:
Rod and reel products
back | top | next: Selecting a Rod
