Selecting a Rod

Selecting a Rod

There are many good rods to fit any budget. The key is to know what you're buying. There are many characteristics that make up a rod. Here's what you'll find.

Rod Length

Length - A long rod gives good casting distance and accuracy, even with lighter baits. It will also give you improved control over the shorter rods. Shorter rods however are easier to cast in cramped areas without a lot of casting room.

Rod Action

Action - Fast-action rods have good sensitivity and a quicker, more powerful hookset. Slow-action rods have a slower hookset which makes it great with using live-bait because fish can swim off without feeling much resistance. Slow-action rods also have an advantage with fighting fish as it enables the tension in the line to bend the rod instead of breaking the line. Fast-action rods flex near the tip whereas slow-action rods flex across the length of the rod. Fast-action rods will enable you to detect a bit easier than with a slow action rod.

Rod Power

Power - This refers to the stiffness of the rod. A heavy power requires more force to bend than a lighter power rod. Heavy power in a rod enables you to use larger weights and lures and catch larger fish. Sometimes, for the fish you are catching or the bait you're using, a light powered rod is more suitable. Consider where you'll be fishing and what fish will be biting when choosing how much stiffness you'll need. Are the fish large, or small, fighters or not so much, and is their a heavy current? A light-power rod will work perfectly for small trout in calm water.

Many anglers will carry a variety of rods, with different levels of power, action and length while fishing so as to maximize their chances of a catching a fish, or to simply reduce the effort and make the catch easier.

Resources:
Fishing rod products

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