Technology has made fishing a lot easier, and many big companies are making fishing rods and other fishing-related equipment.
Because fishing rods are the foundation of fishing activity, you must be a master before buying a good product. Choosing one fishing rod has become more challenging, especially for beginners.
There comes a question, Is it a complicated task to select a fishing rod? And how to buy a fishing rod that works well?
Therefore we turned around a pro solution to make you aware of the essential tips for buying a fishing rod. Hence, these rods are critical for fishing but necessary for the activity.
There are many types of fishing rods. It depends on your decision on what type of fishing activity you want or which kind of fishing you want to catch, then it becomes easy to understand what rod you should need.
However, it is impossible to fish without a quality fishing rod. In this article, you’ll find Tips For Buying A Fishing Rod (Complete guide to buying fishing rod). It will genuinely help you to choose your best fishing rod in little time.
Tips for buying a fishing rod
Once you make up your mind to buy a fishing rod, certain things help you purchase them. There are several things that help you in purchasing once you make up your mind.
Although buying a fishing rod is necessary for fishing, it is not as difficult as one thinks. It is compulsory to know about fishing rods before purchasing.
Some tips regarding fishing rods might help you choose the best fishing rod for your fishing activity. These are:
- Types of fishing rods according to the fish species
- Material of the fishing rod
- Length of the fishing rod
- Speed or Action of the fishing rod
- Power of the fishing rod
- Handles of the fishing rod
- Fishing rods portability or conveniency to travel
1. Types of the Fishing Rod
Types of fishing rods are categorized for different fishing applications. Because fishing is a vast and adventurous activity, it requires different fishing rods for other fish species.
Every type of fishing rod has its specific reason or purpose for functioning. It includes various features: material of the fishing rod, size of the fishing rod, speed and power of the fishing rods, etc.
The different types of fishing rods include:
- Spinning Rods
- Trolling Rods
- Baitcasting Rods
- Surf rods
- Ice fishing rods
And many other types. So when reading this guide to buying a fishing rod, ask what kind of fishing activity you prefer. It will be extremely vital for you if you are buying a fishing rod for your preferred fishing activity.
However, you can use a specific fishing rod for other fishing types, and its performance and efficiency drop. So the major tip for buying a fishing rod is to make a clear mind about your choice of fish species and the technique.
It helps you select the best rod among the various rods.
2. Material of the Fishing Rod
Material is the manufacturing property of fishing rods, making them durable, more substantial, and long-lasting.
Checking the composition of fishing rod material is another essential tip before buying the fishing rod. Primarily the quality material used for manufacturing the fishing rod consists of three types.
- Graphite
- Fiberglass
- Composite or Combination of both Graphite and Fiberglass
Below is a detailed description of checking these material rods and their specific properties. That will help you understand the material of the rod and its best uses for your fish species.
2.1 Graphite
Graphite is a natural material that extracts from crystalline carbon. It has mineral properties, and most fishing rods are made from graphite, which is usually light, sensitive, easily breakable, and stiffer than the other rods.
The important thing about graphite rods is that due to their lightweight, they detect the light bites of the fish and easily catch them.
2.2 Fiberglass
Fiberglass is reinforced plastic that comes from glass fiber. It provides insulation to the rod and reinforces the lightweight rods for the best performance.
The fishing rods made of fiberglass weigh heavily, are unbreakable, and offer flexibility. You can use them for heavy fish, and they are much more capable of catching large fish than other fishing rods.
2.3 Composite or Combination of both Graphite and Fiberglass
Composite material is the third material category used for fishing rod making. It is a combination of graphite and fiberglass material.
It has different physical and chemical properties that make the fishing rods strong, stiffer, resistant to electric power, durable, and capable of fishing in different conditions.
These combinations make them ideal for fishing, along with multiple features.
3. Length of the Fishing Rod
The length of the fishing rod is another key thing that needs to be considered before buying a fishing rod. The length of the fishing rods depends on the short casting distance and long-distance capabilities.
Short length rods are best for casting short distances and catching small fish. These rods perform better in a restricted area of water, whereas the long fishing rods are best for long casting distances and catching large fish.
A tip for easily measuring the rod’s length is to put a rod in your hand. By gripping it in your hand, start measuring it from the tip of the rod to the rod’s blank or body.
It bends at the top and produces flexibility for catching the big fish. The long length fishing rod is the preference of the saltwater fishermen, because it covers major water areas for fishing and makes long casts.
Therefore the length of the fishing rod is compulsory to consider before purchasing the fishing rod. So you can comfortably swing the rod like chores and make all round casts.
4. Speed or Action of the Fishing Rod
The speed or Action of the fishing rod is the most important key point for the best performance of rods. It depends on the rod manufacturing material, length, bending capacity, or handling position.
You have to look at the speed or Action of the fishing rod keenly. The speed of the fishing rod ranges from a fast pace to a low rate.
It helps in bending the fishing rod according to its speed. It has two major types.
- Fast Action Rods
- Slow Action Rods
4.1 Fast Action Rods
The fast action rods bend closer to the tip and have a stiffer bone that helps catch big-sized fish. An immediate action rod is the best choice for anglers or fishers because of its stiffness and detection of light vibrations. They are ideal for powerful hook setting and quickly snapback with good sized fish.
4.2 Slow Action Rods
Slow action rods are truly impressive and initially recommended to beginners for making good casts. The slow action rods bend closer to the butt and are ultralight.
They help you tackle the aggressive fish that can produce the angling thrill to the rod. It helps maintain the light pressure on the fish for better results and is an easy tip for beginners.
Therefore the speed or Action of the fishing rod is an important tip that makes you aware of the selection of speed or fast Action and slow Action of the fishing rods before purchasing them.
5. Power of the Fishing Rod
The power of the fishing rods is the capability of rods to bear pressure. The fishing rod’s power defines the bending or resistance of the fishing rod.
According to fish size, these rods are categorized as the heavy power fishing rods and light power fishing rods.
- Heavy Power Fishing Rods
- Light Power Fishing Rods
5.1 Heavy Power Fishing Rods
The heavy power fishing rods have stiffness and provide less bending capacity to the rods. It helps you to pull the fish from the undercover areas.
It is famous for capturing the frogs, top water fish, and jigs requiring less bending to the rod. It has heavy lines that work best for catching large fish species.
5.2 Light Power Fishing Rods
The light power fishing rods are ultralight and have more capacity to bend. They have thin fishing lines that work best for catching lightweight fish species and are seen less in the open water.
It is best for lighter lures and smaller fish species. It detects smaller species, like panfish, trout, and many more.
The more or heavy power fishing rods and light power fishing rods function in bending. So this is an essential tip for buying a fishing rod and catching the fish species.
6. Handles of the fishing rod
Understanding the fishing rod handles is another important tip for anglers. The handle is the position where the fisherman holds the fishing rod.
The fishing rod handle is made from different materials that make it comfortable for dealing with fish. It uses the material of EVA foam, cork, and some other combination material.
The handles of the fishing rods also differ in size. Some handles are longer in size, and some are shorter in size.
Therefore, it is necessary to check the handle because the handle size impacts the casting of the longer and shorter distance.
The longer handle of the fishing rod allows the angler to put both hands while catching fish. At the same time, the shorter handle of the fishing rod allows the fishermen to tackle the fish only with one hand.
The longer handle casts a longer distance, and the shorter handle casts a shorter distance. The fishing rod handle tip is checked by holding the fishing rod in your hand.
So try to choose the comfortable and easy-to-grip handle of the rod.
7. Fishing rods portability or conveniency to travel
Another key element before purchasing is the portability and convenience of the fishing rod. It is because fishing is not an indoor activity, and one usually visits different places for fishing.
So before purchasing, you need to check whether the fishing rods are portable or not. The portability of the fishing rod is checked by its pieces, size, weight, carrier bag availability, secure packing of the rods, and fishing equipment container kit.
The portability of the fishing rods is vital because the professionals, anglers, or fishers plan the different places to explore for fishing.
In the search for new fish species, it is essential to know about the portability of the fishing rod before purchasing it. When the rods are portable and convenient to move, then you can easily explore many places.
Conclusion
Fishing is among the best activities, but having quality gear makes it even more enjoyable. Various things must need consideration before buying a fishing rod.
This article provides a complete guide to buying a fishing rod and its key aspects. All these tips and steps are from our personal experience. We hope you’ve liked this guide and easily understand them.
This guide makes our fishing experience a remarkable performance. It covers all the fundamental aspects of a fishing rod, and most importantly, it gives you a clear cut idea to check the rod by easy method.
So this guide will surely help you to choose the best rod for buying your new fishing rod. Try to follow each step and share your experience of purchasing fishing rods. Cheers!
Frequently Asked Questions
What to look for when buying a fishing rod?
A fishing rod is manufactured with many components. Each component has great importance in building a valuable and competitive rod. The most important things about fishing rods are length, size, material, Action, power, handle, portability, and convenience of a fishing rod.
What are high end fishing rods made of?
The high ends of fishing rods are often made of graphite, carbon fiber, fiberglass, and composite material. These material compositions made the rods durable and eBay for the casting process.
What does the speed of a fishing rod mean?
The speed of the fishing rod means how quickly the fishing rod is bent after perfect casting. So the speed of the rod matters in the flexibility of the rod. The fishing rod’s good speed and performance are based on the quality of the composition.
What are fishing rod handles made of?
Handles of the fishing rods are usually composed of wood, carbon, rubber, or EVA foam. Every fishing rod brand has its compositor combination of materials. They made the handle more comfortable to grip and lightweight for easy handling.
What are the different types of fishing rods used for?
Different types of fishing rods are designed based on various fishing techniques. Because each fishing technique has specific features that require a particular functioning rod, so, some of the types of fishing rods are categorized as follows:
Spinning rod
Fly fishing rod
Casting rod
Ice fishing rod and many others.
How much does a good fishing rod cost?
Usually, fishing rods are available in each price category. The highest price of fishing rods exceeds 1000 + dollars, or the lowest price rods are available under 100 dollars. Every fishing rod brand gives you different offers for different rods. It is your choice and interest to buy a fishing rod accordingly.