The Idiots Guide To Fishing Rods: How To Pick The Right Rod For Any Situation

At first glance, fishing seems pretty simple. You get a rod, a reel, a lure, and cast it out until you get a bite. However, there’s so much more to it than that. Different fish require different tackle and different tackle requires different rods and reels. All of that makes picking the right fishing rod a pretty difficult thing to do if you’re just getting started in a new type of fishing.

That’s why we put together this guide on how to pick the right rod for any situation

Picking the right rod is important for a number of reasons. It can impact your accuracy while casting, your casting distance, and even how well you can set the hook. Before we get into the details, here’s a few basic components of a rod to know about:

• Handle: The part of the rod you hold, usually made of foam or cork. You want this to be comfortable enough for a full day of fishing, while also giving you enough grip strength to fight powerful fish.
• Blank: The main shaft of the rod that determines the power and the action.
• Guides: These are the rings that the line flows through while casting your lures out and while reeling fish in.
• Reel Seat: The part of the rod where the reel is attached. Its position helps a ton with the overall balance of the rod.

You’ll hear the terms power and action a lot when picking the right fishing rod. These terms sound similar, but control two different parts of how a rod performs while fishing.

Let’s start with power. Power describes how much force is needed to bend the rod. Typically, rods are rated on a scale from ultralight all the way to heavy. Ultralight rods are going to easily bend, and are best used when fishing for panfish or small trout.

Medium and medium heavy rods are the next main step. They require a bit more force to bend, and are best for bass, walleye, and some inshore salt species. Heavy is usually the highest power, requiring the most force to bend. These are best for big fish like pike, musky, huge trout, and offshore salt species.

Next, let’s talk about action. Action refers to where the rod bends under pressure. The three main levels are fast, moderate, and slow. Fast action puts the bend towards the tip of the rod, allowing for sensitivity and fast hook sets. Moderate action is more balanced towards the middle of the rod. Slow has a very deep bend in the rod.

Another important factor to consider with the rod you choose is length. There are a wide variety of rod lengths on the market, but here’s a general sense of what’s out there:

• Short Rods: These rods are typically 6 feet long or less. They are better for fishing in tight spaces, like creeks, kayaks, or on docks.
• Medium Length Rods: These rods are typically between 6.5 and 7.5 feet long. These offer the most versatility, allowing you to fish the most species with the most methods out there.
• Longer Rods: Anything over 8 feet long is going to be considered a longer rod. These are more specialized for situations when casting distance is the primary concern with the rod.

We’ve talked about power, action, and length, but now we have to talk about the types of rods out there. For most fishing scenarios, you’re either going to be using a casting rod or a spinning rod. Casting rods are designed specifically to be paired with a casting or conventional reel. Spinning rods are designed specifically to be paired with a spinning reel. Different methods of fishing are going to be better suited for these different types of rods and reels. 

With all of that, it’s time to figure out how to pick the right rod for the right situation. The easiest way to do this is to first figure out what kind of fish you’re going to try for. Once you have that figured out, you’ll want to determine what method(s) you’re going to use when you hit the water. Here are some common options for the main types of fish anglers are after:

Bass fishing has perhaps the widest variety of rods to use when you go fishing. Many anglers keep a good variety of rods with them at all times, including setups with both spinning and casting rods and reels. Most of these rods are going to be in the 6.5 to 7.5 foot range, in medium or medium heavy power. The action varies depending on the type of method you’re using, but fast action is a pretty common option.

Panfish and smaller trout are best fished on 6 foot ultralight spinning rod with fast action. These rods allow you to cast the smaller lures you’ll be using, while also allowing you to have a fun battle when you do get a fish on the other end of your line. 

Walleye are usually fished by jigging, or casting and retrieving lures. Because of this, you’ll want a mid-length rod with moderate action and medium to medium-heavy power. These rods offer the perfect balance of strength and finesse when going after walleyes regardless of method.

Inshore salt is where you may want to think about going to medium-heavy to heavy power, as some of these fish can be big and extremely strong. Similar to bass, you’ll be using a mix of either casting rods or spinning rods depending on the methods you use. Depending on how far you have to cast, you’ll also want to use a mid-length of long rod. 

There are definitely a lot of factors to consider for picking the right rod. While this should be a good guide on knowing what to consider and some of the basics, it’s not a bad idea to do additional research on the specific fish species and methods to catch them to know exactly which rod is going to be best for you.