James RickardSo, it's time to buy a rod?
November 26th 2011 15:19
It’s important to know what you’re looking for when you go to buy your first fishing rod. Granted, they may not look all that complicated and they all look pretty much alike but, there are differences and getting the wrong rod can end up being a costly mistake.
When it's time, it's time.
1. The first thing you have to think about when looking for a rod is what kind of fishing you usually do. This is where a lot of people go wrong. You have to think about what you really do instead of what you aspire to do or what you would like to do. For instance, it doesn’t make much sense to shell out a hundred bucks for a nice surf rod if you’re land locked in Colorado. If you’re like most of us, that first rod may have to be multipurpose and you’re going to catch as much as possible with it.
2. Before you shell out big bucks think about something else. How often are you going to be using the rod? It may only be used a couple weeks a year and how much do you want to spend on something like that?
3. Rod size is often important too. Longer rods of seven or more feet seem to be in vogue right now but, will that really work for you? A longer rod will allow you to cast a bit further but you also have to consider storage, and ever where you fish because it’s not very pleasant when you rare back for a long cast and end up scraping a tree or get hung up in weeds!
4. Comfort would be another important factor. If you’re on vacation you may stand around a bit longer to make a few more casts. Most manufacturers today produce rods using lightweight materials such as graphite. Naturally, rods made from newer materials are going to cost more but the trade off in weight can be well worth the investment.
5. Don’t forget you may end up buying a new reel to go with your rod. Although purchasing a reel can be a task of its own, use caution and remember many of the same questions you asked when buying a rod must be repeated. If you’re a novice to the fishing game, you may want to purchase a rod and reel combination. With such a set-up, a rod is mated with a reel by the manufacturer and all factors such as weight, balance, and durability are taken into consideration.
About now you’ve probably noticed that nothing has been mentioned about various brands. That’s because there are a multitude of decent manufacturers out there and until one starts giving me free equipment, I’m not going to recommend one over another. Stick with major brands like Zebco, St. Croix, or Shakespeare and you can’t go wrong.
2. Before you shell out big bucks think about something else. How often are you going to be using the rod? It may only be used a couple weeks a year and how much do you want to spend on something like that?
3. Rod size is often important too. Longer rods of seven or more feet seem to be in vogue right now but, will that really work for you? A longer rod will allow you to cast a bit further but you also have to consider storage, and ever where you fish because it’s not very pleasant when you rare back for a long cast and end up scraping a tree or get hung up in weeds!
4. Comfort would be another important factor. If you’re on vacation you may stand around a bit longer to make a few more casts. Most manufacturers today produce rods using lightweight materials such as graphite. Naturally, rods made from newer materials are going to cost more but the trade off in weight can be well worth the investment.
5. Don’t forget you may end up buying a new reel to go with your rod. Although purchasing a reel can be a task of its own, use caution and remember many of the same questions you asked when buying a rod must be repeated. If you’re a novice to the fishing game, you may want to purchase a rod and reel combination. With such a set-up, a rod is mated with a reel by the manufacturer and all factors such as weight, balance, and durability are taken into consideration.
About now you’ve probably noticed that nothing has been mentioned about various brands. That’s because there are a multitude of decent manufacturers out there and until one starts giving me free equipment, I’m not going to recommend one over another. Stick with major brands like Zebco, St. Croix, or Shakespeare and you can’t go wrong.
Remember to take the hooks outta yer pocket before ya sit down!
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