James RickardChoosing a fishing rod
August 6th 2007 02:20
Going to the tackle shop or sporting goods store to buy a fishing rod can be a mind boggling experience. There are so many varieties out there that it’s a good idea to make a few decisions ahead of time so you can pare down the selection.
The first step to getting the rod that’s right for you would be to ask yourself an important question—What kind of angler are you????? Are you a weekend angler? Are you making a once-in-a-lifetime trip with the gang from work? Or, maybe you’ve never been fishing and hope for a little tranquility in the country.
At the lower end of the spectrum, the old saying, “You get what you pay for,” is fairly accurate. You can pick up a rod & reel combo for under $30 with prices going up from there. These are adequate for occasional fishing or to check out the sport but, someone fishing frequently will probably want something else.
The most important thing to know is if you want a spinning rod or a baitcasting rod.
A good rod may not make you a better angler—at least not right away but, it can lead to bigger and better things. If you consider the rod a tool, you must remember that professionals always employ the best tools they can afford. Good tools usually mean better work!
One of the hottest things to come down the pike lately in the world of fishing is graphite rods. This strong, but light weight, material has been around since the 70s and can now be found in rods at many price points. Using this material improves the rod’s sensitivity and makes the rod lighter without sacrificing strength.
As for length, 7 ft. or even more seems to be in vogue. Get the longestt you can comfortably handle despite what you just read! If you’re only five feet tall, a seven foot rod will be pretty hard to handle. Granted, a short rod may be accurate for casting but, the added length comes in handy for various applications and a longer rod means farther casts.
When looking at rods, one term you hear a lot is “action.” This, basically, is how much the rod will bend. A fast action rod will bend in only the top third or so. Medium or moderate actions will bend about half of their length while a heavy action will have a bend starting in the lower third of the rod. Medium or medium-fast rods are popular because they provide a little more casting distance and work well with a variety of hooks and lures.
Something else you have to consider is strength. It’s important to have a rod with enough backbone to pull “big ones” out of cover. This is one of the advantages of graphite. A strong graphite rod will will look like a weak rod of just a few years ago! Yet, it will be much stronger while being lighter!
If nothing else, remember this—when it comes time to get a rod, look for through-the-handle construction. This is pretty simple and is what it sounds like. The rod and handle are all one piece. On less expensive rods the handle is made and then the rest of the rod is bonded into a holder called a “rod seat.”
You should also pay attention to the guides—those round gizmos the line goes through.
The top rod has double footed guides while the bottom is single.
Even if you don’t worry about the inserts, you still want to think about guides because you may have to choose between single or double foot guides. Double foot guides are more secure because there are two places to secure each guide to the rod. The trade off here is that there will be SLIGHTLY less curving action in such a set up.
Believe it or not, you even have to consider the grip these days. Cork grips look really sharp but, some manufacturers are turning toward foam grips to cut costs. If you go with an inexpensive rod, the grip may be formed plastic! Although the best rods usually have cork grips, cork alone is not necessarily the mark of a good rod. There are varying quantities of cork so, you have to think twice before choosing a rod simply for the handle!
If you've gotten this far, you have the rod and now you need a reel. Tomorrow's post will deal with that task!
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
*large image from morguefile.com
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Comment by Candice
I'll have to pass this info on to my hubby - he loves to go fishing but I think he's only ever caught anything once
Comment by James Rickard
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