Buying Your 1st Fishing Rod

by Paul Mancini

Very few sporting activities can match the tranquility that a person can enjoy while sitting out on the water in a boat, rod in hand, waiting for a fish to take the bait. It’s an almost curative experience, so it certainly should not come as any surprise that fishing is one of the most favorite recreational activities in the United States.

Some ardent fishing advocates will tell you that your performance at fishing can only be as good as your equipment so it’s important to buy a good fishing rod. Unfortunately when you’re new to fishing you might not have the ability to discern the good from the not so good, so here are a couple of tidbits that can help you in picking a fishing rod of your choice that will serve you for a very long time.

When buying a fishing pole you will be boggled by the massive range of rod choices in front of you. One way of selecting is to go into the local angling shop and pick the first fishing rod that you lay your eyes on but this may not be a very effective strategy. Another way would be to weigh the aspects of each rod.

Pole Weight – Gone are those days when rods were all made out of bamboo. Technological advancements have now reached the rod industry and today most rods are made out of synthetic composite materials. Most fishing poles fall within 1 of 4 weight categories: light action, medium light action, medium heavy action and heavy action. What category a particular fishing rod falls under is usually mentioned on it. The differing weights are used to catch different types of fish, so before you purchase a pole you need to decide what types of fish you want to catch with it. As a rule, if you’re fishing for trout or small mouth, go for an ultra light action fishing rod. The medium and the medium heavy action fishing rods are more suitable for catching small pike and musky while the really heavy action fishing rods will be more appropriate for large Catfish and large Carp. I am sure by now you see a pattern emerging, that is the weight of the fishing rod should be proportional with the weight of the fish you catch with it.

Pole Length – The length is the next variable that you need to look at with respect to your purchase. The length that you choose will be driven by the location where you intend to go fishing. A more lengthy fishing pole can be expected to put more pressure on the fish when it’s on the hook. So if you are likely to go fishing in a river you probably want to purchase a longer fishing rod. Of course because the rod is longer you will want to select the ultra light or a light action rod for your comfort. A five foot rod is usually good for average water conditions while a 6 foot rod is what you’d use for rapidly flowing water.

Lastly you’ll also have to decide as to the amount of money you wish to spend. Many fishing enthusiasts will tell you to not exceed a seventy dollar budget. Usually fishing rods that fall in this price range are extremely functional and you’ll find a number of wonderful rods under this price.

About the Author:

Paul is a columnist with over twelve years editorial experience. Paul is currently engaged as a journalist with fuzing.com, and is considered the in house authority on Fly Fishing Rod and Fishing Poles.

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