There are different types of fishing rods in the market. Choosing the correct fishing rod is very important for a fishing enthusiast. Technically, there are certain types of fish in certain types of water and all these fish require a different kind of fishing tactics and instruments. You won’t be able to catch every kind of fish with a single rod. Casting rods are long and flexible whereas other short and rigid rods are great for game fishing. From this article, your this confusions will be reduced as we have all different types of fishing rods explained here. But first, let us see what a fishing rod actually is.
Some of The Best Fly Fishing Rods For You
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What Is A Fishing Rod?
A fishing rod is a flexible, long rod used for fishing. While traditionally made up of bamboo, today they are made from carbon fiber and fiberglass. The basic construction of a fishing rod is a stick or a pole attached to a line ending in a hook. The rod length can be anywhere from 2 to 20 feet. For attracting a fish, baits are skewered on one or more hooks attached to the line. The line is kept on a reel. For large scale fishing, nets are commonly used. Nets are also used for commercial purposes. In contrast, fishing rods are used in recreational fishing.
Different Types of Fishing Rods Explained
| Fishing Rods | Water Supported | Meant for | Length of the Rod |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casting Rods | Freshwater | Bass, Trout, Walleye, etc. | Comes in all Sizes |
| Fly Rods | Saltwater | Fishes like Tuna | Comes in all Sizes |
| Spinning Rods | Freshwater | Bass, Trout, Pike, Walleye, etc. | Comes in all Sizes |
| Ice Rods | Frozen Lakes/Rivers | Ice fishing | 24 to 28 inches |
| Surf Rods | Saltwater | Sea Fishing | 10 to 12 feet |
| Sea Rods | Saltwater | Sea Fishing | 3 to 15 feet |
| Trolling Rods | Freshwater | Tuna and Marlin | Comes in all Sizes |
| Telescopic Rods | Both Salt and Fresh Water | All types of fishing | 1 to 2 feet |
| Pen Rods | Both Salt and Fresh Water | Smaller Fishes | Usually 8 inches (Pen Size) |
| Ultra Light Rods | Freshwater | Pan Fish (Trout, bass, etc) | Spinning/Casting Variant (4 to 5 feet) |
There are many types of fishing rods, each of which is suitable for a specific type of fishing. For instance, fly rods are used with artificial flies as bait, spinning rods are used to cast baits, ice fishing rods are designed to fish through small holes in ice-covered lakes. All these kinds of fishing rods make up the fishing rod spectrum. Each of these has its own unique uses, features and are used for a certain environment.
So, without any further ado, let’s see the types of fishing rods and their respective features.
Casting Rods
Casting rods are made to give freedom to the fisherman. It allows a fisherman to place a bait precisely. There are two types of casting rods; spin casting and bait casting but modern rods are simply sold as casting rods. There’s not much difference between the both.
They can handle heavier cover so they can be used to catch a reasonably heavy fish. Spin casting rods generally consist of smaller eyes and a forefinger trigger grip. But they do have one larger eye nearest to the reel.
Fly Rods
Fly rods have a wide range of shapes and sizes and they are generally used for fly fishing. Fly fishing refers to fishing with a fly as a bait. Fly rods are thin in weight and they are very flexible. This allows you to get the fly back and forward. Since they come in all sizes, you can catch a tiny trout to a huge saltwater fish like tuna.
One thing that separates a fly rod with other rods is a lack of a butt section, this implies the angler can be cast freely. Fly rods also have unique eyes called snake eyes designed to give guidance to the heavy fly line. This prevents tangling of the fly line. The material that a fly rod is made of is generally carbon fiber as they allow greater flexibility and strength.
Spinning Rods
Spinning rods resemble casting rods but they are usually smaller and lighter. They can range from 5 to 9 feet and have 5 to 8 eyes. Similar to the spin casting rods, they have 1 large eye close to the reel that reduces the friction when casting.
The main difference between casting and spinning rods is their usage. While you can use casting reels on the top of a rod, spinning reels actually hang beneath. This makes it more comfortable and easier to fish and for this reason, spinning rods are most used rods by amateur fishermen.
Ice fishing Rods
Ice fishing rods have similarity with spinning rods but they are much shorter to accommodate for the lack of space while ice fishing. Their length is generally 24 to 26 inches and they consist a smaller number of eyes than spinning rods.
Some of them don’t even come with a reel. However, they do have two opposing hooks mounted on the rod.
Surf Fishing Rods
Sur Rods aren’t the rods you can use while surfing. They’re actually a type of sea rod. They have an extremely long length that allows a heavy sinker. The bait can be cast a long way and they consist of long butts that enable you to implement a two-handed casting technique. They look like a heavier spinning rod and can be used to catch sea fishes.
Sea Fishing Rods
Sea rods are generally designed for fishing in the vast ocean. These rods can range from quite short to really long ones. They are heavy and very thick, they have heavy tips and the eyes are large. The butt is also long that helps fight a large fish. The heaviest sea rods are even used for tough shark and game fishing. Sea fishing rods are also usually coupled with big reels. The line is also very heavy.
Trolling Rods
The term trolling also refers to a method of fishing. It is a form of angling during fishing where the lines with lures on a hook are dragged behind a boat to catch fish. Trolling rods are generally focused on large game fish such as tuna and marlin.
A trolling rod is generally longer than other others, has a heavy built and fast action. Their usage is although minimum. They’re not really required unless you are targeting a really large game fish, spinning rods will generally do the same job as effectively.
Telescopic Rods
Telescopic Rods are meant to be the ultimate compact rod. They are extendable and the length ranges from 1 to 2 feet long when closed and up to 20 feet when extended. They seem like spinning rods when they’re extended. They have a number of eyes and the tip is flexible. This makes the casting easy.
Although some telescopic rods are eyeless and the line is guided through the center, these are some specialized telescopic rods. These rods are famous among surf fishermen as the rods allow a relatively large rod to be easily compact enough for portability and storage.
Pen Rods
Pen Rods are more compact than telescopic rods. They are meant to be folded up in a case which looks like a large pen. Pen rods are actually the world’s smallest fishing rods. These rods will easily fit in a pocket making it very portable.
These rods are obviously very light and they can only be extended a few feet. The quality of the line and the reel that you decides what performance you will get out of the rod. While they are never recommended for everyday use, pen rods can be great to have for some unexpected fishing opportunities.
Ultra Light Rods
As the name suggests, the ultralight rods are used to fish for ultralight species of fish. Spinning or spin cast rods are generally considered as ultralight rods. However, fly rods in smaller line weights are also heavily used for ultralight fishing. They protect the thin diameter lightweight tipped used while angling.
The spinning and casting variant of the ultralight rods are much shorter at 4 to 5.5 feet or 1.2 to 1.7 meters. They also have more limber than normal rods. The fishing line has a weight f 1 to 6 pounds. There are some ultra-light rods capable of casting lures as light as 1/64th of 0.4 grams. These lures are basically wet flies, tubes or baits such as trout worms. These rods were meant to bring more excitement to fishing. Nowadays they’re used to catch panfish such as crappie, trout, roach, bass etc.
Quick Tips For Buying Your Fishing Rod
When you’re out there choosing a fishing rod, there are a lot of things that you need to keep in your mind. This is a quick overview of the FAQs while purchasing a new fishing rod.
Q. What fish will you be fishing for?
This is the first question that you must ask yourself. What are the fishes available at your fishing spot? As different fishing rods are meant for different fishes, it is important that you do this research. You wouldn’t want to go fishing for a 50-pound specimen carp with a light trout rod. The rod needs to match the fish type & size.
Q. On What type of water will you be fishing?
Your fishing location also determines your fishing rod. Fishing at a fast flowing river might need a different fishing rod than a still water. Fishing in a frozen lake requires Ice fishing rod whereas a sea requires sea fishing rod. Your fishing rod should be compatible with the fishing venue.
Q. What is the right length for you?
Fishing rods come in all shapes and sizes. Once you know the type of fishing rod you need to buy, the next thing you do is choose the one with the correct length. You don’t want to struggle with a 12 ft rod when a 9 ft rod is much easier for you.
Q. What is your budget?
The last thing you want to consider is money. You can allocate a budget to your fishing endeavors and spend accordingly.
Wrapping Up!
In conclusion, the general proverb of “plenty of fish in the sea” holds somewhat true. Hence, the distinction between the ways to catch those fishes is obvious. As we’ve seen, fishing Rods can be of many types and those different types of fishing rods explained here. There are a lot of factors to consider before buying the right one. At the end of the day, it’s all about the requirement. Study the type of fishes that your fishing spot has and the type of water it has, checks the appropriate length of the rod that you can handle and finally, make a purchase that fits your budget.