Choosing Your Fishing Rod
There are many, many different types of fishing rods available, ranging from cheap to expensive, from plain to fancy. Yet, only you can tell which rod is the best for you. To do that you need to try one out in the store, to get the “feel” of it, but before you dash out to your local fishing retailer, you need to gather some information.
The Right Action
The term action in fishing can mean two things: how the fish are biting and how your rod lets out the line. The second type is the important factor to understand before you head to your favorite fishing retailer to buy a new rod. Fishing rods are separated into five different classifications of action: ultra light,
light, medium, medium-heavy and heavy. Every fishing rod has this information printed on it just above the handle, including some suggestions about line sizes and lures. So, when you visit the store, you can easily tell which rod has which type of action.
Knowing the rod’s action classification is important, because different types of fishing require different types of action. When you’re out fishing, you may run out of luck with one type of fish, or your fishing conditions might change (water rising after a hard rain). For those reasons, anglers suggest having more than one type of rod in your arsenal. If you have rods with different types of action, you can more easily adapt to changing situations.
The Lighter Side of Fishing
Ultra Light Action rods are just what they sound like, very lightweight. They are perfect for small rivers and streams, particularly when wading in the water. A short ultra light is fine for slow moving water, but you’ll need a longer rod in stronger current. Ultra light action rods are great for pan-sized fish and for trout.
Light Action rods are used for the same situations as the ultra light. They are often recommended over ultra light action rods for beginners, because they provide a little more control. Like the ultra lights, these rods are great for trout and pan-sized fish.
Caught in the Middle
Medium Action rods fall smack in the middle of the action spectrum. When you’re wading in larger rivers, going after larger fish, the medium action rod is the perfect choice. You can use medium action rods for walleye and smallmouth bass, and for trolling smaller lures.
Medium-Heavy Action rods are the preferred size for trolling, and you can also fish for salmon and steelhead. These rods are geared for the bigger fish, those in the 10 to 20 pound range. Anglers going after largemouth bass often prefer to use medium-heavy action rods.
The Heavyweights
Heavy Action rods are obviously for the rods used to catch the “big ones”. Anglers will often use heavy action rods when fishing for largemouth bass in heavy cover. Rods in this group are designed to snag the fish weighing 20 pounds and more. They can also be used for heavy trolling, as with downriggers.
