I’m a proponent of multiple rods. I have mostly spinning rods, but that alone gives me an infinite array of combinations or choices. There are long light ones, short light ones, long stiff rods, short stiff rods. Rods that cost twenty bucks and rods that cost two hundred.There is no such thing as the all purpose rod and reel. Instead, buying a rod and reel is all about choices. It’s about figuring out what type of fishing you like to do, when and where. Those circumstances will help you make the best rod and reel choice for your applications
Take pike fishing for example. I love to cast for pike, yet that alone has many options. In the fall, when 10 – 20 pound pike lurk in the shallows, I cast stuff that’s so heavy, like ten inch suicks or jumbo magnum Rapalas, that anything less than a stiff as a pool cue rod and at minimum, twenty pound test is simply took weak a set up. Why? It’s all got to do with hook setting power. A big hook needs more oomph in the rod to get the job done. Hence the need for short, stiff, very stiff rods. But most people don’t use hooks that big, which is a bit of a missed opportunity, especially in the fall, because if they did they’d run into the odd 40 inch or bigger pike and that’s a lot of fun
But speaking more mainstream, a 6’6” pike rod with a fast tip, which means a stiff rod through most of the backbone with some flex near the tip is an excellent choice. It offers the backbone to muscle pike through weeds and is effective at tiring them out quickly so you can either keep it or return it back to the lake or stream for an effective release.Trout rods, on the other hand are the complete opposites of pike rods
They should be flexible, are usually 6’6” or 7’ and have an action that is either medium or preferably medium light. A trout rod is also ideal for pursuing lake whitefish and rocky mountain whitefish.
The reasoning behind the desire for flex in the rod is because of the way a trout fights and the make up of the mouth. Trout and whitefish have soft mouths, so a medium or preferably a medium light action outfit will bend and flex with the struggle of the fish. Because the rod makes an extremely effective shock absorber, the hooks are less aft to pull free allowing you or I the opportunity to land more.
Purchasing a rod is a lot like most every other purchase. Get one that’s best suited for the job you wish it to do. If you’re at all curious about the rods I like to use, my favorite series is the lightning rod signature series put out by Berkley. They’re moderately priced, which is good and they have a wide range of rods from the light flexible ones for trout, to the heavy rough and tumble outfits to handle big heavy gamefish. Plus, they’re super dependable and have served me well over the years.
Drop by any Fishin’ Hole location for excellent advice or check out the store on line. There are multitudes of good rod manufacturers out there and I’m positive that you will be able to pick up a decent outfit for a reasonable price
