Best Bass Fishing Rods
How to choose the best bass fishing rods? Should you go for the medium or heavy? Light or fast action? Is a one-piece better than a two-piece? Casting vs. spinning? 6, 7, or 8 feet? It can get overwhelming to shop for and hard to pick the right rod for bass if you don’t understand what the technical terms used to describe rod characteristics mean and if you’re just getting started in the world of bass fishing. Luckily, we got you.
To make it easy to choose the best bass fishing rods for the size of bass you go you, your casting style, casting distance, experience level and more, we’ve explained the factors that affect how a rod works and the terms used to describe them.
Rod Handle Type:
You’ll be holding the rod in your hands, and you must have a secure and comfortable grip so you can haul in the fish no matter how massive your catch is and no matter how cold the weather is or how long you’re out there pursuing bass. This is why the handle type on a brass rod is an essential factor to pay attention. The three main rod handle types are cork handles, EVA form handles and wood handles. Cork handles offer plenty of grips and is more sensitive, so it’s easier to detect any bite. They’re lighter than wooden handles. EVA foam handles are very comfortable to grip and very durable as long as they’re attached to the blank wall. Wood handles look tremendous, but their grip is not very good, especially where they’re cold. They feel cold when the conditions are cold and also get damaged easily.
Action:
The action of a rod refers to how stiff or flexible it is when it comes to bending. It describes how far down (from the tip) the rod starts turning when under pressure. The action of a rod can be seen in the shape it acquires when a weight is hanging from it.
There are extra fast, fast, moderate, or slow action rods. In some cases, the action is described as medium or heavy, which can be confusing because these are the same terms used to describe rod power.
Extra-fast action rods are least flexible and flex aggressively at the upper tip only with minimal bend through the rod length. They are also quite sensitive to any vibrations. They are best suited for bigger fish and heavy covers such as slop, docks or wood when you want to lure the bass away from cover.
Power:
The power of a rod refers to its overall strength and the energy required to bend or load the rod. Naturally, it’s how easily a rod bends. Rod power is described as oppressive, medium-heavy, medium, light, or ultra-light.
Heavy power rods are less flexible to bend than medium or light power rods. Heavy power rods are ideal when going after heavy and large fish while light power rods bend easily and are suited to small baitfish.
Rod power also determines the fishing line and lure weights you can use with a rod. The heavier the rod power, the heavier the fishing line and lure you can use. The lighter the rod power, the smaller the fishing line and lures they can handle well.
Material:
Fishing rods should be sensitive, so they transmit vibrations effectively and sturdy, durable and yet flexible so you can reel in your catch without it breaking. Bass fishing rods are made from graphite, fiberglass, or a combination of these two materials.
Graphite or carbon fiber rods are lightweight and more comfortable to use. They also have excellent sensitivity. If a fish bites, you’re better able to feel it. This makes them great at handling finicky fish. Most anglers turn to these rods when fishing in bad weather and there is a need for better feel.
Fiberglass rods are more affordable, slightly more massive than graphite rods but they’re becoming lighter. They are reliable and durable but aren’t as sensitive as graphite rods. An experienced angler can still be able to detect a bite. They tend to flex from the tip to the butt of the rod when lifting fish.
Casting Rod vs. Spinning Rod:
Baitcasting and spinning rods are the two types of rods to choose the best bass fishing rods. So should you opt for a baitcasting rod or a spinning rod?
Casting Rods:
Baitcast rods have the reel and guides/eyes located on the top side of the rod. The guides are more prominent at the reel end and gradually reduce in size as you move away from the reel.
This design gives the angler more pulling power because the weight pulls more against the rod than the guides. Casting rods can handle more massive lines and lures and are better equipped to handle more extensive and more aggressive bass.
Most anglers prefer a baitcasting rod, and most situations call for it as they require the use of more extensive line and stout equipment to work lures efficiently. And if you want to toss spinnerbaits, buzz baits, cranks, jerk baits, toads, topwater slop and do deep cranking, pitching and flipping, a casting rod is what you need. Beginners often find casting reels intimidating but once learned; they are smooth and comfortable to use.
Spinning Rods:
Spinning rods have the reel and guides located on the underside of the rod. The line comes off the spool from different directions and manuals are more significant than those on a baitcasting rod where the line comes off the reel straight off.
Spinning rods work better with lighter lines and lures and are best suited for smaller bass. They’re also great for fishing in spots that are difficult to reach with casting rods. Most beginners find spinning rods and reels easier to use and master. Some specific actions such as skipping tubes under docks, working a shaky head, drop shot rig, wacky rig, micro cranks and topwater and some other specialized finesse techniques require the use of a spinning rod.
Length:
The length refers to how long the rod is. The typical bass rod length is 6 – 8 feet. Short rods are usually between 6 and 7 feet long. Long rods about 7 to 9 feet long. The longer the rod, the larger the distance you can cast. Shorter rods give you more accuracy and control, but you can’t throw from a considerable range.
When choosing the rod length to get, consider the casting distance, where you’ll be casting from and type of bait. Make fishing easier with fishing fliers. Casting for a short or medium distance calls for a short rod. Longer rods of 7.5 to 12 ft are required for long distances such as if you fish off a wide-open area and are tall as well.
Guides:
A useful quality guide is an essential component of a brass rod as it enables you to last longer and also reduces line friction.
Ceramic or titanium guides are top quality and offer the best performance. The guides should be appropriately placed, ensuring each feature is adequately rounded to spread out the stress applied to the blank when fighting a bass.
A short rod is ideal to use with small to medium lures to go after small to medium bass. Since you are going to require heavier lures and lines for more prominent bass, you will need a longer rod.
If you are casting off from a dock, kayak or a higher vantage point, then a small rod is preferable. Without this height advantage, a longer rod is necessary. To check our best kayak trailers for transporting your kayaks such as fishing kayaks, ocean fishing kayak.
FAQs
Q: What Are The Rods Made From?
A: Rods are made from graphite, fiberglass, or a combination of the two materials in the case of composite rods. Graphite rods are incredibly lightweight, have excellent sensitivity, are comfortable to use for prolonged casting.
Fishing rods should be sensitive, so they transmit vibrations effectively and sturdy, durable and yet flexible so you can reel in your catch without it breaking. So, It is very important to choose the best bass fishing rods. Bass fishing rods are made from graphite, fiberglass, or a combination of these two materials.
Fiberglass rods slightly heavier than graphite rods but they’re becoming lighter. They are reliable and durable but aren’t as sensitive as graphite rods. An experienced angler can still be able to detect a bite. They’re better suited to larger fish and experienced fishers.
Composite rods are made from a combination of graphite and fiberglass. As such, they combine the sensitivity and low weight of graphite and the strength and durability of fiberglass.
Q: One Piece or Two Piece (or more) Rod?
A: This depends on how portable you want your rod to be. Rods are very long, and it can be hard to carry them.
Two pieces or more rods are more comfortable to transport as they’re designed to break down into parts. You can dismantle them into pieces making them compact enough to carry easily and fit in smaller spaces for storage.
There are also telescoping rods that telescope and get very small for convenient during travel without having to handle multiple pieces. If you have a way to transport a complete rod easily, then it’s better to go for a one-piece rod as it has more sensitivity and gives you more control.
Q: What About Rod Power And Action?
A: Power and action are terms used to describe the characteristics of a bass fishing rod.
Power:
Rod power or backbone describes the overall strength of a rod and the energy it takes to bend the rod. In simple terms, it’s how easily a rod bends. Energy is described as oppressive, medium-heavy, medium, light, or ultra-light.
Heavy power rods are less flexible to bend and are ideal when going after heavy and large fish while light power rods bend easily and are suited to small baitfish. The heavier the rod power, the heavier the fishing line and lure you can use. More luminous rod power goes with lighter fishing line and lures.
Action:
The action of a rod refers to its stiffness or flexibility. It describes how far down (from the tip) the rod starts bending when under pressure. Movement can be seen in the shape it acquires when a weight is hanging from it.
The above is the best bass fishing rods that are top-rated by fellow bass anglers. They all offer distance, accuracy, strength, comfort, durability, sensitivity, and all of the features essential in a good bass fishing rod. They’re made by great brands and have proven to choose the best bass fishing rods. If you like our fishing rods articles, you might want to check our fishing waders, kayak accessories, fishing float tubes and a lot more. Go over the above bass rod reviews and see if you can find the right one for you.
Q: What is the Purpose of a Good Bass Fishing Rod?
A: Having a good bass fishing rod that suits you makes you more successful at catching bass. A good bass rod for you works well with the specific lures you’re using allowing you to get the bait out as far as you need it to go without spooking the fish.
It has good sensitivity and alerts you to even the tiniest nibble at the end of your line so you can be ready to for action. And it enables you to fight the bass and haul it without hurting your hands or the line breaking.
This way, a good bass fishing rod makes you better at catching this aggressive species and enables you to enjoy the experience more.
Conclusion:
Your success as a bass angler highly depends on the rod you’re using. A good bass fishing rod increases your chances of a successful catch. It can be hard to detect, catch, and haul successfully if you don’t choose the best bass fishing rods. As much as you’d like to grab a rod as fast as possible and go try it out in the water, it’s essential to take your time to ensure you choose the best bass fishing rods.
Now that you know how to choose the right bass fishing rod, you can make an informed decision. It’s also essential to ensure that you have the right rod and reel combo and that the rod suits your fishing style and the weight of the fish you’ll be going after.