by Paul Mancini

Not too many things can come close to the tranquility that you can experience while sitting in a boat, rod in hand, waiting for a fish to take your bait. It is an almost therapeutic experience, so it certainly does not come as any surprise that fishing is one of the most popular recreational activities in America.

A few experienced fishing advocates will tell you that your performance at fishing can only be as good as your fishing equipment so it’s vitally important to buy a good rod. Unfortunately when you are new to the game you may not be able to demarcate the good from the average, so here are a few tidbits that can help you in choosing a rod of your choice that will serve you for a lifetime.

When buying a fishing rod you’ll probably be blown away by the huge range of rod choices in front of you. One way for selecting would be to go into the local angling shop and pick the first fishing pole that you lay your eyes on but this probably won’t be a very effective strategy. Another way would be to weigh the pros and cons of each rod.

Fishing Rod Weight - Gone is the era when fishing poles were all produced out of wood. Technological advancements have reached the fishing rod industry and now most fishing rods are made out of synthetic composite materials. Most fishing rods fall into one of four basic weight categories: light action, medium light action, medium heavy action and heavy action. Weight categories are usually printed right onto the rod itself. The different weights are used to catch different types of fish, so before you purchase a pole you need to decide what kind of fish you want to go after with it. As a general rule, if you are 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 walleye while the heavy action fishing rods will be more appropriate for large Catfish and for trolling. I am sure by now you can see a pattern emerging, that is the weight of the fishing rod should be proportional with the weight of the fish you go after 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 select will be dictated by the place where you intend to go fishing. A more lengthy fishing pole can be expected to put more pressure on the fish during the fight. So if you are likely to fish in running waters you probably want to purchase a longer fishing rod. Due to the fact that the rod is longer you will probably want to choose an ultra light or a light action rod for your comfort. A five foot rod is usually great for average water conditions while a six foot rod is what you would use for rapidly flowing water.

Finally you’ll also have to decide as to the amount of money you wish to spend on the fishing rod. Many fishing experts will tell you to not exceed a seventy five dollar budget. Normally fishing rods that lie in this range are extremely serviceable and you will find a number of wonderful rods under this price.

About the Author:
Paul Mancini is a journalist with more than fifteen years writing experience. Paul is currently employed as a national correspondent with fuzing.com, and has become the in house specialist on Fly Fishing Rods and Fly Fishing Pole.

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