PROS OFFER TIPS FOR CHOOSING
THE RIGHT FISHING ROD
by John Neporadny, Jr. for Outdoor Guide
Visit any bait-and-tackle shop or sporting goods store across the county and you'll witness the same whipping and bending frenzy in the fishing rod section.
While searching for the perfect fishing rod, prospective buyers will wip the rod as if they are running a team of horses in a chariot race or they will bend a rod until it nearly doubles over.
"I see more thought process going into rod selection than I do reel selection," says Scott Rook, a B.A.S.S. pro who also works in a fishing tackle store in Little Rock, Ar.
The whipping and bending tests will give you some clues about the tip action and stiffness of a rod, but Rook recommends less strenuous methods for determining the right rod for your fishing style.
"The best thing to do if you are not sure about choosingg the right action for the rod is go to a pro shop with a knowledgeable staff that can help you," Rook says. "All rods are specialty rods now. There is a rod for fishing worms and jigs, a rod for fishing crankbaits, a rod for spinnerbaits, etc."
The biggest mistake is buying the wrong action of a rod for fishing particular lures.
"A moderate action rod pretty much bends through the entire blank from the tip on down, whereas a fast action rod has a 80/20 split in which 20 percent of the rod tip will bend real well and the other 80 is a stiff backbone," Rook says.
Fast-action rods work best for worm and jig fishing or spinnerbaits. He suggests selecting moderate action rods for crankbaits.
Store Inspections
The easiest way for an angler to determine the action or power of a rod is to read the labeling on the rod blank.
"All rods have a line and lure rating on the blank," Rook says. Information on the labeling usually includes the length and action or the rod, recommended lure and line sizes for that model.
