Bass Fishing Rods buying guide

Being an avid angler, you always look to increase the odds against the powerful bass. The fish is quite strong and gives you a hard time while reeling it. But with suitable bass fishing rods, you can elevate your chances exponentially.

These rods are quite flexible and sensitive. You can quickly reel in the bass without snapping the line or the rod. In short, with a suitable rod, you are tipping the scales in your side before even entering into the battle with this fish.

All you need to do is arm yourself with the right rod. For this, you have to look into different characteristics of the fishing rod that are flexibility, sensitivity, size, portability, and whatnot. Gathering in-depth information on all these factors can become a tiresome task.

However, a buying guide provides you with all the necessary information under one roof. You can quickly go through them and funnel down the best product. Also, you will get answers to common questions and queries.

So without any further ado, let us go through a brief introduction and then move further into the guide.

What are bass fishing rods, and why should you opt for them?

Bass fishing is a popular fishing activity that includes a lot of struggling. You need to put extra efforts to reel in the fish. So, you need an excellent bass rod that will help you to get a good catch.

With a bass fishing rod, you can have a thrilling experience of fishing. Using the right fishing pole, you will be able to work effectively with some specific lures.

Also, it is flexible and robust enough so that you can handle them comfortably. It works as an extended hand and allows you to look for fish wherever you need to, but it does not spook the fish.

A good bass rod is also very sensitive so that you can feel the lightest nibbling at the edge of the line. With the help of this rod, you can haul efficiently without any pain in your hands.

Therefore, a bass fishing rod is a useful fishing gear to fight the aggressive species for a good catch.

Casting Rods Vs. Spinning Rods

There are several differences between the casting rods and spinning rods. You can choose any of them according to the requirements of your fishing techniques and requirements.

However, without having a clear idea about the casting rods and spinning rods, you cannot get the right one that you exactly need for bass fishing.

Casting rods

Anglers are more likely to have casting rods for bass fishing. Many bass fishing rods are designed with casting equipment to perform the difficult techniques like flipping, spinner baiting, deep cranking, and topwater slop without any hassles.

For bass fishing, heavier lines and lures are required to lift the fish from the water. Usually, baitcasting rods are designed with guides and reels that are placed on the top. You will find more significant guides near the reel, and the size decreases gradually.

Because of this particular design of the casting rods, anglers get more power to pull. The weight does not pull much against the guide as it does against the rods. So, they can manage the aggressive bass without any difficulties.

If you are a novice angler, you will find it challenging to use the casting reels efficiently. But with practice, it will become easier.

Spinning rods

You will need a spinning rod instead of a casting gear in some specific situations. There are some particular techniques which require the spinning rods significantly.

Anglers are more likely to have spinning rods for skipping tubes under docks, drop shot rigs, working a shaky head, micro cranks, and more.

Unlike casting rods, the guides and reels are placed underside of the spinning rods. The guide is larger in size, and you will find that the lines go in different directions from the reel.

Spinning rods are mostly compatible with lighter lures and lines, so they can be the ideal choice for smaller bass. There are some fishing spots where you cannot reach easily with a casting rod. The spinning rod comes handy in such cases.

Therefore, beginners also prefer to have spinning rods and spinning reels to catch fish comfortably.

Why should you read a buying guide before selecting appropriate bass fishing rods?

With the right tool for the job, you can enjoy the activity smoothly. Bass fishing rods are the best tool to catch the fish without any unnecessary hassle. A buying guide allows you to wrap your mind around all the critical factors of the product.

By reading a comprehensive guide, you can easily sort out the best product quickly. Also, you will be able to save yourself from being duped in the market.

So, let us dive into the detailed guide for in-depth information.

Factors to deem while selecting suitable bass fishing rods

Length

It plays a vital role in picking the best rod for fishing bass. Usually, a rod has a length anywhere between 6 and 8 feet.

You must remember that a shorter length calls for more exact and precise fishing. However, the long length of the rod calls for a large area of fishing in different areas.

Therefore, you should select the apt rod length to get the best rod for bass fishing.

Rod Handle Type

All fishers need to have a firm grip on the handle as they have to stay at the shore for a prolonged time. Thus, the rod handle should be quite comfortable to hold and impart a good handling grip without any discomfort.

Mainly, there are 3 types of rod handles that are commonly used:

1. Cork Handles

Being lighter than wood handles, they offer a great grip to the fisherman. It is quite simple to identify any movement at the end of the line while using this rod.

2. EVA Foam Handles

This type of rod handles imparts a perfect grip. Moreover, they are very durable if you take proper care of them.

3. Wooden Handles

Despite the exception of seasoned handles, these handles are quite brittle and impart discomfort to the hands in the cold. They get chilled in a cold environment and, thus, are not suitable for bass fishing at that time.

Material

Bass fishing rods should be sturdy and durable enough to not break easily while fighting a fish. Similarly, they are flexible and highly sensitive, which will help you feel the vibration effectively.

1. Graphite

Graphite, also known as carbon fiber, is famous for its lightweight. They have a high sensitivity, but you can use them with maximum comfort.

Due to this sensitivity, you can quickly feel the strikes, weed, or bump. Therefore, graphite rods can be an ideal choice for challenging weather conditions where sensitivity is essential.

You can use a graphite rod to deal with finicky fish. Graphite rods come up with a modulus rating, which refers to the stiffness of the rods. A higher modulus rating indicates a stiffer rod.

However, graphite rods are expensive, and because of the high sensitivity, you may miss a catch as you need to complete the hookset very quickly.

2. Fiberglass

Bass rods made from fiberglass are less expensive than the graphite rods. Also, they are not lightweight. As sensitivity depends on the less weight, fiberglass rods do not have higher sensitivity.

These rods are durable, strong, and flexible. Therefore, it is easier to lift fish. It is the reason why the experienced anglers prefer them to catch larger species.

3. Composite

Both the fiberglass and graphite materials are combined to make these composite rods. A composite rod has all the positive qualities of both these rods.

It is lightweight as well as sensitive, like the graphite rod. On the other hand, it is durable and robust, which are the characteristics of the fiberglass rods.

Some anglers use these rods for cranking. If you have interests in cranking, you should look for the composite rods on an excellent performance.

Action

The action describes the stiffness or flexibility of a fishing rod that it can exhibit. For bass fishing rods, it is crucial to check the action in advance to make sure that you can struggle with a more massive fish without breaking down the rod.

1. Extra fast

This type of rods is not so flexible, so they do not bend much. They bend very little only at the upper tip. But they are susceptible to transfer any vibrations. With faster action, it can put more pressure on the bass.

Therefore, this rod is appropriate for larger fish and heavy covers like the dock, slope, or woods.

2. Fast action

A fast action rod is not as stiff as the extra fast action rod. This rod can bend at the upper nearly 25-30%. It can bend up to the middle. Thus, it provides more flex and power for jerk baits, spinnerbaits, topwater baits, soft ticks, etc.

3. Moderate action

This rod can bend until middle so you can use them for light fishing lines and finesse tactics. You can cast lures in a more relaxed way with moderate action.

4. Slow action

As slow action comes with better flexibility, you can use a slow action rod to catch small bass and light baits.

Power

With the power rating, you are able to know about the overall strength. It determines how easily the rod can bend while fishing. Power ratings for the bass fishing rods start from heavy and include medium-heavy, medium, light, and ultralight.

When you are likely to catch bass fish, you should go for the medium, medium-heavy, or heavy power ratings. Heavy rods are not much flexible like medium or light power roads when it comes to bending.

Therefore, heavy power fishing rods are appropriate for larger and more substantial fish. For smaller baitfish, you should go for the light power ratings, which are less stiffer.

Rod power is also essential to determine the fishing lines along with lure weight. With a heavier rod, you are allowed to use a more extensive fishing line and lures. The lighter power rods are useful to deal with smaller fishing lines and lure.

Line Weight

You must consider the line weight while looking for the bass fishing rods because some people normally overcompensate with the heavy lines.

You can handle it with the practice for some other fishes, but for bass fishing, you should think smartly.

Using lighter lines means you have more chances to receive more bites because lighter lines are not visible properly. You will not need a heavy line for bass fishing.

You will get the spinning rods having lighter lines that weigh between 4 and 10 pounds. Going higher than that can ruin your bass fishing experience.

In general, the spinning rods' weight ranges between 6 to 8 pounds that are ideal for bass fishing.

On the contrary, the casting rods come with heavier lines that can weigh up to 30 pounds. For bass, it will be better to look for the mid-teens range.

So, pick up the right line weight for your bass fishing rod to have enjoyable fishing experience.

Build Quality

It is needless to mention that you should properly check the build quality of the bass fishing rods before making your purchase.

You should find a high-quality bass fishing rod that will be durable and strong. What you need to do is to check the rod construction starting from the reel seats to the line guides.

Moreover, you should make sure that the rod is made of durable and sturdy materials so that you can conveniently use it.

Other than that, the rod should be lightweight. Graphite rods can be an excellent option to reduce the weight without limiting its durability.

Another essential part is the handle of the rods. You should search for an ergonomic design that you can hold comfortably. It is better to choose either EVA foam or cork to get a tight grip so that you can use the rod without worrying about sleeping.

Construction

Besides the build quality, you should consider the overall construction of the rods for a better fishing performance.

You should choose the best quality materials used in making the fishing rods for bass to ensure that the model you are buying is durable enough to last long.

Typically, the combination of graphite and other high-standard materials like fiberglass is used in constructing the fishing rods.

Furthermore, you should check the grip and comfort and get precisely what you want. For bass fishing, you will need a strong grip to handle the struggling fish efficiently.

Guides

You cannot buy bass fishing rods without considering the rod guides. Having the best quality guide means that you can cast in longer distances and minimize the line friction.

Choosing a poor quality guide can be the worst decision for you as it has the potential to ruin the high-quality blank. However, a lightweight guide with the best quality can improve the sensitivity and maximize the casting distance significantly.

You can choose either ceramic guides or titanium guides as both come with the top quality. But, it is recommended to look for the Fuji guides for better performance.

These guides should be appropriately placed so that they can spread the stress pertained to the rod's blank while struggling with a bass.

Also, quality guides can handle the line size properly. You should check whether the guide is compatible with your rod size or not.

It will be wise to have a longer rod as you use more massive lines and lures for bass fishing. But if you target small and medium bass, you will need small and medium lures so you can go for a shorter rod without any doubts.

You can also choose a shorter rod when casting from the kayak or dock.

Comfort

Choosing a comfortable fishing rod is essential for securing a good catch. You need to spend long hours in the water while fishing. Thus, you should never compromise with the comfort of the bass fishing rods.

Especially for bass fishing, you have to put more effort, which means comfort should be a major consideration. You will need several casts when you are fishing for the whole day.

Previously, anglers used the 5'-6' long rod with a pistol grip, which could cast in 20 yards. But the time has changed and so are the expectations.

Nowadays, most tournament anglers go for rods, which are at least 7'-8' long. Also, they are designed with a 12"-14" handle that helps you to cast a longer distance.

Besides, you should consider the material used in handles. Usually, EVA foam or cork is found as the handle material, ensuring a more reliable and firmer grip.

Sensitivity

It is vital to understand the sensitivity of the rods while scanning the bass fishing rods.

The sensitivity of the fishing rods entirely depends on two major factors, such as power and action. Without having the right balance of power and action, it will be tough to get a sensitive rod.

Sensitivity refers to how much the rod is capable of transferring vibrations to the anglers. With an extremely sensitive bass fishing rod, you can feel the smallest vibrations effectively.

Along with power and action, there are some other factors too. These can be weight, length, craftsmanship, handle material, reel seat, guides, etc. All these play a significant role in determining the overall sensitivity of your bass fishing rod.

Price

Always remember, a bass fishing rod is never too expensive. It means that you don't need to spend a fortune to buy the perfect rod.

All you need to do is look for your desired traits and buy the right rod that fulfills it.

If you are on a low budget, you should check the rods and go for low or mid-range rods that cater to your needs well.

We recommend that you go for a material that will last longer and proffers other features that serve your needs well.

FAQs

1. How to clean the bass fishing rod?

A bass fishing rod can be easily cleaned. Follow the given steps to get a fully clean rod in a few minutes:

1. Start with using fresh water to clean it properly.
2. Also, you need to be attentive while cleaning the guides.
3. Pay close attention to the grips, and you may even use soap to wipe off any stubborn debris.
4. Use a little grease on the reel to eliminate any rust that exists.
5. If any of the guides is damaged, you should just replace it as soon as possible.

2. What to choose, one-piece or two-piece rod?

Portability is a factor that must be considered while choosing the best fishing rod. For this, a two-piece rod is far-better than a one-piece piece rod. It is because it can be carried to any distance without any fear of damaging it.

Moreover, it is a great way to use them for as long as you want to. They provide more convenience and are superb in terms of reliability.

3. Why choose a long fishing rod?

A longer fishing rod imparts more casting rods. Also, they proffer higher leverage to keep the fish. It also helps to add a good amount of line that will increase your chances of grabbing your fish quickly.

4. What is the relation between the action and power of a rod?

Action and power both are inseparable if you are considering to buy a premium-quality rod. If you buy a rod with extra action, it will have a higher power as well. In the same way, if you buy a fishing rod with a medium action, the power will be medium too.

Summing Up

You will never want to enter a gunfight with a knife in your hand. As a fishing aficionado, you know the struggle to reel in the bass. Bass fishing rods provide you with a cutting edge over the fish and allow you to enjoy the activity.

Here in this guide, you will find all the critical pointers in an organized way. These pointers define the usability and performance of the product. Go through them and choose an elite rod for your next expedition.