Choosing your fishing gear

Fishing rods are obviously the most essential of all fishing equipment. It is important that one chooses the right kind of fishing rod from the numerous varieties available, to suit the desired application. Each type of game fish requires a differing fishing strategy and hence the rod design varies. The experience and style of the user is also of importance in the decision. Choosing the type of fishing rod one wants is important as having the wrong type of fishing equipment may not provide ample support to the efforts of the fisherman. At the same time, making that decision is not really hard as long as one knows what exactly to look out for when selecting his fishing rod.

Criteria

The two most important technical criteria that one has to look at are the action and power of the rod. The action of the rod can be described as the amount of bend that the rod performs, with a fast action rod just bending at the tip while a slow action rod bends all the way through to the handle. Fast action rods are best for long casts and powerful throws while slow action rods are easier to handle. The power of the rod is determined by the amount of bait weight it can carry and the line sizes it is designed to work with. Light power rods work well with fast actions. The fishing reels are also of certain importance with most rods using spinning reels as standard. Casting reels are used specifically when bass fishing and is the preferred option for light fishing. Most experienced fishers, especially who are going into the sea and going for heavy game, would prefer the conventional spinning reel.

Usage

Your choice of fishing rods will depend on your usage a lot. If you are an amateur you might prefer simple easy to operate fishing rods and fishing reels so that you get the handling experience before you venture further up the chain. Most experienced fishers will go in for more expensive rods made out of high tech materials like carbon fibre. Another aspect that will play a role in your decision will be the place that you fish in. If you have your own fishing boat or Yacht or if you live close to the water, transporting your fishing rods won't be a problem. In such a case, you could go for single piece rods which are more durable than multi section rods. If you do have to travel quite a distance every time you go fishing, then a collapsible rod obviously will suit your needs better, though its performance may not be as great as a single piece rod.

The type of fish that one plans to game for will also be a deciding factor. Freshwater and seawater fish require differing types of rods, simply because the fish themselves are equipped differently. In addition climatic conditions vary with the high seas being rougher and hence more stressful on the rod. Ultimately one has to choose the rod that one is most comfortable in so that one can achieve the best results when fishing.