The number of fishing rods on the market is so big that you could probably put each one end to end and make a circle around this big rock we call Earth. Now, of course that is an extreme exaggeration, but the number of different fishing rods on the market is tremendous and they range from as little as $20 up to enormous amounts of money. For the beginning bass fisherman, or even the novice angler, it can be difficult to find the right "stick" to best fit your needs.
The first step would be to layout a budget for yourself. In my opinion, if you’re just getting into the sport you shouldn’t jump right into a $400 G-Loomis. Now that’s just my opinion, if that’s what you want to do – go ahead, but I think the beginning bass fisherman should work up to an expensive rod. There are plenty of good quality rods out there on the market that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Sit down and find out what you are able to afford, then you can move onto the next step.
Next, you need to decide what you’re going to be using the rod for. You don’t want to buy a dropshot rod to use as a flippin’ stick. If you’re looking for a generic rod to use for several different techniques, you need to find out what size and action rod will let you fish all of those techniques efficiently.
A big part of the "which stick to pick" process is finding a good brand too. In my opinion it is good to have most of your rods if not all of them the same brand and if possible the same model. That way when you go from one technique to another you don’t have to re-adjust to the rod. Now I know that isn’t always possible, but you should still find a particular brand that you like over the others. Some companies offer better warranties that others and some rods are built differently than others. This all should play a big role in which rod you purchase.
Before you purchase any rod I recommend trying it out or at least feeling and holding the rod. This will just give you another reason to go down to your local fishing "super store" and spend time. If you can hold a rod in your hand and say "Whoa! This rod feels good", then that is probably a good choice for you.
Now, at this point in the selection process we haven’t talked about size of the rod at all, which can be a very important factor. If you have minimal space for storage of your rods, you may want to look at the shortest rod that you can get away with. If you plan on traveling on an airplane with your rod you may want to look at finding yourself a nice two-piece rod. For most anglers that have boats, size is usually not an issue. For some folks running smaller boats, sometimes going to a smaller rod, especially when carrying a number of rods, may help utilize space.
At this point in the process it is all up to you. Whichever rod you pick is based solely on your own decision. I do hope that the information that has been presented helps you when picking your next "fish stick".
Tight Lines folks, see you out there on the water. Remember, take a kid fishing, the memories will last forever.
Taylor Willis
fivealive@ultimatebass.com
