Story by Hunter Baughman | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
Welcome back! Last week we discussed choosing the right lure as part one of a four-part series on choosing the right gear. This week we will go over choosing the right rod.
Have you ever read the writing on a rod, and it looked something like this: 7’0” MH Extra Fast. Maybe you had no idea what that meant. Or maybe you’ve lost multiple fish in a row and the thought crossed your mind, “Do I have the right rod?”
Let’s take a dive into choosing the correct rod for the job.
Usually, the first thing you’ll see on the rod specs will be the length of the rod. A good general rule of thumb is that shorter rods are easier to roll cast and skip with, while the longer rods have more hook setting power. With short rods you have more control of the bait. Longer rods tend to make it a little harder to aim, but they generally cast further and pick up more line on a hook set.
Second thing you will find is the power of the rod. This usually consists of light (L), medium light (ML), medium (M), medium heavy (MH), heavy (H) and extra heavy (XH). The power refers to how much backbone the rod has. For example, heavier rods can lift heavier fish and throw heavier baits. Anything “light” is usually referring to a spinning rod for finesse techniques. The other powers are in-between and cover the bulk of the fishing duties.
Last will be the action. These typically range from slow to extra fast. The action refers to how much parabolic bend the rod has and how fast the tip can return to its original position. Extra fast rods have a stiffer tip and less parabolic bend meaning they return quickly to the original position. Those rods are good for hard hooksets on Texas rigs, jigs, etc. A slow action rod has lots of parabolic bend and a soft tip, meaning it’s slower to return to its original position. These rods are well-suited for treble hooked baits, allowing more rod action to keep fish from throwing the lure.
I hope this helps you understand which rod to pick for each situation. Check back next week and we will go over choosing the right reel!
Hunter Baughman – Angler Profile
