Almost any person can say that fishing is fun and exciting. You can do it alone or with friends. Either way, it gives you a great opportunity to be outdoors and experience the rush every time a fish hits your lure.
Choosing fishing gear, on the other hand, can be downright stressful, especially for beginners. There are so many fishing rod combos to choose from, each one requiring a lot of research before you can make a decision that you could live with.
Below are some tips that can help take all the guesswork out of fishing rod combo shopping. Using this simple guide, you could skip to the fun part, which is getting out into the open and casting your fishing line.
What Type of Fishing Will You Do?
Much of your decision moving forward will depend on what type of fishing you plan on doing. There are many options available, from baitcasting to trolling to fly-fishing. Each technique has a specific requirement in terms of skill and equipment.
Aside from choosing your fishing technique, there are other questions that you have to answer first before you head out to a local or online tackle shop. Will you be fishing in freshwater lakes or in saltwater?
If going for saltwater fishing, will you do it inshore, in tributaries, or along the coastline? If you plan to do freshwater fishing, you do not need extensive protection against corrosion as your gear would not be exposed to saltwater. This will allow you to save much when buying your fishing rod combo.
Fishing rod combos consist of rods and reels that match each other to suit all types of anglers. There are many options to choose from, and most of them are available in your local or online tackle shop.
Pick the Rod Size
Once you have answered the basic questions, the next step is to choose the appropriate rod size. Rods come with power ratings that indicate the type of fishing it is ideal for. For bass, walleye, and other medium-sized game fish, light to medium light power rods are appropriate. For larger types of gamefish like muskies or saltwater fish like striped bass, medium to heavy power rods are your best options.
Choosing the Right Reel
Fishing rod combos are not complete without the right reel. And the cornerstone of high-quality fishing reels is the drag system. It is designed to apply a smooth resistance when the fish starts pulling line off your spool.
To prevent a fish from breaking the line, the reel must have a smooth drag that could be adjusted in increments. This also helps prevent the fish from taking out too much line where you have less control over the fish.
When fighting a fish, the reel’s drag system will have much to do with the outcome of the battle. Aside from being accessible, it must give you total control over the drag. With a full range of graduations at your disposal, you stand a higher chance of successfully reeling the fish in.
A safe option when choosing a reel is going with a spinning reel. Spinning reels can be used for different types of fishing styles and for lighter fishing lures. The suitable line weight for spinning wheels ranges from four pounds to 30 lbs.
Traditional reels are suitable for baitcasting, trolling, or bluewater fishing. Line weights for this reel type typically range between 10 lbs. and 130 lbs.
