Buying the best spinning reel for your fishing experiences is very important. Just as important, is matching your reel with the best spinning rod you can find.
Spinning rods are just as important as the complex features and abilities of your favorite spinning reel.
Without matching the two together properly, you can expect to have difficulties landing the fish you target. This guide is going to help you get some ideas on what to look for in purchasing a spinning rod and give you our suggestions for the Top 3 Best Spinning Rods on the market today.
Looking for the best spinning rod shouldn’t be hard, and we’re going to help you figure out what works best for you.
Take a look at our Top 3 Best Spinning Rods
Preview | Product | Rating | |
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G. Loomis Jig/Worm Spinning Rods 853SJWR | Buy on Amazon | |
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Daiwa 0001-4087 Tdsurf801Mfs Team Surf | Buy on Amazon | |
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St.Croix RC71MF Rage Casting Fishing Rod | Buy on Amazon |
What to look for in a Spinning Rod
So how do you tell which rod is right for you? Well, to start, get an idea what fish you’ll be fishing for with this rod. To get the best idea, think about how big the fish will be (generally), what kind of fight they provide, and what kind of line you’ll use. These are all very important factors.
Beyond that, there are some features to pay attention to that we’ll go through here.
The Action
You’ll hear this term quite a bit when shopping for fishing rods.
Firstly, action is the bend in the rod when you put pressure on the tip. It can be described as Extra-Fast, Fast, Moderate (or Medium), Slow. An Extra-Fast rod is one that has less bend in it, which indicates a stronger rod, more powerful for setting hooks. They are also more sensitive to strikes. Slow rods are the opposite. They have the most bend in them. They tend to be called “parabolic” in that they have an even bend throughout the rod.
Most bass anglers prefer fast to extra-fast, for their power and sensitivity. Medium and Medium-fast rods are great for those who need a little more distance in their casts.
The Length
To determine what length of rod you need, the simple rule of thumb is the longer the rod, the greater the casting distance. If you watch surfcasters on the beach, you’ll notice they have 10, 12, 13 foot rods. This gives them much greater distance to be able to power their bait past the sandbars.
A shorter rod is great for precision. Bass anglers tend to use shorter rods as they need more precision when they cast into cover or structure. While you sacrifice distance, you make up for it in accuracy.
The Weight
The weight of a rod is not usually considered when someone is shopping for a new one. You don’t really think about it as you assume all rods are relatively light.
This is absolutely true.
However, keep in mind, the balance of the rod with the weight will provide you a much better experience if you pick what’s best for you. In other words, if you’re using a lighter rod with a light reel, your arm will be less fatigued as you go through the day.
A heavier rod may provide some benefits in strength and durability, but you will pay for it with fatigue as you fish. Weight is rather marginal as most rods are relatively light, but it is something to consider as you shop to ensure you get the best fit for you.
The Guides
We haven’t highlighted what types of guides these spinning rods use because almost all rods have the same type- metal frame with ceramic guides.
This is the typical setup for any rod. We won’t go into too much detail about guides, but recommend you at least check to see what material the guides are made of.
Best Spinning Rods Review
G. Loomis Jig/Worm Spinning Rods 853SJWR
- coupon, prop65, spinning-rods
The G. Loomis Spinning Rod is our pick for best spinning rod for bass.
This rod is a medium-heavy rod, meaning medium action with heavy power. It’s built for power and sensitivity, giving you what you need to set the hook on a big bass.
The split-grip handle is new for this line and is designed specifically for high performance bass fishing. The flat-sided fighting-butt is designed for anglers who prefer placing the rod under their arm. It’s a small change, but really makes a dramatic difference after a long day of fishing.
Weighing 5.1 oz it’s the heaviest of our Top 3, but make no mistake; this rod is comfortable. Easily handling between 10-16 lb test (more for braided) and lures in between 3/16 and 5/8 oz, you really cannot go wrong with the G. Loomis spinning rods.
Daiwa 0001-4087 Tdsurf801Mfs Team Surf
- Made With High Modulus Carbon Graphite With Daiwa Exclusive High Volume Fiber (Hvf) Low-Resin...
- Fuji Alconite Ring Guides With Tangle Free K-Shape Frame
- Fuji Special Black Matt Colored Hooded Reel Seats
- Durable And Long Lasting
This rod is our pick for best spinning rod under 100 as it’s priced very well and of high value. Weighing 4.8 oz, at 7 feet in length, this medium action rod gives you the best overall fit for most species you target.
Daiwa has a great reputation for building solid, durable fishing rods, and this line is no exception. Made from IM-7 Graphite, the lighter, more durable material makes this rod a pleasure to use. It comes with a split-grip handle made from high density foam.
Additionally, the Daiwa comes with a five year limited warranty. You just can’t beat that.
St.Croix RC71MF Rage Casting Fishing Rod
The Rage series rods are designed for stronger fighting fish.
With a line capacity of 10-17 lb (more with braided), and lure size between 1/4 to 5/8 oz, you can rely on the Rage spinning rod to haul in your trophy muskie and pike. The Rage is our lightest rod, weighing in at 4.4 oz.
With medium action, you only sacrifice a little sensitivity for better casting range. Great for open ponds and lakes, or wide rivers.
The Pac Bay Minima Reel seat gives maximum blank exposure and is approximately 10-20% lighter than conventional spinning reel seats. Made from SCIII Graphite, this rod is incredibly lightweight and sensitive giving the angler great balance and strength. The handle, a precision shaped core wrapped in a neoprene skin, is contoured to provide split-grip performance without compromising comfort and sensitivity.
Honorable Mentions
This page was last updated on 2022-08-29. Affiliate links and Product Images are from Amazon PAAPI