Buying a surf fishing rod can be a difficult task because nowadays there is a large selection available on the market. Choosing the right surf fishing rod depends on many factors, but mainly on the size and type of fish. Some surf fishing rods are better for catching smaller fish with small bait and are ideal for use in shallow water. Other type of rods on the other hand, are perfect for larger fish in deep water with larger bait and hooks. Take a look at some of our tips that can help you choose the right surf fishing rods. Surf fishing rods have great design characteristics that can be used for fishing surf. Our tips will help you make the right choice.
When choosing surf fishing rods you need to consider the design features: the rod taper, rod length, rated rod power, quantity, type and location of rod guides and the reel seats.
- Rod Length – Fishing the surf involves the ability to cast long distances using special surf casting methods and techniques. In order to achieve this and cast as far as possible, you will need larger surf fishing rods (about 25 – 30cm long).
- Rod Taper – Different types of fishing rods are designed for different types of fishing. Some surf fishing rods need a fast action, while others a medium or slow action. This can be accomplished through the rod design integrated into the rod taper. Rods with fast action can bend from the upper third of the rod length and those with slow action design can bend from the lower third of the rod. However, when a rod is specially designed for a surf, it must have a medium action that can bend from the upper middle of the rod.
- Rated Rod Power – The power of a rod is called backbone – the fish fighting rod strength. Surf fish can be extremely powerful, but you sure do not want to buy surf fishing rods that have excessive backbone. It is best to buy surf fishing rods with a medium to heavy power rating.
- Reel Seats – Reel seats must be made from stainless steel or some other non corrosive material, thus avoid rods that are made from graphite reel seats.
- Rod Guides – Usually, rod guides are made from different types of materials. High quality rods will be installed with silicon carbide guides. These are the best because they are very hard, smooth and resistant to wear. There are also the ceramic guides. They are not as hard as silicone guides, but are still of high quality. You can find different types of ceramic guides, but since you cannot determine the quality of the ceramic guide, do not be too concerned about its quality when you choosing surf fishing rods. Besides the type, you should also take into account the quantity of guides. In general, more guides are suitable and attractive because they can spread the load over the rod length more uniformly. Given that a rod bends from its upper third, the number of guides and spacing between each are very important. So, when bending the rod, pay attention to the shape of the arc and the location of the rod guides. They must be placed at the transition points of the arc.
