What Rod And Reel Do I Need To Get Started With Fishing
If you have never been fishing before and are looking to get into the sport this is usually the first question you ask yourself and you’ve come to the right place for the answer. In this article I’ll guide you step by step to know what to look for if you plan on just being a recreational angler. If you’re a professional angler then you can stop reading here (although if you like what you see on this site tell some sponsors about us, I need some free stuff). Perhaps you’ve seen a fishing show lately or you want that nostalgic feeling because you went fishing back in the day as a child and you want to get back into the sport but you don’t know where to start, well let me help you out.
I’ve seen my fair share of fishing shows, magazines, and books, but for the most part they seem to leave out the basics, the information that is needed by the beginner fisherman, fisherwoman, or fisher-kid. These guys can go on an on about light action spinning rods or heavy action bait-casters, but what the hell are they talking about?
When you walk into a store like a Bass Pro Shop or even your local Canadian Tire or Wal-Mart you can be easily overwhelmed with the selection of rods, reels, lures, and other tackle. Everything is colourful, nicely packaged, and there are usually rows upon rows of fishing gear. If you’re like me you get into this section of the store and you almost don’t know where to look at first. Rule #1, no let’s say Suggestion #1, go past all the pretty baits and go towards the fishing rods.
So now you’re standing in front of all the rods and are still overwhelmed with the selection. I suggest you look into a fishing rod and reel combo. You can usually save a few bucks this way instead of purchasing them separately and this will make your choice a little easier. So you’ve started to narrow your search down already. Look for a spinning rod and reel combo. A spinning reel sits below the rod and is larger than a bait-caster, so this is what you want to be looking for. See the image.
A bait-caster is not an entry level rod and they usually cost a few bucks more than an entry level spinning rod so you’re going to want to stay away from these, that is until you fall in love with fishing and want to start landing more and more fish. My suggestion for a beginner is to get a medium action rod with a length anywhere from 6’ to 6’6”. On every rod you will find the type of “action” that the rod is meant for and its length, you can usually find this on the bottom part of the rod, next to where the reel sits.
The action refers to the type of fishing you’re going to do and the sensitivity of the rod. A light action rod is used for small pan-fish, a heavy action is for large fish and for fishing in spots with heavy cover, and a medium action is somewhere in the middle, but we’ll go over all of that in a different article.
So by now you’re looking at a medium action rod and reel combo that’s anywhere from 6’ to 6’6”, but you can still have 5 rods in your hand, so which one do you want? To tell you the truth fishing equipment has come a long way in the past few years. There is a lot of competition and every company wants to get their product across to you. My suggestion is to play around with the rod and reel. See what feels best for you. Turn the handle on all the reels and see which one is smoothest for you
Each reel is equipped with bearings, these will usually dictate how smooth the reel retrieves. However, more bearings does not necessarily mean that it will be smoother or more durable. The quality of the bearings matters more that the quantity. You may come across a reel that has 8 bearing but costs less than one that had 4 bearings. My suggestion is for you to go with the rod with less bearings. In the long run it will be smother and last longer as the quality of the bearings will be better, but again this is your choice and realistically when you buy a rod today it will last you many years, especially with the materials that they put into today’s rods and reels no matter how many bearings they have. Usually the amount of bearings is listed right on the reel.
The best advice that I can give when buying your first rod/reel combo is don’t get a rod/reel combo that costs $15-25, this will only aggravate you when it tangles and falls apart. Rods and reels may have come a long way but cheap is cheap and you will see it when you start fishing. Do yourself a favour, get a rod and reel combo for $45 and up. This is something that will literally last you for many years and you won’t regret it.
So there you have it this is your first step to start fishing. Remember if in doubt at the store ask someone.
Here’s a little chart to help you:
| Length or rod: | – 6’ to 6’6” |
| Action of rod: | – medium |
| Reel: | – keep the bearings in mind but again get what is comfortable and smoothest for you |
| Price: | – I suggest you spend $45 and up. Remember this will last you a long time so it’s worth it. |
