SELECTING A NEW FISHING ROD
By Bob Jensen

If you've decided that you want to kick off the upcoming open water fishing season with a new rod, now is a great time to start considering your options. Sportshows are in full swing throughout the Midwest, so you have lots of opportunities to look at lots of rods.
If you won't be visiting any sportshows soon, not to worry. Fishing tackle shops are filling the shelves and rod-racks with new products, so your selection at these stores is very good right now. Be sure to visit a tackle shop that has knowledgeable sales-people. They can provide you with the information you need to know to choose the rod that will be best for you.

First you need to think about how you will usually use the rod. If you will be using light line most of the time, a spinning rod should be strongly considered. Spinning rods are used with spinning reels: Spinning reels are the ones that hang below the rod. They're great for casting light jigs and the like. If most of your fishing is with line eight-pound test or less, spinning tackle is a good choice.

If you'll be casting heavier lures or trolling mostly, check out a casting rod. Casting equipment is usually meant for heavier line and more rugged fishing conditions.

Longer rods with longer handles are the trend. They offer more forgiveness when fighting a fish. A six to seven foot rod is about right for many situations.

As you shop for a new rod you will notice that they come in a wide price range. It's not hard to spend quite a bit of money for a new rod, but you don't need to. It is possible to get a very nice rod at a reasonable price. In fact, the value in rods is getting better every year.
The more expensive rods are usually a good choice if you have a preferred technique. If you usually cast lightweight jigs, you can find a rod that is perfect for that application. Manufacturers of the really high-end rods create rods that are perfect for certain uses. Fenwick is one company that builds some of the best rods available for certain uses.

Lots and lots of anglers understandably prefer to shop for a rod that will be good for several styles of fishing and will be more moderate in price. It is possible to find a rod that works well for casting or trolling small crankbaits, live-bait rigging, slip-bobbering, and jigging. These rods aren't usually the best for a certain technique, but are certainly adequate for a wide-variety of techniques. Lightning Rods are probably the best example of rods that do a lot of jobs pretty well.

You don't need to spend a lot of money for a fishing rod. In fact, I prefer to save a few (or a lot of) dollars on the rod and use the savings for new lures or a new reel to go with the new rod. Get out now and shake some rods so you'll be ready to use your new rod when the ice disappears.