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Best Fishing Rods in graphite and fibre-glass
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For the best fishing rods there are some criteria to consider, but alas, the price is not really the most reliable of them. For instance a blind test is very revealing: you can give a fishing rod to an expert without saying its brand name and the expert will be in serious problems. Sometimes, cheaper "blanks" are considered good rods and viceversa, rods from respected company fails to pass the test. This happens also because a fishing rod's judgment is a personal thing. There is no perfect rod for everyone.
Most people today find that for a quality rod you should spend around $170 to $180. This is the "feeling" price. But to achieve this, rodmakers are sometimes forced to move production to Asia. The same rod would be much more expensive if manufactured in the USA or Europe (e.g. S-Glass and E-Glass blanks, the former being superior and more expensive than the latter, fiber-glass rods having witnessed a comeback for bass fishing with cranckbaits recently). Broadly, you can approach fishing rods from two perspectives:
Then there are rods which have the same name and belong to the same serie, have the same length (e.g. 7'0'') and same action (e.g. moderate-fast action) but have different power. Not easy to choose eh?
Then, what is the difference between a casting and spinning rod? Well, I understood that casting rod are shorter, might have a thicker butt, have smaller guides and the stripper (the first guide next to reel) is closer because the line come from a casting reel and not from a spool (coil) of a spinning reel. But the blanks could be the same. Generally speaking with longer rods you can cast further but they have to be balanced right or it will feel like you are fishing with a stick. Yeah, I said, "feel". Much is done to improve your feeling and so the sensitivity of the rod. One way to do so is to make the rod as light as possible. Lighter then means less material and less material means that the vibrations (of the line in the water, of the fish bites, etc..) can travel in a easier way through the rod and to your hand. Warranty and customer care are also important factors which distinguish respected rod companies and all serious manufacturers know that this is a must. Many offer limited time warranty which is better than say 5 years. But rod companies know that rods can be misshandled and broken down (e.g. by closing or crashing it in car doors, stepping on it, clicking rods together, grabbing the blank above the grip, using a heavier line than the rod is designed for, hitting the edge of the tube rack, dead-lifting fish, etc.) so don't expect to be refunded for that.
The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) is the world largest tackle trade show and is at its 51st edition this year. Held in Las Vegas between 16-18 July 2008, 190 companies entered 695 tackle products and accessories into the New Product Showcase. The recent 2008 "Best of Show" winners are:
Last year, 2007:
In any case, there are a few names which are considered the top (including for entry level). Here they are:
I created this little side-chapter for ice fishing rods. I invite you to explore it.
Fishing Rods in BambooBamboo rods are witnessing a "Renaissance". More people are going back to this natuarl material which reportedly gives a unique fishing experience.All bamboo rods fans can tell you that fishing with a bamboo rods compares to nothing. Although this types of rods are by large used for fly fishing, it is also possible to have spinning rods made in bamboo, as Rolf Baginski, the great German bamboo rodsmith, suggested at the recent First European Bamboo Rodmakers Gathering Held in Sansepolcro, Tuscany (Italy). Bamboo rodmakers manufacturers (established large companies, no artisan, one-man operation)
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In any case, today's fisherman is not a generalist anymore but a specialist.
So there are rods especially designed for a certain technique and fish and
you don't need to overspend to get the results which you expect if you know
it (e.g. swimbait rods).
There are other rods which are more universal and can deal with
4 or 5 fishing techniques. Good to know, uh? 
