A Guide to Choosing Your Very First Fishing Rod

This article is published in partnership with Mediabuzzer.

Image Source: Pixabay

Fishing is a very addictive pastime, and most who take it up will continue to fish for the remainder of their life, and who could blame them? There’s something magical about being surrounded by nature, and if you have been coaxed by a friend to take up fishing, here are some important things to consider when buying your very first fishing rod.

• What Species of Fish Are you Trying to Catch? – It is essential to know the species of fish you are targeting and in the event you haven’t a preference, think about the fishing environment. Will you be fishing in salt or freshwater? What species are commonly found there? The answers to both these questions will enable you to narrow your rod choices down somewhat.

• Avoid Expensive Rods – Like most sports, the beginner does not need anything high end, as you first have to master using a rod, so stick with a mid-range rod for your first purchase. While you don’t need the very latest advances, you should buy from a known manufacturer, which will ensure the rod is of good quality. Check out the Zenaq Fishing Rods Australia hobbyists can get from Fish Head, one of the leading tackle suppliers at lower than retail prices.

Image Source: Pixabay

• Understand Rod Action – The way a fishing rod responds to line pressure is called rod action, and the species of fish you are hoping to catch is a big factor. For a novice, a medium action is preferred over a slow or fast action, unless you are fishing for a species that demands a specific rod action, with a fast action having less bend, while a slow action will allow the rod to bend from close to the handle. If you have no idea of the species of fish to focus on, what kind of fishing environment are you looking at? This could be anything from fishing in the ocean from a boat to sitting on the banks of a river and to a large degree, this will help you with your rod selection. There is also a great video that simply explains rod action which you should check out.

• The Power of the Rod – The power is determined by the amount of pressure it takes to bend the rod when line is pulled. Heavy, medium and light are the main choices, with a heavy powered rod preferable for big fish, while a light action rod would be more suitable for fish under 10kg.

• Go With a Well Known Manufacturer – A quality fishing rod should last a lifetime if it is cared for properly, and while you shouldn’t be looking at the top end of the price range, you do want a quality rod, which would likely be in the mid-price range. Zenaq have rods of all types and at affordable prices, especially if you buy from an online supplier, and with such a well-known brand, you can’t really go wrong.

Image Source: Pixabay

You can make good use of the Internet in your quest for a suitable fishing rod, as there are many online resources with very specific information on all aspects of fishing, and when you are ready to buy, a Google search will take you to the best deal.