New year, new… arsenal of bass rods?
For many of us fisherman, the new year marks a time to take inventory of your gear, strip some line off, clean up and re-spool your reels, clean up your rods, maybe reorganize your boat and/or tackle boxes, all while you impatiently wait to get back out on the water come spring.
If you live in the south, you might be lucky enough to fish year around, but for those of us up north like myself (Wisconsin), the water has already frozen over. And sure, you can do a little ice fishing, but let’s be honest… it’s not the same.
So how do I fill that largemouth bass-shaped hole in my heart during the hard water season? It’s pretty simple… I buy stuff. Yup, good ol’ fashioned retail therapy… and most fishing retailers offer a number of great sales during the Christmas season, directly after Christmas, and again as spring approaches.
If you’ve been fishing for a long time, you probably don’t need my help, but if you’re new to the sport and don’t know where to start, or just looking for a little guidance on your next combo, look no further. We’re gonna break down the first 5 bass rods every angler should own, and I’ll offer up a few of my favorite, most versatile, models at different price points for each one.
I’ll steer clear of top of the line and even more high end gear because let’s face it, if you’re spending close to a thousand bucks on a bass combo, you probably don’t need/want my help anyways. So without further ado… let’s begin. The first rod that every bass angler should own is a…
7′ – 7’3″ Medium Heavy Casting Rod
Techniques: Spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, jigs, Texas rigs, buzzbaits, smaller swimbaits, swim jigs, dock skipping
Recommended Rods
Budget : Lew’s KVD IM8 Casting 7′ MH Fast – $109.00
Mid-Price: Daiwa Tatula Elite Casting 7’3″ MH Fast – $189.99
Quality: St. Croix Legend Tournament Series Casting 7’1″ MH Fast – $300.00
7′ – 7’3″ Medium Spinning Rod
Techniques: Drop-shot, ned rig, neko rig, shakey head, tubes, hover/mid stroll rigs, weightless soft plastics, smaller swimbaits, wacky rigs, blade baits
Recommended Rods
Budget: Shimano SLX A Spinning 7′ M XF – $99.99
Mid-Price: St. Croix Mojo Bass Trigon Spinning 7′ M Fast – $175.00
Quality: Daiwa Tatula Elite ASG Spinning 7’1″ M Fast – $299.00
6’8″ – 7’2″ Medium Casting Rod
Techniques: Jerkbait, poppers, smaller topwaters, wake baits, light crankbaits, flukes.
Recommended Rods
Budget: St. Croix Bass X Casting 6’8″ M XF – $125.00
Mid-Price: Megabass Levante Casting 6’11” M F – $199.00
Quality: Shimano Expride B Casting 6’10” M MF – $279.99
7’3″ – 7’6″ Heavy Casting Rod
Techniques: Frogs, flipping and punching, bigger swimbaits, glide baits, Carolina rig, umbrella rig, heavier jigs
Recommended Rods
Budget: Dobyns Fury Casting 7’3″ H F – $129.00
Mid-Price: Daiwa Rebellion Casting 7’6″ H F – $179.97
Quality: St. Croix Victory Casting 7’6″ H MF – $210.00
7′ – 7’6″ Cranking Rod
Techniques: Crankbaits
Recommended Rods
Budget: Lew’s Fritts Perfect Crank Speed Stick 7′ MH M – $89.99
Mid-Price: St. Croix Mojo Bass Glass Casting 7’2″ H M – $ 159.97
Quality: Daiwa Tatula Elite AGS Glass Cranking Casting 7′ MH R – $299.99
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