Very few activities can come close to the peacefulness that one can experience while sitting out on a lake in a boat, fishing rod in hand, waiting for the first catch to take your bait. It’s an almost therapeutic experience, so it certainly doesn’t come as any surprise that fishing is one of the most popular sports in America.

Some of the most hard core fishing advocates will tell you that your performance at fishing can only be as good as your equipment so it’s important to buy a good fishing pole. Unfortunately if you are new to the game you may not have the ability to discern the good from the not so good, so here are a few tidbits that will help you in picking a fishing rod of your choice that will serve you for a very long time.

When buying a fishing rod you will be boggled by the sheer range of choices staring you in the face. One method for choosing your first rod is to go into the local tackle shop and pick the first fishing rod that you lay your eyes on but this probably won’t be a very successful strategy. Another way would be to weigh the pros and cons of each rod.

Rod Weight - Gone is the era when rods were almost exclusively produced out of bamboo. Technological advancements have reached the fishing rod industry and today most fishing poles are made out of synthetic composite materials. Most fishing rods fall into 1 of four basic weight categories: light action, medium light action, medium heavy action and heavy action. What category a particular fishing rod falls under is usually mentioned on it. The different weights are used for different types of fish, so before you buy a rod you need to make a decision as to what kind of fish you want to go after with it. As a general rule, if you are fishing for trout or small mouth, use an ultra light action fishing rod. The heavier duty fishing rods are more suitable for catching catfish and walleye while the heavy action fishing rods will be most suitable for large Musky and large Carp. I am sure by now you see a pattern emerging, that is the weight of the rod should correlate with the weight of the fish you intend to go after with it.

Pole Length - The length is the next aspect that you need to look at with respect to your purchase. The length of rod that you select will depend on the place where you intend to fish. A more lengthy fishing pole can be expected to put more pressure on the fish during the fight. So if you intend to go fishing in a river you probably want to go for a longer fishing rod. Due to the fact that the rod is longer you will probably want to select an ultra light or a light action rod for your convenience. A five feet rod is usually great for normal water conditions while a six foot rod is what you’d need for high water.

Finally you will also have to make a decision on the amount of money you wish to spend on the fishing rod. Many fishing enthusiasts will tell you to not exceed a eighty dollar budget. Normally fishing rods that lie in this price range are extremely functional and you’ll find a number of wonderful rods under this price.

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