While I’ve written several articles discussing the best fishing rods for kids, what if you, the parent, are just starting out? What is the best fishing rod for beginners like you? Well, much like with kids, I’d recommend an Ugly Stik as about as good a fishing rod as a beginner could buy. It’s durable, inexpensive, and capable of handling most situations you’ll encounter. The only trick is to make sure you buy an adult-sized one that will serve you well. In this article, I’ll get you set up in no time.
Why an Ugly Stik is a Great Fishing Rod for a Beginner
I suppose I’m partial to recommending Ugly Stik so much because I it’s what I grew up fishing, and it’s still my father’s brand of choice. All of its strengths are very useful for novices, and even its “shortcomings” are huge pluses if you’re just starting out. While it’s not going to be seen on many professional tours, it is an extremely popular fishing rod and it’s easy to see why.
Durability
For a few years now, I’ve been writing about Ugly Stik’s durability on this blog. I’ve been raving about it to my friends in person for a few decades. Ugly Stik’s simply don’t break. They stand up to the kind of abuse that a novice might accidentally bring, making them great fishing rods for beginners.
Dad has owned several of these rods for what must be over 30 years at this point. About the worst damage I can ever recall one sustaining was having part of the line guide eye fall out after years of service. This includes years with three young children dragging and smacking them around, countless fish of all sizes, exposure to the elements, and general wear and tear.
This is far and away the reason I’ve recommended the brand for kids for years, but it’s also great for the parent. As a beginner, you might not quite appreciate all the different ways you can destroy a fishing rod. Chances are an Ugly Stik will give you a “scare” rather than a bill, as these rods simply hold up.
Affordability
Even if you did manage to break one of these rods, it wouldn’t hurt as much when you consider the price. While I hesitate to give you a price as they can change at any moment on Amazon, I am comfortable telling you that Ugly Stiks are some of the most affordable rods out there. This makes them a great fishing rod for beginners because you don’t need to break the bank to get set up. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and check out the price of this Ugly Stik Elite. It is a mere fraction of more expensive entry level rods like the St. Croix Triumph.
Sometimes, a low price can make people nervous. They wonder if they’re really getting quality, or if they’re going to be in a position where they will have to buy another, more expensive item shortly. I know when I start a new hobby, I’m hesitant to buy “the cheapest” anything as I figure it’s just junk. Well, first of all, Ugly Stik isn’t “the” cheapest, it’s just inexpensive and affordable. Secondly, however, you will own that Ugly Stik forever and it will do what you ask it to do. It is an inexpensive item that you can have confidence in.
Versatility
Ugly Stik rods are versatile. First, you can buy one for almost any situation. They have everything from ultralight models that are great for panfish up to true bruisers designed for dealing with catfish. Even if you just bought a run of the mill, “standard” model, you’ll find that you use it for different things as your angling hobby takes off. At first, it would be your go to fishing rod that you bought as a beginner. Later on, if you upgrade to more expensive rods, you’ll find you still press the Ugly Stik into service for some of the dirtier fishing jobs out there. For example, many of those Ugly Stiks I used as a child are now the catfish and bowfin rods I use with chicken liver today.
An Ugly Stik is one of the best fishing rods for beginners because you can still use throughout your life. This is the kind of purchase that you’re going to end up getting more than your money’s worth out of. There aren’t many tools for many hobbies that you can say that about.
Which Ugly Stik is the Best Fishing Rod for Beginners?
As mentioned earlier, Ugly Stik offers a wide variety of rods within their brands. All are relatively inexpensive fishing rods that make a good choice for beginners or people who don’t fish that often. I personally favor the Ugly Stik Elite just because I enjoy a cork handle more than a foam one found on the GX2, but you do pay a bit of a premium for this. In fact, I like the Ugly Stik Elite so much that I wrote an entire article discussing it specifically. You can read that here.
I’m a huge fan of the Ugly Stik Elite and own several.
Why No Other Options?
I really don’t want this article to feature the typical SEO-grab you see where the article lists a bunch of different rods and reels that just so happen to have a comparable price point. I wrote this specifically about Ugly Stik because I believe in that brand. There are certainly other rods of a comparable price point. I’ve tried a few and when I did, it always felt like an entry level rod to me, or broke quickly. If you’re a beginner looking for your first fishing rod, this is the brand for you.
I hope this article saved you some money and gave you more confidence in this brand. While you will, eventually, move on to other rods, I am a firm believer that if an Ugly Stik were your first fishing rod, it would also be the one that lasts the longest.
As an aside, if you’re new to fishing, go ahead and pick up my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide. While it is written from the perspective of teaching a parent how to fish so they can take their children with them, it’s also quite useful as a solo guide.
I’m starting to find a new appreciation for a minimalist approach to fishing. You see, I fear I may have spent a little bit too much on fishing tackle over the years. My wife has suspected the same for some time and hasn’t been shy of telling me, and now as I sit here staring at a bunch of lures I’ve never tied on, nor have any intention of tying on, I think she may be on to something.
I must have thousands of lures at this point. I have crankbaits in several dozen beautifully rendered colors. Spinnerbaits with every type of blade imaginable and jerkbaits for every type of action. I have a box filled with terminal tackle with hundreds of hooks of every shape and size.
When I was younger and didn’t have children I was caught up in it all and chased every “lead” or new fangled lure I could dream of. It should be no shock that once, a cashier at a sporting goods store looked at me and said, “Sir, are you ready for your total?”
I guess I got a little carried away… But what would life look like if I really tried to keep fishing simple?
A Minimalist Approach to Fishing Lure Colors
My tackle boxes feature a ridiculous variety of colors, most of which I have never used and will likely never use. Every single time I go fishing, I find that I’m drawn to four main colors:
I use chartreuse or clown (read: basically yellow) when I’m fishing in murky water, like south of the Crown Point Bridge in Lake Champlain.
I use white or yellow perch (read: natural) when I am fishing in clear water, like in Bulwagga Bay or north of the bridge in general. The idea being that white and yellow perch look much more like baitfish than a gaudy yellow. It has been my experience that the clearer the water becomes, the more productive white becomes. I fish in northern waters were yellow perch are prevalent, but you could substitute this for whatever prey is in your lake.
I use black when I am fishing during very overcast skies, or at night. This is because black stands out much better as it has a more distinct silhouette than the colors above.
So… Given that I know I’m only going to tie on these four colors, why is my tackle box filled with reds, greens, purples, silvers, golds, and everything in-between? Well, as dad always says, “They got me again.”
Of all these crankbaits, I only ever really use the one in my hand.
How Many Lures Do You Really Need?
Forget the colors. What about types? I believe I just may have every type of lure known to man, and I don’t even do this professionally. If you look at the tackle collections of some pros, they have more lures than some Wal-Marts. But how many do any of us really use? You hear about how so many people have their favorite few lures and techniques that they keep going back to, yet they buy everything under the sun. It doesn’t make sense.
I’d argue that you could get away with a select few rigs. I once wrote an entire article where I argued the only rig you needed to know was a drop shot. I ought to learn to take my own advice! Although I suppose that’s only good advice to those who fish near open water. If you’re surrounded by weedbeds, a drop shot’s usefulness tends to plummet.
Even so, one wouldn’t need every type of lure known to man. A drop shot, spinnerbait, and plastic worm combo could handle pretty much every situation you might encounter. The fish are deep and on rocks? Throw out the drop shot. Are they hanging along a weed line? Toss that spinnerbait. What about when they’re in heavy cover? Precisely place your plastic worm of choice right on target. Problem solved!
How Many Rods Should You Have?
I fail hard at minimalist fishing when it comes to how many fishing rods I own. The main rod box of my boat carries 10 rods. It is always completely full. The funny thing is, it often stays mostly full for much of the fishing trip. Indeed, if I have more than 2-3 rods out at any one time, it means I’m scrambling and haven’t found a pattern yet.
When I’m fishing with my kids, I bring multiple copies of their rods. I wouldn’t recommend doing anything less. I don’t bring multiple rods so I can try multiple techniques, but so my kids can keep on fishing while I fix their tangles all day! You can read all about what rods I think are best for kids in this article. You can also check out my in-depth review on the Ugly Stik Elite.
When I’m fishing by myself I try to bring as few rods as possible. On foot, anything more than one means that I have to move slower, because I have to find a place to set the second rod every time I want to cast. I can cover much more bank if I’m fishing with one rod, and I find I do better with less clutter on my casting deck as well if I’m on a boat.
What is the One Rod I Bring Along?
If you’re only going to use one fishing rod I suggest that you make it a Medium-Heavy power, fast action graphite one. This is a good all-around choice that can throw pretty much any set up you want. If I could only bring one rod, it would be a spinning rod. I find these more versatile than casting rods because they can throw a larger range of lure weights. If I want to use a drop shot, I can cast it easily. If I want to toss a spinnerbait, I can do that too. Casting rods, in contrast, often struggle with light presentations.
If you’re a fishing minimalist, chances are at least part of the reason for the decision is price. I do think you should invest a little money into a solid brand like St. Croix, likely their premier line up.
What About Tenkara?
If you really want to go all out with the minimalist fishing approach, you could learn about Tenkara fishing and pick up a kit. This Japanese approach is very simplistic and relies on a fishing pole instead of a rod. There’s no reel to speak of and the lures are usually light flies. If you really wanted to keep things as simple as possible, it would be hard to miss with this truly minimalist approach to fishing.
A Minimalist Approach to Fishing Boats
Honestly, if you’re trying to downsize your approach to fishing, you probably aren’t planning on buying a boat as it would kind of defeat the point. However, there are some ways that you can save some money even with boating.
The main opportunity is in the motor. Let’s be very clear: if you go on any fishing forum on earth and ask if you should max out the motor, you’re going to have no shortage of people telling you to do this. They’re going to talk about resale, top speed, and a host of other reasons. Well, I’ve been fishing with my boat for over eight years now. It’s rated for a 150 hp motor and has a 115. I have never missed the extra 35.
If you are not fishing in a tournament, planning on pulling very heavy water skiers, or intent on flipping your boat for a new one each year, there is little sense in insisting on maximum horsepower. Indeed, all the folks who are “hurting” from the “lack of resale value” are the perfect match for you when it’s time for you to buy a boat and them to sell one.
You also should consider what type of boat you need. Do you really need that fancy bassboat or deep v, or does the next model down work? My boat’s top end is 40mph. It can take my entire family safely. It goes for tens of thousands less than the top end models of its brand. When I think of why and how I use my boat it doesn’t make sense to go for broke. It might not for you either.
But Doesn’t Minimalist Fishing Miss Opportunities for Tricking Fish with New Lures?
I suppose the question above is the main reason the bait monkey exists, isn’t it? It’s certainly the reason you’ve read this entire article with a cautious eye! We’re all afraid that if we don’t grab the new hot lure, we’re going to lose a chance at the fishing trip of a lifetime.
Well, I can’t exactly offer reassurance here. I do think there’s something to be said for throwing something the fish have never seen, at least if it’s something that isn’t ridiculous (I’m looking at you, helicopter lure).
I remember back in the late 80’s when Berkley first came out PowerBait. That first summer dad bought a few was fantastic fishing with fish seemingly jumping in the boat. Likewise, the first spring the Shadow Rap was available, it fueled the most productive fishing trip of my life. Coincidence? Placebo? Maybe. But these did work.
I suppose this question above is always going to tug at me a bit. I’ll never quite shake the bait monkey because of it, but at the very least, I can use the approach I’ve described here to minimize the impact to my wallet.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you like this philosophy, consider picking up a copy of my book on Amazon as there are other tips in keeping with the, “Keep it simple” approach to help your family learn to fish.
If you’re looking for the perfect gift for a kid who loves fishing, look no further. Here are some great gift ideas that they’ll appreciate and which will help accelerate their love for the sport and the outdoors. Whether you’re buying for your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or just a friend, you can rest assured that these recommendations are going to be a hit.
This is a bit of a long post so here are some helpful links to take you were you want on the page:
Younger children love stuffed animals, and a plush northern pike like the one below makes for a much more unique toy than your standard teddy bear!
A variety of fish species are available. Here are some of my kids favorites (click any picture for more information on the product).
In addition to the realistic stuffed animals above, here are a few that might make you smile. Anyone reading their kids “The Pout Pout Fish” or “The Rainbow Fish” lately? Well here they are in all their fuzzy glory:
Toys
Little kids will always love toys, and if they’re into fishing, a toy bass boat is hard to beat. Here are a few options out there that they are likely to enjoy.
Fishing Action Figures
I never had one of these growing up, but wish I did. I bought one for my son when he was younger and I think I’m going to have to buy this one below for him again now that we have a pool to play in.
Playmobil is a consistent winner in my house and this toy fisherman would make the perfect stocking stuffer.
A Quintessential Fishing Game
This game has been around for awhile and was a hit at my house. It’s a fun game you can play with your kids, but there are many small pieces, so wait until they’re a little older. You can pick up your copy at Amazon.
A Cool Fishing Bath Toy
Something like this could keep the kids engaged throughout their bath and even convince ones who aren’t so crazy about the tub to hop on in for some fun.
This one does run the risk of getting mom or dad soaked, but your kids will certainly enjoy it.
Books
One of the greatest thing about fishing is that it’s such a thinking person’s sport that one can’t help but want to read more about it. Some of the earliest books I ever read had to do with fishing, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to claim that the sport helped engender a love of reading within me.
You can find a detailed review for most of these books in an article I wrote about the best fishing books for kids, but suffice it to say, these are winners that I read my kids often. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Note that you can also read about more advanced fishing books in my article about the best fishing books I’ve ever read. Here are some of my favorites:
The American Boys Handy Book by Daniel Carter Beard
This book right here sparked more adventures in my mind than perhaps any other I read as a child. In it, you’ll find instructions on how to build everything from aquariums to rafts. It’s basically a field guide to the great outdoors. Click here to read more about it at Amazon.
Gone Fishing by Earlene Long
Of all the books I reviewed in this post, this one has stood the test of time with my son. He still routinely picks this one out and asks me to read it to him now and then. It’s not a bad read either. Sometimes when a kid gets stuck on a book it can be a little rough on the parent, but this is a quick one with fun pictures and you won’t stress about reading it 100 times. This makes it a great gift for any kid who likes fishing. You can purchase it at Amazon.
Outdoor IQ Ultimate Fishing Guide by Dave and Steve Shellhaas
This book is targeted towards children, though from the reviews it appears the type set is pretty small, so don’t necessarily expect it to be the best for younger kids. Even so, how many dinosaur books have you read with them that were a little beyond their scope? The key is in the pictures, and this book has plenty. You can find it at Amazon.
Freshwater Fishing for Kids by Melanie A. Howard
A book filled with great tips and directed at kids. I don’t own this one either, but judging from the reviews, it looks like this is a book more appropriate for kids who already know the basics, as some of the feedback is that not all terms are defined. Pick it up at Amazon.
The Three Little Bass and the Big Bad Gar by James Miller
I remain impressed by this book. Not so much for the story, which is basically just a spin off on the three little pigs, but the story behind how it was created. An eight-year-old and his mother teamed up to create this book and offer it for sale and enjoyment to the world. I think that’s a great story and one that perhaps you and your little one can draw some inspiration from. If you’re interested in showing your kids what is possible with a little imagination and dedication, pick this book up today.
Animals, Birds & Fish of North America, the Illustrated Encyclopedia of: A Natural History and Identification Guide to the Captivating Indigenous Wildlife of the United States of America and Canada by Tom Jackson
I loved these kinds of books when I was a kid. Each of the more than 420 creatures featured comes with a map showing where in the country one might find them, and a little excerpt describing the species in some detail. This is sure to provide hours of entertainment and would be a great book to give your kids before a long road trip. You can buy it at Amazon.
Northern Pike Secrets (An In-Fishermen Handbook of Strategies) by Al Lindner, et al
OK, so this book is definitely NOT marketed towards kids. So why would I include it? Because it has a special place in my heart. It is the first fishing book that I wore out cover to cover. Even though it’s extremely more technically oriented than most kids can stand, its first chapter discussing the history of northern pike is sure to put your children in wonder.
You might have some difficulty finding this book. As of writing, Amazon has a listing for several used copies, but you may need to go to e-Bay. On occasion, I’ve seen reprints of this series of books at various tackle shops, or for sale on the In-Fishermen website itself.
Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide by John Paxton
I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention my book. While it’s targeted towards parents, it could be a good companion gift (buy the kid the fishing rod, buy the parents this book, and watch things fall in place). You can purchase it at Amazon.
Clothes
While few of us look back at our time as kids and remember loving to unwrap boxes full of clothes, at least these are for their interest. You’ll probably get more mileage out of these than you would for some dress clothes for picture day.
Lucky Fishing Shirt
No one can leave home home without a lucky fishing shirt! I found when getting my kid used to dressing himself, having a supply of clothes he thought looked cool really helped. Anything with fish or dinosaurs passes the sniff test at the Paxton house.
This Kid Loves to Fish
Here’s another good one that your kids might like to wear. It’ll also show less worm gut stains as it is mostly black. Always a plus!
UPF 50+ Kids Fishing Clothes
If you’re looking for something practical, UPF 50+ rated kids fishing clothes would make a great gift. The sun is a real enemy out there, especially when you’re distracted doing something fun. These shirts will minimize the amount of fuss you get over sunscreen and will protect your little ones from its harmful rays.
UPF 50+ Kids Fishing Shirts
This one above follows my concept of “buy kids shirts they think looks cool.” Given the jumping bass, it’s a winner on that front. Check it out in further detail here.
Safety yellow is a great color that gives a bit of piece of mind out there on the water should something happen. You can purchase this one at this link.
UPF 50+ Kids Fishing Hats
My kids wear fishing hats similar to these. I appreciate the 360-degrees of protection that they afford from the sun, as we’re constantly moving while on the boat and can be hit from any angle. As a plus, the tykes look adorable in them.
This kind of model offers even more protection for the back of the neck. Let’s face it: where do you usually get sunburned? Bearing that in mind, it would be a great idea to pick this up at Amazon today.
Fishing Gloves for Kids
The first time my son saw “bass thumb,” it scared him. Even though adults know it is a mark of honor, to see your thumb so scuffed up can be a little traumatic for the little ones. Some gloves like these will prevent that and afford them some protection. As these have an anti-skid design, it’s also less likely your kid will be dropping as many rods in the lake – always a plus!!!
Fishing Video Games
Ideally, you’re trying to get your kids into fishing so they can spend time away from screens, but on the other hand, not all of us live someplace where we can fish year round, at least in comfort. Video games can help scratch that itch during the off season. Further, not for nothing, but let’s be candid here: wouldn’t you rather your children be playing a fishing video game than some first person shooter? At least they’ll learn a thing or two about the sport.
Here are some fishing video games available on the major platforms. Any of these would make a great gift for a kid who likes fishing and gaming. I’m not sure I’m sold that many adults would like these, as most fishing games tend to be designed more for younger folks (I personally haven’t cared much for a fishing video games since the awesome Bassin’s Black Bass with Hank Parker).
Nintendo Switch
We don’t own a Nintendo Switch, so I’m going to have to go based on some reviews out there, but I will say that Nintendo has a reputation to catering their video games more towards children than the other platforms, so these games will likely be well-received by little ones. Here’s a few that caught my eye.
Fishing Star World Tour
This seems to have different fish species than “The Strike” as well as some salt water ones. It’s quite cartoony with big flashing letters when fish are on. Go check out a few of the photos of it at Amazon and see if it’s something your kid might enjoy.
Bass Pro Shops The Strike: Championship Edition
People indicate that their kids enjoy the game. Given that its a Bass Pro Shops game, one would think it would have a bit more thought into it than most. Check the best price at Amazon.
Note that some of these titles may also be available on other game systems. After following the links, consider poking about if you’re interested in buying one of these for a different system.
The Fisherman: Fishing Planet
This game boasts of having artificial intelligence that follows the behaviors of real fish. It also has claims to being the most realistic game, though I’m not sure how good that is in a fishing simulator. Follow this link for more information.
Legendary Fishing
Legendary fishing’s “hook” is that it’s a multiplayer game where each player competes for certain challenges, such as catching 2 fish with a certain lure in a certain time. Being able to play with friends will make for a more interactive gaming experience. More information on Legendary Fishing can be found here.
X-Box 1
As above, please note that many of these games may also be available on PS4, though a few are likely X-Box exclusives. After following the links, consider searching a little deeper to see what you can find if you’d really prefer this for a different system.
Rapala Fishing: Pro Series
A video game designed by one of the most iconic lure company’s on planet earth, this one boasts hundreds of different lures to choose from and unlock, giving kids goals to work towards. You can find it available for purchase at Amazon.
This game features over 75 fish species and hundreds of real life lures to catch them with, as well as some decent graphics. It could be fun for your kids to try out lures that they have in their own tackle box to see how they work. You can find more photos and user reviews on Amazon.
Gear
It goes without saying that any kid who is into fishing is going to be into getting fishing gear as a present. With that said, a lot of the stuff marketed towards children out there really isn’t best for them. Indeed, you’re basically buying the daydream effect of their having something fun to look at and play with and call their own, but if you wanted to buy them stuff that lasts, you’re better off parting it out. Here’s a few things to get you started.
Kids Fishing Rods
You might be tempted to go out and buy the first youth combo that you see. I wrote an article to help you wade through the options that you can read here.
Ugly Stik Elite
I wrote an entire article about why I think it’s a great fishing pole for kids that you can read here. In that post, you’ll learn why I think it’s one of the best fishing rods for kids.
If you don’t have time to read an entire article, suffice it to say that it’s an inexpensive brand that has legendary durability which makes it great for little anglers who might not be the most careful yet with their gear.
I have many of these in my rod box and recommend it to all parents. You purchase this great fishing rod as a gift for your kid at at Amazon.
St. Croix Panfish Series
Anyone who has followed this blog for any length of time knows that I love St. Croix rods. While their panfish series is more expensive than the Ugly Stik, it would make any outstanding gift for any kid who is old enough to appreciate (and maintain) fine fishing gear.
Frankly, I think these make great gifts for adults too. Many parents spend the first few years of their children’s fishing career exclusively targeting panfish. A dedicated panfish rod makes this significantly more fun than reeling them in on bass tackle or the like. Consider purchasing one for the parent too!
Kids Fishing Reels
I’m not one for buying the usual “kids” reels with the superheroes on them. Instead, I buy stuff that I think will last so I don’t have to buy it twice. With children, that can be a bit challenging, but here’s a link to an article I wrote that talks about different spinning reels out there that you can purchase. Of them, I’d consider your best bets to be the Pflueger Trion or Pflueger President. Smaller kids will do well with a size 20, while older ones would be better off with a 30.
Tackle
When it comes to taking kids fishing, not all tackle is created equal. I wrote a lengthy article discussing what fishing lures work well with kids that you can read here, but if you’re pinched for time, here are some solid recommendations that are safe for kids to use, and effective.
Strike King Bleeding Bait Spinnerbait
I really enjoyed throwing spinnerbaits with my dad when I was as young as six-years-old. They help kids learn how to cast for distance and accuracy, and catch fish to boot. It’s much more interesting to walk around casting something at likely targets than to sit around waiting for something to eat your worm. These spinnerbaits are durable and effective and make a good choice for children.
It’s also worth mentioning that these lures have a single large hook which is safer for children than smaller treble hooks, as it takes much more force to pierce the skin. Pick some up today!
Yamamoto Senko Kit
Yamamoto Senkos are some of the best baits for kids to use. All they need to do is “wacky rig” these lures, toss them out, let them sink, and usually before they hit the ground, a bass will smash them. If they don’t get a bite, they can retrieve them slowly with some “pops” allowing the bait to fall again on the retrieve repeatedly.
It’s a super effective and easy technique for kids to learn that will put them on fish. While you could buy the packs separately, this handy kit comes with several great colors and a tackle box to store them. It would also wrap much better as a present. I highly recommend purchasing one today.
Frog Nets
While not technically a “fishing” item, one thing I’ve learned this year is that kids absolutely love catching frogs, crayfish, minnows, and anything else that a throw net will capture. I’ve found that my son almost prefers this to actual fishing! Here are a few good options that will make for fun afternoons at your local pond.
I like the frog net below because it is squared at the top as opposed to rounded. This makes a difference because when reaching for a frog or crayfish, it will allow you to pin the net against the ground, reducing the chances your quarry escapes. You can find it, or something similar, at Amazon.
When my nephew was born I ran out searching for some good baby gifts for him. Here’s a link to an article filled with some ideas for what you could purchase if you’re in that same boat.
If you’re not interested in the full length article, this makes a pretty cute toy. It’s by VTech, so you know you can trust it around littles.
Here’s another one that would make any newborn smile:
Boats: the Ultimate Gift for Kids Who Love Fishing
OK, so it would be a bit crazy to get a child a boat, but here are some inexpensive rafts that you could buy for them that would spark a true sense of adventure. These would go great with a reading of Huckleberry Finn, in case anyone has some summer reading to get through. If you have a local pond, these can provide a neat little adventure for the two of you, especially if shore access is limited on one side (because “that’s where the good frogs are,” naturally).
Seahawk 3 by Intex
The Seahawk 3 by Intex is an inexpensive raft choice that would do fine for getting your kids across a small pond. I’m a little leery of fishing out of it or partaking in other activities that involve sharp objects, but it would be great for frogging. You can purchase it at Amazon.
Excursion 5 by Intex
The Excursion 5 is a step up from the Seahawk 3, as it’s rated for five people. While I wouldn’t recommend bringing five people out on it and expecting to do anything other than sit still, a larger raft can help if you have a few kids to bring along with you to that pond. More details are available at Amazon.
Gheenoe
Chances are if you’re not from Florida, it’s unlikely you’ve ever heard of a Gheenoe, but they’re amongst the best light water craft options for taking little kids out on the water. As such, they’d make a great gift for any family with kids who love fishing. I have an LT10 and love it, though I would caution you that it’s not much of a cartopper and you’ll really want a trailer unless you’re bringing two adults along.
You can find a local dealer by visiting their website here.
The Gheenoe LT10 makes for a great small watercraft to take little kids on, however don’t expect to cartop it by yourself! You’ll want to stick to areas near ramps when possible.
Conclusions
One of the best things about fishing with your kids is that it sparks a love of learning. Once hooked, kids will want to learn everything they can about fishing. It also can become a source of pride for them as they develop their skillset. These toys, games, books, and other gifts are great to keep a kid’s love of fishing going strong. If you know a little tyke who is enamored by the sport, you can’t go wrong with any of them.
I hope this post helped ease any stress you might have had about getting the perfect gift for your little angler. I’ll update it from time to time as I find other cool fishing gifts for kids.
Snap swivels are an extremely convenient tool, especially if you are new to fishing and not yet comfortable with various knots. They allow you to try a variety of lures quickly and also minimize line twist. On the other hand, they are one more thing that can fail, and their bulkiness can potentially scare fish or kill your lure’s action. Read on to see why I’d suggest having some in your tackle box, but probably not tied on every rod.
What is a snap swivel?
A snap swivel is a piece of terminal tackled used to connect your fishing line and a lure. It serves two purposes:
It allows one to change lures swiftly, without needing to tie a second knot; and
It prevents your line from twisting, as is common when using spinning reels.
It does this by combining two pieces of terminal tackle. The snap is a clasp that attaches to the lure. It can be opened and shut, which makes trying a new lure a very easy affair. The swivel preven ts line from twisting, as it rotates 360-degrees around a fixed point, which is an eye you tie your line to.
Seeing as these do combine two types of terminal tackle, you might wonder if you should just pick one over the other. Usually I’d agree that’s true. I use a snap on several of my rods, but only have snap swivels tied on my children’s rigs.
Why Use a Snap vs. a Snap Swivel
As mentioned above, I use snaps on several rods but only use the bulkier snap swivel on my kids’ rods. This is because the former gives me almost all of the benefits of the latter with much less weight. The only additional benefit the latter provides is that it minimizes line twist, but this can also be accomplished by properly maintaining your gear. With kids, however, all bets are off.
I use a snap for my crankbaits and even jerkbaits. I think that having a little bit of wiggle room up front actually gives it an action that I prefer, as the bait sits very loose against the snap as opposed to tight against the line. Not for nothing, but Kevin VanDam agrees. In fact, he’s the person who convinced me to try it after some forum folk tried to swear me off of snaps.
In the case of a jerkbait, consider this for a moment. These are lures that are twitched as they are retrieved, but are meant to pause frequently. Some jerkbaits float, sink, or stay neutrally buoyant. During that pause, if your jerkbait is loosely attached to a snap, it’s going to have a more natural action than sitting perfectly still.
A snap (left) is considerably less obtrusive than the bulky snap swivel (right).
The Benefits of Snap Swivels
If you followed that link, Kevin VanDam mentioned that he only uses snaps, not snap swivels. I won’t take as hard of a line as him. Snap swivels have their place.
You have to remember, whenever you’re reading up on fishing, most of the people that are going to give you advice are professionals. “Well, isn’t that exactly what you want,” you ask? Not exactly… You see, the good thing about asking professionals is they’ll give you the best advice for a fishing tournament. If money is on the line, and every little thing could mean the difference between cashing a check or going home broke, then it’s worth listening to them, as their advice will give you an edge. However, if you’re just out there with your kids, it’s a totally different story. Here are several benefits to using snap swivels while fishing.
They Allow You to Change Lures Quickly
Not sure what the fish are going to bite on? If you’re using some sort of snap, you can quickly change lures until you find the one the fish are after. Although you could simply retie over and over again, using a snap will save you money on fishing line (which is convenient when fishing with expensive line like braid).
Given that not all of us have 40 rods that they bring along, the versatility snaps and snap swivels provide in changing lures quickly is well worth it.
They’re One Less Thing That Can Go Wrong (Kind Of).
I say that these are “kind of” one less thing to go wrong, because they come with their own problems, but at least they solve one: line twist. Many problems come up while fishing, especially if you bring the youngsters along. Line twist is a real thing and it exacerbates the many tangles your children are likely to get into. A snap swivel helps cut down on that a bit as the swivel makes line twist a bit less likely.
They Offer a Bit of Protection from Teeth
Another benefit of snap swivels is that they add just a bit more protection from the teeth of fish like pike. While they are not replacement for a proper leader, the length of the snap swivel is essentially tooth-proof and might help you save a few more lures over the course of a season.
It’s Convenient When Leaders Come With Them
Many leaders out there, such as these fluorocarbon leaders, already come with a snaps attached. This is very convenient, as it makes tying your leader a quick affair, and allows you to quickly change lures. If you don’t use a snap with a leader, you’re going to go through a lot of leader quickly retying, which is a shame considering how expensive they are.
They’re Great for Fishing With Kids
If your kids are anything like mine, they love rooting through tackle boxes and checking out all the lures you have. They want to try a bunch of them, and don’t necessarily have the patience to stick with one for any length of time. Using a snap or snap swivel will save you a ton of time retying lures in this situation. It’s 1000 times easier to teach a kid to unclasp a snap than it is to retie a lure. It’s just one more thing that can help make fishing with kids stress free.
Drawbacks of Snap Swivels
As with all things in life and fishing, there is a balance. We’ve talked about the benefits of snap swivels. Now, let’s spend a little time talking about some concerns people have when using them.
It’s Just One More Thing To Fail
It might seem a bit odd to say this given I just talked about how they’re one less thing that can go wrong in the “benefits” section above, but remember Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” A snap swivel has several points of potential failure. The snap, especially on lighter models, can be very thin and prone to opening or breaking. Each eye on the swivel could also break off. That’s three more things that ol’ Murphy can be right about. It might not be worth it.
It’s One More Thing That Will Catch Weeds
Another downside is that snap swivels are another place that can collect weeds. They have nooks and crannies that vegetation loves to get into, and it can be difficult to get some of the sloppiest stuff out. So in that respect, you could find that the snap swivel has some affect on the lure’s success ratio, if too many weeds get on it.
A Snap Swivel Can Affect a Lure’s Action
Many concerned people ask, “will a snap swivel kill a lure’s action?”
The short answer is it depends on the lure, and what its action is in the first place. Generally, a lure that you’re simply retrieving (such as a spinnerbait or crankbait) should see no perceptible decline in action. This is because the extra weight isn’t going to make any difference to a lure that is being reeled back in rapidly.
On the other hand, certain lures, like poppers and other topwater lures, are carefully balanced for a specific action. Adding the weight of a snap swivel to the front of them can affect their balance. The question then becomes, “does it affect it in a bad way?” Always remember that so many of the fishing lures on the market are specifically advertised as having slightly different action than their competitors, so who is to say that your modification made things worse? .
It Might Scare the Fish
Some people claim that snap swivels scare fish. I’m not so certain about this. There’s an awful lot of gear on different fishing rigs that is bulkier and more obtrusive than a small snap swivel, and they still catch fish. Just look at all the stuff folks fishing for lake trout drag behind their boat – their lack of stealth isn’t hurting anything. Likewise, a Carolina rig and drop shots have plenty of accessories hanging about, but they still work great for fishing.
Also, as with so many questions in this post, it’s going to come down to what type of lure you’re attaching to that snap swivel in the first place. Some lures are moving so fast that you’re seeking a reaction strike where the fish doesn’t have time to consider its options. A snap swivel isn’t going to matter when you’re fishing those techniques. Others, however, “soak” in the water for a long time hoping a fish finally decides to eat it after staring at it for awhile. I could see snap swivels being a problem with those.
What Size Snap Swivel Should I Use?
Use the smallest snap swivel that you can get away with, based on the type of fish you’re targeting. All of the drawbacks of snap swivels increase with size, and the only real advantage you get is additional strength. See the photo below. Which one do you think is going to kill a lure’s action and scare more fish? The answer is obvious.
The snap swivel on the right is nearly twice the size of the one on the left. Unless you are targeting large species, go with the smallest snap you can.
In addition to the risk of killing a lure’s action or scaring fish, having a larger snap swivel also increases the risk that it will hang up on your lure. For example, in the above photo, there’s a chance that the one on the right is large enough to swing down and catch the front treble hook on a crankbait. That would be an annoying situation to deal with, to say the least.
Only use a larger snap swivel in situations where you truly need it, such as when targeting larger saltwater fish. Most freshwater fish (with a few exceptions, like carp or gar) are going to be catchable with smaller gear.
What Lures Work Well With Snap Swivels?
I mentioned above that some lures are going to be affected more than others while using snaps or snap swivels. Let’s spend a little time going over what lures do and don’t work well with snap swivels.
Essentially, I’d recommend snaps or snap swivels for lures you’ll fish horizontally and fast rather than vertically and slow, but let’s look at few specific options.
Anything You’ll Fish Fast, Below the Water
Spinnerbaits and crankbaits both work great with a snap or snap swivel. You minimize any of the drawbacks of this terminal tackle, because you’re usually throwing these in open water and reeling them in fast enough that fish strike instinctively before they can get a good look. Given that, it’s unlikely a snap swivel will scare any fish while attached to a crankbait or spinnerbait.
An exception in my mind would be swim jigs. On the one hand, using a snap swivel on a swim jig would provide at least some protection from pike and pickerel, however, when I’m tossing these, it’s usually because I’m looking to glide through some vegetation better than my spinnerbaits can, and a snap swivel is going to remove that advantage.
Can You Put a Hook on a Snap Swivel?
I would not recommend using a snap swivel with a bare hook. Generally speaking, bare hooks are used with worms or soft plastics that resemble worms or other creatures. They’re a slow presentation, and one where fish often size up their meal before they strike. If there’s any credence to the thought that a snap swivel will scare away a fish, it’ll bear out with a slow presentation such as this.
Also, if you’re fishing soft plastics, your hookset needs to be very hard. I wouldn’t trust a snap swivel to hold up to that kind of stress over time, especially if you’re using a smaller one that is less obtrusive.
Can You Use a Snap Swivel on a Topwater Lure?
I wouldn’t recommend using a snap swivel on a topwater lure. This is because they sit on top of the water just so, and if you were to add in any additional weight you would drag the front of the lure down. This could greatly impact its action. For example, walkers like a Zara Spook might plow into the water instead of gliding past it. Likewise, a popper like the Rebel Pop-R could find their nose brought into the water, limiting its “popping” action.
Conclusion: When Should You Use a Snap Swivel?
As with many of the recommendations that I make on this site, I tend to go a little against the grain. Most folks out there would tell you to steer clear of snap swivels, and with good reason. With that said, this website aims at teaching parents how to go fishing with their children. I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend having some snap swivels in your tacklebox. The benefits they provide make the drawbacks manageable.
While I wouldn’t recommend using one if money was on the line in a tournament, or if you were fishing a heavily pressured lake with discerning fish, you shouldn’t hesitate to tie on one if you’re out at the local pond with your kids, or even if you’re just fishing for fun.
If you decide to go with a snap swivel, get the smallest ones you can that still have decent strength. Then, tie them on your little ones’ rods and let your kids have fun mixing and matching lures until they find one they like.
Hopefully you found this article helpful. If you did, consider joining my Facebook page so you’ll know when this blog is updated. I’ve been trying to find a good way to keep in touch with my audience and feel that Facebook is less intrusive than an email list (we all get enough emails)! I hope to meet you there soon!
Thanks,
John Paxton
Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!
Those familiar with my blog know that I love St. Croix rods, so much so that I’m now investing some time to go through and review the entire lineup (or, at least the models I own). If you’ve been thinking about buying a St. Croix Premier Spinning or Casting rod, keep on reading. I’ll tell you why I think they’re one of the most versatile tools in your rod box.
Is the St. Croix Premier a Good Fishing Rod?
The St. Croix Premier lineup is what I’d consider their “entry level American-made” offering. There are certainly rods (such as the Triumph and Mojo series) that are more “entry level” but these are manufactured elsewhere. These rods feature SCII graphite, which is solid but comparable to what the lower-end St. Croix’s have, and then feature some additions such as upgraded reel seats and line guides.
I probably should have been up front by saying that no St. Croix is truly an “entry level” rod. It’s basically like calling the base model Cadillac an “entry level” vehicle. So, any St. Croix you purchase is going to be a good one.
The Premier lineup have cork handles and dark rod blanks which I find aesthetically pleasing as I’m not really one for flashy rods. They hold up well and as we’ll see have a decent warranty.
All in all, the St. Croix Premier rods are keepers. The main reason being its versatility. Let’s take a moment to discuss that in detail:
Versatility
I am convinced that there is no rod model more versatile than the St. Croix Premier. Its versatility comes primarily from its wide ranger of models. The St. Croix Premier has more available models than any other in St. Croix’s lineup. As of writing, their website claims 38 spinning models and 30 casting models.
It would create a needless wall of text to list every type offered, but I did want to touch on a few specific models to showcase just how versatile this rod lineup truly is.
St. Croix Premier Spinning Rods of Note
The following four rods give you a pretty good idea of just what you can accomplish with the St. Croix Premier spinning rod lineup.
Perfect Panfish Rods
The smallest spinning rod offered by St. Croix in their Premier line is a 4’6″ Ultra Light Power, Moderate Action noodle that would make an exceptional panfish rod as well as a great Christmas gift for any young anglers in your life. Personally, I’d go with the 5′ model as you’ll get a few more years out of it.
In all fairness, however, if you’re buying a fishing rod for a small child and they haven’t yet shown an aptitude for and love of fishing, don’t pony up the cash for one of the St. Croix’s. Read my article on the much more affordable Ugly Stik Elite and buy one of those instead. Alternately, you could read my article on the best fishing rods for kids where I discuss a few other St. Croix models I personally prefer for children over the Premier.
My Son’s First Spinnerbait Rod
Shortly before the pandemic hit I had a little money burning a hole in my pocket and took my son off to the local tackle shop to see what we might find. He was four years old at the time, but as those of you who follow this blog have seen, he’s a good angler.
We picked up a 6′ Medium Power, Fast Action St. Croix Premier spinning rod. This is small enough for him to handle well, but long and stout enough to toss spinnerbaits. While most will tell you that you really want a Medium-Heavy power for a spinnerbait rod, St. Croix rods run a little on the heavy side with their power, and a medium does just fine for throwing 3/8 ounce spinnerbaits and other lures.
My son loves this rod and we’d certainly recommend it. It is lightweight but high quality and the perfect size for those children who are still small. He’s managed to catch some decent bass on it so far, and I can’t wait to get him up to Lake Champlain for a pickerel or pike. You can pick up your own right at this link with confidence. Go ahead and pick one up and then leave a comment about how much you love it!
The All-Arounder
If you want to treat yourself to an American-made fishing rod that is of high-quality, but not ridiculously expensive, it would be hard to beat the St. Croix Premier Medium-Heavy Power, Fast Action rod in either spinning or casting models.
This is a good all-around option that will allow you to throw most lures successfully. It’s great for (really, designed for) spinnerbaits and plastic worms and could be used with jigs well enough. While a little too powerful for my liking, it can handle crankbaits and top water lures fairly well too.
A Spinning Rod that Can Handle Frogs
The reason I bought my first St. Croix Premier spinning rod was because I wanted a spinning rod that could be used effectively for throwing frogs. As any frog fisherman will tell you, this technique requires specialized equipment that isn’t that easy to find in a spinning rod setup (at least not with bass tackle).
The 7′ St. Croix Premier Heavy Power, Fast Action rod is what I purchased for my wife and other guests to use when I take them frog fishing. If they aren’t comfortable with baitcasters and prefer a spinning rod, this gives them enough power to drag largemouth bass out of a pile of slop. You will need to pair it with a reel that can handle heavy braid, but the rod itself will not let you down.
It’s very challenging to find a non-Musky, freshwater spinning rod that can handle these lures, and the fact that St. Croix offers one is a testament to the versatility of the St. Croix Premier lineup.
As an aside, this same rod does a great job as a catfish rod or for tossing out any type of heavy lure or sinker. You can pick one up here though this link is for a two-piece rod. This is an added plus if you’re just starting out and fishing from the back of your car, and if you’re throwing frogs, any slight reduction in sensitivity a two-piece offers will be negligible.
I purchased this rod primarily as a spinning rod option for frogs, but it also handles large swimbaits very well.
Where are St. Croix Premier Rods Made?
As mentioned above, you will be happy to note that the St. Croix Premier lineup is designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, Wisconsin. Thus, purchasing one of these rods means supporting an American business and American workers which is all the more important during these trying times. Consider heading over to Amazon and buying one now.
Do St. Croix Premier Rods Come With A Warranty?
The St. Croix Premier lineup comes with a five year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service. You can read all about the company’s great warranty at their website.
I would like to share a little personal experience regarding the warranty that St. Croix Rods offers. While I’ve generally found their products to be free of defects, years ago I did purchase a road that had a significant chip in one of the line guides, which was fraying my line and causing me to lose some lures.
I was worried because it’s the kind of issue that a company could easily say I created, however I got absolutely no pushback from the company. I followed their warranty program and had my rod repaired and returned to me quickly.
In all honesty, it was probably the sort of issue I could have fixed myself with some epoxy, but it was early on to my buying days with the company, and I wanted give them a chance to fix things and make things right. I was so impressed by the quick turnaround and lack of any pushback that it made me a lifelong customer and advocate.
What Reels Pair Well With a St. Croix Premier?
I’m a huge fan of pairing Pflueger reels with my St. Croix rods and have written a large article all about why here. I match my St. Croix Premiers with a Pflueger President spinning reel in various sizes and recommend that you do as well. They pair up and balance well and can handle most anything you throw at them.
Conclusions
The St. Croix Premier lineup is an American-made, versatile rod lineup that has a model for anything and everything you’d ever dream of. It is less expensive than some of the company’s flagship offerings, but at a higher price point than their true entry level models, which sets it up as somewhat “middle of the road” and therefore a good balance between performance and price.
I’d recommend this line to anyone who wants to start building a high-quality rod box with classic, subdued colors and looks.
Remember, if the price of a new model is too much for you, I have an entire article about how to buy used rods with confidence that can help you pick a few of these up on eBay with piece of mind.
I hope this article was helpful. If it was, you might consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide, as it is filled with other tips to help you enjoy this great sport.
Everyone once in awhile, and especially while fishing with braid, I’ve noticed that my fishing line snaps when I cast, and my lure flies off. This is extremely annoying as it often happens while I have a pricier fishing lure tied on.
As I wanted to stop this annoying circumstance, I started poking around online to determine what was causing my fishing line to snap when I cast, and how to stop it. I learned that there are a few potential culprits that could cause your fishing line to snap. (1) Your braided fishing line may be too light; (2) Your line might be digging in against itself on the spool; (3) There could be an issue with your line guides or other equipment; (4) Your knot might be weak; (5) Your line may be nicked from fish or abrasions; or (6) You might be overpowering your casts.
Let’s talk a bit about these potential issues and then how to address them.
You Might Be Using Too Light of Braid
This could be true for any kind of line but it is especially so for braid. Lighter braided fishing line is very susceptible to snapping off on a cast. One of braid’s main draws is that it is super sensitive, but this is because it doesn’t stretch at all. Accordingly, it has absolutely no shock resistance, so if it suddenly meets a point of resistance greater than its line strength, it can snap.
You might think that is a little crazy because as we all know braid is extremely powerful. I’ve dragged what seems like entire tree branches to the surface using it with little worry that it would snap. Yet if you ever try just jerking braid suddenly and with force, you’ll see that the lack of shock resistance can cause it to break fairly easily.
While braid is available in very thin diameter and light pound test, I am not a fan of using braid thinner than 20lb test on my spinning reels and 30lb test on my baitcasters. I find the thinner, lighter line is too susceptible to issues.
Your Fishing Line Might Be Digging In Against the Spool, Causing It to Snap
This issue goes hand in hand with using too light of line, and may be a prime reason your fishing line is snapping as you cast. Braid is very soft compared to monofilament or fluorocarbon lines. This is the reason why it falls limply after use and doesn’t retain a memory. While this is good in that respect, it also means that it can easily cut into itself while it is on the spool.
If this occurs, you have a situation where instead of having a hundred yards of line that can leave your spool on a cast, you might have ten. If you wind up for a powerful cast only to have ten yards to throw, you’ll hear a loud *snap* and your line can break.
This can be addressed in part by using heavier line that isn’t as thin and less likely to dig into the spool. However, your main way to combat this is to use a backing of monofilament. Attach it to your braid using the Double Uni Knot below:
The Double Uni Knot is used to tie braid to mono, allowing for a mono backing on your spool.
Thinner braid, and especially the “slick” models advertised out there, are especially prone to digging into the spool. If you intend to use one of these products, you’ll want to use more mono backing because of this.
You can also purchase some fishing reels that come with “braid ready” spools. These have little rubber lines up and down them to act as backing and keep the braid secure. You can read about several reels that have them in this post.
Equipment Defects
Have you ever secured a hook to your rod when you were done using it by hooking it to a line guide? You may have damaged the guide. This is unfortunate, as a damaged line guide on your rod may be cause your line to snap and your lures to fly away into the abyss.
There’s an easy way to check for this. Just run a Q-Tip through your line guides. If you notice that cotton is being caught, it means you have some damage to repair. This isn’t the end of the world. First, your rod may be under warranty. Even if it isn’t, this is a good DIY repair job. Watch this video for some tips on how to do that. If you don’t have Q-Tips, you can also inspect your rod’s line guides visually, as I discussed in this post.
Although unlikely, it is also possible that your reel is defective, especially if you’re using a baitcaster. For example, your thumb bar may not be fully disengaged even though you heard a “click.” If you have this issue consider cleaning your reel and inspecting – perhaps a stray grain of sand has gotten somewhere it shouldn’t.
Your Knot May Have Failed
If you take a cast only to find that your lure snaps off, there is a chance that the problem was right at the knot. This is going to be simultaneously the weakest and most critical connection point you have. Ensure that your knot is tied on correctly and that you’re using a strong one to start with. As seen on this site, the Palomar Knot has good strength and is easy to tie.
Your Line Could Be Damaged
Your fishing line is snapping when you cast because it is damaged. This is going to happen over time (or if you do something silly, like try to bake it), which is why you should retie often throughout the day and spool on fresh line every so often, especially if you’re making many snap casts or placing a lot of stress on your line.
Your fishing line goes through a lot. It collides with weeds, rocks, sand, wood, and fish most times it hits the water. Over time this is going to cause it to weaken and be susceptible to snapping. Add the power of a cast into a mix, and it’s small wonder that occasionally your lure goes flying.
Braid starts off by looking like crisp and tidy rope. It is a uniform color, and very tightly wound. Yet look at some braid on your spool at the end of your season. What once was dark and smooth is likely light and frayed. Each little one of those frays is some fiber unraveling and breaking, and your line can only take so much before it snaps on a cast.
If you look closely, you can see the strands coming apart on the braided line on the right. This is due to age, abrasions, and usage.
Your Fishing Line Could Have Gone Bad
Some types of fishing line last longer than others, and there are several factors that will affect how long it does. I recently wrote a detailed post about why old fishing line goes bad that you should check out. If your line keeps breaking when you cast, it is possible you need a fresh spool.
Overpowering Your Cast
If you don’t think any of the stuff discussed above is causing your fishing line to snap, there is a chance that you’re overpowering your cast. You want to be smooth when you cast and pick up speed in a graceful motion. If you just whip your line as fast as you can, bad things can happen. For starters, you might wrap your line around your rod tip, which would quickly break it. Take it easy – you don’t need to impress anyone!
Conclusions
There are few things as annoying as taking a cast only to have your line snap and your lure to fly away towards the heavens. It’s expensive, wasteful, and dangerous for this to happen. The six scenarios above are the most likely reason that it will occur, so to the extent that you can minimize their happening, you can cut down on this annoyance.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you did, consider joining my Facebook page so you’ll know when this blog is updated. I’ve been trying to find a good way to keep in touch with my audience and feel that Facebook is less intrusive than an email list (we all get enough emails)! I hope to meet you there soon!
There’s something about having the fish of a lifetime get away that makes you feel sick to your stomach and start asking some dangerous questions. If you looked own in disgust at your “cheap” reel and drag that failed you, one of them might be, “Are expensive fishing reels worth it?” You also might want to know what the differences are between low priced and high priced reels as you debate plucking down a few hundred bucks to ensure your dream catch stays hooked next time.
While I have long advocated that you can get away with a cheaper fishing rod, I will emphatically say that buying an expensive fishing reel is definitely worth it, assuming you take care of it. An expensive fishing reel will be much smoother, cast better, have a more reliable drag system, balance better with your rod, and generally make fishing more enjoyable.
Note that this post should compliment my article on expensive fishing rods quite well. After reading this, I’d suggest checking it out. You can find that post here.
Navigation
Sometimes I get a little carried away with these articles. Here are some quick links so you can skip right to what you’re looking for rather than scrolling through 5,000+ words!
What Is the Difference Between Low Priced and High Priced Fishing Reels?
It would be impossible for you to decide if it’s worth shelling out your hard-earned cash for an expensive fishing reel if you didn’t first understand why they’re better than inexpensive ones. There are several differences between cheap and expensive fishing reels that you should know about:
Expensive Fishing Reels Tend to Be Lighter
One of the more distinct differences between low priced and high priced fishing reels are their weight. Cheaper fishing reels tend to weigh more than expensive ones. In some cases this can be quite dramatic. For example, the Pflueger Trion in size 35 discussed below weighs in 10.40 ounces compared to the 7.20 ounce Pflueger Patriarch XT. While you might not think 3.20 ounces is a huge deal, try fishing with the two all day long. You’ll feel a difference.
This probably isn’t that huge of a consideration if you fish occassionally, but if you’re dedicated to the sport and putting in long hours, it might be worth buying a more expensive reel due to their lower weight.
More Expensive Reels Can Balance Better With Your Rod
Because they tend to weigh less, a more expensive fishing reel should balance better with a higher-end rod that also weighs less. In my opinion, it’s well worth it to find a rod and reel that are as light as possible and balance well together. This makes fishing much more enjoyable throughout the day. There’s little point in spending hundreds of dollars on a top-end rod and then skimping on the reel you pair it with.
Easier to Learn On
This may be counter-intuitive but it can be easier to learn on a “better” fishing reel than a “worse” one. This is especially true for baitcasters. Higher-end baitcasters are likely to have more advanced (and useful) braking systems than entry level models. This “dumbs down” the process of casting and thumbing a bit, which can make things easier for beginners.
Likewise, high-quality spinning reels can also be easier for beginners because they’re smoother and less clunky than entry level models. This just gives a better feel that lets you concentrate on what you’re doing rather than wondering if your equipment is broken.
High End Fishing Reels Tend to Have Better Drag Systems
I say this with complete sincerity: I would rather have a $200 fishing reel on a $50 rod than vice versa. The reel, and specifically its drag system, are that important. You will flat out have a better chance of landing your next trophy if the drag system is top notch.
Many folks think that the drag system is simply meant to keep line from breaking. They reason that since braid is so prevalent, one can just up their pound test and call it a day. In fact, one of the most important things that the drag system does is prevent the hook from ripping out of the fish’s mouth. A thin wire hook, such as one found on a crankbait or drop shot, can easily tear through a fish’s flesh if they didn’t get a good hold of it. Braid does not stretch and compounds this problem.
A good drag system will allow you to play larger fish and tire them slowly without their breaking the line or pulling free from the hook. In my mind, this is the most critical difference between cheap and expensive fishing reels and the number one reason why its worth it to buy a top end reel.
Advantages of Cheaper Fishing Reels
There are certainly some advantages to buy a cheaper fishing reel over an expensive model. If it isn’t in the cards to go all-in on a high-end reel, don’t despair, as you might be able to find a great product for a cheap price (bear in mind, most of my fishing reels cost less than $75 and I use them all the time).
Often Are All That You Need
Oftentimes, an inexpensive fishing reel is all that you need. The reason I have so many Pflueger Presidents and so few Pflueger Patriarchs isn’t that I like the President more, but that it is all I need. I don’t really need an expensive fishing reel if I’m throwing spinnerbaits with their large hooks on braid. The drag system of the more economical options works well with these.
Likewise, my five-year-old son and two-year-old daughter don’t need the most expensive reel out there – they need one that they can drop in the sand and abuse for months on end before it breaks. Higher end fishing reels can be sensitive objects. The lower-grade stuff often stands up to beat downs better.
More Economical
An obvious difference between inexpensive fishing reels and expensive ones is price. You can often purchase several “cheap” fishing reels for the price of one high-end model. This is useful if you have many rods to outfit at once.
The economics may also make it more worthwhile to replace the reel rather than repair it when it wears down. You can look at this two ways: you can simply get a fresh reel when necessary (perhaps taking advantage of the “trade in” programs of your local tackle shop in the process), or, you could use this as an opportunity to learn to clean your reel yourself. Even if you destroy it beyond hope in the process, you really haven’t lost much.
Comparing Apples to Apples: Pflueger Spinning Reels Review
I’ll examine this issue in this article by reviewing several Pflueger reels. I have been using these for a decade and they are on the overwhelming majority of my rods. In fact, I own at least one of most of the spinning reels Pflueger currently offers for sale. The only Pflueger reel I don’t own is the Patriarch XT.
Using one brand of spinning reels to make comparisons should better illustrate the differences between the entry level models and high-end models which tend to be about four times as expensive, plus or minus.
For the sake of consistency, I will provide the weight for all reels in size 35. While I personally prefer size 30, not all reels are available in that class and I wanted to give you a good idea of the difference in weight between less expensive and more expensive fishing reels.
While many of these reels don’t come in appropriate sizes for children (20 and 25), those that do will be mentioned below as I know many people visiting my site are doing so to help their child or grandchild learn to fish.
Please note that while I will share some stats on these reels, I’m not going to list every stat as that would be more appropriate for an in-depth review. What I’m trying to do is showcase the major differences between models so that you can make a better decision if an expensive fishing reel is worth it to you.
Pflueger Trion
I have a number of Pflueger Trions in my arsenal. While they are considered Pflueger’s “entry level” spinning reel, they do a fine job. Some of their stats include:
Weight: 10.40 ounces (size 35)
Gear Ratio: 5.2:1
7 bearing system
Slow oscillation gearing
Graphite body and rotor
Aluminum spool
Stainless steel oil felt drag
Aluminum handle
Soft touch knob
10.40 ounces for the size 35 is a full 3.10 ounces heavier than the top of the line Patriarch XT. Many of its components are of heavier material, such as aluminum, rather than lighter carbon or magnesium in the top end models. You will notice this difference in weight after a long day on the water.
Where the Pflueger Trion Shines
I consider a Pflueger Trion to be one of the best spinning reels that you can buy if you are a beginner. They’re also very good reels for children. For one thing, they have reasonable features such as the 7 bearing system and aren’t ridiculously heavy at 10.40 ounces for a size 35, and 6.30 for the size 20 (which is much better for small children).
Another important consideration is price. While this is always going to be subject to change as you might find a sale here and there, they are one of the more affordable reels out there and you can buy several of them for the price of one Patriarch, for example. This makes them a good choice for anyone who wants to build an arsenal, and also allows for some “collateral damage” while your kids are learning. Note: spinning reels + children + sandy bank = disaster.
While I don’t think it’s fair to call this fishing reel “cheap,” there is quite a difference between it and the more expensive reels I’ll discuss further below.
If you’re interested in checking out the current price for the Pflueger Trion, you may do so at Amazon’s link for the product, found here.
Pflueger President
The Pflueger President is the “workhorse” of my arsenal of fishing reels. I like them so much that they’ve made me seriously question if more expensive fishing reels are actually worth it. The President does such a great job for me! A few of their stats for consideration:
Weight: 10.70 ounces (size 35)
Gear Ratio: 5.2:1
10 bearing system (20 size reel is a 7 ball bearing system)
Graphite body and rotor
Braid ready spool
Sealed drag system
Slow oscillation gearing
Aluminum handle
Soft touch knob
Aluminum bail
While the 10.70 ounces is .30 ounces heavier than the Trion, that’s a pretty imperceptible difference that buys you a lot of options.
For one, this reel comes with a spool that is ready for braid. If you look at the spool in the photo above you’ll notice two little black rubber lines running vertically. These prevent your braided line from slipping. This eliminates the need to “back” your spool with monofilament, so you can tie braid directly on without issues. I suppose that’s a nice option to have, but I’d still recommend you learn to tie a double uni knot and use a mono backing to save money.
I do want to come back to the weight for one more moment. Remember that I’m posting the size 35 weight. This is a very popular size of spinning reel but I do favor the 30 because I like to keep the weight down. The President’s size 30 weight is 8.80 or almost two full ounces lighter. This is a very comfortable reel to fish.
Who Should Buy the Pflueger President
Again, this is the main fishing reel in my rodbox. I’d estimate a good 70% of the fishing rods I own have a Pflueger President on them. I’ve put these on my children’s rods as well in size 20 as they pair up great with an Ugly Stik Elite.
I think these reels are a bit more durable than the Triumph. I don’t know if it is the sealed drag system or what, but they seem to stand up better. It also might just be a case of the extra three ball bearings making it seem smoother, however.
The only issue I’ve had with these is that they, like all spinning reels, will eventually have the bail wear out on you if you don’t manually flip it. As these reels are good for beginners and children, that doesn’t usually happen so I have had a few that wore out. I just switch those over to “my” rods as this is a non-issue for me given I manually flip mine (so it doesn’t matter if it fails to automatically flip).
The Pflueger President is a popular fishing reel and a good choice for beginners and kids. You get a few more options than the entry level Trion but it’s still inexpensive. You can check the best price at Amazon here.
Pflueger Lady President
Please leave me a comment if I’ve missed something, but as far as I can tell, the only differences between the Lady President and the regular President are the color and the fact that the Lady President comes in less sizes.
I bought one for my wife because she thinks it’s pretty. All of the information I wrote about its twin applies to this as well. This is a good reel for the price. If you prefer this color, you can find the Lady President for sale at Amazon here.
Pflueger Arbor
I only have one Pflueger Arbor so I don’t have the same experience with this model as the others. It’s obvious difference is the arbor spool which has a larger diameter than regular spools. This is touted as being better for fluorocarbon as that line tends to have high “memory” (meaning, it will spiral and take on the shape of spools). Having a larger diameter makes this less prevalent or problematic than a narrow diameter spool.
Some specifications:
Weight: 8.80 ounces (size 35)
Gear Ratio: 4.3:1
8 Bearing System
Hybrid Body
Aluminum Spool
Sealed Carbon Drag
Aluminum Handle
Large Arbor Design
Soft Touch Knob
Who Should Buy the Pflueger Arbor
Note that the hybrid body and smaller spool contribute to a better weight. Another thing to notice is that it has a lower gear ration than many other reels in this list at 4.3:1. This is going to make it a better option for lures like crankbaits that are better fished with lower gear ratios (that the Arbor is also great for fluorocarbon lines, which are often used with crankbaits, doesn’t hurt). If this all sounds like a good match for you, you can purchase the Pflueger Arbor at Amazon by following this link.
Pflueger President XT
Here we start moving past the entry level spinning reels and more into the mid-range. The Pflueger President XT is a step above the President in most ways as you can see from the stats below:
Weight: 9.10 ounces (size 35)
Gear Ratios: 5.2:1 or 6.2:1
10 bearing system (20 size reel is a 7 ball bearing system)
Aluminum main shaft
Aluminum pinion gear
Braid ready spool
Sealed drag system
Rubber cork knobs
I picked up one of these reels for my father’s spinnerbait rod. He’s getting a little older and it is a chore to reel in a spinnerbait as fast as he can over and over again. As the Pflueger President XT is one of the few spinning reels that comes in a faster gear ratio (6.2:1), I thought it would work out well for this purpose (the fact that I was matching it to a custom red fishing rod for him didn’t hurt, either).
I’m not sold on the rubber cork knobs but that’s a matter of taste. I suppose if I fished in the rain more often I’d come to appreciate them more. I just don’t do that much since having kids.
Who Should Buy the President XT
All in all, I’d look at a President XT as almost the equivalent of a St. Croix Avid Series rod. Once you start going above this, the law of diminishing returns starts to kick in. For example, the next reel up is only .30 ounces lighter. The President XT might be the better buy if you want to build an arsenal of midgrade reels. You can find further details and purchase the President XT here.
Pflueger Supreme
The Pflueger Supreme is another reel that I’d consider “mid-range” from Pflueger. It is a bit of an upgrade over the President XT. For example, it’s the first class in Pflueger’s lineup that has a magnesium body and rotor for weight reduction.
Weight: 8.80 ounces (size 35)
Gear Ratios: 5.2:1 or 6.2:1
9 Bearing System
Magnesium Body and Rotor
Braid Ready Spool
Stainless Steel/Oil Felt Drag
Aluminum Handle
Soft Touch Knob
Slow Oscillation Gearing
Who Should Buy the Pflueger Supreme
Just as with the President XT, the Pflueger Supreme is a good choice for someone who doesn’t want an entry level reel but also doesn’t want to go all out. You’ll definitely be able to tell some differences between this relatively expensive fishing reel and some of its cheaper cousins, and might come to appreciate them. The fact that it is almost two ounces lighter than the Trion being a prime example. You can pick up one of these for yourself and read more reviews at its product link on Amazon.
Pflueger Supreme XT
I have a confession to make. I bought this exclusively for its orange color. You see, I picked up a St. Croix Legend Glass spinning rod earlier this year and thought a rod of that caliber deserved an appropriately high-end matching reel. Given that the Supreme XT is orange and the Legend Glass is kind of an Amber color, I think they go quite well together.
Color aside, this is a high-end, expensive fishing reel well worth mounting on a high-end, expensive fishing rod such as the Legend Glass. Here are some stats:
Weight: 8.00 ounces (size 35)
Gear Ratios: 5.2:1 or 6.2:1
10 Bearing System
Magnesium Body and Rotor
Braid Ready Spool
Sealed Carbon Drag
Carbon Handle
EVA Knob
Slow Oscillation Gearing
I really like this combo. It looks good, fishes smoothly, and can cast crankbaits a mile. The rod is 5.1 ounces so all in we’re talking 13.1 ounces. I could fish this combo all day. I’ve already linked to where you can purchase the rod up above and if you want to match it to a great, high-class fishing reel, pick up your own Pflueger Supreme XT today.
Pflueger Patriarch
This is the favorite spinning reel that I own, but it’s so expensive that I only have one. I have a size 30 Pflueger Patriarch paired with a St. Croix Legend Elite 7′ ML/F spinning rod that I use for drop shots. It is without any doubt my favorite combo. A look at some of its stats should tell you why:
Weight: 7.30 ounces (size 35)
10 Bearing System
XCR Ball Bearings
Magnesium Body and Rotor
Machined aluminum main gear
Slow Oscillation
Skeletonized Spool
Sealed Carbon Drag
Carbon Handle
Carbon Arbor
Titanium Main Shaft
This is an exceptionally light weight yet powerful reel that has allowed me to catch some true monsters. The drag system works beautifully, which allowed me to catch this carp. I was using 6lb test at the time and fishing with a thin wire drop shot hook. The chances of this fish pulling the hook out or breaking the line would have been tremendous without the help of my Patriarch.
I would have lost this fish if not for my Pfueger Patriarch.
I truly can’t recommend this fishing reel enough. Catching the carp above on such light line and hook firmly convinced me that expensive fishing reels are worth every penny. The only downside is the reel is so expensive that I would be very careful about where I took it and how I set it down as I wouldn’t want it to get dirty or ruined. In any event, the price of this reel makes having it repaired/cleaned worthwhile.
Who Should Buy the Pflueger Patriarch
If you’re the kind of angler who demands the best equipment, the Pflueger Patriarch is for you. Though this isn’t cheap (in fact, I’d call it downright expensive), there is a clear difference between it and lower-priced fishing reels. I really enjoy this reel but do think it would be out of place paired with a lower-quality rod.
If you’re interested in picking up one of these for yourself (and you should definitely be interested in it), you can find them at Amazon here.
Pflueger Patriarch XT
As I said above I don’t actually own this reel. It seems quite similar to the regular Patriarch but adds a bearing and cuts down its weight by .10 ounces in the size 35 option.
Weight: 7.20 ounces (size 35)
11 Bearing System
Magnesium Body and Rotor
Machined aluminum main gear
Slow Oscillation
One piece bail wire
Skeletonized Spool
Sealed Carbon Drag
Carbon Handle
Titanium Main Shaft
Carbon Arbor
From what I can see, reviews are quite favorable towards this reel. You can find them and more information on the reel in general at Pflueger’s wesbite.
Are More Expensive Baitcasting Reels Better Than Cheaper Ones?
So far this entire article has focused on the differences between cheap and expensive spinning fishing reels and has made no mention of baitcasters. That was done deliberately as I have a good familiarity with the Pflueger brand and thought an apples to apples comparison would suffice.
I can’t do that with baitcasters for a few reasons, but the primary one is that I don’t recommend buying a cheap baitcaster, period. This just invites trouble. Let’s explore why.
More Expensive Baitcasters TEND to Have Better Braking Systems
There are several differences between cheap and expensive baitcasting fishing reels, but the primary one is going to be their braking system. A better braking system (and specifically, a dual braking system) will make casting much easier. This is important, because baitcasters aren’t that easy to use. It has been said by many before me that it’s well worth buying a more expensive baitcasting fishing reel than a cheaper option for this reason.
A “Better” Baitcaster MAY Have More Options
Another difference between a cheap baitcasting fishing reel and a more expensive one is that the more expensive one “may” have more options. What I mean by this is that they’re more likely to come in left hand retrieve and more likely to have a wide range of gear ratios and retrieval speeds to fit a larger range of presentations.
This is because most people who are buying expensive fishing equipment such as reels have particular needs. When you get into the higher-end stuff, it is usually purchased to fulfill a specific combo for a precise technique. A reel that works well for crankbaits might not be as great for spinnerbaits. Thus, the more expensive the fishing reel, the more likely the manufacturer offers several models to fulfill this wide range of purposes.
Apples to Oranges: A Few Baitcasters I Have Used
I can’t give you the same “apples to apples” comparison with baitcasters that I did with spinning reels, but I can at least set you on the right course if you’re looking to purchase your first one. This is because I own baitcasters from several different companies rather than one company’s lineup.
Pro Qualifier
This fishing reel is exclusive from Bass Pro Shops and is widely considered the best baitcaster for beginners because its one of the few reels with a dual breaking system that can be had for less than $100 (when on sale, which is often). It comes in left and right hand retrieves and a number of gear ratios.
This is an older Pro Qualifier. They now make the Pro Qualifier 2, which is blue.
As mentioned above, one nice thing about this reel is that it often goes on sale well below its standard asking price. Great times of year to buy it include the annual spring sale that coincides with the Bassmaster Classic and any normal holiday. I’ve seen these listed as much as 50% off at times which makes them a steal. I would not recommend paying full price for this reel ever as it is probably just a matter of weeks to months before you can get one at a steep discount.
Abu Garcia Revo STX
I purchased an Abu Garcia Revo STX in the hopes of finding an “upgrade” from my Pro Qualifiers. While the Revo STX is certainly more expensive, I’m not quite sure it is that big of a difference. The weight of the STX is 7.3 ounces which is the same as the Pro Qualifier 2. It does come in a higher gear ratio, topping out at 8.0:1 compared to the 7.5:1 in the Pro Qualifier.
I only own one of these and am not sold that it is “that” much different than the Pro Qualifier despite having a base cost that is considerably more, to say nothing of the sales the other reel provides.
Pflueger Patriarch Baitcasting Reel
I own two Pflueger Patriarch baitcasting reels that I have matched with a St. Croix Legend Tournament and St. Croix Legend Xtreme casting rods. I bought this reel mostly out of brand loyalty with Pflueger and because I wanted to match these high-end fishing rods with comprable reels. Given the St. Croix Legend Xtreme and Pflueger Patriarch are flagship models for their respective brands, I figured I couldn’t go wrong.
To be completely candid, I’m not totally sold on liking this better than the Pro Qualifer. Apparently, I wasn’t alone as it doesn’t appear that Pflueger even offers this model anymore. (Please drop me an email if you notice that this changes so I can update things, but as of writing, it has disappeared from their website). I had a hard time getting this reel to cast as far as my Pro Qualifiers, but then again I rarely needed to as I primarily use these setups for flipping jigs and creature baits at nearby targets.
What About Spincast or Fly Reels?
I hate to say this but I don’t fly fish so if you want information on whether or not expensive fly reels are truly worth it, you’re going to have to look elsewhere. I did find this interesting article that tackles the subject and seems to have good advice. It breaks down what makes an expensive fly fishing reel worth the money and I’d recommend you check it out. The author makes some colorful points as well, which is always fun.
As to spincast reels… I don’t like them, I don’t use them, I don’t teach my children to use them, and if you see a professional fisherman using them, in my opinion, they’re doing it to be cute. With that said, again, here is an external link to an article that breaks down a few of these reels, some approaching $100 for reasons entirely unknown to me.
Other Random Questions About Fishing Reels
While I’m at it, I thought it would be good to answer a few of the more common questions about fishing reels, specifically those having to do with their size. After all, there’s little sense investing in an expensive fishing reel that is the wrong size.
If you see a question that I haven’t answered, go ahead and leave a comment and I’ll update the post with an answer. One I won’t answer is if you can mix spinning reels and casting rods and vice versa, as I already discussed that at length in this post.
Should You Buy a Used Fishing Reel?
I would emphatically state that you shouldn’t buy a used fishing reel unless you are very confident you are able to fix it. Unlike rods, which can be purchased used with few issues, fishing reels are hard to judge by a photo on the internet. I’ve tried buying a few online and have often been disappointed.
With spinning reels, you have no idea if the person you bought it from knows to manually flip the bail or not, so you might be buying one with a weakened bail spring. It is also possible that it hasn’t been cleaned sufficiently from season to season. Neither of these are readily apparent via a photo.
An Exception: Good Deals Can Be Had on Baitcasters
I would make an exception to this rule with baitcasters simply because I think the odds of you getting a lightly used one are very good. Many a person has tried their hand at a baitcaster only to become frustrated and give up before they could learn it. You can get some phenomenal deals by remembering the motto, “his loss, my gain.”
With that said, it’s not as though there can be no issues with buying used baitcasters. You still have no idea how well it was maintained. I’m just saying, if it looks brand new, there’s a good chance it practically is.
What Is The Difference Between Fishing Reel Sizes?
Most baitcasters don’t come in different “sizes,” however spinning reels do. There are many schools of thought about what size reel you should buy. It boils down to what you need to use the reel for. Generally speaking, larger reels can hold larger diameter line, and more of it.
You can generally find the manufacturer’s recommendations for line size on their websites. Take these with a grain of salt as they are often wrong. For example, on Pflueger’s site they list the braided line capacity of a size 30 President spinning reel as 160 yards of 10lb test compared to a monofilament capacity of 130 yards of 8lb test. 10lb test braid is actually equivalent in diameter to about 2lb monofilament (source). 30lb Braid is the equivalent of 8lb monofilament.
How Do I Know What Size Fishing Reel to Buy?
In order to determine what size fishing reel you should buy, you need to identify what you’re going to use it for. Below is a chart with my recommendations.
Fishing Reel Size
Uses
20
Best for smaller children or ultralight rods. Good for pursuing panfish.
25
A good sized reel for spinnerbaits for younger kids. I have my five-year-old’s spinnerbait rod equipped with a reel in this size.
30
This is a good all around reel size that is comfortable to use. I favor this size personally as I like to keep weight down.
35
This is likely the standard size most people use. Many professionals prefer a little bit larger spinning reel. It allows for a more powerful drag setting often which can be important if you want to get more fish in the boat.
40+
Works well for larger gamefish where you want to put heavier line on. There’s a point where the line becomes so heavy that you’re better off with a baitcaster, however.
How Do You Match A Reel to a Rod?
You want to do the best you can to balance a comparable reel class to rod, but perhaps more importantly is ensuring you’re matching size as shown above. It would bed weird to have a Pflueger Trion in size 40 paired with a medium light Legend Elite.
I’ve prepared the following table that attempts to match a St. Croix Rod to an appropriate Pflueger fishing reel. These will balance well and would be my “ideal” match.
Please note I’m using spinning reels in these examples. If you’re interested in learning more about these fine fishing rods, check out this article.
St. Croix Rod Series
Pflueger Spinning Reel
Triumph
Trion, President
Premier
Trion, President
Mojo Bass
President
Avid
President XT
Avid Pearl
President XT (colors match well)
Legend Tournament
Supreme, Supreme XT
Legend Glass
Supreme, Supreme XT (colors match well)
Legend Elite
Patriarch
Legend Xtreme
Patriarch, Patriarch XT
This is a match made in heaven. It balances perfectly and is a great color combo.
Conclusions: Expensive Fishing Reels ARE Worth It
I trust that when you purchase your first expensive fishing reel you’ll immediately be able to tell the difference between it and a cheaper model. More expensive models are certainly worth their price when you consider that they are lighter, have better components including drag systems, and tend to balance well with higher end rods. You’ll find that you enjoy your time more on the water and probably catch a few fish that a less advanced reel would have lost.
With that being said, I really am a believer in the Pflueger products I listed above. I truly do use the President as my “main” reel. It works well given that I have small, excitable children prone to dropping it constantly, and I’ve caught my share of large fish with them. Thus, while expensive fishing reels are “worth it,” they aren’t necessary to have a good time or to be successful.
I hope you found this article, and its companion article on rods helpful. If you did, I’d like to invite you to join my Facebook group so I can keep you up to date with new posts and fishing reports.
If you’re learning to fish one of the first questions you’ll have is what lures catch what fish? There are so many options that it can be tough if someone doesn’t walk you through. In this article I’ll discuss what the best types of fishing lures are to use for any particular job, as well as what makes a good fishing lure in the first place.
Simply put, every species of fish out there will chomp on any object that they perceive as food if it is small enough to fit in their mouth. Therefore, technically speaking, all lures will catch all fish. However, some lures are definitely better than others depending on what species you are targeting. For example, certain species like northern pike are very likely to break your line if you use lures that don’t have any kind of guard against their teeth. Likewise, other lures like giant jerkbaits are unlikely to be attacked by all but the pluckiest of panfish.
Use this article as a guide, but not a be-all-end-all. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is show the fish something they haven’t seen before, so never be afraid to “think outside the tackle box!” Also, bear in mind that this article will deal specifically with fishing lures. If you’re curious if you should use live bait instead, read this article.
The Best Lure for the Job at a Glance
Below you’ll find a handy table that will help you understand what lures to use for what fish. In the first column you’ll find the type of fishing lure. In the second, the primary species of fish the lure will catch (note that an “*” denotes the fish is likely to cut the line without a leader on this technique). Finally, I break down whether or not I feel the lure is easy for a beginner or child to use.
Following this table, I will provide a detailed analysis of each lure, explain why I ranked it as “easy,” “moderate,” or “difficult” to use, and offer recommendations on which ones you should buy.
Could catch everything, or nothing. Often, nothing.
Varies.
You’ll note a lot of asterisks above. Some lures, such as spinnerbaits, have built-in protection against toothy predators. Others, like crankbaits, are very likely to be cut by northern pike and chain pickerel.
The Lures in More Detail
Here I’ll discuss each lure or presentation in more detail to help you make a decision if it is one that you’d like to purchase. I’ll also recommend a product if I have used it and particularly believe in it.
Note that there are hundreds if not thousands of options for each of these lures so don’t feel as though you need to purchase what I recommend. I’m just offering some help on what works well to try and cut through the fog a bit and clear a path for you.
I’m also going to write a bit about why I consider certain techniques “easy,” “moderate,” or “difficult” for beginners or kids. This is purely subjective but is based on my observations over the years and basically boils down to how easy the lure is to use without getting it snagged or fouled, and how much action one must input in the technique. Generally speaking, the more finesse or technique a lure requires, the less suitable it is for beginners or children.
Spinnerbaits
I don’t care what kind of freshwater fish you’re seeking, a spinnerbait is one of the best lures to catch them. They are easy to use, fairly weedless, and offer at least some protection from sharp teeth right out of the box.
All you need to do to catch fish with them is find a bay with submerged weeds and start tossing them out, and reeling them in. I’ve found if you twitch your rod now and then to give your spinnerbait a little “pop” it really helps trigger strikes.
Spinnerbaits are a great lure for catching largemouth bass, northern pike, and chain pickerel. The latter two rarely bite the line while throwing these as the bent wire frame in front of the spinnerbait offers a bit of a distance from the hook and some protection for the line.
There are thousands of these lures out there and almost all are good. I’ve highlighted a Strike King Bleeding Bait above because it is reasonably priced and durable. Here’s a photo of a fish caught with one to show you I actually use these products!
Not a giant, but any fish is a good fish!
Buzzbait
A buzzbait works similarly to a spinnerbait in that you toss it out and reel it in. The difference between the two is while a spinnerbait typically is retrieved submerged, a buzzbait is meant to skim along the surface of the water as a topwater lure. Because of this topwater nature, I’ve rated this lure as “moderate” difficulty. To be candid, however, it is one of the easier topwater lures to use, because fish tend to hook themselves on the first strike. All the same, you need to start reeling in almost immediately once it hits the water, and this can be difficult for kids especially to do.
Buzzbaits are interesting in that they’re one of the few lures that actually seem to get better as they get worn out. You want these things squeaking and rattling and generally causing a great commotion as they go through the water. Older joints and attachments work much better for this. This is one lure you should be happy if your kids beat up.
Swim Jig
Even those these are jigs I’d rate them as considerably easier to use than true “bass jigs” described further below. This is because a swim jig is meant to be retrieved quickly through the water, just like a spinnerbait and buzzbait above. This makes them easy to use for beginners and kids as all you need to do is cast and retrieve.
Swim jigs work well in a bit thicker cover than spinnerbaits can handle. The blades on a spinnerbait will often get snarled with weeds that a swimjig will pass right through.
A downside to swimjigs is that they lack the wire frame of spinnerbaits. This means they have absolutely no protection between the hook and the line, so pike and pickerel ravage them. But for this reason, I’d have them tied on much more frequently.
Crankbait
Crankbaits aren’t that difficult of a lure to catch fish on, but I still rated them as “moderate” because they need to be used under specific conditions. They have treble hooks which makes them a poor choice for kids. As most models dive, these can be very difficult to use along weed beds.
Crankbaits come in many models which dive to various depths. I mostly fish the shallows so I favor square bill crankbaits such as the one shown above. If you fish deeper water, they make cranks that will dive to 20+ feet on the retrieve.
These lures are meant to be cast and retrieved, though they do draw many strikes when there is some interruption. Many anglers deliberately drive them towards cover to get their crankbait to bump it, hopefully drawing a strike. Because the lure dives, it is angled in such a way that (theoretically) the hooks will be protected from the cover. This works 100% of the time 50% of the time.
You’re going to want to buy a good lure retriever if you use crankbaits! These are tools that are designed to follow your line down to your lure and then pop it off whatever it is stuck on. I keep one in my boat and it paid for itself the first trip. I recommend the Frabill 15 Foot Telescoping Fishing Lure Retriever. As its name indicates, it telescopes up to 15 feet which is good for getting most crankbaits that are stuck. This is going to be something more useful in a boat, but even on shore, most crankbaits will get stuck within reach.
Drop Shot
I write about the drop shot often on this website. I am a firm believer that it should be the first technique you use when introducing children to fishing. This technique works great with the best kids fishing rods. They are also easy to tie, versatile, and is the type of lure that will catch a wide variety of fish in all sizes. I have caught everything from a 2″ sunfish to 20lb carp on a drop shot rig.
The hook above is made by Gamakatsu. It’s a good brand and one I trust. If you use too thin of a hook on your drop shot and run into a larger fish, it could be bent, so I wouldn’t skimp there. You can, however, skimp on what weight you use, as you will often lose the sinker. I would use the least expensive ones that I could find in appropriate size (use the smallest ones you can get away with).
To fish a drop shot for panfish, all you need to do is cast it out and wait. If you were anywhere near them in the first place it won’t be long before they take a nibble. This makes this a good lure to explore with, as you’ll quickly be able to tell if a certain area holds fish.
One of the easiest lures out there to use is a plastic worm. This lure will catch just about any fish that sees it and can fit it in its mouth. The only downside is that if the fish that happens along has sharp teeth, it’s very likely your line will be cut.
Plastic worms can be rigged in a variety of ways. You can rig them weedless, such as via a Texas Rig, or you can rig them “wacky style” which lets them fall awkwardly (fish would say enticingly) through the water.
When using a Texas Rig, you tend to hop the worm along the bottom through cover like you would a jig. Wack rigged worms are intended to splash down and then fall vertically, with fish often biting it on the descent. If you get no bite on the initial fall, lift your rod tip up to bring the worm towards you and then lower it to let it fall again. Reel in your slack and repeat.
Because all you need to do is let the worm fall, and bass often home in on it immediately, plastic worms are one of the best types of fishing lures for smaller kids to learn on.
Jerkbait
Jerk baits are hands-down one of my favorite techniques. I first learned how to use them on a fishing charter with Captain Mick over at Lake Champlain Angler. The jerkbait in the photo above is an X-Rap by Rapala and is the first jerk bait I used.
These cast a mile, are extremely durable, and catch a ton of fish. You use them by retrieving them in a cadenced series of jerks such as “twitch…twitch…pause….twitch…twitch…pause” until you figure out the rhythm and pattern that the fish want that day.
My wife with a nice smallmouth bass. Note the x-rap jerkbait in the lower left corner.
Jerkbaits work all year round as they mimic dying or distressed baitfish, but they’re mostly known as an early-spring lure. Part of this, I imagine, is because they will pick up weeds very easily later in the year, so there simply isn’t as much water that you can fish them with as summer goes on.
They are dynamite vs. spawning smallmouth and huge northerns will crush them too. Frankly, you can expect to catch just about any kind of fish on this lure. I’ve had perch not much bigger than them crush them.
The only downside is their hooks are sharp and plentiful. In addition to catching all the weeds I discussed above, they’re also known to snag anglers. Thus, they aren’t a good fishing lure for a small child or beginner.
Bass Jig
If there is one lure I’m going to catch grief for defining as “difficult” it is the bass jig. This lure is one of the most popular out there and nothing that common can be difficult, right? Well, if you judge by the number of folks scouring fishing forums seeking help using these, I’d beg to differ.
While jigs are extremely versatile, they do rely heavily on feel which can be difficult for someone just starting out, especially if you don’t have proper equipment like sensitive rods. This is because you need to determine if that pressure you suddenly feel is a fish, twig, rock or leaf all in a split second. It’s far easier said than done.
Regardless, you should invest some time learning these eventually as you’ll often catch your biggest fish of the year on them. They tend to be large offerings that have skirts that flair out making them look even bigger. Big bass absolutely crush these.
To use a bass jig you’re usually going to hop or crawl it along the bottom s.l.o.w.l.y., but occasionally fish want a faster presentation. Be aware that many strikes will come as the lure falls through the water.
Don’t be afraid to throw jigs into nasty cover. Their brush guards do a good job of helping them come back home, often with some lunker attached.
The jig in the picture above comes with a rattling sound chamber which is handy if you fish stained or murky water, which I often find myself doing on Lake Champlain. If you’re fishing clearer water, you might want to select a model that is silent.
Roundhead Jig
One of the first lures Dad tied on for me was a roundhead jig with a straight tail grub attached to it. We used to drift along the shores of Lake Champlain near Bridport, Vermont casting these out and reeling them in with little “pops.” We would catch a ton of smallmouth and largemouth bass.
Roundhead jigs come in a large variety of weights and hook size. The smaller ones are great for panfish. Larger ones are a good lure for walleye and bass.
You can tip these with anything you want. Dad favored straight tailed grubs, and marabou feathers (shown above). Other anglers prefer live bait, or artificial minnows.
These can be hopped along the bottom or horizontally retrieved like a spinnerbait. Both work well for catching fish, but you’re best bet is to combine the two. Reel in the jig while popping your rod up and down to give it some action. The fish love it!
A downside to this lure is that it can easily be bitten off by pike and pickerel. Luckily, roundhead jigs come in packs and aren’t that expensive.
Swimbait
Swimbaits come in many styles. The one pictured above is a soft plastic designed to be threaded onto a swimbait hook. You can also find ones that feature photo realistic paint jobs and look just like live fish. I don’t use these because they’re too expensive for my taste, especially since my waters are filled with northern pike and pickerel. Some folks swear by them and claim they are one of the best types of fishing lures for large bass.
Swimbaits are typically used by throwing them out and then reeling them back in. I favor the soft plastic type above as it can be rigged weedless and thrown into the shallow flats I frequent. The more expensive model that I linked has treble hooks and would need more open water.
While the fluke looks much like the swimbait above, it is mean to be worked more like a jerk bait. The same “twitch…twitch…pause….twitch…twitch…pause” cadence will work here, though you’ll want to be softer with it when working a fluke as there isn’t as much bait to use.
You can rig these weightless and fish right near the top of the water, or add some weight to it and have it sink down a bit. These work well in areas where you want the look of a distressed bait fish, but can’t get a jerkbait through do to the weeds.
Popper
Poppers are one of the easier topwater lures to use, but I still rated them as “moderate” because it might take you a few tries before you catch anything. Many people get too excited seeing the fish suddenly crash through the water and so they jerk the rod back before the fish is hooked. Try to count “one-thousand-one” after you see the splash before you set the hook. This will help increase your hookups.
These lures are best used early in the morning or later in the evening. You’re looking for a low light situation where the fish are cruising shallow water.
There are many companies that make poppers but I favor the old standard Rebel Pop-R shown above. This lure has a long history of catching fish and I can attest that it works. I’ve tried other models from other brands and while many cast farther, I just haven’t had the same success as with the Pop-R. Perhaps it’s placebo but you have to roll with what you trust.
Because poppers tend to have multiple treble hooks, they can be a poor choice when fishing with kids.
Hollow Bodied Frog
I love fishing with hollow bodied frogs. I also hate fishing with them. These lures will drive you absolutely crazy.
What frogs can also do is catch enormous bass. These are top water lures that lead to some spectacular moments. You’ll see bass propel themselves out of the lily pads like great white sharks going after your lure. Unfortunately, they’ll miss it a fair amount of time. Until you get the hang of things, you’ll miss the hookset even more!
Frogs are also one of the best lures to use if you’re fishing in heavy cover. Most models float (until a pickerel tears them up) and are entirely weedless. You can throw them into the densest of cover without worrying about getting stuck.
Unfortunately, hollow bodied frogs require very specialized equipment. You’ll need a stout rod with heavy or extra heavy power, and at least 50lb braid (most recommend 65lb). Because of this, you’re talking baitcaster territory. When I was just getting started fishing I tried fishing with frogs in a loaded pond with a medium spinning rod and monofilament. I had the most frustrating day of fishing in my life as I must have had 50-60 bass and pickerel blow up on them and didn’t land a single fish. I went straight home and bought a baitcaster!
For these reasons, I consider frogs to be a very poor choice of lure when fishing with kids. You can read me rant more about that here.
Spoon
Spoons are almost forgotten nowadays, but when my grandfather was plying the waters, they were the main lure out there. They work very well casting for northern pike and can be trolled for salmon and lake trout.
If casting, you can try a straight retrieve or “flutter” it by raising your rod tip up high and then dropping it quickly. Reel in the slack as the spoon flutters down. As with many presentations, many strikes will come on the fall.
Consider using a wire leader with a spoon as northern pike love them and will break you off if they take the lure too deep.
Creature Bait
Creature baits are almost a blend of jigs and plastic worms. They’re soft plastics that you can rig on a jig head or with most types of worm hooks. You can fish them the same way you fish either of those techniques. If you rig them Texas style, then they can be very weedless and good lures for throwing into heavy cover.
I rank them as a difficult lure to use right there with jigs because they do take a bit of getting used to before you understand if a fish bit. Once you get the hang of things, they can make for a very fun day.
“Gimmick”
Remember at the start of this article how I told you that sometimes it’s worth showing the fish something they’ve never seen before? Well, manufacturers feel the same way about fishermen. It seems like every year there is some crazy lure coming out that’s just different than anything anyone has ever seen before or used.
That’s not to say they don’t work. After all, every fishing lure known to man started off its first season as a “gimmick.” Some have stood the test of time, and then… Well… Some didn’t.
If you’re an early adopter you can rush out and buy these and try them. Sometimes this work very well. While I wouldn’t call a variation on a jerkbait a “gimmick” persay, Rapala came out with a new jerkbait several years ago (I want to say 2015) called the Shadow Rap. It had a unique action that was different than their other jerkbaits, and the first year I threw it, I lit them up. The point is, the fish had never seen it and weren’t wary of it. I couldn’t keep them out of the boat. Chances are the fish haven’t seen a “true” gimmicky lure either, so you might fill your livewell!
Oh, and full disclosure, I don’t own the duck lure above, but after looking at it, I’m itching to! The Bait Monkey is REAL!
What Makes A Good Fishing Lure in the First Place?
Above I provided several examples of different fishing lures that you could purchase via the affiliate links I posted. While I won’t claim they’re the only brands or designs that work, I do believe in them and feel they make solid choices.
Works Well For Intended Use
Use a lure that is going to catch whatever species of fish you’re seeking. If your lure won’t do that, it can’t be considered “good,” at least not for the job at hand.
You also need to consider if that crankbait you just tied on is really best for the area and conditions. If you’re near many weeds growing right to the top, you’re going to spend more of your time cleaning your hooks than fishing.
Finally, “think of the children.” If you’re out fishing with kids, the best types of fishing lures to use are going to be the ones that are easiest for them to handle.
Durability
In my mind, a good fishing lure needs to be durable. These things take a lot of abuse. They are cast far and wide, smashing down into the water, if you’re lucky, or tree branches if you aren’t. Once submerged, they will bang against rocks, laydowns, and other structure. They’ll snag lillypads and brush and need to be ripped loose. Not to mention, they might be bit – a lot if they’re any good!
I prefer to purchase lures that will hold up to some abuse. For example, the x-rap that I recommended above in the jerkbait section is the kind of lure that can last an entire day. It is a durable jerkbait that is well manufactured and features strong hooks. About the worst thing that might happen is its tail feathers could take a little trim, but it will catch fish without them, anyway.
In contrast, the shadow rap I mentioned above in the gimmicks section is not nearly as durable. While it too is a jerkbait (and an impressively effective one at that), it features extremely thin wire hooks that hold up to nothing, frankly. If you’re headed to the lake with a shadow rap tied on, you’d better have replacement hooks.
In fairness, however, the hooks bend when fish bite and you’ll be replacing bent hooks often as the fish really do seem to love that lure. Nothing against it – just warning you that it won’t hold up as well as an x-rap.
Reasonable Prices
A good fishing lure ought to be reasonably priced. There are plenty of extremely expensive fishing lures out there, but then again there are plenty of northern pike too. The two need only cross paths once for your lure to be gone. I don’t know about you, but I go fishing to relax and don’t want to worry if I can make rent when I get back.
Because prices often fluctuate I’m uncomfortable listing what any of the lures above go for today, but I will tell you that none of the lures I recommended above are anywhere near the most expensive models in their respective categories. I fish far too many pike-filled waters to bother with that!
Runs Right From the Box
I know I’ll catch some flak for this because many fishermen would tell you that nearly “no” lures run just right out of the box, but they ought to be pretty close. Most name brands do a fair job with this but if you’re purchasing knock off lures on the internet you often get what you paid for.
Companies pay engineers a lot of money to help design their fishing lures, so it is important they run right and as intended. If not, you need to do some tweaking or tuning. You’ll be able to tell they aren’t running right because they’ll pull to one side or the other. This usually also means they’ll have an unnatural look and won’t catch as many fish until you do something about it.
Don’t give up on a brand just because you needed to do some tuning. Most are going to have slight variations that can be easily fixed. Much of this information is readily available on the internet. Perhaps one day I’ll draft an article of my own addressing it, but until then, wired2fish has a great article about how to tune crankbaits.
Conclusion – What Type of Lure You Should Choose
As you can see, you have many choices when it comes to figuring out what type of lure to use to catch a certain kind of fish. If you’re just getting started, I’d recommend sticking to the lures I think are easy for beginners and kids to use:
Spinnerbait
Buzzbait
Swimjig
Drop Shot
Plastic Worm
Once you get comfortable throwing these you can move up to those that are rated as moderately difficult before eventually trying some of the more difficult lures I listed.
Or, you could live on the wild side, go crazy at your local sporting goods store, and fish like there is no tomorrow! (Just don’t tell your significant other I told you to).
If you do decide to take it easy and have a little cash lying around, consider picking up a copy of my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide, for yourself. If you liked the tips you found in this article, I trust you’ll enjoy the book as well.
If you’ve spent much time around anglers, chances are you’ve heard them talk about their fishing rods and fishing poles. You might have even wondered if there is a difference between the terms, or if it is simply a “soda vs. pop” sort of thing.
To put it simply, what most people in North America refer to as “fishing poles” are, in fact, fishing rods. Anything that has line guides, a reel seat, and a reel attached to it is a fishing rod and is meant for casting lures. Fishing poles, on the other hand, simply have line attached to their tip. They are meant for placing bait quietly and precisely.
Frankly, it’s a petty thing to worry about so if you’ve grown up your whole life calling rods poles, go right ahead and keep it up. Only a fishing snob would correct you!
Why the Confusion?
Part of the reason people mistake these terms is simply that their fathers and grandfathers before them used the term “fishing pole,” so that’s what people grew up knowing.
At one point in the past, a line attached to a stick was the main tool anglers had to catch fish. Modern fishing reels have only been around a few hundred years and accessible to the masses for even less. Those who couldn’t afford these fancy contraptions had no need for a fishing rod, and caught their fish with handline or by attaching some line to the end of a stick – the fishing pole.
This isn’t exactly a life or death error so there’s been no need for correction, so the mistake has carried on for generations.
The issue is compounded, interestingly, by SEO enthusiasts. You see, those of us writing these posts on the internet generally want someone to read them, so we try to write for terms we think people will search for to enable them to encounter our websites. With the term “fishing pole” being so common in the United States, you’ll find many bloggers use it for this reason. To be fair, I have too on occasion. No harm, no foul as it helps us get information to you, but it certainly contributes to the confusion.
Fishing with Rods
I have no hard data to back this up aside from my 30 years on the water, but I will tell you point blank, very few anglers in North America use fishing poles. Almost everyone uses a fishing rod.
Fishing rods cast lures through the air. Hopefully towards water, but often towards trees. Let’s face it: always towards trees when children are involved. In any event, they’re meant to cast a lure towards distance targets, at which point the lure is retrieved through the water column, hopefully drawing a strike.
Advantages to Using Fishing Rods
Using a conventional rod and reel set up has many advantages over less viable fishing poles. These include:
Increased casting distance.
A wider range of available presentations.
An ability to cover water quickly in search of fish.
Increased Casting Distance
If your reel is properly set up, and your lure is of an appropriate weight for the rod, you can get incredible casting distance with by using fishing rods. With time, you can also increase your accuracy, especially when you’re casting short distances with techniques such as “flipping and pitching,” though you’ll never be as accurate as using a pole to simply plunk some bait right where you want it.
Because you are flinging a lure through the air, its momentum carries it a great distance. If you are throwing with the wind, this distance can increase even more.
How to Maximize Your Casting Distance
If you’re using a rod to be able to cast out far, you might as well learn how to cast it as far as possible. Here are some tips for how you can increase it:
Proper Lure Weight
You always want to match the weight of your lure to your rod’s power. Most manufacturers will print this information right on the rod blank. For example, my son’s Ugly Stik Elite is an ultralight model. It is rated for lures that weigh between 1/32 and 1/4 oz. A lure lighter or heavier than this wouldn’t cast as far as one that was within scope.
Consider Your Fishing Line
The thicker the diameter of your fishing line, generally the less distance that your rod will cast. This is due to friction on the reel. Thinner lines will tend to cast a lot farther (and also get your bait deeper) for this reason. With that said, there’s a balance to everything, because some baitcasters are hard to use with very thin lines and need a minimum diameter to function easily.
Longer Fishing Rods Cast Further
Generally speaking, the longer the rod, the further the cast. There are limits to this of course – you need to have room to wield the larger rods. They won’t do you much good if you’re fishing from a tree-lined bank or in your kayak. There, you’ll want a shorter rod so you can get appropriate leverage and backswing to launch your lures.
Greater Variety of Presentations
I had a spirited rant in another article about “The Bait Monkey,” which is this evil doer who causes… nay, forces fishermen to part with their paychecks for the widest arrange of lures known to man.
While I’m sure this dastardly monkey also visits Europe and other lands that favor fishing poles instead of rods, I can’t imagine it is so sinister there simply because your presentation options are more limited if your exclusively using vertical presentations.
With a fishing rod, you’re able to work the entire water column. You can explore the depths by bouncing jigs along the bottom, the middle of the lake with crankbaits that dive to various depths, and the topwater with poppers and buzzbaits. Rods can toss anything the fish want, at any given time.
You Can Cover More Water
This same versatility of presentations is one of the reasons you can cover more water with a fishing rod than a fishing pole. Because you’re casting and retrieving lures, you get to search for fish everywhere between you and as far as you can cast. You can cast to multiple angles quickly, targeting a different one each time until you have thoroughly probed the entire area.
It’s also easier to walk around with rods if you’re fishing on foot. Modern fishing poles can be as large as 60′! Even though many are telescopic (think of how a telescope compacts), many aren’t! Imagine having to construct one of these at each site you want to fish. Just watch the first 30 seconds of this video and tell me that you could do that all day.
Disadvantages to Fishing Rods
While most people in North America use them, there are a few disadvantages to fishing rods. For starters, they are generally a less accurate way to present bait or lures than fishing poles. Secondly, they have more equipment and parts, which means there are more things to go wrong, and more widgets (such as reels) to upkeep. Finally they can be more expensive, all things considered. While I’m sure you could find an example of an expensive fishing pole, it doesn’t have a reel and you won’t be as susceptible to the Bait Monkey.
Fishing with Poles
I have to be honest, being from North America, I thought fishing poles were something that Huckleberry Finn would have used. Sure, I’ve seen a few crappie fishermen in Florida use them, but I just didn’t think it was popular equipment in this day in age. Apparently, I’d be completely wrong over in Europe or Asia as I’ll describe a bit further below. First, let’s look at a few advantages and disadvantages to using fishing poles instead of rods.
Advantages
The main advantage fishing poles have over rods is that they can present a lure or bait in a much more precise manner and in a stealthy fasion.
Precision
To use a fishing pole, one simply guides it out over the precise part of water they wish to cover, and then lowers their bait or lure down. This allows extreme precision as one can easily move past any reed or obstruction and get their bait exactly where they want it.
This could have far-reaching implications even in bass fishing. For example, consider attempting to present a Senko in a very precise pocket in a nasty weed bed. Even if you were able to flip or pitch to it accurately, you’d still need to reel it in past the weeds to get it out. While I’m not exactly certain how well a fishing pole would work to horse a bass out of that sort of cover, it would at least allow you to make an entirely vertical presentation without fouling your lure.
Stealth
Some folks who fish professionally can make a perfect cast every time that enters the water with minimal splash. Then, there is the rest of us. A fishing pole eliminates the giant splash of a lure as you simply move it out over water and then ease it in. This is a stealthier approach if the fish are spooky, at least if the pole itself doesn’t frighten them. Given that these aren’t that popular in much of North America, it might be the first time a fish has ever seen it, and they may think it’s just a stick.
Disadvantages
There are several disadvantages to fishing with a pole rather than a rod. Many were covered in the rods section (such as a fishing pole’s comparative lack of maneuverability), but there are a few more to consider.
Unwieldy
I suppose this goes hand in hand with lack of maneuverability, but the longer fishing poles out there can be difficult to wield. Many techniques, especially in Europe, appear to be best-suited for those sitting down as you need to brace an especially long pole against something to control it. There are other techniques, such as Tenkara fishing discussed below that alleviate this, but it’s something to consider depending on how you plan to fish.
Availability
I work five minutes from my local Cabelas and before COVID-19, I was there most lunch breaks. I cannot recall ever seeing a true fishing pole. Likewise, I’ve never seen one in the tackle shops I frequent. The bottom line is that depending on where you live, you might have a hard time finding one of these! This isn’t a problem if you aren’t pressed for time, but if you break your only pole and want to get back to fishing, you could be waiting awhile.
European Roach Fishing
There is a species of fish called a “roach” in Europe that anglers use enormous fishing poles to reach. If you go search the internet, you can find plenty of videos showing the tactic, such as this one here.
I’ve never tried this, but it looks as though the anglers make use of these enormous fishing poles to first deliver a ball of chum or attractant over to an area, and then to dangle a baited hook over it to catch a fish in the ensuing frenzy.
Having watched a few of these videos, I might take back the “fishing rods are more expensive” argument I made a few sections higher. Some of these folks bring entire modular towers with them that they plant into the lake or stream to allow themselves to reach even farther.
Japanese Tenkara Fishing
Tankara Fishing is a new term to me, but apparently it has been around for a few hundred years in Japan. Essentially, it is fly fishing in a stream but without a reel. You just have the fishing pole, line, hook, and bait. You still swing the fly back and forth through the air to give it some momentum before casting it, but the amount of line attached to the end of your line is all you get.
I have to say, I’m a bit intrigued by this. I think it might be a decent technique for children, as it isn’t that complicated and the poles aren’t too long or heavy, at least compared to the roach poles in Europe. Who knows, if I try this out with my son, maybe it’ll someday make its way into my book’s sequel.
While researching this article, I learned that this technique was brought to North American in 2009 by a company called Tenkara USA. They have a website that discusses how to get started with the technique, and also offer started packs with everything you need to catch a fish besides the stream.
If you’re into minimalist fishing (and with kids, that might be a good thing) then you might want to give this technique a shot.
Conclusion: It’s Mostly Semantics
While there’s always going to be “that guy” who gets uppity if you call a fishing rod a fishing pole, let’s face it — it’s semantics, and a trifling one at that. Call it what you want, the bottom line is they both catch fish.
The only time I’d be concerned about the difference is if I was booking a charter in another country. You’ll want to know what kind of equipment your guide is using so you can tell what sort of experience you’re about to have. While I could go for some Tenkara fishing, I’m not sure I could deal with sitting in one spot waiting for a roach to bite.
I hope this article helped quell your insatiable thirst for information on this exceptionally important topic. If you have other pressing questions, poke around my site a bit as you’ll learn wondrous lessons such as if you can fish with dead worms, or use WD-40 as fishing attractant. Armed with this trifecta of knowledge, you will crush all fish before you!
Finally, I’d like to invite you to join my Facebook page so I can keep in touch with updated content and fishing reports.
I’m often asked what makes a good fishing pole for beginners and kids, so much so that I wrote an entire article on the subject. Even so, I thought it might be good to explore one of the poles I talked about in detail: the Ugly Stik Elite.
Why I Love These Fishing Poles
I caught my first northern pike on an Ugly Stik my dad handed me some thirty years ago. That catch was a moment that ensured fishing would be a huge part of my life, and these fishing poles were with me every step of the way. Over the years, I’ve caught everything from tiny panfish to huge bass and enormous channel catfish on Ugly Stiks I borrowed from my dad. They served me so well as a child that when I became a father, I knew they had to have a prominent place in my rod box.
I now own half a dozen Ugly Stik Elites, all in the smaller lengths (4’6″ to 5’6″) that I use to fish with my children. These balance very well for them, especially when paired with a 20-size spinning reel (I favor the Pflueger President, personally).
These are the perfect fishing poles for beginners and small kids, but are also fine for anyone who wants to enjoy fishing without spending a lot of money.
Inexpensive Quality
I’m not going to list a price as they’ll change from time to time, but it is fair to say that this is not an expensive of a fishing rod. They cost a fraction of what my other rods did, even when I bought those other rods used. That might put you off and make you think that they aren’t quality, but that isn’t true. After all, how many rods can you honestly say would hold up to 30+ years of fishing, much of it by kids? To me, that is the mark of a quality product.
Why I Purchased These for My Children
These fishing poles are great for kids because they’re so durable. Little anglers get very excited when a fish is on the line and they don’t always listen well. They can put rods through a lot of stress by failing to appropriately position them, or by holding them on the blank for leverage. You can trust that this rod won’t break.
Even their ultralight models are fairly sturdy. I was surprised by this, as some of the other Ugly Stiks I’ve used throughout the years have been fairly “whippy,” but the Elite model is strong all the way to that power (at least in the 4’6″ model).
While sturdy, their ultralight models still give plenty of play. Even panfish will be fun to catch, which is important. As a parent, you’re going to spend a LOT of time targeting these species, so you’d better have a rod that’s fun to fish with.
The Ugly Stik Elite in a 4’6″ size pairs very well with a Pflueger President in size 20. This is one of my main combos for my kids.
Range of Models
The Ugly Stik Elite is offered in spinning and casting models and has a wide range of lengths, power, and action.
The smallest spinning rod is their 4’6″ ultralight model. Their largest is a 7’6″ medium power model. They also have a 7′ medium heavy if you wanted something to throw spinnerbaits or Senkos.
Casting models are, as expected, usually more on the heavy side as you tend to need beefier tackle with baitcasting presentations. Six models are offered. The shortest is 6’6″ and the longest is 7′. Most are either medium or medium heavy power, though they do offer on in ultralight, curiously. Light lures are pretty hard to use on a baitcaster, so I’d suggest you pick up a spinning model instead.
Are There Any Fish You Can’t Catch with These Poles?
You’d have to go out of your way to find a freshwater fish in North America that you couldn’t catch with an Ugly Stik Elite. I suppose some monsters like lake sturgeon or alligator gar might put the rod to the test, but I have to figure your line will snap long before your rod would when fighting one of those. Also, if you’re buying one of these fishing poles for your kids, you probably aren’t targeting these species.
If you did want to pursue one of these larger fish, Shakespeare also offers a catfish model that I’ve used and enjoy. It’s even sturdier and is meant to go head to head with monster blue catfish. It won’t let you down.
These channel catfish were caught with Ugly Stiks.
Does Ugly Stik Offer a Warranty?
A limited warranty is offered on these rods that covers manufacturer defects, but you’d have to do something crazy stupid to break them in the first place, and the warranty says in part:
[They are] not responsible for normal wear and tear, nor failures caused by accidents, abuse, alteration, modification, misuse or improper care.
To me, this means that this probably isn’t that useful of a warranty. I suppose you could always get a lemon, and if you do, they’ll replace it for a processing fee of $9.95 US or $10.55 CAD. While prices change from time to time as the rods go on sale, that’s roughly a sixth or so of what you might pay for it new, which is reasonable.
I’d guess the most likely way you break one of these is by accidentally slamming it in a car door or something similar, and that doesn’t appear to be covered.
Don’t let this dissuade you from purchasing one. Again, we have some Ugly Stiks in our family that have been fished for at least 30 years now if not more and they’re still going strong. Even though they’re inexpensive, these rods are made to last.
Closing Thoughts
The Ugly Stik Elite is one of my favorite rods. I own dozens that cost considerably more, yet always bring these along for a fishing trip with my son and daughter. If you’ve decided that fishing is a hobby worth sharing with your kids, buy them one of these rods.
They make a great fishing rod for anyone who needs durability and dependability. I own half a dozen of these that I use to fish with my kids, and can’t recommend them highly enough.
If you thought this tip was helpful and would like some other ones to help you get started with fishing, check out my book. In it, you’ll find more advice for what gear to buy!
Stuffed Animals
. As its name indicates, it telescopes up to 15 feet which is good for getting most crankbaits that are stuck. This is going to be something more useful in a boat, but even on shore, most crankbaits will get stuck within reach. 
, for yourself. If you liked the tips you found in this article, I trust you’ll enjoy the book as well.
