The Top 6 Best Fishing Rods – Reviews and Comparisons
The amount of fishing rods out there is unbelievable. You have brand after brand promising you the best fishing rod.
There are fishing rods for catfishing, freshwater, saltwater, and ice fishing. There are even telescopic fishing rods. Anything you can think of that’s fishing related, there’s a rod (and reel) for it.
With all these choices, deciding on the right fishing rod is harder than ever. There are several factors you have to consider.
We did the hard work for you. We went through the so-called best fishing rods. Then we reviewed and compared. These are our top 6 best fishing rods.
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod | Penn Spinfisher V Surf Fishing Rod | Shimano Stimula Spinning Rod | Loomis Conquest Mag Bass Casting Rod | Okuma Celilo Ultralight Spinning Rod | Shimano Talora Trolling Rod | |
| Length | 5 feet and 6 inches | 8 feet | 5 feet and 6 inches | 6 feet and 6 inches | 7 feet and 6 inches | 9 feet |
| Power | Moderate | Moderate | Ultralight | Medium | Ultralight Moderate | Medium Heavy |
| Line Weight | 8 to 20 pounds | 12 to 20 pounds | 4 to 10 pounds | 8 to 14 pounds | 2 to 6 pounds | 15 to 30 pounds |
| Lure Weight | 1/4 to 5/8 ounce | N/A | 1/32 to 3/16 ounce | 1/4 to 5/8 ounce | 1/32 to 3/8 ounce | N/A |
| Our Rating | 94 | 97 | 90 | 95 | 95 | 88 |
Best Fishing Rods:
- Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod
- Penn Spinfisher V Surf Fishing Rod
- Shimano Stimula Spinning Rod
- G. Loomis Conquest Mag Bass Casting Rod
- Okuma Celilo Ultralight Spinning Rod
- Shimano Talora Trolling Rod
1. Our Favorite General Rod: Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod
Material: Graphite composite and fiberglass
Length: 5 feet and 6 inches
Power: Moderate
Guide Number: 5 guides plus the tip
Guide: Single foot
Reel Seat: Twist lock
Line Weight: 8 to 20 pounds
Lure Weight: 1/4 to 5/8 ounce
Features:
- Since this fishing rod is made from graphite and fiberglass, it’s tough and durable.
- The rod is super sensitive so you’ll know right away when there’s a fish on your line.
- The guides on the fishing rod are Ugly Stik Tuff Guides. They’re durable and can hold any line during any struggle.
- They use their Ugly Stik Clear Tip is as sensitive as the rest of the rod. There will be no doubt about whether a line is on the hook or not.
2. Our Favorite Saltwater Spinning Fishing Rod: Penn Spinfisher V Surf Combo
Material: Graphite composite
Length: 8 feet
Power: Moderate
Line Weight: 12 to 20 pounds
Features:
- Everything is made of graphite composite, from the rod to the side plate. Graphite has the strength to prevent any damage on your fishing trips.
- It has a graphite reel seat too to protect your reel.
- The guides are stainless steel with aluminum oxide inserts. They’re tough as nails.
- There are rubber shrink tube grips.
- There’s a watertight design so water can’t damage your rod. Saltwater can cause erosion on normal fishing rods.
3. Our Favorite Bass Fishing Rod: G. Loomis Conquest Mag Bass Casting Rod
Material: Plastic
Length: 6 feet and 6 inches
Power: Medium
Line Weight: 8 to 14 pounds
Lure Weight: 1/4 to 5/8 ounce
Features:
- G. Loomis uses its’ spiral-x technology. It stops blank twists before they happen. It also increases casting distance and accuracy.
- The guides are Fuji Torzite. They’re durable and can take a lot of pressure.
- The reel seat is custom.
- It has blank-through handles. They’re sensitive and you’ll know when a fish likes your bait right away.
4. Our Favorite Freshwater Fishing Rod: Shimano Stimula Spinning Rod
Material: Graphite composite
Length: 5 feet and 6 inches
Power: Ultralight
Line Weight: 4 to 10 pounds
Lure Weight: 1/32 to 3/16 ounce
Features:
- The guides are aluminum oxide so they’re durable and tough. It’s free from corrosion eating away at it.
- It has a custom shaped cork handle to make gripping the fishing rod easy.
- There’s a multipurpose hook keeper.
- It has a p-cork force rear-grip.
- There’s an EVA butt cap.
5. Our Favorite Trout Fishing Rod: Okuma Celilo Ultralight Spinning Rod
Material: Graphite composite
Length: 7 feet and 6 inches
Weight: 4.3 ounces
Power: Ultralight moderate
Guide Number: 10 guides plus the tip
Reel Seat: Standard pipe
Line Weight: 2 to 6 pounds
Lure Weight: 1/32 to 3/8 ounce
Features:
- The graphite composite rod is super sensitive. You’ll see it bend as soon as a fish, such as trout, bites your bait.
- The guide inserts are made from aluminum oxide, making them durable. They can take any fishing line rubbing up against them.
- The hook keeper is high-quality stainless steel. It’s not going anywhere any time soon.
- The hooded reel seat is also stainless steel.
- It has fore and rear cork grips.
- The rod has a thru-blank handle design for comfort and ease.
6. Our Favorite Trolling Fishing Rod: Shimano Talora Trolling Rod
Material: Graphite composite and fiberglass
Length: 9 feet
Power: Medium Heavy
Reel Seat: Sea-guide
Line Weight: 15 to 30 pounds
Features:
- The graphite composite and fiberglass rod is super sensitive. It doesn’t take much for the rod to move once you’ve got a fish on the line.
- The guides are aluminum oxide to make them durable. They can hold the strongest of fishing lines during the strongest of times.
- The reel seat is made from graphite, so it’s as strong as the rod. It’s going to last you a long while.
- It has high-density EVA foam fore and rear grips.
- It has a rear gimbal butt with a cap.
Conclusion
Each fishing rod has its’ own place in the fishing world. You get to decide what your place is, whether you want to fish all year round or you only want to catch one type of fish. If you know your needs, then you can choose the right fishing rod. These are our top 6 best fishing rods for different occasions.
Source of Featured Image: canva.com