It's a new year, and one of the best ways to kick off the new fishing season is with some new gear. Rods are always a good choice for a new purchase, as you can never have enough, and they continue to improve every year. The following are some rods from many of the leading brands in the industry. Some are brand-new models, and some have proven themselves over the past few years.
Here are three picks from three different price ranges, each worthy of addition to your arsenal.
Value Priced, Quality Features (Under $150)
There are some excellent rods at this price point, and picking them up and holding them in your hands makes you appreciate how far rods have come. They are all light and sensitive, and their actions and powers are dialed in to be versatile or used for particular techniques.
Academy H2OX Evo - $89.99
If you live near an Academy store, you likely already know that their house brand is full of great products. Their fishing rods are the same, and the H20X Evo series could easily be mistaken for being much more expensive than their sub-$90 price tag. They have semi-micro guides, great styling, and are incredibly lightweight. This lineup also offers many different options for lengths and powers.
Phenix Maxim Casting Rods - $119 and up
This is the lowest-priced of Phenix's outstanding line of bass rods. They are very well built, with unique looks and the right actions to get you started. There are seven models to choose from. One star in the bunch is the 6-foot, 10-inch medium heavy, which makes for a tremendous topwater and jerkbait rod.
Daiwa Tatula XT - $99.99
The Tatula name is everywhere in the Daiwa lineup, including under $100 for the Tatula XT rods. They are well-built and look like many other Daiwa products with Japanese styling and their unique Braiding-X Construction wrap on the blanks. For under a hundred bucks, you get a quality rod that will serve you well.
Several Mid-Range Options ($150-$250)
This price range is full of excellent options from all brands, and it's hard to choose just three because this is the sweet spot for a quality rod that doesn't cost a fortune. It's still a good chunk of money for a fishing rod, but these three are worth it.
Shimano Zodias Casting Rods - $180 and up
There's a reason these are listed as best-sellers on various online sites. They are excellent rods that look straight from Japan, with unique looks and extremely light and sensitive rod blanks. You can't go wrong with any rod in the Zodias lineup.
Lew's Custom Lite - $149.99 and up
The Lew's Custom Lite series is very light and has over 20 options. Lew's is known for its great casting reels, and these rods live up to the legendary brand name at a fair price for what you get. They have comfortable Winn-Grip handles, and the rods are dialed into many popular techniques. If you want one versatile option, try the "Magnum Hammer," a 7-foot, 3-inch medium heavy that can do many different things.
Powell Naked Series Casting Rods - $200
Powell Rods has a cult-like following among some anglers, and you still don't hear nearly enough about their great rods. They are lightweight and extremely well-built. One of their newer options is the Naked Series, a minimalist look with a matte black blank, unlike many other rods on the market that have flashy graphics and styling. They are all great options, but their cranking models shine for their actions and composite blanks. The 7-foot, 5-inch medium-heavy cranking model is an excellent rod that will handle various crankbaits and vibrating jigs.
High-End Choices ($250 and up)
If you are looking for the best, many options start at $250 and go up as high as you'd like to spend. In this category, you can expect the latest rod technologies and the most dialed-in rods. Here are three options from Fenwick, G. Loomis, and Lew's.
Fenwick World Class Casting Rods - $419 and up
The Fenwick name has been synonymous with quality rods for decades and is coming back with some great new options, including their mid-ranged Elite Bass lineup and top-shelf World Class rods. The World Class series rods are not cheap, but they feel incredible, and they have the best actions, components, and models that will satisfy even the pickiest bass angler. They have titanium guides and a unique graphite blend that makes them strong and sensitive while remaining light as a feather.
G. Loomis IMX Pro – Starting at $360
G. Loomis is another name that needs no introduction, and they continue to produce quality rods at several different price points. The IMX Pro is mid-range for them, and what makes them so great is the build quality and variety of rods they offer for bass anglers. If you can think of a technique used in bass fishing, they have a rod designed for it, including everything from jigs and worms to spinnerbaits and umbrella rigs.
Lew's Elite Series Casting Rods - $349.99
This is the best for Lew's; these rods feel incredible in hand and might look even better. They are light, sensitive, and have the best components, including Fuji guides, reel seats, and Winn Grip handles. They also use Lew's FOCAS blank technology, which keeps the rods thin but strong. Each model is a good option, but the 7-foot, 4-inch heavy is a solid rod that can easily handle big bass.
No matter what you want to spend, there are some outstanding options for baitcast rods. Today's rods are highly engineered to help you fish various lures and detect even the lightest of bites. The rods listed above do it all and are worth a look at if you are shopping for your next fishing rod.
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