For spin fishing rather short rods are used. 3,30 m is probably
the maximum, normal is 1,80m to 2,70m. I favour 2,40m in the last time. It is
not wrong to posses rods of different lengths. Long rods cast farther and enable
better control of lures and fish. Especially the enable you to avoid snags near
the bank much better and in larger flowing waters you can keep your lure better
in the deeper fishy regions which are usually not so close to the bank. Short
rods on the other hand allow for more precise casts, are easier to handle, are
easier to get through heavily grown banks and are less likely to bother your
boat partner.
The best handling comes with a grip length which does not exceed your elbow when
you hold the rod in a normal position, otherwise the butt of the rod keeps
getting in you're way. Rods which are optimized for casting distance often have
longer handles to aid casting but the overall handling is more complicated with
them.
The standard material is usually a mixture of Carbon fibres with Glass and/or
Kevlar. The more carbon fibre the lighter and stiffer the rod gets, but sadly it
is then also more implied to break. If you hold the rod in your hand an whip it
a bit it shouldn't make a wobbly impression.
Unusable guiders are rarely found anymore nowadays, except on real cheapo rods.
While it is better to save on the rod, than on the real, the rings should be SIC or
aluminium-oxide (outdated), pure metal wears out to fast and then starts
destroying the line, ceramic
(porcelain) can can crack and will then also slowly destroy your line. That can
lead to very frustrated fishermen.
The maximum casting weight often indicated on the rod is usually not the
weight of lure you want to cast with it. I'd say that usually you will cast
lures up to 50% of the maximum casting weight and often way below the minimum.
If I fish for pike in shallow weedy water amongst the reeds I need a rod with a
max. casting weight of 40-60g ( depending on the manufacturer ) to be able to
fight the pike but my lure might be a spinner like the Lusox Nr 3 without the
lead head weighing in at about 10g, hardly half of the recommended minimum
casting weight. The desired stiffness of the rod also depends on the water
resistance of your lures: during retrieval the lure should just put a light bend
in your rod, there should always be enough reserves for the biting fish and the
setting of the hook. This means that with spinners and deep diving crank baits
(which have a high water resistance compared to their weight) you will always be
on the low end of the recommended casting weight. You should also consider that
bigger hooks, better said: hooks made of thicker wire, need more power and thus
a stiffer rod to penetrate the fishes mouth.
Good rod makers: Sportex, Shimano, Daiwa, Cormoran and others.
Test curve in Lbs: 1 Lb test curve corresponds to 28g maximum casting weight and 2,5 Kg
breaking strength line.
IGFA line class Lbs: 1Lb IGFA corresponds to about 6g maximum casting weight.
