Table of Contents
Many anglers learn a lot about the length of fishing rods and how to choose rod power and action. But the area of a fishing rod is an important decision. A fishing pole matters a lot because it makes a huge difference, and you need to choose the right rod size for your fishing application.
Fishing rods come in different lengths ranging from 2-foot ice fishing rods to 14-foot surf fishing poles. Spinning rods and bait-casting rods are the most commonly used rods type and they range from 6 to 8-foot range.
If you are a beginner, then experts recommend a 7-foot rod length, this is easy to handle and master. It can be used for many applications. Here are some types of rods that are used in fishing:
Now we are going to explain fishing rod lengths for different types of fishing rods available on the market:
Spinning rod length
This is the most adaptable type of fishing rod and is used for many applications because its spinning rods come in various types of lengths ranging from short 4’5” poles to super long 9’5” poles. Extra long and short spinning rods are designed for specific purposes.
But the mid-range of the spinning rod is the most flexible and can be adapted to many styles of fishing.
Types of spinning rods are as follows:
1. Short spinning rods
These are used for kayak fishing and it is awkward to handle long poles on a cramped kayak. They are usually 4’5” to 6’. Small spinning rods are used for fishing in a small creek that has lots of overhanging trees and shrubs.
2. Medium spinning rods
Medium spinning rods are 6’ to 7’5”. These are the usually used spinning rods and are used for every application. These range from ranging from lure casting to bottom fishing and bobber fishing. These are very popular among beginners and it is easy to handle and master. When you will get experience in mid-spinning rods then you can use short and long spinning rods.
3. Long spinning rods
These rods are usually used for applications that include long casting distances, such as surf fishing or open water lure casting. These ranges from 7’6” to 9’5”. Their long length helps to increase casting distance. You need a lot of space for casting with them because they are difficult to handle as compared to short spinning rods.
See also: Baitcasting Rods For Bass
Baitcasting rod length
These are the second type of fishing rod and casting pole length that is a little bigger than as compared to spinning rods. Unlike spinning rods, they are used for casting lures or rigs. They are usually designed to work especially with baitcasting reels. Skilled anglers have higher casting accuracy and longer casting distances compared to spinning reels and poles.
These include different sizes of fishing rods. Types of baitcasting are as follows:
1. Small baitcasting rods
These poles are the best voice if you want maximum accuracy at a distance of 30 feet or less. Similar to spinning rods they are also used for kayak fishing and fishing on small creeks with a lot of vegetation.
2. Medium baitcasting rods
These are commonly used for bass fishing. This is used in many activities concluding fishing, kayak fishing, or fishing from a bass boat. They are easy to handle.
3. Long baitcasting rods
They are much larger than small and medium baitcasting rods. They are not easy to handle as compared to small and medium baitcasting rods.
Fly fishing rod length
They are much longer than any other rod and range from 7 to 9 feet. This includes casting very light lures, so it should be longer. Instead of using lure weight for casting, you should use fly fishing rods. This is much tighter than any other fishing rod. For casting longer distances this technique needs a long pole.
Surfcasting rod length
They are the longest type of rod as compared to other and ranges from 10 to 12 foot long. They are extra long to cover the longer casting distance that is relevant to reaching fish feeding on the other side of the breaker zone. When this is used by an expert angler then it can reach a casting distance of 100 yards or more however records are made for 300 yards casting distance and you are a normal fisher so you don’t need to do this.
See also: Fishing Rod Weight Chart Explained
Boat casting rod length
They range from 6 to 7 feet, as compared to other rods which are shorter. The reason behind this is longer rods are not easy to handle. They are mainly shorter so you can use them easily.
Trolling rod length
They are longer than the above rods and range from 9 to 11 feet long. They are not used with down riggers so that is why they are extra long. They can cover long casting distances because of their longer length. They will help you in grabbing bigger fish.
Ice fishing rod length
These are the shortest among all fishing rods and range from 28 to 36 inches. This has a short length which helps in grabbing fish easily. Small-length rods are easier to handle and master so you can easily use them.
See also: What are the parts of fishing rods
Fishing Rod Size Chart Details
| Type | Options | Power Rating | Action Rating | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass | Spinning Reel | Medium | Fast | 6’6″ |
| Bass | Baitcasting Reel | Medium Heavy | Moderate | 7′ |
| Trout | Live Bait | Light | Fast | 5’6″ |
| Trout | Lures | Light | Moderate Slow | 6’6″ |
| Walleye | Live Bait | Medium Light | Extra Fast | 6′ |
| Walleye | Lures | Medium | Fast | 6’6″ |
| Panfish | Live Bait | Ultra Light | Extra Fast | 5′ |
| Panfish | Lures | Ultra Light | Slow | 7′ |
| Catfish | Live Bait | Medium Heavy | Fast | 8′ |
| Surf | Lures & Live Bait | Heavy | Moderate | 10′ |
| In-Shore | Lures & Live Bait | Medium | Fast | 7′ |
Wrapping It Up
These are the different lengths and types of fishing rods that you can use according to your need. If you are a normal fisher, then you can use shorter fishing rods because they are easier to handle and can grab much more fish. They are good for kayak fishing.
They are best for stream fishing and a lot of vegetation. If you want to fish for a longer casting distance, then you should use longer fishing rods. They are best for grabbing bigger fish easily.
You can any of them according to your need. If you are a beginner, then you should start with small spinning rods. They are available in every size so if you learn to use small spinning rods then you should start using other rods.
The best rods are the medium rods that anyone can use easily. You do not need to be an expert angler for using medium fishing rods.
