| As fishermen sometimes we forget the | | | | Heavy - steelhead, salmon, heavy trolling, salt |
| importance of our spinning rods to our success or | | | | water fishing. |
| failure as an angler. That's right, your rod makes a | | | | Now the length of your fishing rod. As anglers, we |
| big difference in your success or failure as an | | | | need to have various rod lengths available to us |
| angler. For example, if your rod is too stiff, you'll | | | | for varying fishing situations. For example, I love |
| have trouble feeling bites. On the other hand, if | | | | to use ultra light rods. As the water conditions |
| your rod it so limp (or whippy, as I like to call it) | | | | change, I have to use different length rods. For |
| you'll be able to feel bites, but won't be able to | | | | example[le, in the spring when the rivers are |
| set the hook. Another example is if your rod is | | | | flowing high and fast, I use a six-foot six inch ultra |
| too short, and you're fishing in heavy current, you | | | | light rod. When the rivers recede to a normal |
| won't be able to feel anything. | | | | level, I change to my five-foot ultra light rod. This |
| In this article I'm going to give you some basic | | | | changing of rod lengths allows me to be able to |
| rules of thumb when it comes to your spinning | | | | "feel" my bait and lures much better. The bottom |
| rods. These spinning rod tips are simple and easy | | | | line is that you need to vary your rod lengths as |
| to understand. Begin employing one or all of these | | | | water conditions change. |
| tips sooner, rather than later and you will have | | | | Another wonderful spinning rod tip is to have a |
| much more fishing success. | | | | rod ruler attached to all of your spinning rods. |
| Let's begin with the action of your rod. Spinning | | | | What's a rod ruler? A rod ruler is simply a high |
| rods come in five basic actions: ultra light, light, | | | | quality sticker that sticks to your fishing rod, |
| medium, medium/heavy, and heavy actions. You | | | | turning your rod into a measuring device. This |
| can tell the action of any particular spinning rod by | | | | way you always know right wear your tape |
| looking on it, and finding the action printed in small | | | | measure is, it's always on your rod! Attach one of |
| letters (usually near the length). The action that | | | | these ingenious measuring devices to each of |
| you use should correlate with the type and size | | | | your spinning rods, and always have your |
| fish that you intend to catch. Here are some basic | | | | measuring device available whenever you are |
| rules of thumb as far as rod actions and the type | | | | fishing. |
| of fish we fish for: Ultra light - trout, smallmouth | | | | Many times your spinning rod is the reason that |
| bass, and pan fish, Light - trout, smallmouth bass, | | | | you don't receive as many bites as you think you |
| small largemouth bass, large pan fish, and fishing in | | | | should. If your rod length is wrong, it makes |
| heavier current, Medium - light trolling, walleye, | | | | feeling bites much more difficult. Use these tips to |
| large mouth bass, and catfish, Medium/Heavy - | | | | help you become a more efficient and effective |
| trolling, walleye, largemouth bass, and steelhead, | | | | angler. |