Types of Fishing Rods: A Beginners Guide

Choosing the right tools for the job is always important and ensuring you select the right type of fishing rod for you and what you are looking to do, is key to ensuring you can fish effectively in your chosen discipline, whether it’s carp, coarse, predator, or sea fishing, but ultimately get repeated enjoyment along the way.

In this short guide, we will provide a breakdown of the different types of rods available, to help you understand which ones will suit your fishing style best, and if you should have any questions you, can always contact us to speak to one of our skill advisors for more information.

Table of Contents

1. CARP FISHING RODS (SPECIMEN)
2. COARSE FISHING RODS (MATCH)
3. PREDATOR FISHING RODS
4. SEA FISHING RODS
5. OUR CONCLUSION

Carp Fishing Rods (Specimen)

Starting with one of the most popular categories, we have carp fishing rods, from which we will see some of the most powerful rod blanks, offering strength and precision, whilst looking to retain sensitivity and finesse. These rods are built for anglers often specifically targeting large carp, be it at long distances, right down to close quarters hit and hold fishing in challenging environments such as heavy weed, and snaggy conditions.

General carp rods will vary in length, starting from as short as 6ft and going up to as long as 13ft. The test curves can range from 2.75lb - 4lb, with the length and test curve determining the rods primary use which we have broken down further below:

• 12ft carp rods with a test curve of 3lb - 3.25lb are an ideal all-around test curve ideal for beginners, those starting out, who might use small PVA bags, sticks, and fishing below 100yd.
• 12ft - 13ft carp rods with a test curve of 3.5lb - 4lb are designed for long-range fishing, well over 100yd – 150yd, and propelling heavy leads and solid PVA bags, and subsequently are much more powerful blanks, fast tip speed and recovery, and ideally suited for playing large, powerful fish, especially when fishing big waters.
• 6ft - 10ft carp rods are great for fishing from a boat, or if you simply want to be extra mobile, lighter kit, or fishing smaller more intimate waters. These will generally be either a standard 2 piece like the 12ft - 13ft models, a 3 piece, or retractable in some models further saving on space ideal for those with small cars, reliant on public transport or lack of storage space. These are also ideal for stalking, as they enable you to get into tight overgrown spaces, such as under trees, where casting might prove difficult, and reduce the risk of the rod getting caught overhead when playing a fish. Test curves will vary from 2lb to 4lb, with lighter 2lb - 3lb test curves great for close combat and heavier test curves such as 3lb - 4lb ideal for boat work or general fishing.
• Floater Rods are slightly different as they are purposely made for surface fishing where lighter lines are required, and subsequently, a softer rod to cushion heavy lunges to prevent hook pulls and breakages. These tend to vary between 2.25lb - 3lb in test curve and between 10ft - 12ft in length, with a 12ft, 2.75lb being a popular choice, as it handles large surface controllers and still offers extended reach when playing fish.
• Retractable Rods: Lengths vary from 6ft - 12ft and their compact design makes them easy to transport, great for anglers who want to travel light or need to fit their gear in smaller spaces. Suitable for both short, medium, and long-range fishing in the 10ft models.
• Spod & Marker Rods: Lengths vary from 10ft – 13ft and are purpose-made for baiting up or feature finding. Spod rods are made for casting heavy spods or bait rockets, typically with test curves of 4.5lb - 5lb or more. The 10ft rods are for close range, whereas the 12ft - 13ft models will cater for all ranges. Marker rods are used to find features on the lakebed, such as gravel bars, and are designed for sensitivity to detect underwater changes. These will be slightly softer in the test curve. 4lb - 4.5lb are more sensitive in the tip and will often have 1ft markers on the blank.

Coarse Fishing Rods (Match)

Coarse fishing essentially covers everything that is classed as freshwater and that which swims within it, excluding game species such as trout and salmon. As a result, is an array of rods, to cover a broad range of species and techniques, requiring versatile rods that can adapt to different environments and targets. Here’s a breakdown of the key types of coarse fishing rods:

• Float & Wraggler Rods: Lengths vary from 8ft - 17ft in some specialised models, with popular models being around 12ft - 14ft. These are much lighter in the casting weights, being rated in grams not pounds, and offering far more finesse being used with much lighter lines of around 4lb - 6lb. These are great for beginners or those looking to target a huge array of species and environments from still waters fishing for roach, rudd, tench, bream, and small carp, to rivers for dace, grayling, chub, and even barbel. For trotting on rivers, and specifically targeting larger species, a longer blank is ideal, as it allows more control. We also have pellet wagglers, which are slightly stiffer, due to casting floats which have a coil or mesh on the base to allow for the pre-fixing of a small amount of groundbait or scalded pellet. These are capable of handling larger weights, but then subsequently lack the finesse for light floats, and vice versa.
• Barbel Rods: Lengths vary from 10ft to 14ft. These are built to target larger species like barbel and tench, and even carp to mid to high doubles, offering more power than standard float or feeder rods. These rods are perfect for anglers looking to focus on a specific species or method, with test curves that provide the strength needed for hard-fighting fish, such as heavier leads to combat faster-flowing rivers, in search of barbel.
• Feeder Rods: Lengths vary from 8ft - 14ft. Feeder rods are designed for ledgering with either small method or cage feeders, allowing you to ledger and ensure accurate bait placement at various distances around your baited rig. These are stiffer and more powerful than the float and waggler rods and are ideal for targeting species like carp from commercials as well as bream, tench, and barbel. Available with interchangeable quiver tips on many models to suit the conditions and the chosen species, such as a 1oz tip for roach on a slow river and finicky perch, or 3oz tips for larger feeders or longer range and fishing for carp, tench, or bream for example.

Predator Fishing Rods

Predator fishing rods are as the name suggests, predatory species such as pike, perch, zander and catfish and again cover a diverse range of tactics where control and finesse will sometimes be required specifically when using lures and artificial baits or more powerful rods for casting large dead baits.

• Deadbait Rods: Lengths vary from 10ft - 12ft. These are designed to handle casting out dead baits, from small smelt, roach, or half to whole mackerel in search of pike. Be that on a ledger set up or suspended on a pike float. As such, they are often around a 3lb - 3.25lb test curve, and some models will be parabolic in their action (bend through the length rather than from the tip) to ensure a better-playing action and ensure you are not ripping the trebles out.
• Bait Cast Rods: Lengths vary from 6ft - 8ft. These will come with upward-facing eye guides designed for use with multiplier reels. These are ideal for casting larger lures such as large crankbaits and heavy shads and managing heavier lines. These are more popular with those who might be targeting pike on some trout reservoirs, or larger lochs, rather than smaller rivers. They provide excellent control for targeting big predators, allowing for precise casting and retrieval.
• Boat Rods: Lengths are generally 10ft and under. These are perfect for use in boats due to their short length offering much more control. These include rods designed for dead baiting, baitcasting, and lure fishing.
• Catfish Rods: Lengths vary from 9ft - 12ft. They are designed specifically for the immense power of catfish, these rods are extremely strong and durable. Test curves of 3.5lb and higher to handle the sheer weight and sheer power of large catfish. These will often be supplied with ceramic guides, as the use of strong heavy braid is often preferred.
• Drop Shot Rods: Lengths vary from 6ft - 8ft. These lightweight and sensitive rods are perfect for drop shotting, a finesse technique for targeting species like perch and zander. They offer fast action and a highly sensitive tip to detect even the smallest bites.
• Spinning & Lure Rods: Lengths vary from 6ft - 9ft. These will vary massively between super light 3g - 10g casting weights for small perch and pike, to bigger 20g - 40g casting weights for bigger lures. These will include fixed spool models and some multiplier options. These are specifically designed for casting lures or spinners, suitable for targeting a wide range of predator species and are great for general predator fishing, ensuring you can keep active covering lots of water, and can often provide fast action.

Sea Fishing Rods

Sea fishing presents its own challenges, from rough tides, and needing to ensure maximum range from the beach, down to powerful fish. Sea fishing rods are designed to handle harsh conditions and help you tackle species like bass, cod, and conger eel. Below are the key types of Sea rods:

• Beach Rods: Lengths vary from 12ft - 17ft. Beach rods are built for ultra long-distance casting from the shore, ideal for surf fishing. They are designed to cast heavy leads and baits far out into the sea to reach deeper water and get clear of the breakwater. These will come in both fixed spool and multiplier options, depending on your requirements for ease of use. These will target an array of species, that can be found according to your locations.
• Boat & Uptide Rods: Lengths vary from 6ft – 9ft. These short and powerful uptide rods are designed for fishing from the boat and work well in tidal currents, and subsequently are much stiffer and far more powerful, and will see test curves between 10lb - 50lb. These are serious heavy hitters great for targeting deeper water species such as cod, pollock, and other large fish like conger and skate.
• Lure & LRF Rods: Lengths vary from 6ft - 9ft. LRF (Light Rock Fishing) rods are specialised for light lure fishing, particularly for targeting smaller species like wrasse and pollock in rocky areas. Great for anglers who enjoy casting small lures and fishing with ultra-light tackle in coastal environments. Please ensure when rock fishing you are safe and aware of your surroundings as the rocks will be wet and very slippery.

Our Conclusion

Choosing the right type of fishing rod depends on your chosen style and the species you wish to target. Each type of fishing, whether it’s carp, coarse, predator, or sea fishing, has its own specialised rods that will enhance your performance and enjoyment on the water. However, there will be some diversification in that some rods will cover other bases and so might fit across more than one category.

If you're still unsure, feel free to explore our full rod range or contact us for expert advice. We’re always here to help you find the perfect rod for your angling adventures.

Happy fishing and tight lines!