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Fishing rods have several different attributes. These attributes lend themselves to different types of fishing. By understand them, you will be able to select the right type of fishing rod for the type of fishing that you will be doing.
First of all, pay attention to the length of the rod. The longer the rod is the longer you will be able to cast out your line. Shorter rods are generally used when you need a heavier line. If you will be doing light trolling, a longer trolling rod should be used because it will give when you catch a fish and are reeling it in.
Another characteristic of the fishing rod to pay attention to is the butt length. This is the section of the pole from the back end of the rod to the reel. Rods with shorter butts are best used for casting rods. Spinning rods are a tad longer, and trolling rods will have the longest butts.
There are three basic types of guides. Cheaper fishing pools usually come with a standard metal guides. This is best suited for bottom fishing. If you are doing heavy trolling, the best guide to get is a roller guide. The most expensive guide is a ceramic one. With a ceramic guide, you get smoother action, longer casts, and less fray on your fishing line.
The taper of a pole refers to the amount of give or bend that a rod has between the butt of the rod to the tip. It is measured from slow to extra-fast. Usually, the cheaper the fishing rod is the slower the taper it has. A slow taper means that the whole rod will bend in an arc. This makes it harder to bait your hook and difficult to cast with heavy bait. The butt end of a pole with medium taper will not bend very much. A rod with a fast taper is one that is most flexible in the upper end of the rod.
