Just as the wise warrior knows the importance of choosing the right weapon for battle, the successful angler know the importance of choosing the right rod for their preferred style of fishing.

While some people will talk of 'general purpose' rods, they are always merely a compromise. Not great at finesse fishing, nor particularly effective at fishing with lures or bait.

To get the maximum advantage out on the water, you need purpose-built rods, designed for your specific application.

CONSIDERATIONS

There are many things to consider when choosing your ultimate fishing weapons. Two of the most important considerations are line rating and, where applicable, lure weight rating.

Line Rating

The line rating for each particular rod indicates the weight of line that particular model is designed to be used with. Attention needs to be paid to this rating when selecting your rod.

Most anglers realise that attempting to use significantly heavier line than the rod is rated for can result in the rod breaking. But it is equally important to not use excessively light line on a rod that is rated for much heavier weights.

Your rod is designed to flex as the fish struggles to break free. As it bends, it creates resistance which causes your prey to tire. This flexing also helps absorb the shock of any sudden lunges or runs that the fish might make.

However, these benefits are compromised if you use a line that is too light for your chosen rod. An excessively lightweight line will not have the strength to place the rod into its full fighting curve. Instead of the fish becoming fatigued by the combined forces of the bent rod and your reel's drag, it will be your line that becomes fatigued as it fights not only the fish, but the rod itself.

More often than not, this will result in a broken line, and the battle will be lost.

Lure Weight Rating

Most spinning or casting rods are specifically designed to cast lures within a certain weight range.

During a cast, the rod bends through the tip section as it is drawn backwards, and loads up under the weight of the lure. As the rod is thrust forward towards the target, and the line is released from the reel, the rod tip flicks back into its original, straight position.

When using correctly weighted lures, the rod tip loads easily, but still with ample strength to propel the lure as it returns to its natural state.

However, if you attempt to cast lures that are too heavy for your chosen rod, it will not have the strength to thrust the lure forward. You will be unable to cast over any reasonable distance, and you will not be able to achieve the desired accuracy. In extreme cases, attempting to cast weights well beyond the recommended weight range can damage the rod tip.

Attempting to cast lures that are too light is equally ineffective. The tip of your spinning or casting rod is designed to load up under a certain amount of weight. If your lure is too light, the rod tip will not flex sufficiently, and therefore it will not be able to flick forward to cast the lure. This results in a lack of accuracy and distance, but will also result in 'air-knots' and 'overruns', or 'birds nests' as they are often called.

THE ULTIMATE WEAPON

When choosing your Sakana fishing rod, be mindful of your intended fishing applications. Choose a rod that is designed to be used with your preferred line weight, and in the case of spinning and casting rods, choose one that is designed to cast the type of lures you are intending to use.

Above all, you must always Choose Your Weapon Wisely.