A Full Breakdown on Matching Your Rod to Your Target Fish

As a reminder: Kat, AJ, and The Outdoors Quest are not sponsored or affiliated with any gear discussed in this article. We are presenting you with information gathered during our own experiences as it pertains to the individual choices we make. We will not receive compensation for anything you choose to purchase or use as a result of this article.

Not all fishing rods are made the same. The same can be said for manufacturers. I, for one, love the one-3 fishing rods. AJ, on the other hand, prefers Dobyns or Lews depending on her activities. Just among these 3 brands of fishing rods, you’ll find a variety of platforms that function differently but are all rated the same.

You see, there is no set standard for fishing rod ratings.

When you buy a fishing rod, you can buy 4 different medium-light rods with moderate action on each one and have 4 rods that will act completely different. Just picking rods up in the store and feeling the bend is not always going to show you these differences. Frequently, it isn’t until you’re out on the water putting your rod through the paces that you feel the difference.

Because of this, I strongly recommend experimenting with different rod manufacturers to find what feels right for you. The more practice you get matching your rod to your target fish, the clearer this will become to you. For now, let’s focus on the similarities in rod function and selection. From there, your adventures will guide you to the best fit for your fishing style.

Every Manufacturer has his own system for labling rods.

First, Understand your Rod’s Power

The power is the strength of your rod. It determines how easily your fish will bend your rod when he takes your hook. It dictates how much your rod will bend when you go to set that hook. Above all else, it determines how well your rod will hold up to the harsh environments of your water adventures.

If you haven’t already read “A Woman’s Guide to Picking the Right Fishing Rod” I suggest you check it out real quick. The information will prepare you for the details that are covered here.

You’ll notice that there’s a decent amount of overlap in performance and useability between the different rod platforms. Depending on what you’re fishing (environment as well as species-wise), the overlap will give you a good ability to finesse your options into the perfect feel and function.

Your Available Weights are:

	Bendability	Line	Lure	Target Fish	Primary Lures
ULTRA LIGHT	Quick and efficient loading for a subtle (lite) presentation.	Light line (generally up to 4lb test)	1/64 – 1/16oz	Panfish, Crappie, small Trout (essentially up to 2 pounds)	This is going to be primarily a hook and bobber style presentation using worms, crickets, Powerbait, etc.
LIGHT	Still has a quick and efficient loading for the lite presentation, but a slight bit more backbone to give you a bit more strength.	4-8 lb test	1/32 – 1/8oz	Panfish, Walleye, trout (Try not going over the 4-pound range).	You’re most likely to be using this for a hook and bobber style presentation or a very small, light lure.
MEDIUM LIGHT	The added rigidity of the rod will allow for quicker hooksets.	6-12lb test	1/8 – 1/2oz lures	panfish, walleye, trout (which puts you closer to the 6-pound range)	Jiggs, soft plastics, and pitching methods work well with this rod.
MEDIUM	The middle-of-the-road strength makes it a good option for the new angler learning her hooksets.	4-12lb test	1/8 – 3/8oz	moderate-sized bass and similar fish (best for the 4-8 pound range, you can still successfully land smaller as well as larger fish as long as you pay attention to your drag).	Crankbaits and spinnerbaits are commonly used in freshwater fishing. For the saltwater anglers, you’re most likely to be using bobbers or doing surf fishing. Other popular uses are shaky heads, Ned rigs, lightweight Texas rigs, and a variety of other finesse technique.
MEDIUM HEAVY	The stronger backbone makes this the most common bass fishing rod choice.	8-14lb test	3/16 – 1/2oz	Bass (largemouth, smallmouth, stripers, sand, Guadalupe, etc.) Weight is less of a concern for this grade rod.	Common methods are Jigs, wide gap hooks, soft plastics, skipping docks, Texas rigs, smaller jigs, spinnerbaits, vibrating jigs, topwater lures, and crankbaits.
HEAVY	The strength of these poles help with the hookset so well that they are typically the go-to choice for trolling.	15 – 25lb test	up to 1½ oz	These are the rods that are going to get you that “trophy” sized bass and catfish type catch. You’re likely to fish for Musky and pike, or troll for the larger saltwater salmon with these rods.	Football jigs and larger lures, deep structure fishing, Swimbaits, and frogs are all popular methods to use.
EXTRA HEAVY (Ultra Heavy)	The extremely rigid pole creates an opportunity for extremely quick hooksets. It also provides a rigid platform for casting long distances and prevents give as the fish pulls against your line.	25lb and up test	1½ oz and up	Monster fish: Large Bass, Catfish, Gar, Shark, etc; are the key targets with these rods.	Drop shot, surf fishing, deep-sea fishing, and other heavy/oversized baits are common methods here.

Next, think about the rod’s action

Action is all about motion. How fast your rod will return to straight is determined by its action. The amount of the rod that bends when you apply pressure to the tip directly influences the speed of that return to ready. No, this doesn’t mean your rod will return to straight regardless of what’s on the other end. This is all about what the rod does once the pressure is released from its tip.

Your action will dictate how much of your rod bends and how quickly it will return to ready.

Your available action (speeds) are:

	Bendability	Line	Lure	Target Fish	Fishign Style
SLOW	These are your softer poles that almost seem to have a natural bend to them even when the only pressure is earth’s gravity. You’ll see almost the entire rod bend when you get a bite.	The lighter the line the better as even the line adds weight to the rod further taking away its actionability.	Treble hooks (especially small) are a frequent choice for these rods.	Panfish are the primary targets because they essentially set the hook for you as they eat your lure.	The slow action acts as a shock absorber reducing the risk of oversetting your hook and its slow action allows for slack that reduces the risk of a fish spitting the hook.
MODERATE (sometimes called medium)	The top half of the rod will bend which still allows for softer hook sets, but puts a bit of a bite into it.	With the slightly faster action, the line can be a bit stronger to allow for slightly stronger pressure. Along with the stronger hook set, you’ll get better casting distance than what you get with the slow action.	This is still an extremely good choice for treble hooks. You’re also going to have plenty of success with crankbaits, topwater lures, and spinnerbaits.	Everything from panfish to rather larger fish.	You’re going to start working into slightly longer casts with stronger hooksets, typically on moving baits where the strike will be impressive, to say the least.
FAST	The top third of your rod will tend to bend when put under pressure. It’ll be more flexible and sensitive than the extra fast, but you’ll be able to hold better pressure on the line than what the Medium and slow offer.	Heavier line and stronger hooksets will require stronger line.	These are especially good for Worm and Jig fishing. They are primarily used for single hook fishing. They’re ideal for setting the hook on fish chasing a moving bait.	Musky, Pike, Largemouth Bass, etc.	This is what you’re going to want when fishing for larger fish, punching through thick weeds and overgrowth, or you’re looking to make longer casts.
EXTRA FAST	Just the tip, about the top eighth of your rod will bend. It is the fastest response with the most sensitivity of all action options. The hookset will be quick and definitive.	Stronger line will benefit you when making exceptionally strong hooksets.	Single hooks are needed due to the deeper penetration they accomplish compared to the softer treble hook penetration.	Larger, more aggressive fish (Catfish, Gar, Bass, etc.)	The most technique demanding of the actions, they require a degree of finesse to apply enough pressure to keep the hook set intact while avoiding excessive pressure that will allow the fish to throw the hook.

So, how do we put all this together?

You’re going to need to ask yourself three questions.

One, what kind of fish are you wanting to target?

These are a few examples of fish to give you an idea as to what you’re looking for when choosing a rod to battle your intended fish.

Panfish (bluegill, shellcrackers, redears…)

You’re going to be looking for an ultra-light, light, or medium-light rod with slow action.

These are commonly jigging poles, cane poles, and panfish-specific poles.

Crappie

As a panfish, they will generally require a similar rod to the other panfish: Ultralight, light, or medium light. However, most anglers who specifically target crappie tend to prefer the crappie-specific rods (St. Croix, B’n’M, Mr. Crappie, etc.) due to their design. The technology of late has begun focusing rod design to specific fish habits.

Bass

The American market is focused on bass fishing these days. Your options are going to be so vast that you are likely to become rather overwhelmed and, quite possibly, intimidated. Like I talk about in “The Three Rules for Becoming a Successful Angler,” make sure you start out small and build up to the bigger, more expensive, options when you’re ready. That being said, you will choose rods anywhere from Medium Light to Extra Heavy. 

You’re going to want a moderate, fast, or extra fast action to ensure you have the speed backing up your rods strength when setting that hook. A big key to remember is that your rod has fish weights that are best for its platform. Matching your hook sizes to the fish size you are targeting will help you protect the rod, your reel, and the fish.

Catfish

Even a small catfish will put up a sturdy fight. They require time and patience when targeting, but also require strength and speed when setting that hook. Just like any of the other species that require hook sizes to match intended sizes, you’re going to want to focus on your whole fishing environment. 

If you’re fishing in a nursery, your likely to cause major damage to the smaller catfish if they even manage to get their mouth around the hook (assuming you’re using a typical catfish-sized hook). Alternately, if you’re using a smaller hook looking for carp or suckerfish and you hook up to a large (10+ pound catfish) there’s a good likelihood you won’t get the penetration needed during your hookset to successfully pull that fish all the way in. 

Due (in part) to these factors, most of my catfish catches have been on a medium power, fast action, 13-fishing rod. The largest catches have been on a variety of medium-heavy power, fast action rods (mostly Uglystik and Pro Cat). As I have said in many of the articles, you don’t have to buy the $700+ setups to have tremendous success.

For more detailed information on catfishing, check out The New Angler’s Intro to Catfishing.

Pike

Like bass, pike can be relatively impressive in size. Their weight, strength, and fighting instinct will be best suited to a medium or medium-heavy rod. You’re most likely to want a fast action to help with the quick, assertive, hooksets you’re going to need for these stealthy fighters.  Pike Caster has extensive information on the fishing rod selection if these are your fish of choice.

Walleye

Now here’s a challenge for you. Walleye are reasonably large fish but they have a very subtle bite. They are not known for aggressive fighting when you hook one, but rather try to outsmart the angler. So, how do you choose? 

You’re going to need a sensitive rod that will detect those gentle bites (medium-light or a medium pole should work well for you). A fast or extra fast action will be necessary to help your reaction times (especially with the momentary hesitation that will come when you’re trying to detect that little nibble). It’s generally recommended you choose a spinning rod designed for jigging to match the fishing and lure styles of walleye fishing. Field and Stream has an interesting article about a few of the walleye rods currently on the market.

Large Trout

Trout are quick, feisty fish and, while they are a tad bit smaller they fight similarly to bass. It’s because of this that medium-light rods designed for bass fishing with a fast action will work well for most trout anglers. Remember that trout are exceptionally sensitive to their environment. Thick, heavy, or flamboyant line will deter most trout from taking your bait. So always remember that your setup requires attention to all details. Finding a decent medium light rod, however, will set you on the right path.

Smaller, stocked pond, trout

While the medium-light rod discussed above is sufficient for just about any sized trout you could find, there is a certain degree of finesse needed for the smaller trout often released by fish and game agencies in stocked ponds. These are typically finicky fish with a great hesitation to pursue bait that does not closely match the feed they have been raised on. 

This is why, I would highly recommend you consider a light pole with a fast or extra-fast action. You will inevitably set the hook on the tail end of the trout’s bite which requires a reduction in hookset time. They are notorious for swiping at their food from the side which frequently results in the slightest indication of a bit. A newer angler will frequently mistake the bite of a small trout for the wind. A light rod with an extra fast action can give you a more heightened sensitivity.

Gar

Like all the other fish in the waters, gar don’t care what rod you have. They are probably the biggest example of needing to be flexible in all the freshwater fishing species you’ll find. You can catch a 2 pound spotted gar and spend 30 minutes fighting it only to be shocked by the fish that appears at the other end of your line. Similarly, you can catch a 300-pound alligator gar and have it beached in 10 minutes. 

The fight of the fish will make a huge difference in how your gear responds to the situation as well as how it responds to you. Choice of hook size will often gear your setup towards the size fish you are looking for but always be prepared for that extreme (small or large). Generally speaking, you are going to be more dependent on your bobber than your rod to let you know when you have a bite. Once you get that bight, you need enough strength to help you set a hook a long distance away from yourself so I would recommend a medium-heavy to heavy rod. Action is not going to be as important, but a fast action will provide a bit of assistance when battling the erratic behavior of these dinosaurs.

Sturgeon

Another large, strong fish with incredible fighting skills, the sturgeon will require heavier gear for most circumstances. A Medium-heavy or heavy rod will suit most situations well. The larger ones may require an extra heavy rod if you have the chance to prepare for these circumstances. Remember, the lighter weight the rod, the longer you will have to finesse the fish to land him. Action will not be especially important, but a fast action (like with the gar) can help you during the hookset.

Salmon

Freshwater salmon tend to be smaller than their saltwater counterparts. They can frequently be caught relatively easily on medium-weighted rods. Heavy and extra heavy rods are best when fighting the massive ocean salmon. Their pure, brute power will put an excessive strain on any of the lighter poles that could put you at too much of a disadvantage. There are a variety of fishing rods on today’s market that are specifically designed for salmon. You might want to look into these rods if you are going to pursue the salmon challenge.

Carp

Depending on the fishery you are at, your carp could be anywhere from half a pound to 60 pounds. Ultimately, here in the US, you’re going to be looking at the 15-30 pound range for most carp. One of the best carp anglers in the US today is Luke Nichols. His Catfish & Carp YouTube channel is exceptionally informative and entertaining when you are learning to fish for carp. While the smaller carp can easily be caught on a medium-light rod (preferably with a fast action) you will probably prefer to hunt the larger carp. For these, you’re going to want a medium to medium-heavy rod. Check out the Catfish & Carp rods available at Whiskerseekers.com to get a breakdown of some of the best qualities for a carp fishing rod.

Perch

These are another of the smaller fish. Perch are typically 4-10 inches long. Yes, there are larger perch, but normally they will be relatively small. A light rod will probably be your best bet. An ultra-light will work well but remember you’re going to have a bit more of a fight to get them to shore if they edge towards the larger size. A Medium-light rod will work, but you might have more power than your fish can fight. This can lead to backlashes, knots in your line, and a variety of other headaches that are less than pleasant to confront.

Two, what style of fishing are you going to be doing?

Location is a key factor in determining style. Fishing from a boat is going to change some fishing techniques compared to how they’ll be performed from land. Likewise, fishing saltwater will dictate gear selections that will modify techniques used by comparable freshwater gear.

Bait fishing with or without a bobber (regardless of location)

You will need a bobber strong enough to control your bait. Worms, frequently used for freshwater fishing require very little weight so anglers will frequently use a small jighead or splitshot to weigh down the hook. On the other hand, many live bait techniques for saltwater use a method of dropping bait that has been weighted down, without the incorporation of a bobber due to the depths used hunting for your target fish and the speed to which the process can take place. Regardless of using a bobber or not, you are going to want a rod strong enough to battle your fish, sensitive enough to let you know when you have a bite, and reliable enough to help control the fish as you reel it in.

Kayak fishing

When you choose to kayak fish, you are (typically) choosing a more minimalist fishing style. That being said, you’re going to want to either fish very specific species and size or you’re going to want to choose more universal rods. 

The medium rods are generally designed for more versatile fishing. Yes, they will make detecting bites more difficult for the smaller, gentler fish which could lead to you wanting a second pole available to you for small baitfish style angling. And they will typically force you to devote more effort to finessing a larger fish in if the fish pushes the limits of your setup, but this is honestly what makes fishing such an adventure. As a side note, I’ll also point out that you will typically want shorter rods when you start kayak fishing. You are already reaching less pressured waterways by using your kayak so you do not have to stay as far away from your target areas.

Bank fishing

You are going to need to cast a rather long distance, you’re typically going to have a ruffer fight on your hands (even with the smaller fish), and you’re likely to have various obstacles in the water as well as around you. This will often lead bank anglers to gravitate towards the stronger and longer poles for most of the species you’ll be facing. Medium rods are still an excellent all-around choice, but you may need to get a moderate action to help mitigate the slack in the line as the fish fights you. Also, for those larger fish (catfish, gar, etc.) you may want to focus more on the heavy poles that can help with the hook set over longer distances.

Surf Fishing

This truly is a whole different world when it comes to rod selection. In many cases, you must cast beyond the shore break to ensure a viable presentation to your target fish. Most surf rod recommendations will be in the medium-heavy range with a fast to moderate speed. Keep in mind there are entire lines specific to surf rods. Now I am by no means an expert surf angler. My exposure to the process has been extremely limited. So, I will strongly recommend, if this is the type of fishing you want to do, check out the Penn article “How to Choose the Best Surf Rod” or “How to Choose a Surf Fishing Rod” by On Deck.

Saltwater Fishing

The rod selections will be (generally) the same as freshwater rod selection from the standpoint of strength and action choices matching target species sizes and strengths. Where it differs is material. 

Saltwater rods are typically designed with materials in mind that will stand up to the harsh treatment of salt. They are also geared a bit more towards the heavier or stronger side of the category for each power and action rating. This is a rather noticeable part of the “not all rods are rated the same” concept I started with. 

A medium-light saltwater rod will usually be a tad bit stronger than a medium-light freshwater rod. The key to remember is that you MUST choose saltwater rods unless you intend to use your fishing rod once only. I can assure you the success rate of a freshwater rod lasting more than that is very slim.

Freshwater Fishing

Your options are virtually limitless. You’re able to use fresh water or saltwater rods. You can get panfish, bass, or even catfish-specific rods. It’s up to you to choose short, long, or extensive rods. Your focus, like with saltwater will be primarily on what species you are targeting.

Three, How would you describe the environment you’re fishing in?

The things surrounding you and your target fish with create hazards that can influence your gear selection (especially line and lure style). Not having a rod that is suitable can make for a rather discouraging day.

Cluttered with debris.

You’re going to want a rod that can handle a heftier line, like braid, to stand up to the abuse you’re going to put it through.

Sandy Bottom.

Typically fisheries with a sandy bottom are clearer which will require you to choose as light a line as possible to reduce the risk of your target seeing the line. You’re also likely to not need to feel the bite as easily because most anglers learn to sight fish. They see the fish take their lure and learn to time the hookset to match the bite. This takes some practice but is an important skill to add to your arsenal when you get the chance. With a lighter line, you are free to choose a lighter rod to help you with fatigue and control.

Rocky Bottom.

When fishing rocky bottom fisheries you’re going to be abusing the line when bottom fishing. You’re going to have the potential for needing slightly heavier weights to help knock on the rocks and draw in the attention of your target fish. Think Jigheads, Ned rigs, and the like. Now, this is not as important when mid-water or top-water fishing, but remember to have your necessary options available to you.

Heavy growth (weeds, trees, etc.)

This is where that heavy, braided, line becomes most important which leads to a heavier rod to help with force and control. The heavy line will help push your lures through the obstacles and can help maintain that connection to your lure as you retrieve one stuck in a branch or leaf. The stronger rods can help your line with that force needed during the cast to push through the vegetation into the beds your target fish have made.

Overhanging trees

Especially when bank fishing, overhanging trees can become your arch enemy. Longer rods will help with longer casts, but they will also help with reaching out and grabbing those low-hanging branches. You don’t even have to catch your lure if you get caught up in a moment and cast without watching your surroundings. If you absolutely can not find a clearer location, you might need to consider a shorter rod and developing skills to cast that shorter rod a bit more forcefully.

Docks

Shooting docks is a popular activity among anglers these days. You’ll invariably find more species of fish (saltwater or fresh) than you probably expected. The process, however, is a bit complicated and requires a good bit of practice. Every angler seems to have his preference on what makes for the best dock shooting setup. I would recommend starting with a medium-light rod that has a fast action. You want a bit of backbone to help direct the lure and you want the faster action that can help whip the lure into place. The target is usually a very small window. Wired 2 Fish has some great tutorials on dock shooting both on their blog as well as on YouTube.

Check out the other articles we’ve released about learning to fish broken down for the beginner so you can put the technical skills to work for yourself.