Picking out a New Favorite Rod
Pointers on choosing your next fishing rod
If you are in the market for a new rod this spring, take my advice and check out Favorite Rods. This is my first year using Favorite Rods, and to say I am impressed would be an understatement. I truly believe Favorite’s line of technically savvy rods has upped my fishing game and helped with a dynamite start to the tournament season, including three top-30 finishes on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and a top-20 finish in the Bassmaster Classic. A game-changer for sure!
When selecting a new rod, I consider several elements: action, power, length and components. Different rods will fit the role, depending on the type of lure, cover and fish species you are targeting.
Action: Action describes how much the rod bends in the top third when pressure is applied from the tip. Fast action rods bend closer to the tip, and slow or moderate action rods bend farther down the rod. Typically, faster action rods are more sensitive.
Power: Power describes the backbone in the bottom two-thirds of the rod. A heavy power rod has significant backbone and does not bend much, which is ideal when fishing heavy line and cover, such as thick grass, docks or trees. A medium power rod is suggested when you are fishing lighter line or treble hooks. A fiberglass or composite rod would fit the bill in this instance, because it provides medium power and has a slower action to be more forgiving when fighting a fish with treble hooks, to prevent losing the fish.
Length: Rod length is important when considering casting distance, hookset leverage and your height. At about 6 feet tall, I don’t use any rod less than 7 feet long, and will choose up to a 7-11 rod when flipping. If you are shorter, a shorter rod may facilitate casting with ease. A good rule of thumb: The shorter the rod, the more accurate the casts. As rod length increases so does casting distance, but accuracy could be compromised.
Components: Quality components are essential for a long-lasting and reliable fishing rod. The components that you want to pay most attention to are the rod guides, reel seat, rod handles and the rod blank. Favorite Rods are made with high-quality reel seats, rod blanks and Fuji guides. A quality fishing rod is a worthwhile investment that will last you years
My recommendations
For an all-around casting rod I would recommend the Favorite Rush 731 heavy power. This rod has quickly become my workhorse, whether I’m looking to flip light cover, throw a spinnerbait or drag a worm. It is 7 feet, 3 inches long, which allows you to make long casts when covering water but isn’t too long when you decide to slow down to make accurate pitches into cover.
My spinning rod recommendation is the Favorite Jack Hammer series. Anybody who knows me, knows that I love to finesse fish, especially for smallmouth.
One last rod I’d like to highlight is my all-time favorite rod for throwing a killer bait, the Z-Man/Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer (see my last blog featuring this awesome bait). For that bait, you want to check out the Favorite Phantom Phat Glass Cranking rod in both the 741 (7-4) and 761 (7-6) models with an Ardent Apex Grand in a 7.3:1 gear ratio and 17-pound-test Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon. A glass cranking rod allows for optimum control of hooked fish, as glass rods flex to prevent the fish from gaining leverage to come unbuttoned.
Favorite has a wide range of rods available, from the top-of-the-line Hex series at $399.99 to entry-level rods such as the White Bird, starting at $59.99. You seriously can’t go wrong with any Favorite – they all provide the quality you need to catch big fish.