Best Spinning Rods for Bass

What to Look For in a Bass Spinning Rod

Length. Seven feet is the standard for bass spinning rods and the right starting point. It provides enough leverage for distance on open-water presentations and enough control for accurate casts in tight quarters. For anglers who fish heavily wooded banks or skip under a lot of dock structure, a 6'10" or 6'6" rod reduces the chance of hitting cover on the backcast.

Power. Medium is the right power for most finesse bass fishing. It handles 6 to 12 pound fluorocarbon efficiently, bends enough to absorb the fight of a bass on light line, and is stiff enough to set the hook on a Texas-rigged worm or drop shot at distance. Medium-light is the right choice for presentations under 3/16 ounce, including weightless Senko and most drop shot rigs. Medium-heavy starts becoming useful when fishing weighted swimbaits or heavier creature baits on spinning gear.

Action. Fast action means the rod bends primarily in the top third of the blank. This is correct for bass fishing. The rest of the blank is stiff enough to transfer energy during the hookset and sensitive enough in the tip to feel what a soft plastic is doing on the bottom. Moderate action, which bends further down the blank, belongs to crankbait rods and treble-hook lures, not finesse spinning presentations.

Blank material. Graphite blanks are lighter and more sensitive than fiberglass. The higher the graphite modulus, the lighter and more sensitive the blank, and generally the higher the price. Composite blanks, like the GX2, mix fiberglass and graphite to add durability at the cost of some weight and sensitivity. For most anglers, a standard graphite blank in the $80 to $150 range is the practical choice.