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Beginner fishing rods should check several boxes in order to find their way into your next outdoor adventure. Built for casting bait or lures to fish, with ruggedness and value in mind, the best beginner fishing rod should be balanced, durable, and deliver ease of use while still being budget-friendly. Whether your fishing adventures lead you to fly fishing for trout along a beautiful mountain stream, casting lures to hard-fighting largemouth bass, delivering ultra light baits to panfish, or working the tide in coastal waters, choosing the right beginning angler rod is a key component to your success. We’ve reviewed our experts’ picks for the best beginner fishing rods below.
Best Overall: Ugly Stik Elite Spinning Rod
Best Fly Rod: Orvis Encounter Fly Outfit
Best for Kids: Zebco 33 Spincast Combo
How We Picked the Best Beginner Fishing Rods
My pursuit for the best beginner fishing rods began with, well, the beginning angler in mind. As an avid angler over many decades I look back over my many lessons learned, not only when it comes to fishing techniques, but just as importantly, the fishing equipment. Over years of casting a line in any number and type of waters—including high-mountain lakes, oceans, rivers, reservoirs, and farm ponds—my fishing equipment has become tuned for performance, simplicity, durability, and value.
Through endless trial and error, I’ve settled on a number of factors that are critical for angling equipment no matter what species you’re casting to. These qualities are important for both seasoned and beginning anglers, and they set the stage for choosing the winning rods.
Quality and Durability: Fishing equipment should be made from quality materials utilizing construction techniques that pay attention to detail. The combination of quality materials and detailed construction results in quality products that will last for years.
Ease of Use: Enjoying your time on the water is critically important. Choose fishing equipment that is easy for you to use and adds to your enjoyment without complicating things.
Effectiveness: Consider the task at hand and choose the most effective tool for the job. An effective fishing rod will do several things: Present the bait or lure, detect the bite, set the hook, and fight the fish. You want a rod that’ll be effective on all of those tasks.
Budget: Investing in a hobby or a lifestyle is always a critical consideration. It’s important to choose fishing equipment that will provide the quality and effectiveness you need to match your budget. While bargains can be found, consider investments in quality fishing equipment to be long-term with some general care and maintenance.
Best Overall: Ugly Stick Elite Spinning Rod
Specs
Great value
Fiberglass and graphite blend produces a strong and sensitive rod
Pros
Price point on this rod is tough to beat for the value
Multiple lengths, actions, and weights are available
Cons
The rod is heavy
Shakespeare warrants the rod, but not no repair parts are available
My pick for the best beginner fishing rod overall is the Ugly Stik Elite Spinning Rod by Shakespeare. Constructed with 35 percent more graphite than their GX2 Ugly Stik, the Ugly Stik Elite is lighter in the hand, offers better sensitivity, and has a faster action than their already famously durable Ugly Stik lineup.
The hybrid rod blank is finished off with simple one-piece, stainless steel guides, ensuring many seasons of worry-free fishing. I chose the Ugly Stik Elite rod setup for spincast fishing, making this pick not only my best all-around rod for beginners, but my pick for the best spinning rod for beginners as well.
Shakespeare’s Ugly Stik lineup wouldn’t be complete without their famous Ugly Stik rod and reel combination offerings. My pick for the best beginner rod is no different, and the Ugly Stik Elite rod can be purchased in a combo setup for any angler that’s in the market. Pairing my best beginner fishing rod with a fishing reel made to match the rod’s action, feel, and fish-fighting strength is perfect, making the Ugly Stik Elite Combo my best fishing rod and reel combo.
I’ve been fishing with Ugly Stik fishing rods for over 30 years. For the price point, they are impossible to beat in durability, sensitivity, and ease of use. I really like the natural cork grip on the Ugly Stik Elite, it feels good in the hand, even when wet. In my experience, a spinning rod and reel combo is the king of versatility, and the stainless hardware on the Ugly Stik Elite even makes it saltwater-friendly.
The Ugly Stik Elite in the spinning rod configuration is a terrific pick for both beginners and seasoned anglers looking for a versatile and reliable all-around fishing rod on a budget. The hybrid fiberglass and graphite construction brings both the strength and sensitivity of a glass rod paired with the sensitivity and lightweight feel of the graphite rod. My personal pick from the Ugly Stik Elite line is:
Six foot rod length for combined castability and ease of portability
Medium power rod blank backbone for strength enough to fight bigger fish while not sacrificing feel for panfish and trout angling
Fast action to detect the lightest taps, and produce solid hooksets
Pair your rod with a medium action spinning reel loaded with monofilament or fluorocarbon line anywhere from 4-pound test all the way up to 12-pound test for fish species ranging from panfish to channel cats. You can even spool on 50-pound braided line for hook straightening strength in crappie brush piles, or pitching spoons in the surf.
Best Fly Rod: Orvis Encounter Fly Rod Outfit
Specs
Sold as a combo with fly reel, line, and travel case
Available in a range of rod lengths and weights for various fishing scenarios
Four-piece rod is ideal for storage and travel
Quality craftsmanship that is made in America
Pros
Comes with a great reel, backing, fly line, and a travel case
Several rod length and weight options are available
Cons
Price is on the high end for a beginner rod
Drag system isn’t sealed
Orvis’s Encounter Outfit made its way with me to the Big Thompson Canyon in Colorado, casting to brook and rainbow trout just outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. Among golden aspens with bull elk bugling down the canyon, my Orvis Encounter rod and reel combo worked Adams dry flies past slack water to fish lying in wait, flawlessly. The rod’s medium action provided castability, and strength, with plenty of finesse. The Encounter combo reel was surprisingly smooth for a plastic composite fly fishing reel and performed well, making it the best beginner fly rod. The Orvis setup stripped line in swift water, delivered short and long casts, and fought fish with plenty of backbone.
The Encounter Outfit package from Orvis is a fantastic starter pack for any beginning fly fisher. Orvis has packed the entry-level Encounter rod with a matched reel, fly line and backing, and even a travel case into the outfit. Built for packability and versatility, the Encounter is designed to be a medium-action rod with just the right amount of flex for some casting forgiveness. The graphite fly rod is well suited to powerful casts delivering streamers, as well as precision placement of dry flies. My personal pick:
8’6” Rod length for both strong casts and precision deliveries
5-weight fly rod for the trout streams and farm ponds
Paired with 6-pound tippet material, the rod and reel combination is ready to fish
Best for Kids: Zebco 33 Spincast Combo
Specs
Spincast push button reel design is perfect for young anglers
Durability and castable
Pre-spooled reel with 10-pound monofilament
Pros
A well-built rod and reel combination that’s reliable
Great value
Simple design for beginners
Cons
Some sensitivity is sacrificed for durability
10-pound test is on the heavy side for most beginner anglers
6-foot rod may be a little long for the youngest anglers
Kids can be tough on gear, and fishing rods and reels are no exception. With durability and economy in mind, this year’s best fishing rod for kids is the Zebco 33 Spincast Combo. The Zebco 33 line has been a mainstay for beginning anglers for generations. Made to be durable and easy to use at a bargain price point, the Zebco 33 Spincast Combo is an ideal setup for kids.
The Zebco 33 rod and reel combinations have long been a tradition for generations of anglers making their first cast. From panfish to trout, largemouth bass to catfish, a Zebco 33 combo will get the job done. The sturdy 6-foot-long fiberglass rod comes in a little on the heavy side, but for the money, you can’t beat its durability.
The Zebco 33 combo fishing rod and reel is an ideal entry-level fishing rod and reel, especially for kids. The 6-foot long, medium-action, fiberglass rod is built tough. A comfortable EVA foam handle grip is sturdy enough to fight fish, yet small enough to fit a young angler’s hand. Zebco’s famous 33 reel completes the package, spooled with 10-pound line. Designed with metal gears, stainless steel reel covers, reversible right/left retrieve, adjustable drag, and even a bait alert, the 33 line of reels is perfect for kids learning to fish.
My personal experience with Zebco 33 rod and reel combos goes back decades to some of my first days as a fisherman. I started out rigging nightcrawlers on bait holder hooks under a float some 30-plus years ago. Tied to the line on my Zebco 33 combo, many bluegill, bass, and crappie were added to my stringer.
What to Consider When Choosing a Beginner Fishing Rod
The style of fishing, the species you target, and the waters you intend to fish in are all critical considerations to make sure the rod you choose will fit the activity you’re planning.
Construction Material
Fishing rods can be constructed from a wide variety of materials. Some examples of the most popular rod materials include fiberglass, graphite, and carbon fiber. The material a fishing rod is made from has a direct effect on several factors, such as action, weight, balance, durability, strength, and cost.
Look to fiberglass rods for durability and entry-level pricing. They tend to be more limber and load up well when fighting fish. Unfortunately, fiberglass rods come in on the heavier side. Carbon-fiber rods really shine when it comes to tip sensitivity and saving weight for long days of casting. Carbon rods do, however, have a higher price point. Graphite rods are rigid with super fast action and great tip feel. The rigid spine of graphite rods makes them ideal for making long casts. One downside for graphite is the material's brittle nature, making it more susceptible to breaking.
Rod Length
Rod length consideration is based on multiple aspects of your fishing plans. As a general rule, longer rods make longer casts. Shorter rods, on the other hand, can be a lot of fun, especially in an ultra-light action. Some rod-length extremes exist when it comes to specific fishing techniques. Super short rods—24 inches and shorter—work well when casting out isn’t performed. Examples of fishing techniques for super short rods include fishing vertically from a dock or ice fishing.
Longer rods, ranging from 8 feet all the way out to 14-plus feet, work well for making long casts into the surf from a beach. Long rods are also common for crappie and panfish anglers reaching out to drop lures straight down onto fish hiding in underwater structures.
Fishing Rod and Reel Matchup
Keep in mind when searching for a new fishing rod, ultimately you’re going to need a reel. If you plan to try your hand at using a spinning reel, look for a rod with a reel seat and rod guides designed for a spinning reel. Are you contemplating using a casting reel with your new rod purchase? Make sure your rod has a reel seat and rod guides designed to match with a casting reel. Fly fishing rods are generally all designed to fit the common form and function that fly fishing reels share when it comes to the rod and the rod’s reel seat.
FAQs
Q: Do good fishing rods really make a difference?
Absolutely. While sticker price is not always an indicator of a “good” fishing rod, choosing a quality rod will make a difference in your fishing experience. The rod, rod grip, and reel are what transfer all of the feel of fishing to your hands. A superior rod will not only help you feel the fish, but also feel your lure and line as well.
Q: Are expensive fishing rods worth the money?
That depends. Anglers with a larger budget may not see a higher priced rod as expensive. Just as some drivers opt to pay more for a sports car while others choose to drive a sedan, choosing the right rod for your budget and style of fishing is a personal choice.
Q: How much is a decent fishing rod?
The best fishing rod option that’s effective in many situations and scenarios is arguably a spinning rod. Spinning rods that make the grade for most “general” angling can be had for $50.
Best Beginner Fishing Rods: Final Thoughts
While it has been said that the best fishing rod is the one you have with you when the fish are biting, I believe it is also relevant and important to consider the best tool for the job at hand. When it comes to choosing the best fishing rod for a beginning angler, the toughness and sensitivity paired with budget pricing of a fiberglass spinning rod is tough to beat.
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