Topic: The Best Baitcasting Rods for Bass of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 42 times)
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Topic: The Best Baitcasting Rods for Bass of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 42 times)
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Years ago, when I started tournament fishing, rods in the $150 to $200 range were the cream of the crop, and generally outside my budget. Now that’s a standard price for mid-range rods. But those midrange rods outperform the best sticks of a generation ago. What if you dropped that price even further, to less than $80? Could you still have a rod that did it all for the beginner yet was tournament-ready? The Dobyns Colt answers that question with a resounding yes. It feels much more refined than even some high-end rods from other manufacturers. It also has the performance to go with that feel and I found it to be a highly versatile rod. You can use it to flip or crank, just about anything, and while it’s not ultra-specialized, it’s pretty darn good across the board. It doesn’t have the highest quality foam or guides in the Dobyns lineup, but you’re not giving up much.
I’m not a jerkbait expert by any means, although I’ve caught plenty of bass with my favorite models from Megabass, Lucky Craft, and Rapala. The reason I tend to shy away from them is because of their many drawbacks—specifically, they can be tough to cast in windy conditions, and despite having six or nine hooks, bass seem to pull free an inordinate percentage of the time. This Daiwa Tatula rod helps to solve those problems. Thanks to the distinctively moderate action, the fish won’t pull free at the end of a long cast or as the result of a final boat side surge. It loads up properly to get the lure out there a country mile. At the same time, you can feel the jerkbait’s responsiveness, but you won’t pull it away from short-striking bass. It’s also one of the best baitcasting rods for bass when using small topwaters like quarter-ounce poppers and little balsa crankbaits that you might otherwise elect to throw on spinning gear.
Falcon started making the Lowrider series of rods nearly three decades ago, and while they’ve engineered consistent refinements, they’ve never given up on the purpose-driven ethos that guides their products. This rod is super-sensitive, and even if you generally don’t like cork handles, this premium cork may change your mind. I found myself reaching for it whether I was casting a jig, pitching a creature bait into laydowns, or skipping a weightless Senko under docks. It’s extremely sensitive and perfectly balanced, so you won’t get carpal tunnel from the repetitive motion, and you’ll be ready, willing, and able to fish a couple of extra hours each day. The Lowriders are also available in models with solid grip handles.
These Veritas rods, with white blanks and white EVA handles, look like they shouldn’t be able to get down and dirty, but when it co*es to performing on the water, they’re one of the best baitcasting rods for bass and taking a beating. Look, I’m rough on my equipment. I bounce across big waves in rough water. I stick the rod tips into the bottom to measure depth, or to retrieve a stuck lure. That means if it can be broken, there’s a chance I’ll break it, and this rod stood up to everything I could dish out, no worse for wear. It’s also just fast enough to work well with lures that require sensitivity and just moderate enough that you’ll like it as a spinnerbait rod, or for chatterbaits, and other moving lures. Whether it’s a stalwart in your rod locker or something you throw in the back of your truck in case you pass a likely-looking fishery, this rod will be ready for action when you most need it.
When the winningest crankbait angler of all time designs rods for that technique, you take them seriously. Kevin VanDam has forgotten more about cranking than most of us will ever know, so it’s no wonder he made one of the best crankbait rods. If you prefer a lightweight co*posite cranking rod to one wholly made of graphite, the Lew’s KVD line needs to be in your rod locker. Some anglers may prefer a 7 foot 6 inch or even 8 foot rod for offshore pursuits, but this shorter rod casts every bit as far, regardless of whether you’re at the low end of the upper end of its lure weight reco*mendations. I long preferred graphite cranking rods, but I know that I miss some fish when I use them with a hair-trigger response time. Simply put I pull the bait right out of their mouth. With a co*posite rod, that’s far less likely. They simply get hooked and stay hooked longer. It can also handle castable umbrella rigs, big flutter spoons, and some of the best swimbaits or glide baits.
I love to flip heavy cover because of the mano a mano nature of the battle. Either you drop your lure in the center of a bush and see the whole bush shake, or you punch a big weight through a grass mat and feel the distinctive “thunk” before it gets down another foot—it’s visceral and exciting and a great way to catch bigger than average fish. Unfortunately, punching weights up to 2 ounces can take a toll on your body if the rod isn’t properly balanced. It may just be simple fatigue, or worse yet, you could develop tendonitis or a rotator cuff injury. It doesn’t help that short-distance hooksets on heavy braid are jarring, too. The St. Croix Legend X doesn’t eliminate those problems, but it does minimize them through perfect balance, and makes flipping a joy again. You’ll be surprised that a rod this light can pack so much power.
The best baitcasting rod for bass depends highly on personal preference, the technique or techniques you expect to use it for, and the price you’re willing to pay. Anglers should tailor rod choices to specific circumstances unless budgets demand an “all-around” rod for multiple purposes.
Quality baitcasting rods for bass start well under a hundred dollars and can reach $500, $600 or even over a thousand dollars for custom, technique-specific rods. The sweet spot seems to be between $100 and $200, where quality co*ponents and blanks built for specific purposes seem to co*e together.
Pick rods from proven brands, and within the generally-accepted parameters of lengths, powers and actions used by the pros for a particular purpose or application. If possible, go to the store and handle the rods you’re considering, even ask if you can make a few casts to make sure that the rod or rods meets your expectations.
I’ve bass fished from Michigan to Mexico over the past eight months, and I’m anything but a one-lure specialist. In fact, while I don’t like more than seven or eight rods on the deck at a given time, I will cycle through more than a dozen for different purposes over the course of an average day. I fished clear water and dirty, from 6 inches deep down to over 40 feet. I don’t pretend to have the reflexes of a world-class athlete or the fishing skills of an Elite Series pro, so I depend on the best baitcasting rods for bass to help me make the most of every day on the water—and I’m picky.
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I’ll admit it: I’m a rod snob. I don’t necessarily judge by price, because I’ve fished $49 rods that have performed admirably and $500 rods that lacked a little something, but I do care deeply about quality co*ponents and proper actions. What works well for me may not excel for you. For example, I often like a 7 foot 9 inch to 8 foot rod for heavy-duty flipping and giant offshore crankbaits, but I know those lengths may be unwieldy. It also depends heavily on line choice—the rod you use to flip with fluorocarbon may be far too stiff to flip with braid without pushing the fish’s mouth open on the hook set. Find a series of rods – from one manufacturer or from a series of them—that you like and stock up while you can.
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