I was asked a question awhile back and decided it would make a great article. The question was “How do I choose a rod for different baits?”

First off, it is my belief that just because a rod cost more money doesn’t mean its better. I've been fishing with Falcon rods since 1996 and firmly believe they're the best. When I'm pre-fishing for a tournament I'll have a dozen or more rods in the boat so I can switch back and forth between baits and be already rigged for whatever situation I may encounter. On competition days I'll narrow this down to help eliminate excess clutter.

I realize that not everybody is a tournament angler and doesn’t need that many rods so I'll touch on four basic rods that will cover the majority of situations.

Rod 1: Spinnerbaits and shallow (1 to 4 foot) diving crankbaits. This rod should have enough flex to throw the lightweight toads and crankbaits but enough backbone to handle ¼ - ½ ounce spinnerbaits. Too soft of a rod will cause a loss of casting accuracy and hook setting power. To stiff of a rod will cause you to lose casting distance, which you often need with these lures. I use a 6’4” medium heavy action rod for each of these lures. It's rated for lures from a ¼ to ½ ounce, Falcon model CC-5-164MH.

Rod 2: Flipping, Pitching and Carolina rig. This rod should be your heaviest action rod and your longest. You'll want to use the stiffer rod in these techniques because when you're flipping or pitching a lure you don’t need the distance like you do with a spinnerbait or crankbait. All of these baits have large single hooks which require a harder hook set. You want the distance when you throw a Carolina rig but normally you “rig” with heavier weights like ½ to 1 ounce, which allows you to get the distance with the stiffer rod. You still don’t want a “pool cue” stiff rod; you will want a little flex from the tip to the middle. The flex allows for accuracy when pitching which is the most precise form of casting. I use different rods for each of these techniques, but a good universal rod is the one that I pitch with. It is a 6’10” heavy action rod that is rated for lures from ¼ to ¾ ounce, Falcon model CC-6-1610H.

Rod 3: Top water (floating) and soft plastic jerk baits. This will be your lightest action rod. Floating top water baits like the Rebel Pop’R or Lucky Craft Sammy come with light wire treble hooks that with a stiff rod you'll get too hard of a hook set and rip the hooks out of the fish. The softer action rod will also help with not setting the hook too fast which can be a problem with these top water lures and the soft plastic jerk baits since you usually see the fish strike before you feel them. The softer action is also a necessity for casting distance with these lighter lures. I use a medium action 6’ rod rated for lures from 3/16 to 3/8 ounce, Falcon model CC-4-16M.

Rod 4: Deep (5-8 foot) diving crankbaits and buzzbaits. Slightly stiffer and longer than rod 3 since the deeper diving crankbaits come with heavier treble hooks and create a lot of drag when retrieved. To soft of a rod and you would be exhausted after only a little while of fighting in your crankbait. Use this rod for your buzzbaits for the same reason. Not so soft that it wears you out physically just bringing in your lure, but not so stiff that you pull the bait away from the fish when you see it strike. The added length over rod 3 will help with casting distance since some of the deeper diving crankbaits are still relatively lightweight. I use a medium action 6’6” rod rated for lures ¼ to ¾ ounce, Falcon model CC-4-166M.

You can cover most bass fishing situations with these four rods and you don’t have to spend a small fortune on them. Until next time keep your lure wet.