Spinning rods, also known as spin-casting rods, are a popular choice among anglers of all skill levels because of their ease of use and versatility. These rods, which are designed to complement spinning reels, are perfect for a wide range of fishing applications, from freshwater to saltwater, and from small to large fish.
When it comes to choosing the best spinning rod, there are a few things to consider.
First, you’ll want to think about the type of fishing you’ll be doing. If you’re targeting larger fish, you’ll want a rod with a heavy power and fast action, which will give you more power to handle bigger catches. On the other hand, if you’re fishing for smaller fish, a medium power and moderate action rod may be more suitable.
Next, you’ll want to consider the materials used in the construction of the rod. Look for rods made with high-quality materials such as graphite or composite, as they are more durable and can handle the wear and tear of fishing.
Another important factor is the length of the rod. Spinning rods come in different lengths, and the right length will depend on the type of fishing you’ll be doing and your personal preference. Generally, longer rods are better for longer casts, while shorter rods are more maneuverable in tight spaces.
With these things in mind, here are some of the best spinning rods currently on the market
Editor’s Choice
Best Spinning Rods 2023
When you fish with a spin fishing setup, you can comfortably fish all day with the spinning reel seat and line guides hanging underneath the rod. It is spinning fishing that is most popular. Moreover, The first time you purchase a spinning tackle, you should bring along an experienced fisherman who regularly uses such tackle. In this time period, you have the privilege of using almost every fishing technique, trying out new gear, and catching trophy fish. Read the 10 best spinning rods review and pick the best one.
1. Cadence Fishing CR5 562S-ULMF – Best Spinning Rod
The top best spinning rod is Cadence Cr5 562S-ULMF from the reputed company Cadence. There are numerous rods available at Cadence Fishing at bargain prices, and if you are looking for a panfish rod, this would be a good option. A medium-fast action is our favorite for the 5’6″. CR5’s length, action, and power combine to produce a casting rod that is perfect for accurate casting. This short rod is among our top choices when it comes to fishing for trout on a small stream.
They prevent lines from sticking and are less prone to friction. Further, the rod’s vibrations transmit through the guide to your hand, increasing sensitivity. Two-handle configurations are available. Moreover, carbon rods with split grips and cork and EVA rods with full grips offer premium performance and a good value.
Furthermore, It feels as though it can flex as much as it can, so any force that is applied over it will be absorbed instead of being simply transferred to your line. Moderately fast action allows you to use very light lines and still turn larger fish in a hard fight by using very light lines. With this CR5 ultralight line, largemouth and walleye should have no trouble overcoming the limit of the line.
Moreover, we would be happy to have one of these rods on the end of this rod, even though it might not be the best rod for controlling a real brute! The guides and handles are of excellent quality, and their length is perfect. These high-performance fishing poles from Cadence are designed to offer unbeatable value.
In addition to that, you shouldn’t need to break the bank to fish with quality, reliable gear. In general, this is an excellent rod for panfish and a strong contender for our top pick.
Specifications:
- Length: 6 inches
- Material: graphite
- Lure size: 1/32 to 1/8 oz.
- Line weight: 2 to 6 #
- Handle: 12” cork and EVA foam/spinning
- Guides: 5 + 1stainless steel with SiC inserts
- Pieces: 2
- Sensitivity is superb
- Sleek design
- Comprehensive guide
- Pretty softs hookset
- Budget-friendly
- Need some practice
2. G. Loomis Classic Trout and Panfish – Best Medium Light Spinning Rod
The next pick of our experts for the best spinning rods list is G. Loomis Classic Trout and Panfish. These handcrafted, American-made rods are crafted by Loomis, a name synonymous with quality. Although they are expensive, across the board, We haven’t met a soul who regrets buying an AX. Loomis offers a wide selection of classic Trout and Panfish rods, but we think their 7-foot fast-action rod is the best ultralight.
Moreover, The company’s patented blank technology gives the rod remarkably strong properties for an ultra-thin rod. A series of “micro-tapers” is inserted into the rod to allow an even pressure distribution. There is no doubt that this rod will handle anything that a large trout dishes up! The rod will handle whatever the line can handle without hesitation, no matter what a largemouth will throw at it.
Additionally, There are stress points on Loomis blanks and they are slender elsewhere. The cork handle on this rod is an excellent item, providing lots of space for casting and fighting with two hands.
Despite this, These rods showcase their high-end heritage, and the guide quality is excellent. If you are willing to spend the money, you can catch trout and panfish with this hard-fighting, perfect casting lure.
Specification:
- Length: 7 inches
- Material: IMX graphite
- Lure size: 1/32 oz. to 3/16 oz.
- Line weight: 2 to 6 #
- Guide material: 8 + 1
- Pieces: 2
- Perfectly build
- A great cast
- A quality handle
- Excellent guides
- The price is high
3. St. Croix Premier PS66LF – Best Spinning Rod For Money
If you’ve finished with St. Croix rods, you’ll know why we included so many on our shortlist. Their quality often exceeds that of their competitors, making them the best value on the market. It was really nice to see 6′ 6″ on the Premier series.
The rod has a good balance, is sensitive, and is robust enough to handle smaller species of fish. This blank is very lightweight despite the fact that it can handle a wide range of species, from perch to walleye, from bass to blues.
Moreover, A light blank and low strength make this a poor worm rod. If you want to land a big bass, better don’t use this rod. To be honest, this is the rod we would pick if we had a single rod in my arsenal.
Furthermore, a 5/16 ounce lure can be thrown a country mile with this rod, since it’s a short enough rod to cast into thick cover, yet has enough backbone and length to launch in it. Long, continuous cork handles grace this rod’s design as you might expect. However, if split grips are more your thing, you might want to look somewhere else.
Whether it’s a big bass, a hungry walleye, or a rowdy striper, that blank bend will do admirably if you do your part. Besides this, Fuji stainless steel and aluminum oxide guidelines ensure that friction-based line failures won’t occur during a fight. Because of this, it also makes it more durable than other similar rods, since it can handle things a little bit more than rods with similar guides that aren’t as good.
Specifications:
- Length: 6” inches
- Material: graphite
- Lure size: 1/16 to 5/16 oz.
- Line weight: 4 to 8 #
- Handle: cork
- Guides: 7 + 1 Fuji stainless steel with aluminum oxide inserts
- Pieces: 1 or 2
- Awesome sensitivity power
- Casting is amazing
- The handle is made up of strong material
- Perfect guide includes
- Best for smaller species
- Little bit expensive
4. Fenwick HMG HMG66L-MFS-2 – Best Spinning Fishing Rod
A rod that delivers top-notch performance at an affordable price, Fenwick’s HMG performs well above its price point. The 6’6″ rod comes with a carbon fiber blank, which provides unbeatable strength and lightness.
A rod that loads and casts elegantly, on everything from perch to flounder, and even small bluefish, this one is a long-lasting, smooth-casting, hard-fighting stick. Moderately fast and tuned to detect soft strikes or hesitant bites, it is sensitive and will allow you to locate both, but with plenty of backbone. That why it said to be the best spinning rod.
There are outstanding Fuji Alconite guides as well as high-quality continuous cork, both of which speak to the quality of this reasonably priced gem. With this Fenwick, we would have no trouble fighting any small species, and we would be willing to avenge anything my line can handle with it, just as we would with the more expensive St. Croix.
Specification:
- Length: 6.6 inches
- Material: graphite/carbon fiber composite
- Lure size: 1/16 to ⅜ oz.
- Line weight: 4 to 8 #
- Handle: continuous cork
- Guides: 6 + 1 Fuji with Alconite inserts
- Pieces: 2
- Perfectly build
- Last longer
- Made with quality material
- It comes with an awesome guide
- Good for small species
- Moderate price
5. Ugly Stik GX2 USSP562L – Best Medium Heavy Spinning Rod
It delivers reliable performance for anglers of all skill levels using the Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Rod. With a lightweight feel, improved components, and a stylish modern look, this fishing rod takes the iconic Ugly Stik rod and improves upon it while retaining its legendary strength and durability.
Despite this, Fiberglass and graphite combine to make the rod a powerful yet sensitive weapon you’ll feel from the first time you hold it. A secure, comfortable hold is assured by the durable, lightweight EVA grips, which will keep your hands secure as you overcome tough fish.
In addition to being exceptionally versatile, this fishing rod is capable of working with a wide range of lines, including braid. The Ugly Tuff guides are made from stainless steel, eliminating insert pop-outs for ease of use.
Furthermore, The classic diamond wind and sleek design of this fishing rod make it a stylish as well as a functional piece of equipment. The Ugly Stik is one of the toughest rods we have ever encountered. They have forged their reputation with one hard fight at a time.
In a light-action package, the GX2 line provides durable performance that any angler can afford. Although this 5’6″ rod loads well, you can expect some limitations in casting distance because of its short length. This rod is great for pitching lures into tight spots, and if you handle it correctly, it is incredibly accurate.
There is no Fuji reputation for ugly Tuff guides. Our tests have been carried out both in controlled conditions and in water, and both have proven to be reliable. You’ll realize this rod has a solid backbone very quickly, and you’ll find that it has more fighting power than you think.
Additionally, there is nothing bad to say about them. They will protect your line in a bad fight. Due to the line weight, this rod is meant to carry, we doubt it can be broken in a fight.
Specification:
- Length: 6 inches
- Material: fiberglass/graphite composite
- Lure size: ⅛ to ½ oz.
- Line weight: 4 to 10 #
- Handle: continuous EVA foam
- Guides: 5 + 1 Ugly Tuff guides
- Pieces: 2
- Affordable price
- Durable and reliable
- Perfect grip
- It comes with a comprehensive guide
- It doesn’t have the refinement of more expensive rods
6. Ugly Stik Elite USESP702M – Top-rated Spinning Rod
Its rods are famous for their bomb-proof toughness, and Ugly Stik makes rods that excel in function over style.
The appeal of a durable stick comes immediately to you if you have ever snapped a rod tip due to stupidity! As its name suggests, the Elite series offers significantly more graphite than Ugly Stik’s other offerings, though the blanks are primarily fiberglass. This increases stiffness and reduces weight in the otherwise pliable fiberglass.
This rod probably has a medium action, according to my assessment. With the seven-foot rod, you will have plenty of room for long casts. And the seven-foot backbone will keep you grounded to catch big fish.
Generally, The rod is pretty strong, too, so we wouldn’t be worried about it on anything from bull reds to pike. It’s a good deal, especially considering the price. The handle is ergonomic and comfortable; long, properly contoured, and long.
Furthermore, the sensitivity is excellent, and the blank does not cause any problems for me. Even though this rod’s ugly Tuff guides aren’t pretty, neither do they have the reputation that their more expensive competitors do-but they were tested and proved to be highly effective.
We have tried to saw our mono against them without success because they avoided a build-up of frictional heat that would damage the line. Although there are a lot of them, we are not excited about the stainless guides. However, SiC isn’t present to keep costs low, but for fighting big reds or angry pikes, this line will take a beating that we want to protect.
Moreover, There is a possibility that the guides can wear out in short order when you use a braided line. If that sounds like you, consider that before you hook up! The fact that your slip float disappears in a salt marsh gives you confidence that there will be plenty of room for you to haul in a big fish.
Specification:
- Length: 7 inches
- Material: fiberglass/graphite composite
- Lure size: 1/4 to 5/8 oz.
- Line weight: 6 to 14 #
- Handle: cork
- Guides: 7 + 1 stainless steel
- Pieces: 2
- Fantastic sensitivity
- Excellent casting
- Excellent handle
- A great all-arounder for larger fish
- Priced right!
- Guide quality is iffy
7. Shimano Teramar Southeast TMSX710M – Good Spinning Rod
The Teramar Southeast rod by Shimano is a great inshore rod at an affordable price. Shimano’s attention to detail results in a rod that scares big fish and is a fight-winning example of how Shimano fishes.
Despite this, You get a tremendous cast, a lot of strength, and lots of sensitivity. This technology should be explored more often. Fiberglass is used to make the 7.10 inches blank and graphite covers the inner and outer surfaces.
When it comes to inshore fishing, Shimano excels as a one-rod solution. A versatile choice for inshore fishing, this rod is made for bigger lures and heavier lines, but it is still rated for lures up to 14-ounces in weight.
Additionally, you will always feel like you’re in the best position to fight big fish, whether it’s a bluefish or a barracuda, redfish, or mahi-mahi. You’ll hit your target fast, and your fish will follow close behind!
Moreover, There are 9 Fuji New Concept guides on the Teramar Southeast, and they offer excellent cushioning in hard struggles. There are plenty of opportunities to work a bruiser with continuous cork handles.
Specifications:
- Length: 10 inches
- Material: fiberglass/graphite composite
- Lure size: ¼ to 1 oz.
- Line weight: 8 to 17 #
- Handle: continuous cork
- Guides: 8 + 1 Fuji New Concept
- Pieces: 1
- Ergonomic design
- Ideal for all types of species
- Strong gripped handle
- Best for inshore fishing
- Need some experience
8. St. Croix Mojo Inshore MIS76HF – Best Budget Spinning Rod
In addition to its salty qualities, the medium Mojo Inshore will be perfect for freshwater monsters, as well. Despite its strength and sensitivity, this blank is suitable for deep-water fishing, and the added fiberglass also increases durability, while adding weight to the lure.
There is probably no tougher spinning rod out there, and I would not hesitate to push this rod to the limits of the spinning reel it comes paired with. It is less a question of quality than of handle preference that determines whether the Mojo is superior to the Redbone. The quality of St. Croix rods can be seen in their components.
There will be plenty of premium guides. It will handle pretty big fish if the drag is set correctly and the quality line is used. On this Mojo there’s a 21-inch split cork handle that some of us love and others hate, but the attention to detail and premium materials cannot be doubted.
When you connect with a marlin or swordfish, you will use all of that length to help you outwit the fish!
Specifications:
- Length: 6 inches
- Material: graphite/fiberglass composite
- Lure size: ¾ to 2 oz.
- Line weight: 15 to 30 #
- Handle: split cork
- Guides: 8 + 1 aluminum oxide
- portable
- lightweight
- Handling is excellent
- Ideal for large fishes
- Budget-friendly
- The handle needs a strong grip
9. Ugly Stik Tiger Elite Spinning Rod – Best 2 Piece Spinning Rod
It’s easy to remember the name Ugly Stik. As well as the Elite series, the company offers a wide range of other products. When choosing a rod within your budget, this one stands out as one of the best choices. You have many lengths and power options available with the Ugly Stik Tiger Elite Spinning Rod, making it the perfect choice for budget anglers.
The Ugly Stik Tiger Elite fishing rod gives you an advantage whether you are catching tuna in the Pacific or landing catfish in the South. It offers the same strength and versatility as the original Ugly Stik, but with a lighter weight and increased sensitivity. With increased graphite content, you can reduce weight without sacrificing power.
In addition to the double Ugly Tuff guides, a conventional reel seat with stainless steel hood keeps your reel locked into place with one-piece stainless steel double-footed guides that deliver maximum durability. With its Ugly Tech construction, this spinning rod offers a balanced feel and is virtually unbreakable.
The graphite content is higher than on the elite version, which makes it lighter. You’ll need a firm handhold to overcome hard-fighting fish with these lightweight EVA grips and diamond shrink tape. An ideal plug and jetty rod for anglers of all skill levels, the Shakespeare Ugly Stik Tiger Elite Spinning Rod is great for hooking trophy catches from coast to coast.
A stainless steel line guide with a single foot was retained in the previous versions. With this rod, you can fish in freshwater and in saltwater. Composite graphite and fiberglass make up the pole of the rod. This Ugly Stik Tiger Elite is stronger and more sensitive because it has additional graphite.
Despite this, fiberglass content provides the legendary robustness that comes with this brand. Furthermore, the company added EVA foam handles to make fishing sessions more comfortable, especially for those who spend plenty of time fishing.
Specifications:
- Available lengths: 6.6 inches
- Weight: 10.41 Ounces
- Dimensions: 86 x 5 x 5 inches
- The options you choose will depend on your needs.
- Strong and durable rod.
- The weight is light.
- Budget-friendly
- The line guides wear out quicker than other rods.
10. KastKing Speed Demon Pro Tournament – Best Rod For Spinning Reel
Upon first glance, you will start to realize this rod is different. The first thing you will notice is the black and orange colors. To make this rod stand out, it has a golf-style grip which makes it stand out from the traditional-looking grips.
The rods offered by them are suitable for quite a wide range of uses. In addition to its cosmetic appeal, the KastKing Speed Demon Pro has other perks as well. It is actually a different craft to make the pole, reel seats, and line guides. This spinning rod is the product of a great deal of effort from the creators.
You get the same quality rod you pay for with the St. Croix rod. As with all Speed Demon rods, the rod blanks are made from our proprietary Elite Carbon blanks that use Carbon NanoTube resin technology to significantly reduce weight, increase breaking and lifting strength at the rod tip by over 30% over standard graphite blanks.
Nevertheless, the company added multiple layers of carbon fiber coated with high-density carbon and carbon nanotube resin to achieve greater strength. Even so, we found the rod to be very light and flexible. We believe our proprietary blanks are not only the lightest and strongest rods you’ve ever held in your hands but also one of the most sensitive.
One piece of graphite is used on the Kastking pole. There are plenty of rods with such poles, and one may think this is nothing special.
In addition, the rod is equipped with Fuji reel seats as well as line guides. Cast the alconite rings smoothly and frictionlessly. Models for spinning and casting are constructed with Fuji LV style guides and Aluminium rings.
Kastking Speed Demon spinning rods are characterized by their handles, which are distinctive. Even when wet, it is soft and sturdy, thanks to its plastic polymer construction.
Specifications
- One-piece rod.
- The Fuji line guides with alconite rings.
- Available lengths: 6.1 inches
- Action: Fast and moderate
- Line weight: 4 to 17 pounds
- Lure weight: 1/16 to 3/4 oz
- Strong and flexible rod.
- We offer an extensive selection of options to suit your needs.
- Easy to hold.
- There is a hook holder on the grip.
- Little bit pricey
What We Consider When Selecting a Spinning Rod
1. Action
When a rod is placed under load, its action determines where it will bend. A fast action rod bends near the tip of its length after being stiff for much of its length. Slow action rods curve over a larger percentage of their length as they get closer to their handle and reel seat.
In general, a rod with a fast action is more sensitive at the tip, allowing you to detect strikes more easily.
The slow action of the rod will generally provide greater cushion when the hook is set. In contrast, fast isn’t necessarily better than slow; neither is slow necessarily better than fast. Your rod should have an action that is appropriate for the technique you intend to use.
The faster the rod, the better the hookset. While you can immediately tell a difference in a very slow rod when trolling with a single hook. When pitching rods bend near the tip, they have a moderately fast action. Unlike a drop shot rod, a good drop shot rod will bend between the handle and the end cap.
Obviously, power plays a role in hooksett as well. On the other hand, a slower rod will give your fish an instant more time to engulf your lure when you’re throwing a crankbait.
Other species exhibit similar characteristics to America’s most popular game fish. Fishing with just a single hook means you need to go faster. Slower can certainly be better when you’re throwing a treble-hook lure or need a bit more time for the fish to engage.
2. Power
The power of a rod together with its action is a critical factor in determining its performance. If you have a stiffer blank, you will be able to hook up your hook more powerfully and cast farther. When a rod is bent, power describes the amount of force required.
The blank bends under modest loads because it is ultralight. Even a fast action rod will bend into a parabolic arc from a two-pound fish. Perhaps you think ultralight is synonymous with “weak.” This is entirely incorrect. Weakness is not synonymous with ultralight and light, but very, very strong is synonymous with heavy.
The strength and stiffness of the blank improve as the power is increased, moving from light to medium to heavy. The heavier rod you use for bigger fish is a good idea, but you should match the rod with your fishing technique.
Fishing rods designed for heavy power are best suited for the heaviest and meanest fish, such as lake trout, sharks, monster pikes, that sort of thing. By contrast, medium power rods feature stiff backbones that work extremely well on species such as redfish, tuna, large bass, and pike that tend to move heavily during battle.
3. Length
The casting distance will suffer if you use shorter rods. Rods can be cast farther with more length, but the more precise those casts will be, the more you will be able to cast. Depending on where you want to stand and what distance you’ll have to cast to reach the fish, you may want to consider a longer rod. In addition, surf fishing is also a good idea.
You’ll need to cast into heavy cover if you need your lure to lie exactly where it needs to be. Short will be deadly in this situation. Unless you’re sure of your specific needs, we recommend starting with a rod that’s six-and-a-half feet long.
4. Line and Lure Weight
It is almost always the case that the reel seat of a rod will be marked with the line and lure weights. The performance will be affected even if you exceed these boundaries. The weight of the rod varies with its action and power, so you can fine-tune the casting and fishing with that blank based on that information.
5. Guides
A good rod needs good lines and guides, and even ordinary lines and hooks won’t produce the same results as merely adequate guides. Fishing guides take the strain from fighting fish on your line (roughly) and divide it by their numbers.
The fragility of the line is demonstrated in this guide along with the test. When that friction gets intense, your line will wear, compromising even the strongest braids. Unless your guides are made of high-quality materials and are designed to perform, they’ll wear through even the strongest braids.
Whenever the line breaks rapidly you should take a pass on the rod. Here is a good example of how to check guide quality. Make the line you use into a large guide and then see it. In general, more guides lead to less friction since each one takes less strain, which means less strain at all points.
6. Material
There are many different materials that can be used to make fishing rods today, such as carbon fiber, graphite, and fiberglass. There are some that feature composite construction, meaning that a backbone is composed of more than one material.
- Strength, rigidity, and lightness are some of the characteristics of graphite. It is a rod that is both highly durable as well as highly responsive, owing to its high stiffness.
- Graphite is typically more expensive and heavier than fiberglass. Even though it’s not quite as soft or stiff as a spike. It is incredibly strong, earning a place in your arsenal as a fishing lure. Fiberglass in the blank is especially beneficial when you have to fight above the weight of the rod.
- Rod blanks made from carbon fiber are the stiffest, strongest, lightest, and most expensive types of material available. Its performance is unmatched, but it’s also very expensive!
7. Handle
There are a lot of individual choices when it comes to picking which handles are best for you. In general, cork and EVA foam are the two main handle materials. Despite its warmth and appeal, cork does not handle rough treatment well. The Petroleum-based foam is harder, cooler, and less durable than EVA foam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the best all around spinning rod?
Our team interviewed experts and tested spinning reels and rods for over 80 hours until we determined that Shakespeare’s “Ugly Stik GX2 rod” and Daiwa’s “BG SW spinning reel” is the best all-around fishing accessory.
Q2. What is a 6 foot spinning rod Good For?
When you want to make short, accurate casts, you should use a short (6 foot or less) rod. Usually, long rods (over 7 feet) are preferable when pinpoint accuracy is less important. Getting accurate casts in dingy or dirty water and heavy cover is impossible without a shorter rod, while gaining greater distance is possible with a longer rod.
Q: What is the Best Bass Fishing [Spinning] Rod and Reel Combo for Beginner?
Bass Fishing for beginners is a little bit hard for beginners but it can be made easy with right Spinning Rod and Reel combination. The enjoyment of your fishing trip will be depending upon the selection of right equipment and fishing technique. KastKing Centron which is 7ft heavy action with medium power option would be the prefect tackle for the bass fishing.
Bass fishing is very adventurous and sometimes even hard. To be successful, you have to choose perfect equipment for your chosen fishing technique. Average beginner bass fishing rod and reel should be versatile, so that you can enjoy bass fishing in various conditions.
The best bass rod and reel combo was mentioned on the list above, and that is KastKing Centron.
The 7ft, medium-heavy action and medium power option is perfect for bass fishing. Spinning reel that is a part of this combo is easy to use and has a perfect gear ratio for some deep-diving crankbaits!
Final Verdict
It is important to determine what and how to fish, and the right rod for you is not necessarily the right rod for someone else. The best thing about spinning tackle fishing is the fact that rod manufacturers offer a wide range of rod sizes, from ultralight to heavy. So read the complete review on the best spinning rods and choose an appropriate tool to ensure easy fishing.