So you want a new fishing rod for trolling?

First you need to think about how you will usually use the rod, since I sell mostly trolling rods -(please see our line at ebay user id pbgimmics) I am going to mainly focus this article on trolling rods, but much of my advice can be used on other types of rods and/or fishing poles. In this article I will describe two types of rods used, I will define the components that make up a fishing pole, I will describe the difference between fiberglass and graphite rods and then finally I will explain advantages over custom rods vs. store bought retail rods. Throughout this article let's assume we are talking about saltwater fishing, although much of this article can be used in fresh water capacity as well.

Fishing rods are basically broke down into two categories, a casting rod; one where the reel sits on top of the rod and the eyes of the rod face the sky, the second categorie is the spinning rod; here the reel hangs down from the rod and the eyes face the water. Although you can use a spinning rod to troll with it is usually more efficient and advised to use a casting type rod to troll with, for reasons of realtive strength, and greater line capacity on a standard conventional reel. Again we will focus mainly on the casting or trolling rod throughout the article.

Lets start with the main part of any fishing rod and that is the "Blank" this is the main pole or rod that runs from the handle to the tip and delivers the power of the angler to the fish. Rods are manufactured of many materials including bamboo, fiberglass, graphite, and light metals however; much of the rod market is again broken down into two classes- fiberglass and graphite. To better explain the differences as well as the reasoning behind these materials I found an article online at Florida Sportsman  written by Byron Stout titled, "Back to the Future with Fiberglass, A new look at old-school rods". In this snippet from the article Stout explains the difference between graphite and fiberglass:

But what about the fish-fighting tradeoff? because it feels stiffer, many of us have come to believe as many rod manufacturers have led us- that graphite is the more powerful fish fighting tool. Indeed it is, if we use the entire rod to pull on a fish, although that is the hard way to to do it. In fact, the more of the rod we put into the fight, ultimately creating a "C" shape at maximum strain, the more we reduce pressure on the fish, after a point.

That is not how the strain feels to the angler, because rods are third -class levers, which means the advantage they provide is to the fish. But rod efficiency can be demonstrated with a spring scale tied to the fishing line. Start with a tight line and the rod pointed at the scale, while not allowing the drag to slip. As we begin pulling we soon reach the maximum amount of pressure we can put on a fish with a given rod. That pressure will be exerted when the rod butt is angled at about 30 to 40 degrees to the scale, and about two-thirds of the rod still is pointed straight at it. Beyond that point, and the more the forward two -thirds of the rodis brought into play, there actually is a decrease in tension on the scale. When the rod butt is a a right angle (90 degrees) to the scale, most casting rods will exert only a little more than half the pressure that can be derived by pulling more directly with the butt.

So it is that when it comes to putting pressure on a fish, what matters is the stiffness of the butt section of the rod. That means that between graphite and fiberglass there is no functional difference- the butts of either are stiff enough to maximize the effectiveness of the line within given line strength classes. What matter most is not the rod material, but the technque used in the rod's deployment. - Byron Stout

With fiberglass being the cheaper of the two methods yet sturdy enough to handle a 1,000lb marlin, many of today's trolling rods are made of fiberglass with inlays of graphite and/or other strengthening materials, as well as the ability to mesh and weave fiberglass.

As Stout mentions the butt section being a crittical part of the rod we will start there and work our way up the rod to the tip in describing the functionality of each component. The butt of a good trolling rod needs to perform a variety of functions none being any more or less important. First the butt of a trolling rod is the anchoring system that keeps the rod in the boat during trolling, a hit or strike from the fish, and next is usually the contact point between fish and angler. The end of a quality trolling rod will have a gimbal attached. A gimbal is usually built of a metal material, stainless, or aluminum is preferred, the gimbal has a cross-grooved section cut into tit to help the rod mount and rest securely within a rod holder, the gimbal sitson a cross pin within the rod holder and keeps the rod from spinning, or breaking free. This same pin is found in the "cup holder" on fighting chairs and/or the stand up fighting belts.

The next section is the actual Butt of the rod, this is where the reel will seat to the rod, the gimbal will attach to the lower end of the butt, and all the strength of the rod is found here. A good butt is a key ingredient to a complete rod, it is here that quality and performance can be seen in a rod. Rod butts are usally high density nylon, and or aluminum; however on some custom rods I have even seen wood. What to look for in a high quality rod, locking nuts with rubber O-rings between nuts, machined hoods-these are the pieces that will slide over the reel to hold the reel in place. The butt, reel seat, and gimbal should all be aligned properly, fit well together and not twist when pressure is exerted on them seperately. The difference in aluminum butt or a nylon butt-is strength. If you are looking for a 130lb. class rod- meaning you want to use a line class estimated to be around 130lb. breaking strength then you would want to use a line class estimated to be around 130lb. breaking strength then you would choose one of these rods- usally intended for marlin, tuna, wahoo, large shark, etc. the Aluminum rod butt is going to take a lot of pressure when a big fish runs, more so then the nylon.

The eyes, eyes should be mmade of a non corrosive material and resist saltwater. Stainless, aluminum seem to be the norm, if you are looking for just trolling then roller guides are the preferred system. Roller guides need to spin freely and reduce friction on the line. A quality rod builder like Smite Rods, Inc, sold here on Ebay will under wrap each eye. meaning they wrap a barrier between the rod and the eyes before attaching the guides to the rod- this is to resist corrosionand cause undo stress upon the rod.

Finally the Tip- or roller top- this is where your lin leaves the rod. Most important issue here is to make sure the openning is large enough to accomidate your style of fishing; if you are using wind on leaders then your knots need to be able to fit through the openning of this guide.

I can go on an on about quality, craftsmanship and the pros and cons of custom rods. When it comes to retail brand be careful that you are not just buying a name, it seems in recent yearssome of the more popular name brands have slipped in quality in an effort to hit higher profit margins, where as with a true custom rod builder you are buying a piece of craftsmanship that will last for many years to come.

Good Luck,

Bill Collins