Best Options For Selecting
Fiberglass Fishing Rods

What should you expect out of fiberglass fishing rods?

These blanks are very inexpensive. And yet, they are strong. So, how does that coincide with each other?

Let's take a look into what these fiberglass rods are all about...

Before fiberglass, there were bamboo fishing rods, hollow steel, and other hard-wooded fishing rods. Then came along the invention of the fiberglass fishing pole.

Dr. Arthur M. Howald invented the fiberglass rod and was introduced in 1947 by Henry Shakespeare, the son of William Shakespeare.

Because fiberglass rods were able to be manufactured by machines at a much faster rate than by hand, they were able to sustain much lower prices. Still today, they remain to be cheaper than most other rods.

Fiberglass fishing rods dominated as the top rated rod building material in the fishing tackle industry for many years up until the 80's. The 1970's brought forth the introduction to graphite rods, and soon other materials followed suit. Some of these materials now remain more popular with fisherman, however, some still prefer fiberglass rods.

Information About Fiberglass Rods

Fiberglass poles are strong, durable, and flexible. They are a bit heavier than other rods made from such materials as bamboo or graphite, but their strength and durability allows for them to be banged around a little more. This also brings a couple of benefits to consider when deciding on selecting a rod.

The fiberglass poles are great for beginner fishermen or kids. Naturally, a beginner may not understand the importance of taking care of, and the general periodic maintenance required for most fishing equipment. Therefore, it wouldn't be too wise to lend them one of your most prized poles, taking the chance of them damaging it.

If you are a beginner, it's best anyway to figure out how often you plan to fish, and also by practicing with less expensive equipment until you have become comfortable and confident about what you're doing.

Types Of Fiberglass Rods

Shakespeare makes the well known series of rods called the Ugly Stik. These are great for beginners. They are very durable and can accommodate a wide array of targeted species of fish. Be sure to choose the right rod to match what you are fishing for. Take a look here to get a better understanding and help for choosing the right freshwater fishing rods to better fit your needs.

Fiberglass fishing rods are best suited for certain styles of freshwater fishing, more so over their counterparts. These rods match up great for top water lures and crank baits. The rod provides the give, or flexibility, to allow enough time for the fish to inhale the bait before loading up to set the hook. They are also a nice fit for saltwater fishing or trolling.

Options For Fiberglass Rods

Fishing rods come with many options. Some things to consider for fiberglass poles would include the length, handle grips, guides, action and power.

After you have determined the species of fish you are targeting to know what type of action and power to look for in your rod, then you can decide on the length of the rod. For greater casting distances, the longer the rod is, the better. The longer length will also help to reel in the fish a little easier without as much stress to your line.

The more guides on a rod, the better. The guides help to keep the line off of the blank, which helps reduce line abrasion when your pole is bent as you fight the fish. Look for ceramic guides as opposed to steel. The line will form grooves into the steel and cause fraying or breaking of your line. Wouldn't it suck to hook up with a potential trophy fish, only to lose it from a line break caused by a poor choice of guides?

Handle grips for fiberglass fishing rods include the options of foam, wood, or cork. Foam is much softer, but can wear and tear up more easily. Wood handles are nice looking but are hard and heavier. Cork handles are more popular and comfortable. It comes down to personal preferences.

Fiberglass Versus Graphite Materials

There are many fishing poles that are made with the combination of fiberglass and graphite. Graphite is sometimes added to the butt end to help reduce the weight. Some can be fiberglass with a graphite core. Graphite alone is stiffer and brittle, so fiberglass is sometimes used in the tips of the rods for added flexibility.

Graphite is more expensive, so more fiberglass is sometimes used to help keep the prices down. The composites of fiberglass/graphite are much better than a pure fiberglass fishing rod. Learn more about graphite fishing rods.