Spinning tackle has become a significant part of bass fishing, and many popular techniques almost require it to fish effectively. Think of a drop-shot, Ned Rig, wacky rig, Neko Rig, and more. All of them can be done with baitcast gear, but spinning is much more efficient, and to fish them, you need a quality rod to feel those light bites.
Under $150
You don't have to spend a ton of money to get a great fishing rod. Technology in rod manufacturing has come a long way in recent years, and some rods in this price range are more than capable of handling any technique and will serve you well for years to come.
Daiwa Tatula XT - $99.99
Daiwa makes rods and reels for just about every budget, with some retailing for much less than this and others costing multiple times as much. One great fit for under $100 is the Tatula XT series of rods, which is consistently a best seller at online retailers. This series looks and feels like a much more expensive rod, with Daiwa's Braiding-X wrap on the blank, which looks excellent and also enhances strength and sensitivity. They are very light and sensitive and offered in five models that will cover just about everything.
Abu Garcia Veritas - $119.95
The Veritas rod line has been around for over a decade and has gone through several redesigns. The newest version is sleek-looking and made with Abu Garcia's Powerlux resin, making it extremely strong yet still sensitive. They have several models to choose from in the standard lineup and more, including their Winch models for moving baits.
St. Croix Bass X - $135
St. Croix is a legendary name in fishing rods, and this series was made just for bass anglers and those looking to get a great rod at a lower price. They are light, sensitive, and put extra focus on comfort and ergonomics so you can fish them all day long. The Bass X spinning rods come in four models, all tailored for various light-line techniques.
$150-$250
With a slight price increase, the quality and components get even better. This price point is still a good amount of money for a fishing rod, but the following are well-built, well-designed rods that perform.
Phenix Feather – Starting at $159.99
Phenix makes great rods at several price points, but the Feather may be your best bang for the buck of anything they make. The name refers to how light they are, and they certainly are, and they have a great feel, plus they come in a wide range of lengths, actions, and powers. The Feather series is an excellent rod with unique black styling, and there are many models for any technique you plan to use with a spinning rod. There are several great choices, but a good all-around finesse rod is their 7-foot, 1-inch medium, which can handle several techniques, such as drop-shot and a Ned Rig.
Okuma Tournament Concept TCS "a" - $189.74
Okuma has something for every angler, from freshwater to saltwater, and several products that are perfect for the bass-fishing world, including the Concept TCS series. This is an upgraded version of past models, and some of the unique features are Fuji guides that help with casting and reduce wind knots, and they are also designed to handle the strength of braided lines. They come in four spinning models, and all have contoured grips and a skeleton reel seat that enhance comfort and sensitivity when fishing.
St. Croix Victory Series – Starting at $210
Another entry from St. Croix, this series offers plenty of features that make your rod more sensitive and more fun to fish. They are made with a high-modulus carbon fiber blank that keeps them light and very sensitive, and all quality components are from Fuji, including the reel seat and guides. They have plenty of lengths to choose from, and the 7-foot, 1-inch medium in the lineup is something that can do it all when you need to use a spinning rod.
$250 and Above
At this price, you are buying some of the best fishing rods that money can buy. Depending on your budget, you can get a top-of-the-line rod from many brands and purchase something that will perform for you for many years.
Shimano Expride B – Starting at $279.99
Shimano may be better known for their reels, but the Expride is a rod that can compete with any other rod on the market at this price. They have a JDM feel with unique styling and design, and feature very sensitive blanks and lightweight, comfortable CI4+ reel seats. They come in several options, including some with a solid tip design for techniques like shaking a jighead minnow.
FishNFX Gold Series - $294.95
FishNFX makes some excellent rods that feel like custom rods thanks to the high-quality components used on all of their models. This series uses the unique American Tackle Microwave guides, which have won many rod-building awards for their ability to improve casting performance. The blank itself is also exceptional, as it is built from a Japanese Toray Carbon Fiber blank that is light and very sensitive. Besides that, the rods look excellent and come from a smaller company made up of hardcore anglers.
G. Loomis GLX - Starting at $525
Amazingly, this isn't even the best or most expensive rod made by G.Loomis, but the GLX name is synonymous with excellent craftsmanship, lightweight blanks, and extreme sensitivity. That is still the case with their newest GLX series, which are very well built and made with some of the best components on the market. They feel great in hand and come in many standard lengths and actions, as well as some designed for specific techniques, such as drop-shot fishing.
If you are looking to add a new spinning rod to your arsenal, the good news is that there are many great choices. Several different brands are producing excellent fishing rods that are light-years ahead of what was available in recent years, and you can find an excellent rod at just about any price.
