If you’re looking for big bass, pike, or muskellunge, you’ll need the best baitcasting rod with a rich backbone, great guides to protect your lines, and the ability to cast heavy baits to the strongest lines available. The same is true when hunting catfish, giant zanders, and lake trout.
Baitcasting rods designed to withstand the toughest battles with these predators can be cruelly expensive, and most of us can’t afford to spend more than $500. To find the right rod for the right price, I reviewed some of my favorites and explained why I chose those options.
Our list ranges from really cheap to affordable, and you’ll find the best casting rods.
Best Baitcasting Rods Reviewed
Dobyns Rods 734C FH Champion Series-Our Recommendations!
Dobyns Rods 734C FH Champion Series-Our Recommendations!
Length: 7’3 ”
Power / Action: Heavy / Fast
Material: Graphite
Handle: Cork / Cast
Ring: 10+ tip / zero tangle gun (with SiC inlay)
Bait size: ¼ -1 oz
Line thickness: 10 to 20 lbs. Peace: 1
Dobyns is a familiar name for almost every bass angler, and its rod is a reliable tool that has proven its effectiveness on a season-by-season and tournament-by-tournament basis. Not surprisingly, Dobyns Rod made our list of candidates, and 734 is an impressive addition to our review. The 7.3-inch long 734 is a graphite blank that provides both sensitivity and strength.
In fact, this rod is strong enough, lightweight, castable, and sensitive, perfect for crank baits, jerk baits, worms, jigs, and anything else you want to cast. Probably the best all-rounder I’ve seen. If you can only have one rod in the lake, this is a great choice. One thing to keep in mind about this great rod is that you can cast a ¼-ounce jig, even with heavy baits and lines. It talks a lot about peak sensitivity and blank quality.
Eleven Kigan guides with silicon carbide inserts keep the line cool and fray-free. If this is your first high-quality rod, you will soon notice that you will experience less damage in fierce battles. One of my favorites on the Dobyns 734 is the long, high-quality cork handle. I generally like the through grip on my rod, and if you do so this is a great choice. I think this design is ideal for big fish.
Advantages:
- Great, completely blank
- Excellent guide
- Excellent grip
- Very sensitive
- Great for a variety of baits and techniques
Cadence CR7B
Cadence CR7B
Length: 7’0 ”
Power / Action: Medium / Fast
Material: Carbon fiber
Handle: Split EVA foam/casting
Ring: 7+ inserts / stainless steel and SiC inserts
Bait size: ¼ -3 / 4 oz
Line size: 12-20 lbs. Peace: 1
You can spend a lot of money on a good rod, and it quickly becomes expensive. And while it’s generally true that you get what you pay for, not all anglers can afford to throw hundreds of dollars on a rod. Finding an affordable quality is important for budget awareness. The Cadence CR7 rod series offers the features you can expect at a much higher price. For example, these rods use carbon fiber blanks instead of graphite, and you can be impressed with the components that CR7 offers.
If you’re looking for an all-rounder, we recommend a 7-inch general-purpose rod as a starting point. It provides a medium-weight blank with enough backbone to play big fish and chips with good bait action and good bite detection. Obviously, some compromises are needed to keep costs down and you will notice two areas: guides and grips.
The CR7 has a stainless steel guide with a silicon carbide insert. This is a good choice, but not a good competitor for more expensive rods. Also, there are only 8 of these, so I’d like to see a few more, but for the money, it’s not realistic. The CR7’s grips are a well-engineered split EVA foam design. Don’t expect anything flashy or flashy here. However, it is comfortable enough to complain about. Overall, where this rod really comes into its own is the quality of the blanks.
Advantages:
- great, completely blank
- very sensitive
- Great for a variety of baits and techniques
- cheap
Cons:
- At this price, you need to compromise
- OK reader
- Handle OK
Daiwa Tatula TXT731MHFB
Daiwa Tatula TXT731MHFB
Length: 7’3 ”
Power / Action: Medium / Fast
Material: Graphite
Handle: Cork / Cast
Guide: 9 / Fuji Alumina
Bait size: ¼ -1 oz
Line thickness: 10 to 20 lbs. Peace: 1
If you fish, you know the name of Daiwa, and the Tatura series rods are a serious addition to your fishing rod and won’t break your bank. Our favorite Tatura throwing rod is the middleweight fast action 7’3 “. Like the Dobyns734, this is a versatile rod that offers top-notch performance with a variety of techniques. The tip is superbly sensitive. Then jigging into the top water to get the most realistic action from your lure. Impact detection is also excellent.
The Tatula series features an ideal combination of graphite blanks that is both rigid and lightweight. It has enough backbone to lure the perch out of the cover, and with the proper drag on a high-quality reel, you can confidently tackle large pike and musk. The quality of leadership expected of Fuji Parts is outstanding. Like St. Croix, we want to see one or two additional guides, but that’s really a little bit. The long, full-length cork handle on this rod is great, and like Dobin, Tatura is a must-see. Thank you for this length, especially when you are under pressure with big fish. As a versatile freshwater fishing player, this rod makes a lot of sense.
Advantage:
- Great, completely blank
- Excellent guide
- Excellent grip
- Very sensitive
- Great for a variety of baits and techniques
Cons:
- Two fewer guides than Dobyns
Lew’s Tournament Performance TP1 Speed Stick
Length: 7’0 ”
Power / Action: Medium / Fast
Material: Graphite
Grip: Winn Grip / Casting Dri-Tac split grip
Guide: 8+ Chip / American Tackle Microwave Guide
Bait size: ¼-⅞ oz
Line thickness: 12-25 lbs. Parts: 1
Crown speed stick casting rods like the Cadence CR7 offer great rods for the money. In fact, it may be the best value you’ll find for your spending. From great grips to great blanks, we are impressed with what it offers. 7` Medium weight rod is recommended. It has the power to control loud bass in battle and remove pike from the cover with an apron while providing tips to help you manage your lure. Probably not as good as the best on our list, but for rods that are about half the price, we can’t hear you complaining!
The nine American tackle “microwave” guides are superbly smooth. However, they are a bit small, so you need to be careful about the knots on the hook links. Especially if you’re looking for a big pike or muskellunge, I’d love to see one or two more. The grip of the speed stick really stands out. No matter how Winn’s unique Dri-Tac is made, it’s comfortable, non-slip, and attractive. The split design is well made with this rod and you can expect comfort all day long, no matter how big or small your hand is.
Advantages:
- Great, completely blank
- Very sensitive
- Great for a variety of baits and techniques
- Great grip
- cheap
Cons:
- Guides are so small that they can cause problems for leaders
St. Croix Mojo
St. Croix Mojo
Length: 7’4 ”
Power / Action: Heavy / Fast
Material: Graphite
Handle: split cork/cast
Ring: 8+ Chip / Kigan Master Hand 3D Ring (with Aluminum Oxide Insert)
Bait size: ⅜-1½ oz
Line thickness: 14-25 lbs. Parts: 1
St. Croix is becoming a legendary name in the fishing world and they quickly made their own name with some of the best rods you can buy. Your Mojo will not be disappointed at that price.
The Mojobate Casting Rod we recommend is a 7’4 inch rod with powerful power and fast action. As with many St. Croix rods, expect the blank to be on the hard side for illustration. You can see that this heavy rod fits that trend. In addition to sensitive and fast tips, Mojo gives you the power you need to control monsters while finding light shots and taking advantage of different lures. The quality of the guides is excellent, but Mojo can probably use one or two additional guides to compete with its competitors. In most cases, you probably won’t notice, but if you make a bond with a really big Musky, you might!
The handle has a comfortable and attractive split cork design. Please give me a little longer, but it’s mainly a matter of personal taste.
Advantages:
- Excellent blank
- Excellent guide
- Good grip
- Very sensitive
Cons:
- You can use one or two additional guides
- The handle may be a little short
Ugly Stik GX2
Ugly Stik GX2
Length: 7’0 ”
Power / Action: Medium / Fast
Material: Ugly technical structure (glass fiber/graphite blend)
Handle: EVA foam/casting
Guide: 7+ Tip / Stainless Steel
Bait size: ¼-¾ oz
Line thickness: 10-25 lbs. Peace: 1
The Ugly Stik GX2 has created a number of review lists because it is incredibly cheap and durable. If you’re looking for a rod that can be hit, if you need cheap additions, or if you need to equip a small group of rods, the GX2 is for you. Ugly sticks make rod blanks from ultra-durable fiberglass mixed with graphite. I own one-many angler and have one-and I can prove their durability. I passed this rod through what I shouldn’t do, and it never disappointed me.
The GX2 chip is very sensitive to bait action and shot detection, and breaking blanks (or banks!) Is not just an option. However, it bends differently than carbon fiber and graphite blanks and tends to have a slightly parabolic arc. There’s still a lot of backbone, and the GX2 is stiffer than the ugly 80’s sticks. Hook sets may not be as sharp as competing products, but this rod is only part of the cost. Medium output 7`GX2 is recommended.
This is a great all-rounder, especially when you need to keep costs as low as possible. The quality of leadership is ok. This rod can beat your line, but if the GX2 has one real problem. The quality required to avoid friction is not easily achieved in this price range, so hesitate to use this rod in the fight against real beasts. This GX2 features a long and comfortable EVA foam handle, perfect for large fish with their heads facing you.
Advantage:
- Good barbarian
- Incredibly difficult
- Good grip
- Very sensitive
Cons:
- You can use one or two additional guides
- Poor quality of instructions
Our Recommendation – The Dobyns Rods 734C FH Champion Series!
The Dobyns 734C is almost everything you would expect from the best bait casting rods. Her blank is strong and sensitive, making it one of the best we have dealt with. It has a lot of backbone for nasty fights, a lot of power to remove pike and perch from the cover, and a lot of delicacies to move bait and feel a cautious strike. We are impressed and I think you will.
The guides are great and they are a lot! This allowed Dobins to push Daiwa to the top, which is otherwise great, but she highly recommends both rods.
The 734C has 10 Zero Tangle Kigans with SiC inserts, which are very difficult to beat. And while Daiwa is approaching, coupled with a long and comfortable cork grip, I think the 734C is the best.
For budget enthusiasts, the Lew’s Speed Stick offers the best for a limited amount of money and you can catch muskellunge, pike, walleye, or sea bass with this rod.
The blanks are pretty good, the grip is great, and the only real drawback is the small guide. We hope these reviews will help you find the right rod for you.
Bait Cast Rods-Why Use One? Explanation
Much of what we’ll discuss below is about reels, not rods. This may seem strange, but for good reason. The rod is designed to match the holding reel. The best casting rods take casting reels, just as spinning reels are paired with spinning rods. The exception is spin casting reels available in either spinning or casting configurations for this type of rod. So anglers are looking for bait casting rods because they have or will soon have a casting reel. But why use a throwing device? All tools have that place, and bait casting tackles are great if you want to use fluorocarbons as a thick line or main line. It also has some advantages over other reel designs, and the best casting rods and reels are popular for various fishing adventures. Let’s elaborate on these strengths.
Heavier Line-Unlike fixed spools on spinning reels, the baitcasting design features a spinning spool to release and get the line. The higher the quality, the smoother the spool will move, but you don’t want to be fooled by physics. As a result, this coil produces friction regardless of the number of bearings, the viscosity of the lubricant, or the material involved. With monofilament lines less than 8 pounds (or equivalent diameter) and very light lures in the 1/32 ounce range, this has a significant impact on casting. For this reason, most ultra-lightweight and lightweight rods have fixed reels. But with a 10-pound line or a heavier and heavier lure, the baitcasting reel will be itself. In fact, heavy line bait casters work as well as or better than any other spinning.
Fluorocarbon Main line-Although we have previously discussed the use of fluorocarbon mainlines, this is the best choice for some applications. It is waterproof and UV resistant and offers superior sensitivity compared to nylon monofilaments. Since it stretches considerably, it also has excellent impact resistance.
In short, I have a lot of things I like about fluorocarbons.
However, one of its characteristics is the memory of elephants. With the exception of the Sunline Super FC Sniper, even the best fluorocarbon lines are significantly stiffer than monaural or braided lines. This gives them considerable stubbornness when they get off the spool and they will generally want to keep the shape they were in.
In a spinning reel, this creates a lot of problems and tight fluoro loops will ruin your day. However, a baitcaster painter can handle fluorocarbons with less problems, and line conditioning helps too. We recommend these if you are using fluoro.
- More Control-Not everyone agrees, but many anglers find that the thumb of the spool provides better line control and feel than the spinning reel.
- Higher gear ratios – -everyone agrees with it! In general, bait casting reels offer higher gear ratios than spinning reels. That is, each time you turn the handle, more lines are taken from the spool. This helps to cover more water faster, catch up with deep jigs and baits quickly, and operate fast-moving crankbaits.
- Great Drag-The last strength of baitcasting reels is the drag system. Instead of front or rear spools like spinning reels, casting reels provide a star drag that tightens directly onto the spool. It’s not ideal for undesigned light lines, but it’s smoother, stronger, and has better performance than any other line that uses thick lines.
As you can see, bait casting reels have some real advantages, which of course make the rods they hold popular. This is especially true when fishing larger, more aggressive fish such as bass and pike, where thicker lines and lures are standard.
The factors we consider when selecting a baitcasting rod
Action
The movement of the rod indicates where it begins to bend under load along the length of the rod. Fast action rods are stiff for most of their length and bend near the tip. In contrast, slow-action rods begin to approach the bat and reel the,seat ,and curl at a much larger percentage of their length. Quick action is important for small techniques such as jigging.
You need to be sensitive to the tip of the rod so that you can use its whip-like tip to add action to the jig, but the backbone of the rod begins to build good hookset strength relatively quickly. Is also required. However, other techniques and applications prefer medium or slow action-for example, when casting a triple hook crankbait. This is because soft hook sets are less problematic than those that are too stiff and basically use the rod as a shock absorber or cushion.
Power
Power represents the force required to bend the rod. In addition to that action, the force of the rod tells a lot about how it works. Bait casting rods are designed to pair with thicker lines and lures and are usually intended to catch and tackle powerful fish such as bass. As a result, few ultra-lightweight or lightweight power casting rods are found. We recommend that you start your search from the inside. There are many options, from medium to difficult.
length
About 7 feet is a good rule of thumb for general-purpose rods. A shorter rod can give you more precision in casting, but each inch longer will increase the length of the blank a little bit, indicating its strength. The rods we review range from 7’0″ to 7’4″.
Line and Lure Weight
Designed for thick line and bait, these rods get the most out of your baitcasting reel. The weights listed are for nylon monofilament, of course, heavier braids of the same diameter can be used.
Guides
Guide quality is essential for casting rods, as it is intended for full-scale play. This is not a compromise, as they help your rods and lines withstand the stress of large fish. You also need as much as you can. The more you have, the less stress you have on each guide, as each helps distribute friction and force. The best way to test the quality of your guide is also shown below. Try sewing your line against a large guide. If the line breaks quickly, it is a sign that you need to give the rod a pass.
Material
Modern fishing rods can be made from a variety of materials such as carbon fiber, graphite, and fiberglass. Some feature a composite structure that uses multiple materials for the blanks that form the backbone.
- Graphite is strong, hard, and super lightweight. In addition, its high rigidity makes it extremely sensitive, making it ideal for rods and having excellent durability.
- Fiberglass is heavier than graphite and is usually cheaper. It’s not that delicate or stiff, but it can be incredibly strong, and you’ll win it in your fishing tackle. This is not necessarily a disadvantage, especially for crappie, as a padded hook set is ideal.
- Carbon fiber is the hardest, strongest, lightest, and most expensive material used for rod blanks. Its performance is unmatched, but so is its price!
Handle
Many of the grips you choose are personal choices, and the ones that are comfortable for me can be disastrous for you. In general, there are two main grip materials, cork, and EVA foam.
- Cork is warm and attractive, but not very tolerant of rough handling
- EVA foam feels soft and cool and is very durable
Final Considerations
The rods we test are great all-rounders and if you are looking for the best all-purpose casting rod on the market, they are all great choices. Certain techniques such as drop shots, jigging, and crankbait may have better opportunities, but these are general recommendations rather than specific ones.
