How to choose spinning and not miscalculate

Why spinning is needed

To catch predatory fish. Spinning rods are distinguished by a special type of rod that sets various artificial lures in motion. Predatory fish respond well to them, because in their natural habitat they hunt for prey.

Fishing with an ordinary fishing rod is not so active: having thrown it, you can spend more than one hour waiting for the catch to bite on the bait. But if you like a calm, measured rest on the shore of a reservoir, this is your option. If you want active fishing, choose spinning. You can throw it countless times, and in search of a predator, you will probably have to run along the coast and try out different places.

What length of spinning to choose

Decide where exactly you plan to fish most often - on the water or from the shore. For fishing from a boat, it is more convenient to use a spinning rod no longer than 2.4 m, and if a river or lake narrow - no more than 1.8 m. For the shore, a comfortable rod length is from 2.14 to 2.75 m, while if the reservoir is large or you cast spinning from a cliff, it is better to take a spinning rod even longer - from 2.5 up to 3.3 m. If the reservoir is surrounded by dense vegetation, choose a shorter rod - up to 2.13 m: so in the process of fishing there will be less chance of clinging to bushes and branches trees.

What design can spinning have

There are three main options.

• Telescopic spinning rods are easy to disassemble and assemble, they are compact and easy to use, and even cheaper than their counterparts, so they are considered ideal for beginners. However, this design is not reliable - in the process of use, the joints of the knees of the rod wear out quickly and become unusable due to the ingress of sand and debris.
• Plug spinning rods can consist of two, three or four parts. This model is most popular with anglers due to its reliability and proper placement of line guides. True, there is a significant drawback - the design is not very convenient in transportation, because in the disassembled state, the spinning hardly fits into trunk.
• One-piece spinning rods are a single rod without joints, most often no more than 1.3 m long. They are rigid, durable and reliable. Such devices are most often used for fishing on small rivers or streams, as well as from banks overgrown with dense thickets.

What material to prefer

Spinning rods are made of fiberglass, carbon fiber or composite.

• Fiberglass spinning rods are the most affordable. They are flexible, but usually very heavy.
• Carbon fiber spinning rods - carbon or graphite - are the lightest and toughest. But at the same time they are very fragile and require careful handling. And the prices for such devices can bite.
• Composite spinning rods combine the properties of the first two types. They are mainly made from a mixture of graphite and fiberglass. They are flexible, fairly light, durable, and their cost is quite adequate.

What is spinning system

This indicator tells how the rod behaves under load. The more it bends, the further you can cast the spinning and the smoother the bait will move. Most often, manufacturers use the American system classification.

• Extra fast - ultra-fast action: only the tip is bent, literally a quarter of the rod. Suitable for twitching - a jerky technique for fishing with wobblers.
• Fast - fast action: the upper third of the rod is bent. Suitable for both twitching and jig fishing, when the bait seems to tap the bottom.
• Moderate - medium action: half of the rod bends, which makes it smoother. It is considered a universal option for different styles of fishing.
• Slow - slow action: the rod can bend to its full length. Suitable for micro jig - fishing with miniature lures.

Rods with ultra-fast and fast action allow you to make the most accurate casts, and with medium and slow action for longer distances.

What can be a spinning test

The test is the weight range of the bait for each model. This is a very important indicator. If you take the bait lighter than the manufacturer recommends, it will become more difficult to cast the spinning. And tackle heavier than the maximum allowable weight can simply break the rod.

Information about the spinning test is usually indicated on it.

Depending on the weight of the bait, there are six standard spinning classes:

• Ultralight (UL). Withstands spinners and wobblers weighing from 0.5 to 7 g. These are quite sensitive rods, usually no more than 2.1 m in length. Most often they catch small fish weighing no more than 1.5 kg.
• Light (L) - suitable for bait weighing from 3 to 10 g. The length of such spinning rods varies from 2 to 2.5 m, and the weight of the catch can reach 2 kg.
• Medium‑Light (ML). Allows the use of a wide variety of baits weighing from 5 to 25 g. Such spinning is considered universal. It is popular with anglers because of its strong rod and the ability to hunt larger inhabitants of water bodies.
• Medium (M). Withstands bait from 7 to 28 g. It is used in large reservoirs to catch larger individuals.
• Medium‑Heavy (MH). The class is represented by two test values ​​- from 10 to 35 g and from 15 to 40 g. Such baits are good for large predators, such as pike, perch and salmon. The rod can be up to 3.3m long and is often used in deep waters.
• Heavy (H). All baits - from 20 to 50 g. Spinning rods of this class are taken for sea fishing or for catching large trophy specimens like catfish.

What else to look for when choosing a spinning rod

After you have decided on the main characteristics, take a closer look at the details.

Access rings

Often in cheap models they are made of flimsy plastic - a thick fishing line or braided cord will break them in one or two. Choose spinning rods with metal rings or ceramic inserts. Although they are more expensive, they will last much longer. Before buying, make sure that there are no chips or cracks on the rings.

rod handle

Most often it is made from neoprene, polyurethane foam, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and cork. The latter material, by the way, is often used in expensive spinning models. Which one to choose is more of a matter of taste. Unless a rod with an EVA handle will weigh a little less. Hold the spinning rod in your hands and choose the option that is comfortable for you.