Are you looking for the best bass fishing rod out on the market today? Seasoned bass anglers understand that having the correct rod with the right power and action is critical to your success. For instance, did you know specific fishing rod actions are better for throwing jerkbaits and crankbaits than others? Hence, having the correct rod action can significantly improve your lure’s presentation. So, if you’re looking to enhance your bass fishing game, then check out these 12 fishing rods:
Hook and Bullet’s Top 12 Bass Fishing Rods for 2021
Image Credit: Photo by Search Engine Pro on Unsplash
The Overall Best Bass Fishing Rod
St. Croix Rods Legend Tournament Bass Casting Rod Series
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The St. Croix Legend is an exceptional all-around rod made here in the U.S.A. This rod features a high-modulus graphite blank explicitly tuned for bass fishing.
St. Croix’s Legend series is a high-quality lineup of bass rods. This series is available in multiple lengths ranging from 6’8” to 9’11” with power options from medium-light to extra-heavy. In addition, highlights of the Legend rods include a high-strain SCIII carbon blank reinforced with St. Croix’s advanced technologies. For example, St. Croix added an exotic carbon fiber material to improve its ultra-fast blanks’ durability and hook set ability.
Lastly, each bass rod in St. Croix’s Legend series is crafted for a specific bass fishing technique. So, you can find multiple rods in this series to match your style of fishing.
Best Fly Rod for Bass
St Croix Mojo Bass Fly Rod
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St. Croix’s Fly rod is specialized for close-quarter bass fishing. The Mojo Bass is a moderate-fast 8-weight fly rod that stands at 7.11’ in length.
St. Croix is well known for making high-quality rods, and their Mojo Bass fly rod lives up to this standard. First, let’s talk about the blank on the Mojo Bass. This rod is durable, designed with an SCII carbon blank, capable of throwing heavier flies, nymphs, frogs, and streamers.
Next, this rod is smaller than your average 9’ fly rod, making it more precise for shorter casts. However, one drawback of this height is it can be more challenging for novice fly anglers to cast. Yet, don’t let that discourage you because the pay-off is worth it with a bit of practice.
Best Bass Rod and Reel Combo
Lews Mach Crush SLP Baitcasting Combo
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This Lew’s casting combo includes their 7’ medium-heavy powered fast-action rod and signature Mach Crush SLP baitcasting reel.
Lew’s Mach Crush combo is a great value buy; the included reel alone makes this deal a steal. First, the rod is a versatile, single-piece casting rod featuring a sleek IM8 graphite blank. It has a recommended line weight of 10 to 20-pound test and a lure rating of 3/16 to 3/4-ounces. So, you’ll be able to throw a variety of lures.
Then, the Mach Crush SLP Speed Spool reel features 9+1 ball bearings with a gear ratio of 7.5:1. So, you know your retrieval will be quick and smooth. Other features of Lew’s reel include a multi-setting brake system, a one-piece graphite frame with side plates, and a carbon fiber drag system.
Best Budget Bass Rod
Ugly Stik Elite
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Ugly Stik’s Elite Spinning series has various sizes and powers, from a 5’ ultra-light to a 7’ medium-heavy.
Our favorite things about Ugly Stiks are they’re affordable, dependable, and durable. So, when you’re in the market for a budget-friendly bass rod, Ugly Stiks will surely get the job done. Notably, we like the 6’6” medium-heavy, fast action Ugly Stik Elite spinning rod for bass fishing.
Ugly Stik composed their Elite rods with a fiberglass and graphite composite material to give them added sensitivity. Plus, the added graphite makes them lighter weight, making them easy to handle. In addition, their rod features their durable, stainless-steel Ugly Tuff guides and a comfortable cork handle.
Best Telescopic Bass Rod
Daiwa Ninja X Telescopic
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Daiwa’s Ninja X Telescopic Allround Fishing rod comes in multiple lengths from 5’10” to 11’9” with lure ratings ranging from 0.18-ounces to 3.53-ounces.
Daiwa has a wide range of quality telescopic rods available on the market. However, for bass fishing, we recommend the Ninja X. The Ninja X is a spinning telescopic rod that features a fine carbon fiber blank. This telescopic rod is lightweight yet rugged. Plus, it feels balanced in your grip, which makes it handle nicely. Lastly, another benefit of the Daiwa telescopic rod is it collapses into a compact length, so it’s easy to transport.
Best for Largemouth Bass
St Croix Bass X Series
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St. Croix’s Bass X series are great rods to use when targeting largemouth bass.
The St. Croix Bass X series is a high-quality collection of fishing rods. For instance, highlights of these rods include an SCII carbon blank, aluminum-oxide guides, and Fuji reel seats. Furthermore, the blanks in this series are top-notch; they’re sturdy and feel well-balanced in your grip. These rods are all-purpose bass rods with power options from medium to heavy with moderate to extra-fast actions.
Best for Smallmouth Bass
The Dobyns Sierra SA700SF
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The Dobyns Sierra SA700SF model is a 7’ spinning rod with an ultra-fast action for finessing smallmouth bass.
When fishing for smallmouth bass, you want to keep your tackle lighter than you would for largemouth. So, for this reason, we enjoy the Dobyns Sierra SA700SF model. This model is an ultra-light powered spinning rod that features a high-modulus graphite blank and Fuji Alconite guides and reel seats.
Furthermore, Dobyns designed this rod specifically for finesse fishing by making the blank lightweight and super sensitive. Also, this Sierra model features an ultra finesse fast action to give your soft plastics a more natural presentation. The line rating on this rod is 2 to 8 pound-test, and it can throw lure weights between 1/16 to 5/16-ounces.
Best for Shallow Crankbaits
St. Croix Premier Casting Rod
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The St. Croix Premier Casting Rod is excellent for cranking lures. This model is available in a medium-light/fast to heavy/fast action and comes in lengths ranging from 5’6” to 7’.
When selecting a bass pole for casting shallow crankbaits, you need a sensitive rod with good castability. So, we recommend the 7’ medium-heavy, fast action St. Croix Premier Casting Rod. The St. Croix Premier has a soft tip, making it perfect for presenting lighter lures. More so, the Premier features an SCII carbon blank, giving it the durability needed to pull up those toads.
Best for Deep-Diving Crankbaits
Abu Garcia IKE
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The Abu Garcia IKE Signature Delay Casting Spinning Rod is a durable single-piece medium-heavy rod that features a composite high strain glass blank.
Next, deep-diving crankbaits require a rod with a medium to moderate-fast action and a strong backbone. Also, it should be at least over 7’6” in length to enhance your casting distance and lure depth. One rod that we believe meets these criteria is the 7’10” medium-heavy Abu Garcia IKE Signature Delay Casting Spinning Rod.
For instance, the Abu Garcia Ike has delayed parabolic action, perfect for finessing light to heavy cranks. The action on this rod is slower and softer, which allows for a better hookset. Plus, larger, more aggressive bass are less likely to pull your treble hooks off after a strike.
Best for Jerkbaits
St Croix Avid X
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The St. Croix Rods Avid X is a medium-powered, extra-fast spinning rod featuring high-performance, lightweight SCIII graphite blank material.
Then, another popular lure bass anglers will often use a jerkbait. For jerkbaits, you need a moderate-fast to extra-fast action rod. For example, faster action rods will give you the additional control you need to work jerkbaits. Also, quicker action rods tend to be more sensitive, so you’ll be able to sense bites easier.
Therefore, a rod we like for presenting jerkbaits is the 6’8” medium-extra fast St. Croix Rods Avid X Spinning Rod. This rod gives you the control, durability, and sensitivity needed for successful jerkbait fishing.
Best for Topwater Lures
Lew’s Mach Speed Stick
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Lew’s Mach Speed Stick is a medium-powered, moderately fast action rod featuring a premium IM7 graphite blank and stainless steel guides.
When selecting a pole for topwater fishing, you want to choose one that shares similar traits to a good jerkbait rod. For example, Lew’s Mach Speed Stick is a solid lightweight, sensitive, medium-powered rod that presents topwater lures and jerkbaits well. It has a moderately fast action, so you get the benefits of incredible hook-setting capability and the ability to feel subtle strikes.
Also, Lew’s constructed this rod nicely with an affordable price point. For instance, it’s a single-piece rod with long-lasting stainless steel guides with aluminum oxide inserts for smooth casting. In addition, the Speed Stick has a comfortable Winn Dri-Tac split-grip handle that feels great in your hand.
Best for Flipping and Pitching
Dobyns Rods Fury Series
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Dobyns Rods Fury lineup are absolute bass slayers. Specifically, we like the FR753 model for flipping and pitching lures.
Lastly, one well-known technique anglers use to target bass is flipping and pitching. When flipping or pitching heavier lure weights in dense cover, you want a capable rod with a rigid backbone. Notably, the FR753 of the Dobyns Rods Fury series is more than able to accomplish such a task. The FR753 is a 7’3” magnum-heavy powered, extra-fast action rod that is both sensitive and robust.
Additionally, highlights of this rod include a graphite modulus blank, Kevlar wrapping, a Fuji reel seat, and a cork grip. Furthermore, this rod is rated to cast big or small tackle with a lure rating of ¼ to 1 ½-ounce. As you can see from its specifications, it’s a versatile rod that you can use for most bass fishing applications.
Which of These 12 Bass Rods Is Your Favorite?
As you can see, each bass rod has a purpose, so select the one that best suits your fishing style and needs. So, which of these 12 bass fishing rods is your favorite? Please, let us know in the comments below what you think is the best bass fishing rod. Do you think your fishing buddy could use a new rod to add to their arsenal? Then, help them out by sharing this article with them via social media.
Keep ripping lips, everyone!
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