Shop baitcasting fishing rods at West Marine.

Baitcasting fishing rods are used for freshwater and inshore saltwater fishing. They are designed for use with baitcasting reels which mount on the top of the rod. Like spinning rods, baitcasting rods have a graduated set of line guides. However, the line guides on baitcasting rods are smaller than those on spinning rods, because during a cast, the line on a baitcasting setup comes off the reel in a more or less straight line, without the looping that occurs with spinning setups.

Baitcasting rods can be made of fiberglass, graphite, carbon fiber or composite materials. The rod’s material has a lot to do with its action, performance and price. Fiberglass rods are the most economical and they offer a good compromise between performance and price. Graphite rods are lighter, stiffer and more sensitive, but also pricier than fiberglass. Composite rods are a third option, combining the advantages of fiberglass and graphite, without the high price of a pure graphite rod.

When selecting a baitcasting rod, take note of its action which can be slow, medium or fast. Slow action rods bend along most of their length. Fast action rods bend more toward their tip. If you can make it to a West Marine store, pick up the rods you are interested in and give them a wiggle to see what we are talking about.

Respected brands of baitcasting rods that you can find at West Marine include Phenix, Shimano, Star, Abu Garcia, Crowder, Daiwa and more.

For more help with selecting a fishing rod that is right for you, we suggest you read our West Advisor article Selecting a Fishing Rod and our article on 9 of Our Most Popular Saltwater Fishing Rods. Our second suggestion is that once you are geared up with your new rod and reel setup, get out there and catch some fish!