What are the Advantages of Using a Surf Rod versus a Conventional Rod for Beach Fishing?

Surf rods are specifically designed for surf fishing.

Plenty. For starters, surf rods are specifically designed for beach fishing. If your stomach hurts, you should probably take an antacid tablet, not an aspirin. Likewise, only a surf rod is designed to handle the challenging conditions of the surf, such as fighting strong fish in heavy surf, casting heavy weights long distances, and withstanding the harsh saltwater environment.

For beach fishing, a good surf rod is better than a conventional rod. However, choosing the best fishing gear isn’t always such an easy decision. That is why the professionals at Angler 360 offer not only a full range of fishing supplies for South Florida anglers. We take the time to learn about your needs and goals, so we point you in the right direction. Our service is why anglers from pure novices to top professionals turn to Angler 360.

Length

For fishing plugs in most situations, rod length ends up being a matter of personal preference more than necessity. Shorter rods are lighter in weight and easier on the body to cast. For some anglers, that easy handling outweighs any extra distance provided by longer rods, especially for people who plan to be out for several hours.

An eleven-foot rod is a good, all-purpose surf casting rod. This size gives anglers good leverage and also supports all kinds of techniques, such as backtailing, chunking, and plugging. Furthermore, the extra length helps anglers keep their lines above boulders and other obstructions as they pursue fish.

Ten-foot rods are a good choice for anglers who want to do most everything yet struggle with a bad shoulder or elbow.

Nine-foot surf rods significantly limit casting distance. But they have good leverage and are easy to handle, as mentioned above. Furthermore, anglers using nine-foot rods normally need not worry about hitting rocks or other hard surfaces when casting.

Action

This quality measures how much of a rod flexes during use. More than any other feature, this affects how well-suited a rod is for a fishing style or technique. Most beach fishing anglers prefer moderate-action or slow-action rods that flex about halfway down the blank. These rods also have a softer action for casting heavier lures with plenty of backbone and sensitivity.

Fast-action rods launch long-casting lures like metals and pencil poppers into the stratosphere, but the snappy action can cause less-streamlined baits to tumble, foul, and fall short of their targets.

Nevertheless, there are a few instances in the surf when a fast-action rod is the best choice for a specific lure, mostly topwaters, metals, small swimmers, and weightless plastics. But for the most part, a moderate-action rod is the best way to animate the hunks of wood, lead, and plastic populating your plug bag.

To make your next fishing trip your best trip ever, contact Angler 360.