Fishing rod

To better entice fish, baits or lures are dressed onto the hook attached to the line, and a bite indicator (e.g. a float) is typically used, some of which (e.g. quiver tip) might be incorporated as part of the rod itself.

[1] Traditional fishing rods are made from a single piece of hardwood (such as ash and hickory) or bamboo; while contemporary rods are usually made from alloys (such as aluminium) or more often high-tensile synthetic composites (such as fibreglass or carbon fiber), and may come in multi-piece (joined via ferrules) or telescoping forms that are more portable and storage-friendly.

Many modern rods are also constructed from hollow blanks to increase the specific strength of the design and reduce the overall weight.

The art of fly fishing took a great leap forward after the English Civil War, where a newly found interest in the activity left its mark on the many books and treatises that were written on the subject at the time.

Running rings began to appear along the fishing rods, which gave anglers greater control over the cast line.

The material used for the rod itself changed from the heavy woods native to England, to lighter and more elastic varieties imported from abroad, especially from South America and the West Indies.

[4] Other materials used, were Tonkin bamboo Calcutta reed, ash wood, hickory, ironwood, maple, lancewood, or malacca cane.

Hewitt and Howald were the first to come up with a way to lay the fibers into the shape of a fishing rod by wrapping them around a piece of balsa wood.

Modern design and fabrication techniques, along with advanced materials such as graphite, boron, magnesium alloy and fiberglass composites as well as stainless steel (see Emmrod) – have allowed rod makers to tailor both the shape and action of fishing rods for greater casting distance, accuracy, and fish-fighting qualities.

They are more commonly found among those anglers that fish in rugged areas such as on rocks or piers where knocking the rod on hard objects is a greater possibility.

Today's most popular rod tends to be graphite for its light weight characteristics and its ability to allow for further and more accurate cast.

These are fork-like supports that help keep the rod in position, providing leverage and counteracting tensions caused by a caught fish.

A low rpm motor can be used to apply rod finish, typically a two-part resin, to protect the threads.

It is generally advised to "pick the right tool for the job" and choose rod weights that are best suited to the intended type of fishing.

The rods design will impact how well an angler feels a fish's bite or the bottom of the lake, stream, reservoir, creek, or river.

A progressive tapering which loads smooth from top to butt, adding in power the deeper the rod is bent.

However, some rod and blank manufacturers try to simplify things towards their customers by describing the bending curve by associating them with their action.

The lure weight of a fishing rod describes the optimal weight range of terminal tackle (mainly the bait and hook/lure, and any attached float, sinker, swivel and/or heavy leader), usually expressed in ounces or grams, that the rod is designed to handle in order to achieve good casting outcome.

Rods that are one piece from butt to tip are considered to have the most natural "feel" due to the theoretically uninterrupted transfer of vibrations to the angler's hand, and are preferred by many.

To prevent interference with casting movements, most fly rods usually have little or no butt section (handle) extending below the fishing reel.

The graphite fibres are laid down in increasingly sophisticated patterns to keep the rod from flattening when stressed (usually referred to as hoop strength).

Like the carbon rods mentioned above this allows for "very precise positioning of the fly which in turn enables huge catches of fish with accurate feeding".

Spinning rods are made from graphite or fiberglass with a cork or PVC foam handle, and tend to be between 5 and 8.5 feet (1.5 and 2.5 m) in length.

Popular targets for spinning in the UK and European continent are pike, perch, eel and zander (walleye).

Longer spinning rods with elongated grip handles for two-handed casting are frequently employed for saltwater or steelhead and salmon fishing.

Some ultra-light rods are capable of casting lures as light as 1⁄64 of an ounce (0.44 grams) – typically small spinners, wet flies, crappie jigs, tubes, or bait such as trout worms.

They are long, (around 13 feet or 4 meters on average), extremely thick, and feature huge and heavy tips, eyes, and handles.

Some surfcasters use powerful rods to cast up to six ounces (170 grams) or more of lead weight, artificial lures, and/or bait over one hundred yards (90 m).

The eyes on the spinning rods are generally, but not always, a special design to aid in making the end of each section stronger.

Additionally, extra care must be taken not to get dirt or sand in the joints; due to their design this can easily damage this style of rod.