Classification of spinning rods by test and structure: tips for experienced

Only for specific conditions:
Short twitching spinning rods (up to 2.1 m) or long jigging rods (2.7-3 m) will work perfectly only for the purposes for which it is made. They will be less suitable for some other tasks, and not suitable for others at all. They cannot be called universal in any way.

Spinning fishing is a special type of fishing, one of the most active. You animate the bait, constantly moving, creating the illusion of live bait on the hook. Frequent casting, retrieving and moving the fisherman around the reservoir is the main thing that should be taken into account in the description of spinning fishing. Due to their features, manufacturers develop special fishing rods that fall into the class of spinning rods.

Often, a spinning rod is highly durable, unlike a regular fishing rod. The total weight is several times lower. The size of the spinning rod is smaller than a regular float fishing rod. Sensitivity plays an important role; the signal when biting is transmitted directly to the rod and is felt by the fisherman.

Spinning fishing is very versatile. They fish in different bodies of water and under different conditions (some people fish from the shore, others prefer to fish from a boat). A variety of techniques and baits are used: spinners, wobblers, silicone.

At the moment, the range of spinning rods is huge. In order not to get confused in the choice, you need to study the nuances of this gear. An expert from the Mir Okhota chain of stores and an experienced fisherman, Yuri Sedoshkin, will help us with this. There is an opinion among fishermen that you can find a universal spinning rod suitable for most fishing conditions and many techniques. Is this so, we’ll figure it out together with Yuri.

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The recommendation for the weight of the spoon used is made for the following reasons:

Classification of spinning rods by tests

According to the test indicator, a conditional classification of fishing rods is carried out. Such a classification can be called conditional due to the fact that not all manufacturers adhere to these standards.

This feature is due to the fact that they use different criteria for determining the type of spinning rod.

Most fishing tackle manufacturers adhere to the following classification:

A spinning rod with a medium action is more suitable for those who have seriously mastered all the intricacies of fishing with a spinning rod with a fast action. As for the slow action, it is more suitable for those spinners who have mastered the real skill of spinning fishing.

How to choose a rod action?

When checking and choosing a rod action, it is necessary to take into account the straightening speed. When the spinning rod swings, its bending curve will change greatly, and from it you can determine the class of the action.

In the instructions on diagrams and plans, manufacturers indicate the structure of the spinning rod conditionally, so many fishermen check it themselves. Also, the system is determined by a series that takes into account rigidity, straightening speed, and bending arc.

For example, if a fishing rod is intended for catching perch (sea bass), then its action should be very rigid and the straightening time should be short. Dynamics and statics indicators are important for selection. Typically, fishermen are advised to purchase a spinning rod with universal functionality, suitable for different fishing methods and types of fish and bait.

The best option would be a universal fishing rod with a compacted blank, from a well-known manufacturer at the best price.

According to fishing methods, the division is usually as follows:

Fast action is twitching, wiring with twitching;
The medium action is a jig, jerking retrieves with wobblers and poppers;
Slow action means even movements with wobblers.

It is impossible to accurately determine the class of the system. Fishermen often resort to various methods to test functionality. There is a need for information showing how fish behave when jerking.

Let's celebrate! When choosing a spinning rod, you need to clearly define its future tasks in order to avoid breaking the rod. The action indicators make it possible to determine its purpose and the weight of fish that it can support. All characteristics of the fishing rod can be found in the instructions, or you can go to the electronic resource and read information about each model.

Which spinning test to choose

Ultralight

These are spinning rods designed for fishing with baits whose weight ranges from 0.1 to 10 grams. Despite this, such rods allow you to catch fish weighing several kilograms. Naturally, larger specimens are caught with larger baits, which requires the use of a completely different class of rod.

The advantage of such a rod is that it allows you to control the movement of small baits. Plus, when fishing for even a small specimen, it is possible to control the behavior of the fish on the hook. Here every jerk, every movement of the fish is felt by the fisherman. It sure brings a lot of fun. Therefore, most experienced spinning players always choose ultralight rods.

This is a more powerful rod with which you can cast baits weighing from 2 to 15 grams. Such rods are less sensitive and more rigid. And, nevertheless, such spinning rods are widely popular among spinners. With its help you can pull out a pike weighing 5 kilograms or more, which makes it more effective.

Medium

This is the toughest type of rod, with which you can cast baits up to 30 grams. This is a fairly powerful rod, designed for catching large specimens of pike, asp, pike perch, etc. It has the least sensitivity, but it is not so easy to break.

The test of the rod is indicated on the handle and has a numerical designation, for example 1-10 g. It follows from this that the rod is designed to use baits weighing from 1 to 10 grams. Of course, this does not mean that the specified limit cannot be expanded, but it is worth observing it. If you use baits weighing less than 1 gram, then they are more difficult to control. And if you take spinners weighing more than 10 grams, you can damage the rod.

Once you have gained some confidence in using a spinning rod, you can start fishing on a river with a fast or moderate current. Of course, you will have to adapt to such fishing by changing your fishing tactics, but this will turn out to be much easier if the process started from scratch, without prior practice.

The construction of spinning rods is an important quality. Action is the shape (bending) that the blank takes under load.

Brief overview of feeder rods

When getting acquainted with fishing equipment, it is impossible to do without a rating of feeder rods. Let's break them down into categories based on price range.

The price range from 20 to 50 US dollars covers Polish and Chinese manufacturers. The top feeder rods are headed by two brands – Mikado and Salmo.

The Mikado Golden Bay Feeder 360 model is a fairly powerful carbon fiber product. Makes it possible to throw feeders weighing up to 130 grams. using thin lines.

Salmo Taifun is made of composite materials, so it is somewhat problematic to accurately deliver the feeder to the fishing site. It is recommended to replace the tip after purchase if you plan to fish in strong currents. The relative shortcomings are compensated by the inexpensive price.

The Volzhanka feeder rods, a product of domestic manufacturers, passed the tests quite well. It works great with small feeders up to 60 grams; it is impossible to cast heavier ones, since the action of the rod is average.

Manufacturers of feeder rods in the price range up to $150 are also ready to present successful versions of their products to anglers.

Flagman and Shimano claim popular recognition in the “Best Feeder Rods” category. Carbon fiber “sticks” with cork handles have excellent guide rings designed for thin fishing line. There are two types of tops: fiberglass and carbon fiber, which dramatically increases the possibility of their use.

Short 3-meter feeder rods from Sabaneev Feeder are equipped with 6 rings with silicon inserts. The rigid blank and cork handle allow you to throw 90-gram feeders quite far.

The powerful, but, unfortunately, fragile tips of the BlackHole are located on a relatively soft blank, which works along its entire length when landing fish. The brand is recognized not only by amateurs, but also by sports fishermen for its excellent feeder rod test and excellent results.

The most expensive group, expect to spend between $150 and $300 on a feeder, but the amazing features more than make up for the cost.

The material of Cormoran feeder rods is high-quality carbon fiber, which ensures the most comfortable fishing for large fish. The excellent structure of the blank comfortably handles sharp jerks.

Manufacturer Daiwa. When looking at a feeder rod, you won’t need a description; you just need to hold the product in your hand. The length makes it possible to use it under a wide variety of conditions. The downside is that the tips are fragile, although they are super sensitive, they can break during a strong cast.

Many feeder rods show good characteristics that allow you to catch fish quite successfully, and discussing pricing policy is a futile matter.

Classification of spinning rods

Spinning rods can be divided by type of design.

Spinning rods can be divided according to the length of the rod:

The length of spinning rods can be very different:

— short rods (160cm, 180cm, 240cm); - long rods (270cm, 300cm, 330cm, 360cm).

Short spinning rods are convenient for transportation. They are lighter and have better maneuverability. Short rods make it easier to fish in difficult, crowded areas or from a boat. Long spinning rods can be cast much further if necessary. Their disadvantage is their size and weight.

The construction of spinning rods is an important quality. Action is the shape (bending) that the blank takes under load.

First, you need to definitely choose a plug rod, especially if compactness during transportation is not a priority.

Rod build - what is it?

The structure of a spinning rod is the shape of its blank bending under the influence of a static load. This is a special indicator of the level of rigidity of a fishing rod, which is taken into account when using baits, fishing and animation techniques. This system is divided into classes containing their own specific features. Number of classes – 4.

It is possible to check the rod’s structure at home after making a purchase or receiving it as a gift. To do this, you need to hang a load as bait, starting small. And gradually increase it until the fishing rod begins to bend.

Note! The last weight will be critical. In addition to tuning, other characteristics should also be taken into account. Information about all of them will be useful, especially for a novice fisherman learning the basics of fishing.

General principles of selection

Each professional has in his arsenal several spinning rods equipped for different fishing conditions. The cost of such equipment is many tens of thousands of rubles and not everyone can afford it. It is clear that if a person lives by spinning fishing, he will not buy himself an extra pair of shoes, but he will not spare money on a catchy Japanese wobbler.

Therefore, to begin with, it is better to choose a universal spinning rod that has the widest possible range of action. The following option would be justified:

However, if you already have any wishes, you should also take into account specific parameters regarding:

As a training rod for practicing casting techniques, casting distance accuracy, or simply as a spare tackle, this is a good option. But it’s better not to waste money and buy several rods with working properties for different fishing conditions and types of predatory fish.

Based on what characteristics is the choice made?

In order to quickly master the technique of casting and retrieving, experienced professionals always advise beginners to start with universal rods. Their advantage is that the tackle is suitable for fishing from the shore and boats. It is possible to use a wide range of baits of different weights. An example of the indicators of such a spinning rod: length 2.4 m, test for baits from 5 to 25 g.

But such versatility hides disadvantages:

Reduced comfort of fishing from a boat. The optimal length is considered to be from 1.8 to 2.1 m.
Light lures will not reach the target distance. They are practically not felt when wiring.
The use of heavy jig heads and other baits weighing more than 20 g is unacceptable, as the risk of putting an increased load on the rod increases. Over time, it can cause gear failure.

As a training rod for practicing casting techniques, casting distance accuracy, or simply as a spare tackle, this is a good option. But it’s better not to waste money and buy several rods with working properties for different fishing conditions and types of predatory fish.

In addition, there are other points to consider before purchasing:

body of water with or without current;
bait immersion depth;
shore fishing or from a boat;
estimated size, type of fish;
types of baits used.

Below we will analyze the features of the main indicators.

How long should it be

Spinning rods are produced with a length of 1.8 to 4 m. But the specific choice is determined by the nuances of fishing:

For coastal fishing on rivers and reservoirs up to 120 m wide, an excellent option with a length of 2.1 to 2.7 m.
Tackle over 2.7 m long is useful for fishing on large deep-water rivers, reservoirs, lakes, where the casting range reaches 100 m or more.
For a boat, 1.9 m is best.

Having decided on the length, you need to move on to analyzing other indicators.

Bait test

The working property of a spinning rod, by which the fisherman determines the upper and lower weight limits of the baits used. The lower limit of the test indicates the minimum permissible weight of a wobbler, spoon or jig head. In the case when the specified indicator and the mass of the bait are equal, then when performing the retrieve, the fisherman will feel the fullness of its unique game. If the weight of the bait is less than the lower test, then even an experienced master will not feel the bait during retrieving.

The upper limit of the test indicates the maximum permissible weight of the bait. When a fisherman decides to ignore this value and take, say, a spoon of greater mass, then during casting this can cause a breakdown. It is important to remember that not all manufacturers conscientiously indicate the test gear up to 1 g, in particular, the lower limit.

The test is divided into:

ultra-light – from 1 to 5 g;
light – from 5 to 15 g;
medium - from 7 to 25 g;
heavy – over 20 g.

For example, an ultralight rod with a test weight of 1 to 5 g allows you to use light baits for small and medium-sized fish (perch, ruff). But with a competent and unhurried approach to fishing, and an adjusted reel clutch, experienced fishermen manage to catch large pike or pike perch using ultralight.

For fishing on small rivers from shallow depths, a rod with light or medium test is sufficient. For deep-sea reservoirs, you need to take gear with a dough of 20 g and above. When trolling, only large baits are used, so the spinning rod is taken with a heavy test so that it can easily withstand and feel the play of bait weighing over 60 g. There are gear options where, instead of a test, manufacturers indicate a range of breaking loads.

Material of manufacture

There are several types:

There is an opinion among fishermen that the high content of carbon fiber in a fishing rod makes it very fragile when used in winter conditions and increases the risk of breakage. Therefore, for fishing during the first severe frosts, it is better to take gear with a medium content of carbon fiber modulus.

What is a system and how to choose it

The structure is called the Young's modulus of elasticity coefficient. This indicator shows the time it takes to return to the starting position after casting the rod. The sensitivity of the gear depends on the system. When fishing with a hard spinning rod, the fisherman feels all the vibrations. But as this parameter increases, the casting range decreases

The classification of rod action is as follows:

Extra Fast – very fast. Flexibility up to ¼ of the tackle length. Not designed for long casts. Does not soften the jerks of fish when playing.
Fast - fast. Flexibility up to ½ length. Fishermen call it a “half” formation.
Moderate - average. Flexibility up to ¾ of the length of the tackle.
Slow - slow. The form bends along its entire length. Another name is “parabolic” system. Of all types, it is characterized by the longest cast. It softens the jerks of the fish well when playing, thereby reducing the load on the fishing line.

Among fishermen, fast and medium action are considered popular.

A fishing line spinning test is available from some manufacturers. They indicate the breaking load of the fishing line in pounds. The greatest strength of the fishing line in lb is written on the form.

According to the weight of the bait being thrown, all spinning rods are conventionally divided:

This classification is very conditional. There are many spinning rods that are not suitable for this. But it all depends on the skill of the fisherman. Just because a rod is mid-grade doesn't mean it can't catch small fish.

This is the deformation stability of the whip. To determine the action, take the rod in your hand and shake it vigorously. If after this it bends all along its length, then the rod is soft. And if only the tip oscillates, then it is rigid.

According to the classification of formation, whips are divided into:

Hard (fast) - they have little spring, making it difficult to cast light bait with them;
Medium hard - universal, used for catching different fish;
Soft - it is impossible to cast a heavy bait with them, and they will not be able to cast accurately.

The most suitable tuning would be a fast tuning. After all, when fishing you have to constantly make various movements with bait, which has a certain weight.

Heavy and Extra-Heavy - both types of spinning rods are used when catching catfish, but even more often as a rod for trolling, where the bait is large wobblers or twisters with a heavy jig head, which in turn are in the water under the constant pressure of the water flow from -for planing the boat. These circumstances require increased rigidity from the rod.

Varieties

The structure of the gear is distinguished by the shape of the bend of the shaft, resulting from a load equivalent to twice the maximum test value of the weight of the bait. Simply put, when the fishing rod is loaded with the weight of the bait, twice the upper limit of the test, the rod shaft acquires a characteristic deflection.

The marking is applied on the form of the fishing rod. On the surface of the rod there is the necessary information for purchasing gear with characteristics suitable for the fisherman.

The spinning rod formation designation is located in the same place with the markings of other parameters. For many manufacturers, the name is displayed in Latin text in the form of four primary categories:

Slow (S) – slow system;
Medium (M) – average;
Fast (F) – fast;
Extra Fast (EF) – ultra-fast.

In order to determine the structure of the tackle in the absence of markings, it is recommended to rest the tip of the rod against a non-rigid obstacle and study the depth of deflection in the loaded state. An additional method is shaking the rod and recording the amplitude of vibration of the rod and the degree of deflection.

Slow build

This type of tackle bends under load along the length of the rod, which makes it suitable for fishing from the shore. In addition, due to the ease of bending of the rod, baits weighing no more than 3-4 grams can be easily cast over a long distance. Thanks to these qualities, fishing with rotating and oscillating baits leads to favorable results.

When fishing for large fish, the shaft will not break due to the depth of the deflection. But there are also disadvantages. This spinning rod is not suitable for fishing with jackbaits, wobblers and jigs. Due to increased flexibility, there is insufficient accuracy of bait casting and poor sensitivity to fish bite.

Medium action

Medium spinning rod is a popular type of gear. When loaded, the rod deviates in the upper half. This rod combines precision with bait casting range and allows the use of light spoons.

Fast build

When loaded, the tackle deflects in the upper third of the whip. A rod with a fast action is suitable for jigging and for instantly catching fish out of the water.

Flaws:

insufficient shock absorption of fish jerks;
the likelihood of rod breakage due to insufficient flexibility;
inability to use small baits;
short bait casting range.

Super fast action

When loaded, it bends at the very top and is the most rigid type. Mainly used for twitch fishing. Not suitable for use in fishing with other types of bait. It performs excellently when fishing on rivers with rapid currents.

Why is it important to choose the right spinning test?

Ultralight (UL)	Light (L)	Medium Light (ML)	Medium (M)	Medium-Heavy(MH)	Heavy (H)	Extra-Heavy (XH)
1-7 g

The table shows the most common test ranges in 7 classes of spinning rods. The international standard is highlighted in bold. There is nothing wrong if your spinning rod is not marked according to the international standard. For example, a spinning rod with a test of 5-25 g is designed exclusively for such weights; 35 g will be superfluous for it. The action of the rod plays a big role; probably, such a spinning rod has a slow action and the whip bends quite strongly at any load above 25 g.

Ultralight is ideal for microjigging, small rotating and oscillating spinners of sizes 00, 0 and 1. Small wobblers with a weight of 7 g are also suitable. Fishing conditions for ultralight are ponds, lakes and small rivers with a depth of no more than 2 meters. The flow is either absent or small. Stronger currents require heavy baits and you will feel uncomfortable using light baits in such conditions.

Light is well suited for small rivers, ponds and lakes with deeper places where it is important to reach the bottom with bait.

Medium Light and Medium are already quite heavy classes that will allow you to throw baits of 14-30 g up to 80-100 m from the shore. These are jig weights of baits. This style allows you to fish from the shore even on large reservoirs and large rivers, but there is still a condition that the current should not be too strong, otherwise the bait will be carried away strongly, the wiring will not be so clean and attractive to the predator.

Medium-Heavy are heavy jig spinning rods that allow the angler to fish with heavy baits weighing up to 40 g. In conditions of strong currents and depths of more than 10 meters, such a spinning rod is a prerequisite for spinning fishing. It is most popular when fishing for pike perch or catfish in holes with strong currents.

Heavy and Extra-Heavy - both types of spinning rods are used when catching catfish, but even more often as a rod for trolling, where the bait is large wobblers or twisters with a heavy jig head, which in turn are in the water under the constant pressure of the water flow from -for planing the boat. These circumstances require increased rigidity from the rod.

Please note that reliable data on the spinning rod test is written on the butt of only branded spinning rods. Chinese products, especially telescopic ones, often have incorrect information. And most of these “spinning sticks” are not used for their intended purpose, but as “feeder gear”. In quotes because the sensitivity of such gear is very insignificant, and the feeder must be sensitive.

Convenience . It is very convenient to cast even from banks overgrown with vegetation. A wrist movement is enough to cast the bait.