Profiling Your Next Bass Rod - Deciphering the Code

Introduction: So you're in the market for a new fishing rod, but are unsure where to start. Maybe you have a specific technique in mind but are confused as to what traits to look for or what those specifications really mean. It's ok. Everyone has to start somewhere. Used to be you could simply walk into your neighborhood tackle shop and ask your questions of a trusted resource behind the counter. These days, most take their questions to social media where the varied answers might do more to raise additional questions than to address the one you originally posed.

Sometimes, the decision on how to use a stick is obvious

I've been at this game for quite some time and have handled more than my fair share of fishing rods - specifically bass rods. I'm not claiming to be an expert. There are still far too many mysteries in the composition of a rod blank that still elude me. However, based on experience, I can make an informed decision, sight unseen, on how a rod might perform and for what techniques and applications it might be best suited based on the information printed on the rod and/or listed on its product page online. So how do I go about deciphering the mystery of a new fishing rod without actually handling it? Here's how I go about profiling a new fishing rod.

For a generation, manufacturers have been printing suggested applications right on the fishing rod

Blank Material: The very first thing I want to know about any new rod is from what material is that blank made. Unfortunately, getting a straight forward answer is not always simple. There have been many descriptors over the years, but the current buzzword to try and convey some degree of quality material is to simply state "Toray Graphite." This is like saying your floor is made from 3M Wood (if 3M were in the business of making flooring material). While knowing the material comes from a reputable company is nice, such descriptors really tell you nothing about the material itself.

But how do you decide when that information is missing?

There have been many terms used over the years to try and convey this information, IM6 through IM9, modulus (as in low to high), and while the industry lacks a true standard, the most common point of reference used today by the majority of manufacturers is tonnage. What the term "tonnage" actually means as related to graphite material, I am uncertain, but to simplify, the higher the number, the higher grade of graphite which usually means a lighter, more sensitive blank. The most common numbers I see today are 30T and 40T graphite blanks.

Blank material is an important piece of information.

In truth, the majority of blanks are probably made from a blend of different graphite material. Some are a blend of graphite and fiberglass, and there are others still (though not very common), that are made by blending in non-traditional materials like boron, titanium, and graphene. Different grades of graphite or other materials are even used at different points along a blank to enhance performance at the tip, along the backbone, and so on. So really, without handling a rod or blank and lightly tapping your fingernails on the surface (higher end blanks have a different sound), it is difficult to really know what's going on inside that blank.

So is the ability to decipher the rod's code. Most manufacturers use a code similar to that above, but there are countless variations

Case in point? while graphite is the predominant material with which to be concerned in most bass rods, manufacturers sometimes list or discuss two others used in the process of producing that blank. The most common is resin. Resin is used like a glue to bond and fuse the material together. Once baked in an oven and afterwards cured, the resin also lends a degree of strength and flexibility to the blank. Not all resin is created equal, but the benefits are also more difficult for a consumer to quantify. It's somewhat safe to say the better the resin, the more durable a rod might be and hopefully without sacrificing weight.

When it comes to pitching unweighted soft plastics, like the Senko, I reach for a stick measuring 7'-0" to 7'-6" in length, with a fast taper, rated to about three quarters to an ounce in maximum lure weight

The other, and even more obscure material used in a rod's composition is the scrim. The scrim is like a mesh holding the graphite fibers in place but also providing a degree of reinforcement when the blank is under load and preventing it from crushing like what happens when you bend a cardboard tube. The most common material for a scrim is fiberglass. Gary Loomis sent shockwaves through the blank manufacturing world back in the day when he debuted GLX, a blank featuring a scrim made from graphite. This was a big deal because graphite is lighter than fiberglass and any amount of weight you can save in a blank translates to better performance.

For swim and vibrating jigs, I prefer something with a softer taper, but plenty of backbone - something like a 7'-4" heavy powered rod with a mod-fast taper. The extra bit of power helps drive the hook point home while the softer taper keeps the fish buttoned

Scrim material is not often discussed these days, but one of Gary Loomis's designers, the late Al Jackson, had a concept for a scrimless blank that saved just a tiny bit more of weight. Blanks featuring Al Jackson's scrimless design, that I know of in today's market, are produced by North Fork Composites (X-Ray) and Point Blank, and are among the better performing sticks I've fished. In summary, while the relatable descriptors help (tonnage, IM#, etc.), because there is no standardized point of reference, the grade of graphite used in any particular rod, if selected sight unseen, is largely a leap of faith.

Knowing a rod's taper helps decide which applications are appropriate