So you want to go fishing and participate in one of this country's most popular outdoor activities.  The big question that haunts you is "What do I need to get started?".  I know that I will need a rod and a reel but the choices are so vast, "How do I choose the right rod and reel for what I want to catch?"  Do I go with a extra fast action, a fast action, a moderate action or a slow action rod?  It is just soooo confusing!  What makes fishing and choosing your gear even more confusing is the fact that there are only two rules to this sport that you must learn and the first rule is "There are no rules!". The second rule is that you damn well better learn the first rule!  Each situation you encounter will have numerous solutions and the correct answer is the one you are most comfortable with.  Now, let's look at some of the equipment that you will need to get started.

The first challenge that you must overcome is to answer the question, "What type of fishing do you want to do?".  Do you want to fish fresh water or salt water?  Once you have answered this question, the next question becomes "What species of fish do I want to catch?".  Keep in mind that, technically, there is not one rod that will do everything.  Although many fishermen do treat a rod as a universal rod for either fresh or salt water fishing, that "universal' rod might be fine for striper fishing but will fall short of expectations for cod fishing.  Once again, there is no rod that will be  perfect or even good for every species of fish.  When trying to find a "universal" rod you must realize that for each species of fish requires different properties and the best you can hope for with a "universal" rod is that it will be acceptable for your fishing needs  

Let's take a look at rods and the differences that can be found in many common rods.  Fishing rods are made out of fiberglass, graphite, boron and numerous combinations or composites.  Each material has it's pros and cons and you must decide what is best for you.  The first rod we will look at is the fiberglass rod.  The fiberglass rod is the most common type of rod.  Fiberglass is durable, will take a lot of abuse, is heavier than other choices and is very economical.  This is generally a good choice for those fishermen that are on a budget and do not expect to spend a lot of time on the water.  It is a good choice for beginning and young fishermen.  If the sport is enjoyed, an upgrade to a better rod can be made at a later date.  The fiberglass is a good basic choice.

The next material rods are made of is graphite.  Graphite is a much lighter material, is more sensitive and ultimately more expensive.  The graphite rod is a good choice for the angler that is somewhat experienced, does a lot of casting and is prone to go after species that have a light "bite".  The extra sensitivity that is one of the properties of graphite is very useful when fishing for such species as trout, bonefish and tautog.  Besides being lighter and more sensitive, graphite is also pretty strong and can take a fair amount of abuse but nit like fiberglass.

Boron is a material that is very light and sensitive and generally restricted to use in building fly rods where sensitivity and lightness is very important.  Besides being light and sensitive, boron has a tendency to be very expensive.  Fly fishermen like boron because of it's sensitivity and lightness.  When casting flies all day long the weight of the rod becomes very important.

Combinations or composites are important in the fishing world as they can impart different properties and still keep the cost down.  One popular composite is the graphite composite.  This is a graphite, fiberglass mix that is popular among both fresh and salt water anglers.  Graphite composites are favored because they have the strength of fiberglass and the sensitivity of graphite along with being lighter than fiberglass.  The cost of the graphite composite is higher than fiberglass but lower than graphite.  This is a good rod choice for the angler that is looking for a more sensitive rods without incurring a lot of additional expense.

Now that you have chosen the material of the rod that you prefer, the time has come for you to choose the action.  Rods come in different actions and they include extra fast action, fast action, moderate action and slow actions.  Once again, the choice of action that is chosen is the action that is preferred by the angler and is governed by the species of fish he is after.  This is strictly an angler's choice.  The extra fast action rod tip flexes about one quarter of the length of the blank.  This action is generally preferred by light line anglers that use very light lures or baits.  Ultra light fishermen seem to like this action because it will transfer the power of the rod in a relatively fast manner.  This helps to set a hook.

Fast and moderate actions are preferred by the wide majority of anglers as they suite the needs of fishermen using lines of middle range and fighting fish that are of at least moderate size.  These actions allow fishermen to "play" the fish more effectively.  As the rod flexes during a fight with a moderate to large fish it absorbs a lot of the shock and helps to take the strain off of the line.  It also helps to cover mistakes like a drag set too tight.

Slow action rods are generally reserves for fishermen fishing for ground fish in salt water.  These are the blanks that are used to make a lot of the "grunt" sticks that are popular among salt water ground fishermen.  The flex of the rod absorbs the shock and strain that a large, powerful fish will impart during a long battle for freedom.  This action is best used in salt water applications although some fresh water uses are indicated.

The next component that you should consider when choosing a rod should be the guides.  Guides are an important part of the rod because they come into direct contact with the line.  For the most part, I like to avoid stainless steel guides even though they are very reasonable when it comes to cost.  Stainless steel is a very soft metal and the line can cut grooves into the ring of the guide in a short time.  Grooves will "raise the devil" with lines as they pass over the grooves.  The line will be excessively worn and often cut, costing you a trophy fish or at least a lot of frustration.

The next thing you should be aware of is the materiel that the handle is made of.  Cork, although light and a popular handle material wears quickly and has a tendency to be somewhat slippery when wet.  Some of the rubber grips seem to hold well but can be heavy.  I have found, through building my own rods, that a tennis grip works very well as it can be custom fitted to the rod and appears to grip better the wetter your hands become.  This is something you are not apt to find on a factory rod.

Custom rods are generally not worth the price for the average fishermen.  Even though they allow you to choose all the components that will go into the rod, most fishermen would never be able to distinguish between all the advantages of a custom rod.  Over the years that I have built custom rods. Most fishermen will purchase a custom rod because they are on an ego trip.  The custom rod gives then braggin' rights or they want their rods to match the decor of their new boat.   This has been proven to my satisfaction by the answers that I get when I ask them abbot the specs they want the rod built to.  Don't be confused between custom and hand crafted rods.  A custom rod is built to your specifications not the builders.

Rods are built with a specific line weight to be used.  Although line weights that are not recommended for a particular rod can be used, adjustments in casting techniques and lure weights must be utilized.  For example for two pound test line, my favorite for bluefish, I use a high content graphite rod with an extra fast tip that was designed for 8 to 15 pound test line.  As I said earlier. "It is all up to the preferences of the angler.  The recommended line weight for each rod you purchase can be found at the base of the rod just above the handle.  Not only is line weight listed but the preferred lure weight is also found there.

Reels can be just as confusing and sometimes more confusing than rods.  There are spinning reels, conventional reels as well as special duty reels like a lever action reel.  But for all intents and purposes we will refer to reels as spinning and conventional.  There are also spin casting reels generally used for casting by kids and learning fishermen.  They are easy to cast and avoid backlashes.

When it comes to spinning or casting reels, these are the most popular and easiest to use but do not fill the needs of all fishing conditions.  Each size spinning reel is designed to handle a specific range of line weights.  Generally, I like a reel that will handle 2 to 300 yds, of the line weight that I am using.  There are exceptions though.  For example I told you that I like fishing for blues with 2 pound test line.  The reels that are designed for use with two pound test line hold no where near the line capacity that is required to handle a fighting bluefish.  My choice for a reel is a medium sized reel that is designed to hold 8 to 12 pound test.  With backing, this reel will hold 500 yds of 2 pound.  This amount of line is required to get the job done.

A lot of tackle shops will carry pre mounted combinations that makes rod and reel choices much easier on the consumer.  These combinations are set up with the correct rod and reel and many times line.  With spinning reels, the correct line weight to use will be listed on the side skirt of the reel and will look like this; 200/8 or 350/20 this would mean 200 yards of 8 pound test line and 350 yards of 20 pound test line.

Conventional reels sometimes called salt water reels are a bit more confusing.  The chart to determine the proper line weight can be found on one of the cross support bars.  Whenever you use monofilament line and the reel will hold a couple hundred yards of line or more, it is a good idea to use backing.  Backing is generally a squidding or dacron line that will compress on the spool as the mono stretches and contracts.  Mono line can stretch as much as thirty percent and need to come back to its original length.  As it reduces to original length it exerts a great deal of pressure on the spool of the reel.  If there is no backing for the line to compress on the sides of the spool will spread and eventually break.  A little preventative action can prevent a disaster.  The most important part of buying a rod and reel combination is not to be afraid to ask questions.  There is no such thing as a stupid questions, only stupid answers