Gear guide

Fishing rod types

Spinning, casting, surf, fly or boat: which fishing rod fits your fish and water, compared side by side, plus beginner combos.

What do you want to catch? Tap it and the matching rod opens.

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Guide sections: Learn to fish: Rod types

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All rod types compared

Rod	Best for	Typical (example)	For beginners
Spinning rod	Lures for bass, trout, pike and perch	European perch: 1.80 to 2.55 m · 2 to 25 g	easy
Casting rod (baitcasting)	Heavier lures and accurate casts	varies by model	needs practice
Spincast rod	First rod for kids and beginners	varies by model	easiest
Surf rod	Saltwater from the beach	Atlantic cod: 3.5 to 4.5 m · 100 to 200 g	medium
Boat and jigging rod	Saltwater from a boat or charter	Atlantic cod: 2.1 to 3.6 m · 50 to 250 g	easy
Catfish rod	Big catfish	Wels catfish: Bank 3.00 to 3.50 m · 200 to 300 g	medium
Fly rod	Trout and grayling with flies	Brown trout: approx. 1.80 to 2.70 m · line weight #3 to #6	needs practice
Telescopic rod	Travel and small cars	varies by model	easy
Float rod: match rod and pole	Panfish and coarse fish under a float	Roach: Match rod 3.60 to 4.50 · up to 30 g	easy
Feeder rod	Coarse fish on the bottom with a feeder	Common bream: 3.00 to 4.20 m · up to 50 g or up to 80 to 90	easy
Carp rod	Carp and eel on the bottom	Common carp: 2.70 to 3.90 m · Test curve 1.75 to 3.75 lb	medium

Each rod type in detail

Spinning rodLures for bass, trout, pike and perch

You cast lures and retrieve them. The reel hangs under the rod, which makes it the easiest all-rounder to learn.

European perch · Spinning: 1.80 to 2.55 m · 2 to 25 g
Zander · Spinning/jigging: 2.20 to 3.00 m · 30 to 80 g
Northern pike · Spinning with artificial lures: 2.40 to 3.50 m · 30 to 80 g

Values from the gear finder, sources at the bottom of the page.

Casting rod (baitcasting)Heavier lures and accurate casts

The reel sits on top and you brake the spool with your thumb. Accurate and powerful, but it takes practice to avoid backlash.

Spincast rodFirst rod for kids and beginners

A closed-face reel with a push button sits on top. It is the simplest to cast and common in kids’ combos, and works best with light line and small baits.

Surf rodSaltwater from the beach

Long rods that cast heavy sinkers and bait beyond the breakers. Used for cod and flatfish from the beach.

Atlantic cod · Surf casting with natural bait: 3.5 to 4.5 m · 100 to 200 g
European flounder · Surf casting with lugworm: 3.5 to 4.2 m · 100 to 200 g

Values from the gear finder, sources at the bottom of the page.

Boat and jigging rodSaltwater from a boat or charter

Short and strong for heavy jigs in deep water. Used for cod, mackerel and pollock from boats and charters.

Atlantic cod · Charter boat fishing with pirk and teaser: 2.1 to 3.6 m · 50 to 250 g
Atlantic mackerel · Paternoster with feathers from a charter boat (North Sea): 2.4 to 3.3 m · 150 to 300 g

Values from the gear finder, sources at the bottom of the page.

Catfish rodBig catfish

Heavy rods with plenty of backbone, from the bank or vertical from a boat. Reel and line must match the power.

Wels catfish · Ledgering/clonking: Bank 3.00 to 3.50 m; clonking 2.10 to 2.40 · 200 to 300 g
Wels catfish · Heavy spinning rod: 2.70 to 3.30 m · 150 to 300 g

Values from the gear finder, sources at the bottom of the page.

Fly rodTrout and grayling with flies

You cast the heavy line, not the lure. Fly rods are rated by line weight, and casting takes some practice.

Brown trout · Fly fishing: approx. 1.80 to 2.70 m · line weight #3 to #6
Sea trout · Fly fishing on the coast: 2.75 to 3 m · line weight 6 to 8, mostly 7

Values from the gear finder, sources at the bottom of the page.

Telescopic rodTravel and small cars

Collapses to bag size. Available as spinning, float and surf rods, handy for travel and spontaneous trips.

Float rod: match rod and polePanfish and coarse fish under a float

A match rod casts a float with a reel; a pole has no reel and the line is tied to the tip. Made for roach, tench and stocked trout.

Roach · Float fishing: Match rod 3.60 to 4.50; pole 3 to 10 m · up to 30 g
Tench · Float fishing: 3.60 to 4.00 m · Test curve approx. 1.5 lb

Values from the gear finder, sources at the bottom of the page.

Feeder rodCoarse fish on the bottom with a feeder

A feeder basket draws fish to the hook and a soft quiver tip shows the bite. Popular in Europe for bream and roach.

Common bream · Feeder fishing: 3.00 to 4.20 m · up to 50 g or up to 80 to 90; interchangeable tips 1 to 3 oz
Roach · Feeder: 3.00 to 3.60 m · up to 50 g

Values from the gear finder, sources at the bottom of the page.

Carp rodCarp and eel on the bottom

Long and powerful, rated by test curve in pounds rather than casting weight. Usually paired with a baitrunner reel and rod rests.

Common carp · Ledgering/self-hooking rig: 2.70 to 3.90 m · Test curve 1.75 to 3.75 lb
European eel · Ledgering with worms: 3.00 to 3.60 m · 50 to 80 g

Values from the gear finder, sources at the bottom of the page.

Rod and reel combos for beginners

When a combo makes sense. For a first rod, for kids and for a second rod in the car: rod, reel and often line come matched.
Check the casting weight. It must fit your lures and target fish. Typical values per fish are in the gear finder.
Look at what is included. Some combos come with line on the reel, others need line. A few hooks or lures are a bonus, not a reason to buy.

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Fishing tech

Quick answers

What are the main types of fishing rods?

Spinning, casting and spincast rods cover most freshwater fishing. Add surf rods for the beach, boat rods for charters, fly rods and catfish rods for special cases.

Which fishing rod is best for beginners?

A spinning rod, or a spinning combo, is the easiest all-rounder. Spincast suits small kids. Casting and fly rods are better as a second rod.

What is the difference between a spinning and a casting rod?

On a spinning rod the reel hangs below and the guides are large. On a casting rod the reel sits on top, which gives more accuracy with heavier lures but needs practice.

What does casting weight mean?

It is the lure or sinker weight the rod casts best. Pick it to match your lures and target fish; the gear finder lists typical values with sources.

Sources for lengths and casting weights

Fishing magazines, associations and maker guides from the gear finder, as of 2026-10-12.