Fishing Poles & Rods

Reel In Your Catch: Learn More About Fishing Rods

From a lakeside morning to an outing at the seashore, discover the best fishing rod to bring home your next trophy catch.

DICK’S Sporting Goods carries industry-leading fishing rods, outfitted with the latest angling technology. Explore popular freshwater rods, saltwater rods and casting rods for your next day at the water.

Keep in mind rod materials when making your selection. The construction of your rod impacts its action and should be designed for your skill level:

• Fiberglass Rods: This brand of rod is geared towards beginners. These rods need little maintenance, have an average weight and solid rod strength. Keep in mind, if you are fishing larger game, you’ll need a heavy, durable rod.
• Graphite Rods: These are typically preferred by advanced anglers due to their superior strength and lightness. Graphite provides a blend of optimal sensitivity and fighting power.
• Bamboo Rods: This material produces a smooth, fluid backcast and offers excellent flex and feel.

Shop top fishing poles & fishing rods from St. Croix, PENN, Shakespeare and more.

You should consider your level of fishing experience, game fish and environment when choosing your new fishing rod. Learn more about the different models at DICK'S Sporting Goods:

Casting/Conventional Rods: Designed to have the reel and guides on the top, casting rods are most effective for anglers looking to cast several hundred times during a fishing trip.

• Generally match up best with baitcasting reels.
• Most casting rods can handle heavy line and fish in dense cover and water vegetation.

Spinning Rods: Ranging in length from 5 to 8 feet, this model positions the reel and guides on the bottom of the pole to provide smooth, accurate casts.

• Longer spinning rods with elongated grip handles for two-handed casting are frequently used for saltwater or steelhead and salmon fishing.
• Spinning rods are also widely used for trolling and still fishing with live bait.
• The handle length is balanced against the rod's length.

Saltwater Casting/Conventional Rods: The reel and line are located on top of the rod, and the trigger grip lets you securely clutch the rod while releasing the thumb bar.

• Designed with a quick taper at the rod tip for accuracy and a large backbone at the lower portion of the rod for stability.
• Saltwater bait-casting rods can be made from fiberglass or graphite.
• Fiberglass is more durable and has greater lifting power than graphite, which makes it a preference for larger fish such as tuna and yellowtail.
• Graphite rods are more bait sensitive and work well for surf fishing and open water, where bait may be cast over a greater distance.

Power and action are two essential functions of your new fishing rod:

Power: A rod’s resistance to flexing is known as its power. This ranges from ultra-light to ultra-heavy or other similar classifications. If you’re after larger game fish, you may need a rod with more power.

Action: This impacts your casting distance and accuracy. The smaller the fish, the lighter the action that you'll need, while the heavier the fish, the heavier the action.