If you’ve been an angler for more than five minutes, you know the sweet attraction of bass fishing. Bass are particularly renowned for their attraction to a wide range of lures, but finding the best bass fishing rod to get those lures in front of them can be a challenge.
Read on for our recommendations on the best bass fishing rod in seven categories. In the process, you’ll also learn something about how to choose the best bass fishing rod for your fishing preferences.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
St. Croix Mojo Bass Glass Casting Rod
Best Budget
Ugly Stick GX2 Casting Fishing Rod
Best Premium
Fenwick Elite Bass Casting Rod
Best Overall
St. Croix Rods Mojo Bass Glass Casting Rod
If you’re looking for a rod that makes bass fishing a really fun experience at a really reasonable price, the St. Croix Mojo Bass Glass Casting Rod is a great choice. And those are also the reasons this St. Croix rod has made our list as a best bass fishing rod for 2023.
Combining strength and lightweight, the St. Croix Mojo rod’s length of more than 7 feet makes it especially suitable for crankbait fishing. It is a medium-heavy power rod, the most popular rod power for bass fishing, and the St. Croix Mojo’s medium power rating makes it suitable for all anglers.
Pros
- Comes with a 5-year warranty
- Excellent choice for crankbait fishing
- St. Croix has history of making great fishing rods
Cons
- Durability may be an issue for some anglers
Best Budget
Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Fishing Rod
So let’s say you’d like to try bass fishing, but you’re not quite sure that you want to spend a lot of money as you consider this option for your outdoor sporting activities. In that case, you should give the Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Fishing Rod a serious look as an option for a best bass fishing rod for you.
One of the reasons the Ugly Stik GX2 made our list of recommendations as the best bass fishing rod for 2023 is its price. Ranging from just $40 to a far from budget-busting $85, depending on the length and strength you choose, the Ugly Stik GX2 is constructed of a blend of graphite and fiberglass.
That composite-style construction gives the GX2 strength and sensitivity and allows for great balance. All of those factors make the GX2 a fine choice as the best bass fishing rod.
Pros
- Great for pairing with entry-level or intermediate reels
- Perfect for catching medium-sized bass
- Durable enough for sustained frequent use
Cons
- Finger rest may be awkward for some anglers
- Weight feels shifted too far forward
- May be stiffer than some anglers anticipate
Best Premium
Fenwick Elite Bass Casting Rod
If you’re already truly committed to bass fishing, the Fenwick Elite Bass Casting Rod could mark a first great step, or a great step up, as a best bass fishing rod for you.
The Fenwick Elite landed on our list of recommendations for the best bass fishing rod on the basis of its interesting use of resin to give added strength to its composite material construction. Plus, it’s available in lengths from 6 feet, 10 inches to 7 feet, 6 inches.
Finally, the Fenwick Elite is available in a variety of action configurations, including medium light, medium, medium heavy, and heavy, meaning that there is a Fenwick Elite rod available for nearly all bass fishing preferences.
Pros
- Lifetime warranty
- Well-balanced
- Sensitive to bite activity
Cons
- Best suited for only larger bass
- May be a bit expensive for some anglers
Drop-Shotting
Dobyns Rods Fury Series Spinning Fishing Rod
Drop-shotting is a technique for bass fishing that involves presenting plastic worms as bait to bass, most often in deeper water. However, drop-shotting is now employed across any number of bass fishing scenarios, making rods designed for that type of bass fishing a popular choice.
Our choice as a best bass fishing rod for drop-shotting is the Dobyns Rods Fury Series, a set of spinning rods. Available in either 6.5-foot or 7-foot lengths, with medium, medium-light, and light action configurations, the Fury Series rods are constructed with graphite and feature a cork grip.
The Fury Series is a favorite among tournament anglers, designed to allow for comfortable all-day casting.
Pros
- Good for finesse-style fishing
- Performance equal to much more expensive rods
- Produces long casts
Cons
- Durability may be an issue for very frequent anglers
- Hook keeper placement is inconvenient
- Installation of guides and tips may be substandard
Topwater
Daiwa Tatula Series Casting Rods
Available in lengths ranging from 6 feet 10 inches to 7 feet 6 inches, the Daiwa Tatula series of casting rods also offer a range of other options for bass fishing fun. But they caught our attention as a best bass fishing rod for topwater fishing, using lures that float on the water’s surface to attract bass.
Built of composite material, the Daiwa Tatula Series rods are also lightweight, which means they will be comfortable to use for as long as you want to be out on the water. Also, Daiwa paid particular attention to the fishing line guides on the Tatula series, assuring you of trouble-free casting.
Pros
- Works great for inshore saltwater fishing
- Exceptional value for its price
- 5-year warranty
Cons
- Durability may be an issue for some anglers
Spinnerbait
Abu Garcia Veritas
With more than a dozen options in terms of length and action, the Abu Garcia Veritas bass fishing rod would be a great choice for many styles of bass fishing, but it made our list as a best bass fishing rod for use with spinnerbait.
Spinner baits are lures with one or more shiny metal blade attachments that spin as they move through the water to attract the attention of bass. Spinner baits are easy to use and as a result, are a popular option for bass fishing.
Specifically, the Abu Garcia Veritas series of fishing rods can lead to success in spinnerbait bass fishing as a result of their robust design, combining composite material with resin to create a light but strong rod.
Additionally, the guides through which your fishing line will pass are specifically designed for long casts that can keep your spinner baits in the water for longer periods of time.
Pros
- Great combination of strength and lightweight
- Comfortable to use throughout a long day of fishing
- Good sensitivity
Cons
- Heavier than some purchasers may expect
- Shipping damage may be a problem for some purchases
- Action may be a bit slow for some anglers
Crankbait
Lew’s Fishing David Fritts Perfect Crankbait Speed Stick Series Rod
Using crankbait — lures made to look like fish upon which bass would prey — is a time-honored way of going after the popular gamefish. And in our estimation of a best bass fishing rod options, the Lew’s Fishing David Fritts series, advertised as a perfect crankbait fishing option, fits that description.
As one of our recommendations for a best bass fishing rod, the Lew’s Fishing David Fritts offers a great mix of composite construction, well-engineered line guides, and lightweight. Those attributes make it very suitable for successfully moving crankbaits through the water and attracting bass.
In addition to being sensitive enough to give the bass angler the ability to feel bites, the David Fritts Speed Stick Series rods also allow for reeling in big bass.
Pros
- Comfortable grips
- Makes long casts
- Can land bigger fish with no issues
Cons
- Can be badly damaged when releasing from being hung up
- May seem heavy to some anglers
- Eyelets may damage fishing line
Best Bass Fishing Rod for 2023 Buyer’s Guide
As you contemplate which of the many choices on the market might be a best bass fishing rod for you, you’ll confront a number of questions. You’ll have to choose a rod material and then decide what “action” and “power” will work for you.
Whatever rod you choose will be constructed either of fiberglass or graphite. In building a bass fishing rod, either of these materials will be woven together and assembled into the final rod design. Briefly, the finer the weave in a rod’s construction, the more flexible it will be for reeling in bass.
Routinely, graphite rods will be stiffer and more sensitive to bass biting than fiberglass rods. But there is a trade-off. Graphite rods generally will be more brittle, and, thus, more subject to damage, perhaps particularly in the case of a novice bass angler.
Rod components
In addition to the rod itself, you’ll want to take a look at its component parts as you consider choosing a best bass fishing rod for yourself. The rod handle, for instance, might be made of wood, including cork or some sort of synthetic foam.
The handle of your rod should be comfortable but should also retain enough rigidity to accurately telegraph to you when a bass is on your line.
Reel seat
The part of your bass fishing rod to which the reel of fishing line is attached is called the reel seat. On a best bass fishing rod, the reel seat will be constructed of some sort of composite material. You’ll need to be certain that the rod you choose will be compatible with a fishing reel that meets your needs.
Guides
As you choose the best fishing rod for yourself, take a close look at the guides, the metal rings on the rod through which your fishing line will pass. The best sets of guides will boost your casting distance and also will help you feel activity as bass go for your bait.
Your guides should be framed with stainless steel and should include an inner sleeve of ceramic material to ensure smooth movement of your line along the rod. Rods have a specific number of guides based on their length. A 7-foot rod, for example, should have nine guide rings.
Each guide will be attached to the rod at either one or two points. Single-foot guides are lighter but not as strong as double-foot guides, but they should work just as well on most bass fishing rods.
Best Bass Fishing Rod for 2023 Frequently Asked Questions
As you decide on a best bass fishing rod for your needs, here are some points of clarification for you to consider.
What does ‘action’ mean for a bass fishing rod?
As you consider purchasing a bass fishing rod, one of the terms you’ll come across is “rod action.” Briefly, this references the rod’s ability to bend and return to its original position while catching and reeling in a bass.
Rods are rated for the following “actions”: fast, medium-fast, medium, and slow. Fast-action rods exhibit the least bend and are great when fishing for larger bass. Slow-action rods are the least responsive but great for shallow-water fishing.
In between fast-action and slow-action rods, medium-fast and medium-action rods are good choices if you’re going to be fishing in a variety of locations for a variety of different-sized bass.
What does ‘power’ mean for a bass fishing rod?
When applied to a bass fishing rod, the term “power” is a reference to its resistance to bending when force is applied or, more plainly, when a bass is hooked. You can choose from a range of rod power ratings: ultra-light, light, medium light, medium, medium-heavy, heavy, and extra-heavy.
The preferred choice of most bass anglers will be a medium-heavy rod. However, heavier rods also have a place in bass fishing, particularly if you’re fishing for larger bass species or using heavy baits or lures.
Finally, lighter-power rods offer great control over casting and are a good choice if you’re fishing in a place where you need to get your bait or lure into a specific spot on the water.
Wrapping up a best bass Fishing Rod for 2023
Now that you’ve learned about some of the best bass fishing rod options, you’re ready to choose one that best suits your preferences. As a reminder, our choice for the overall best bass fishing rod is the St. Croix Rods Mojo Bass Glass Casting Rod, based on its great balance of price and fishing fun.
For more on going after bass and other fish in Minnesota, as well as other tips for gear, and suggestions for the best places to fish in the state, check out Life in Minnesota.