Walleye Fishing – Choosing Your Walleye Fishing Rod

There may not be a more important piece of equipment in your boat this season than your walleye fishing rod. A walleye rod is like any other tool and you will find as you become more experienced that different rods are intended for different uses. Take some time to really think about your walleye rod selection and you will be glad you did when you hit the lake.

Rather than try to guide you to a specific rod (I have a few suggestions on my website ), I will simply highlight the important aspects of a good walleye rod setup and let you make your own choices.

Back in the 1970s graphite rods hit the market and completely turned the fishing rod business on its head. Graphite is much lighter and far more sensitive than the old fiberglass rods that dominated the market before the 70s. Graphite is extremely sensitive, allowing the walleye fisherman to feel the bottom; rocks, weeds, and most important, a walleye bite. Sensitivity is extremely important when fishing for walleye. Take a graphite rod and hold the rod tip against your buddy’s voice box and him say a few words. You better feel every last word in your fingertips or you have the wrong stick in your hand.

Rod manufacturers use varying terminology when describing fishing rod characteristics. Light action, medium action, etc. To make things as simple as possible, we will stick with Fast Action and Medium Action for a good walleye fishing rod. Most good rods have a fast action. This means that most of it is rigid from the butt to the middle section, but has more bend in the end of the rod as it tapers to the tip. This allows the angler to cast lighter tackle and feel that light walleye bite. A medium action rod bends more in the middle section. If you like to troll crankbaits, you would probably favor a medium action walleye rod.

Many manufacturers will put some sort of label near the handle to indicate action and lure weight. You just need to match up your preferred fishing method with the rod style. Most will opt for a spinning rod, which is simply has a receiver for a spinning reel. Your best bet for a general purpose walleye fishing rod is a 6 foot, medium power, fast action spinning rod. If you plan to use a rig exclusively for trolling you may go to a similar baitcasting setup.

As your final consideration, look for a walleye fishing rod that is constructed from a single piece. Two piece rods add extra weight and really cut down on the action and sensitivity. Be sure to carry two or three rods with you in your boat.  You always want to have a backup if something goes wrong.  If you do some homework, you should be able to find a good walleye rod in your price range.