Best Kayak Fishing Rods That Deliver: Top Picks for Every Angler

Fishing rods are not a one-size-fits-all product so I’ll break down the key points to consider one shopping for your next fishing rod.

Target Species

What is the target species? Here in the Midwest, there are multiple species that we fish for. Walleye, perch, steelhead, catfish, and the list goes on. On the southern shores of Lake Erie, walleye are the most sought-after species here, with smallmouth at a distant second.

Environment

What environment are you primarily fishing in and what obstacles does it present? Are you fishing shallow rivers covered with low-hanging trees, inland ponds, and lakes, offshore on the Great Lakes, or do you live that salt life? Always be prepared for your favorite water and target species. If targeting multiple species, keep a spare rod or 2 rigged and within reach. Never know when you may need one in the moment.

Specifications

What are the specs of the kayak you will be fishing out of? Length, weight capacity, and setup are important.

Fishing Technique

What type of fishing are you planning on doing? Are you trolling? Drifting? Casting and retrieving moving baits? Structure and cover fishing? Tactics matter on the water. The last thing you want to do is take a trolling rod to fish floats for steelhead. Sure, it MAY work, but is it the most efficient way to fish? Being prepared with the right rod in the right situation is important. It can make or break a fishing day.

Lure Weight

Most rods list the weight of the lures they are rated for on their specs. You can find this on the rod blank. Do your best to stay within the lure weight limits. Too light of a lure and you’ll overpower it, setting the hook too hard for that lure or not casting it far enough. Too heavy and you can not generate enough hookset power or even break your rod when casting.

Hooks

What kind of hooks are you using? For a lure with a single and stout hook like many bass lures (jigs, spinnerbaits, buzz baits, and soft plastics) you’ll usually want a moderate fast or fast action to drive the hook home. For treble hook style baits, you’ll many times want a parabolic or moderate action. This will keep you from pulling hooks away from the fish and keep the fish pinned when thrashing.

Rod Length

No matter the species you choose to target, rod length is an important consideration. Not just the rod itself, but also the butt of the rod. On a kayak, you’re seated quite a bit, so having the proper rod length not only in the blank, as well as the butt, is imperative.

A longer, lighter rod is required in many situations. For example, with steelhead, most anglers, including myself, use 9-13 foot rods, medium light or medium power, with slow/parabolic action. The rod absorbs the majority of the running and thrashing that a steelhead does, instead of just the line by itself, due to the fact the leader line is much lighter than the main line (steelhead fishing is for another blog). Depending on your kayak and personal size, generally, a 7’6″ to 8’6″ rod is in most people’s sweet spot (taking into account the rod flex). I would definitely stay away from shorter rods, as they can significantly limit your options when playing a fish. Longer rods work, but take a little more practice on the landing side. It’s a small learning curve and does require a little bit of practice but once you get the hang of it, you’ll never want to fish with a short rod ever again. Not only will rod length help with playing a fish, but it will also make casting easier, and longer casts make for a couple more precious moments in the strike zone, and can be the difference between a fish committing to a lure, or turning on it as the lure comes out of the strike zone.

Rod Butt Length

Rod length is important because you’re usually seated, having that shorter rod butt helps you maneuver the rod unobstructed and prevent snagging it on your PFD or one of the other many things within close proximity. It also helps you get the reel closer to your chest to be able to get more leverage on the fish. Considering your primary fishing zone, you’ll want to have something that will allow you to pass the rod tip around the front of your kayak (without having to get out of your seat), but not so long that when it’s time to land the fish it’s hard to get it within landing distance. I like to make the rod an extension of my arm. The rule of thumb I use is ⅔ the length of my forearm, maximum. If it is a longer rod, I can put the butt under my arm and take a little stress off of my wrists.

Rod Power & Action

Rod power as well as action are also important. From ultralight to extra heavy and beyond, you want to make sure you have the right power rod for the target species as well as the lure/presentation you are fishing. For example, you don’t want to fish a walleye crankbait on an ultralight. That’s where a trip goes from good to bad in a hurry. As for the actions, the blank actions vary from slow to extra fast. It all depends on the presentation. I use medium heavy moderate or medium/moderate for my crankbait fishing. However, for a faster tip, fast or extra fast is the way to go. It is perfectly fine to have a rod for a presentation. However, in a kayak, you only have so much space.

Rod Guides

Lastly, you want to protect those guides and keep them afloat while on the water. Make no mistake about it, accidents can and will happen. We drop things. We fall out and capsize the kayak. We don’t put the trolling rod well enough in the rod holder and it takes a dive. If this happens, with no floating system on your rods, hundreds and hundreds of dollars of your tackle becomes fish cover in a matter of seconds. The importance of having buoyant rods cannot be stressed enough. We are human, we do dumb things. Put a float system on your rod.