I f there ’ s a single category in the fishing space that captures a gearhead bass angler ’ s imagination , it ’ s rods ( and rod technology ). Rod components have evolved at warp speed since the early 2000s , and bass rods have become longer , lighter and more sensitive and specialized as each year goes by . At the same time – seemingly defying logic – the average bass rod has become stronger and more durable .
And we shouldn ’ t expect the rod-tech revolution to slow down anytime soon .
“ Rods are like everything we do in life : Everybody wants something that ’ ll increase their performance by having a tool that makes ( them ) more effective ,” surmises Al Noraker of Kast King , who left his fingerprints on the bass-rod industry when he developed Skeet Reese ’ s unmistakable yellow rods for Wright- McGill in 2008-2009 . “ Components and materials come into play , just as they do for golf clubs or skis .
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We ’ re doing things with rods that weren ’ t possible even 10 years ago because of those materials .”
A Blank Slate
A finished bass rod is an amalgam of multiple components that play a role in how the rod looks , feels , and performs ; however , none of those puzzle pieces influence the performance of a rod more than the blank , which dictates everything from weight to power to action to sensitivity .
It ’ s not just skin deep . Thanks to the ever-evolving palette of materials that are available to the rod geeks of the 2020s , when a designer begins to visualize the crosssection of a new rod , it can be with an inside-out approach that wasn ’ t possible as recently as 10 years ago .
“ The first rod I ever built back in the early 1990s was a simple Chinese IM6 graphite – as basic as you can get ,” Noraker says . “ That rod was strong , but it wasn ’ t particular light , and it wasn ’ t particularly sensitive . Now we ’ re dealing with
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much higher-carbon materials in IM9s , and nano-silica resins that have only been around for 10 years . It ’ s really a whole new world .”
The advent of nano-silica – developed by 3M as “ Matrix Resin ” and first seen in production bass rods made by St . Croix and G . Loomis – filled in the gaps between lightness / sensitivity and durability of top-ofthe-line graphite rods for all species . Literally . “ The higher ( modulus ) you go , the more sensitive the blank , but the material is also more brittle – that ’ s where resin technology plays such an important role ,” Noraker says . “ The resins we use to bond the material together allow us to maintain strength , but with a much lighter rod that ’ s still significantly stronger .
“ The old resins were like syrup . The newer resins are more like a solvent . They ’ re tiny little particles that you can force deeper into the materials to bond all the micro-cracks and imperfections to increase strength
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and sensitivity and reduce weight . The carbon content is extremely important , but I think resin tech has played a more important role in the process .”
Technique-Specific Details
Technique-specific bass rods have been around for decades , but Andrew Wheeler , Director of Global Brands at Pure Fishing , says that rods are becoming even more dialed in , with specialties inside of specialties .
“ We see the need for new segments and styles within different lure types ,” Wheeler confirms . “ The crankbait rod is a good example of rods being built for different types of crankbaits , and even lures like ChatterBaits that many anglers prefer to use a ‘ cranking-style ’ rod . Then you have highly specialized rods built for lures like spybaits , big swimbaits , or Alabama rigs .”
It ’ s simply a case of form following function – having a sand wedge with
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