Best Walleye Rod

Rods for walleye fishing – Buying Guide, Reviews and Comparison

 

If you want to find the best fishing gear, but you don’t have time to go through the buying tips and reviews prepared by our research team, this short paragraph should tell you everything you need to know about the best walleye rod. After analyzing a lot of feedback coming from both amateur and professional fishermen, we have concluded that the Fenwick Elite Tech is the best because of how it is engineered for walleye fishing. This rod offers medium light power for superior speed levels and sensitivity that will help you land the catch easily. Delivering the ultimate feel, this rod comes with fast and extra-fast tip segments that allow you to sense every tentative nibble and strike the fish makes on the lure, enabling you to react quickly and sensibly. The hidden handle design provides remarkable control and comfort to ensure an amazing angling experience every time. If the Fenwick Elite Tech is unavailable, you should consider the Zebco Omega 2 as it is a reliable alternative both in terms of performance and quality.

 

 

Comparison table

 

 

 

3 Best Walleye Rods (Reviews) in 2023

 

1. Fenwick Elite Tech Walleye Spinning Fishing Rod

 

Engineered especially for walleye fishing, the Fenwick Elite Tech offers medium light power for dependable speed and sensitivity.

This means you can easily get your catch onto the boat. This fishing rod offers fantastic ‘feel’ thanks to extra-fast and fast tip segments that easily transmit the bites and nudges the fish makes on the lure so you can carry out decisive action. This fishing rod enables you to optimize your favorite walleye fishing techniques. The Hidden Handle Design provides matchless control and comfort, elevating this model to topmost status. This model comes in a variety of configurations to suit every need or preference.

The strong, sensitive high-modulus graphite blank delivers dependable sensitivity while ensuring strength and durability, for many years of use. The titanium frame guides have an extremely lightweight build while being virtually bulletproof. You can get a solid grip on the rod thanks to the EVA and TAC handle design.

The EVA handle provides a good grip even when it gets wet. It also ensures easy cleaning when protein, fish oils and slime have accumulated on it. Offering a variety of action levels, this fishing rod accepts a line rating of 4 to 10 pounds test as well as 4 to 12-pound test line. You’ll love wielding this rod to catch the season’s walleye prize.

Pros

Suitable for walleye angling, this fishing rod is designed with Medium-light power for a dependable sensitivity and speed. Landing your catch will be easy thanks to this tool’s nice feel.

The fast and extra-fast tip segments are able to transmit the action of the fish on the lure to your hands. This enables you to react quickly with powerful hook setting.

Available in a variety of configurations to suit your needs, the rod comes with a sensitive yet strong, high-modulus graphite blank that is able to channel vibrations effectively.

Thanks as well to the Hidden Handle design, you get good comfort and control on the fishing line. You get enough leverage to keep up with the fish if it decides to give a fight.

You’ll be thanking your lucky stars for the virtually indestructible titanium frame guides that ensure the fishing line won’t snap. They keep abrasion and friction at bay between the line and the rod.

Cons

This fishing rod should not be used beyond its given specifications to prevent damage and breakage.

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2. Zebco Omega 2-Piece Medium Casting Rod, 6-Feet

 

Designed to bag the walleye catch of the season for you, the Zebco Omega 2 is engineered to be highly sensitive yet flexible.

You’ll be able to feel the tentative bites and nudging of the fish against the lure so you can quickly react appropriately. This rod belongs to the Omega line of rods that utilize an innovative construction process uniquely labeled Durafiber.

The state-of-the-art construction process involves alignment of the flexible fiberglass core with extremely lightweight graphite fibers that serve as overwrap. This provides a durable and strong backbone to the fishing rod so no matter how long and hard the fish fights, it can offer the needed stamina to withstand all the pressure.

The composite graphite Durafiber rod blank boasts 70/30 IM6 Graphite with E-Glass Core for that unbelievable level of robustness you wouldn’t imagine is possible with this type of fishing implement.

The built-in hook keeper enables you to keep extra pieces of gear within easy reach. The Professional-grade EVA handle offers an easy grip even when wet, and is also quite easy to clean when slime, fish oils and protein have accummulated on the component. The custom reel seat enables easy and wobble-free attachment of the fishing reel. The Micro-Trac Guide system ensures easy line flow while preventing friction and abrasion that could cause line breakage.

Pros

Constructed with a walleye-specific design, this model delivers the flexibility and sensitivity that any avid angler wants in their primary fishing tool. With its 70/30 IM6 Graphite blank with E-glass Core, the rod is durable enough to match the fish during prolonged battles.

A genuine composite Durafiber rod, this option delivers a good level of strength while leveraging advanced rod technology to enable you to maximize every fishing adventure.

Highly sensitive yet flexible, the rod provides enough elasticity to keep up the fight during protracted battles. It gives you the stamina needed to control the fish even when it wages a battle to avoid getting landed.

You will appreciate the impressive line alignment used in the manufacture of the rod, which results in a durable and robust backbone.

The superb sensitivity of the fishing rod enables you to sense even the timidest nudges of the fish on the lure.

Cons

Although simply a matter of preference, one user doesn’t like the non-pistol grip and small eyelets on the rod.

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3. Okuma’s Dead Eye Technique Specific Walleye Rods

 

Constructed with the finest responsive IM8 rod blank, the Okuma DE-S-702M is designed both for recreational and serious anglers. This is a technique-specific walleye rod that delivers according to your expectations.

The IM8 graphite material ensures superior ‘feel’ or sensitivity so you can detect the movement of the fish against the lure and do what needs to be done fast. The carbon composite on the bouncers ensures durability. The split-grip transmits vibrations from the fish movements to your hands as well. The deep rich gloss brown blank makes this a fantastic tool you’ll love bringing with you because of its remarkable appearance.

The triangular EVA grip offers easy cleaning off of accumulated dirt and oils while being durable. This model comes with ALPS gunsmoke stainless steel guide frames fitted with zirconium inserts for amazing resilience against chipping and corrosion while serving to prevent abrasion and buildup of friction that can result in line damage or breakage.

Offering medium power, this 7-foot rod works with 6 to 12-pound test line and ⅛ to ⅝ lure weights. It’s a two-piece rod with 7 line guides plus 1 tip guide. This ensures that the fishing line lies flat and even along the length of the rod.

Pros

Built with IM8 rod blanks, this fishing pole offers the responsiveness you seek in a tool of this type. Suitable for both professional and recreational fishers, this rod delivers as expected thanks to its walleye-specific construction.

You can enjoy the level of durability you seek thanks to the triangular EVA grip. This component provides hassle-free handling and control in the water. It remains resilient to breakage.

Delivering a dependable sensitivity, the rod offers an effective transmission of vibrations from the lure to your hand. This ensures you can react promptly and execute strong hook setting.

Cleaning away slime, fish oil, and protein that has accumulated on the grip is easy because of its EVA material.

Good for a variety of fishing styles, this model is equipped with ALPS gunsmoke stainless steel guide frames with inserts made of zirconium. You get a smooth flow of fishing line while preventing breakage.

Cons

Because of the length, this rod has a two-piece design that some fishers may not like compared to single-piece models. However, the design enables easy transport and storage.

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Buying guide

 

Check out the best rod for walleye that is of the right type for your needs and fishing style

A spincast rod is considered by many to offer the most effortless handling. You can teach young children and novice anglers everything there is to know about walleye fishing with a spincast rod. Aside from a forefinger grip trigger, spincast rods come with small eyes or rings throughout their length. Quite similar to baitcasting rods, spincast rods are more powerful than spinning ones because of how they accommodate heavier lines and heavier cover. Plenty of pressure tends to be applied to this component during prolonged fights with the fish, so take note of that factor when checking out the reel seat in your spincast rod. The line guides on a spincast rod come in gradually descending sizes. Spincast rods come with guides that are very large nearest the reel and grow smaller as you go up the tip of the rod. The flexibility and length of the rod blank determines the proper number of guides on the unit.

Spinning rods typically feature a large fishing line guide to ensure minimal abrasion against the fishing line. A spinning rod also accepts relatively lightweight yet flexible monofilaments and lets you capture crappies, bluegills, perch and walleyes. The rod can feature either a Cork or EVA foam grip or handle. Cork handles are preferred by traditional anglers although top quality rods come with a composite of both materials, combining the strengths of both and canceling out their weaknesses. Premium quality rods have Portuguese cork handles. If you intend to leave a spincast rod in a rod holder, go for one with an EVA foam grip. Make sure the rod has a top quality reel seat that won’t come loose or wobble at the most critical moments.

Baitcasting rods are perfect for a range of fishing lines starting from today’s upper lines or braided low stretch ones to copolymer fluorocarbons and nylon monofilaments. Before, baitcasting rods were just between 5 and 6 feet long but today’s baitcasting rods measure from 7 to 9 feet, which enables them to ensure casting accuracy and greater distance. Baitcasting rods generally come with eyelet guides and the reel mounted atop the grip.

Fly rods are long and offer fantastic flexibility to ensure more natural presentation of the lure. However, a fly rod can be difficult for beginners and novice anglers to use because it is the fly line and not the lure that determines casting. The fly fishing reel attaches underneath the upper surface of the rod for effective line storage. Modern fly reels have integrated disc type drags to enable a dependable adjustment range in getting large fish under control.

 

The best walleye rod delivers the right level of power

The weight of the rod should match or be proportional to the attributes of the reel. This will influence the power of the fishing rod. There are various power levels to choose from: ultra-light; light; ultra-heavy; heavy; medium light; medium heavy. If you wish to have a responsive rod or if you have to catch bait fish, an ultra-light spinning rod is your best choice. It also makes a good option for fishing in tight areas. Medium and light spinning rods are best when angling from the shore, pier or boat. Surf fishing will be successful if you use a medium or light spinning rod. On the other hand, offshore and surf fishing require heavy spinning rods.

Bottom fishing will need a 6.5-foot boat rod paired with a casting reel. Casting reels do accept lines of 30- to 80-pound test. For bottom fishing, they are suitable but those types of lines may not be made for casting. If you intend to use artificial lures and plugs during inshore fishing, it is best to go for a baitcasting rod that accepts 12- to 20-pound test lines.

A rod that features heavy action and power will not bend that greatly and won’t be able to load to the same degree. Medium power and moderate action rods are able to load more. Extremely light action rods with less power will make a lure overpowering and might even break the rod blank with application of adequate force.

 

The best walleye spinning rod delivers superior casting distance and accuracy

A good walleye fishing rod offers accuracy and good distance when casting. A rod blank that is able to load more enables you to launch baits with recoil on the rod and with reliable distance. To maximize your cast, get a rod with medium power and moderate action. Longer rods deliver farther casting. In general terms, with both action and power being equal, a longer rod will cast the same lure at a longer distance compared to a shorter one. A light lure can be a bit more manageable if used on a shorter and softer rod compared to a longer rod.

You can find plenty of walleye rods on the market. We hope the buying guide above can help you make a more informed decision.