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Best Surf Fishing Rods for the Beach

Surf fishing is one of the most popular ways to saltwater fish around the world.  The beaches give you direct access to the ocean and it is much less expensive than owning a boat.  Like all types of fishing, fishing from the surf needs the proper gear, lures and equipment to get the job done and catch some fish.

Having the right surf fishing rod can make a huge difference on the beach.  Getting your bait or lures beyond the breaking waves and into the fishy zones is the key to success.  In this article we breakdown our recommendations for the best rods for beach and surf fishing.

  1. Spinning Rods
  2. Casting Rods

 

These are the Best Surf Spinning Rods:

  1. Penn Battalion Surf Spinning Rod
  2. Shakespeare Ugly Stik Bigwater Spinning Rod
  3. Okuma Longitude Surf Graphite Rods
  4. Tica UGSA Series Surf Spinning Fishing Rod
  5. St. Croix Mojo Surf Spinning Rod

 


Penn Battalion Surf Spinning Rod


PENN Battalion Surf Spinning

The PENN Battalion Surf rods provide strength, performance and style.  Composite blanks, Fuji aluminum oxide guides, Fuji reel seat and the tough and tacky rubber shrink tube handles provides a secure grip whether wet or dry. The Battalion Surf is a perfect match for PENN Spinfisher and Battle spinning reels.

  • 2 piece graphite composite blank
  • Fuji aluminum oxide guides
  • Fuji reel seat
  • Rubber shrink tube handles

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Shakespeare Ugly Stik Bigwater Spinning Rod

Shakespeare Ugly Stik Bigwater Spinning

The Shakespeare Ugly Stik Bigwater Spinning Rod offers unbeatable toughness to give you the strength and confidence you need to pull in trophy catches. The rod is crafted with a combination of graphite and fiberglass, creating a powerful yet sensitive fishing rod that feels balanced in your hands. The Ugly Stik Clear Tip design delivers added strength with exceptional sensitivity, so you feel even the smallest nibbles on the line.

One-piece double-footed stainless steel Ugly Tuff guides provide maximum durability, eliminate insert pop-outs, and offer maximum corrosion resistance to withstand regular use in saltwater. Durable and lightweight EVA grips provide the firm, comfortable handhold you need to overcome hard-fighting fish and bring in the catch of a lifetime.

  • Durable and tough fishing rod designed for the challenge of big water fishing
  • Ugly Tech blank construction with a combination of graphite and fiberglass
  • Clear Tip design delivers added responsiveness and strength
  • Lightweight EVA grips provide comfort during lengthy fishing outings
  • 1-piece stainless steel Ugly Tuff guides eliminate insert pop-outs

 

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Okuma Longitude Surf Graphite Rods

Okuma Longitude Surf Rod

Featuring graphite composite blanks, stainless steel double-foot guides with aluminum oxide inserts, Okuma Longitude surf fishing rods deliver a lot of fishing rod for their very modest cost. Lengths from 9- to 12-feet in length focus on spinning models to serve the greatest number of anglers with easy-handling performance. Traditional cork tape grips with EVA cushions above and below the reel seat complete these highly capable tools that are sure to please.

  • Sensitive graphite composite blank construction
  • Aluminum oxide guide inserts
  • Double footed stainless steel guide frames
  • Stainless steel hooded reel seats
  • 1 year warranty

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Tica UGSA Series Surf Spinning Fishing Rod

Tica UGSA11XH2S Surf Spin

TC3 graphite gives these rods the ability to throw hard baits, such as topwaters and spoons, long distances. Super light weights and smaller diameter blanks give you a rod ideal for walking long stretches of beach without fatigue. Tica’s finest! Nothing comes close in this price range.

  • Constructed of high modulus TC3 graphite material
  • High quality FUJI ALCONITE tip top guide, FUJI HARDLOY ring guides, FUJI DPS reel seat
  • Specially designed Tica sliding foldable hook keeper
  • Non-slip cork handle; custom diamond wraps handmade in Tica’s state of the art facility
  • Perfect match with Tica’s Talisman/Samira/Scepter/Abyss reel series

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St Croix Mojo Surf Spinning Rod

St Croix Mojo Surf Spinning Rod

The St. Croix Mojo Surf spinning rod is stocked with premium features like a Fuji reel seat, custom X-Wrap handle and a sloped frame that reduces line tangling.
This rod is constructed of premium SCII graphite and weight-saving surf guides that make the Mojo durable and accurate.
These hardcore surf rods feature stunning performance and value and are ideally suited for serious anglers who fish in extreme conditions.

  • Premium quality SCII graphite
  • Off-set ferrules on two-piece models provide one-piece performance
  • Specialized, weight-saving surf guides with zirconium rings and black frames
  • Custom X-Wrap handle provides comfort, durability and style
  • Engineered to deliver incredible performance and value

 

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These are the Best Surf Casting Rods

  1. St. Croix Legend Surf Rod
  2. Penn Prevail Surf Casting Fishing Rod
  3. Okuma Solaris Surf IM6 Graphite Surf Rods
  4. Shakespeare Ugly Stik Bigwater Casting Rod
  5. Fiblink Surf Casting Fishing Rod

St. Croix Legend Surf Rod


St Croix Legend Surf Casting Rod

This is one of the most popular among surf fisherman up and down the coasts. Legend Surf leverages the absolute design and technology advancements to provide extraordinary performance that can’t be found anywhere else.

  • Modern design and advanced technology
  • High-modulus/high-strain SCIV graphite with FRS for unparalleled strength and durability
  • Fuji Torzite RV K-Series tangle-free surf guides with titanium frames for unrivaled, 100% corrosion-proof performance
  • Custom neoprene handle provides comfort and durability. Positive grip improves when wet
  • Engineered and built for extreme surf fishing performance

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Penn Prevail Surf Casting Fishing Rod

PENN Prevail Surf Casting

It’s not often you can find everything you want in a high-end surf rodat half the price. The Prevail provides strength and performance with atwo-piece graphite composite rod blank. Stainless steel frames withaluminum oxide inserts create a lightweight and durable guide perfectfor fishing mono or braid.

  • 2 piece graphite composite blank
  • Graphite reel seat
  • Stainless steel guides with aluminum oxide inserts
  • Rubber shrink tube handles

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Okuma Solaris Surf IM6 Graphite Surf Rods

Okuma Solaris Surf Im6 Graphite Surf Rod

Containing the most powerful actions in the Okuma Surf rod lineup, solaris Surf rods are constructed on IM-6 graphite blanks to deliver a proven combination of lightweight handling, responsiveness and exceptional durability. Fuji guides with aluminum oxide inserts and cork-wrapped non-slip Fore and rear grips offer a traditional build for anglers who desire high-end construction components and exceptional performance in a value-laden rod Series

  • IM-6 graphite blank construction
  • Fuji aluminum oxide guide inserts
  • Stainless steel double footed guide frames
  • Cork wrapped non slip fore and rear grips

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Shakespeare Ugly Stik Bigwater Casting Rod

ugly stick bigwater surf casting rods

Much like its spinning counterpart, the Shakespeare Ugly Stik Bigwater Casting Rod works great for surf fishing. This rod comes in sizes ranging from 5’6″ to 12′ – for long distance surf fishing, we recommend a longer rod. It has the classic Ugly Stik clear tip design for added strength. The Shakespeare Ugly Stick Bigwater Casting Rod is made with a combination of graphite and fiberglass for stregnth and sensitivity.

  • Graphite and fiberglass construction
  • Corrosion resistant UglyTuff  guides
  • Saltwater safe
  • Ugly Stik clear tip for added strength

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Fiblink Surf Casting Fishing Rod

fiblink surf fishing rod

The Fiblink Surf Casting rod was made with surf fishermen in mind. It comes in lengths of 10 or 12 feet, perfect for long distance casting. The rod’s construction is 100% carbon fiber, for increased sensitivity and performance. It has a medium-heavy action and moderate fast action. The Fiblink Surf Casting Fishing Rod is made with quality components, so it is strong and durable enough for surf fishing.

  • Carbon fiber construction
  • Stainless steel and ceramic line guides to minimize friction
  • Non-slip rubber shrink tube handle
  • Extreme exposure reel seat

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Tips for Choosing the Right Surf Fishing Rod

 

What length surf rod should you buy?

Depending if you are planning to fish with bait or lures you should consider the length and action of your rods.  Your cast distance is heavily dependent upon the length.  The longer the better for casting bottom weights and heavy bait deep into the surf.  Typically 9 to 14 feet is the optimal range for bait fishing in the sand.  You will also need a quality rod holder to keep it stable in the sand.

If you are working the shoreline with lures, we recommend a shorter rod for better cast and retrieve action.  A rod from 7 to 9 feet will be best for casting fishing lures from the beach.  If you go to long and heavy, the constant casting will wear you out quickly.  Leave the extra long rods for the rod holders.

 

What is the best fishing rod material?

Fishing rods are typically made with graphite, fiberglass or a composite mix.  The majority of surf fishing rods on our list are made with graphite which tends to also be the angler’s choice. They are the most sensitive and powerful when it comes to casting weight into the surf. They also have a faster action than fiberglass. That’s because, with graphite rods, only the rod tip to the first third of the rod flexes. With less flex along the rod’s length, these rods are usually rated as having fast or extra-fast action. Basically, since most of the flex is in the tip, they go from flexed to stiff instantaneously.

 

 

2 comments

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