January 2025
Fishing Rods: MetaRanking
This page highlights the aggregate summary of fishing rods rankings posted by key online experts, as of January 2025.
Summary
On 9 Jan 2025, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 101 fishing rod endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.
88 fishing rods were endorsed in total, only 9 made it into this month's ranking. (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included)
As of 9 Jan 2025, St.Croix Triumph takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed fishing rod with 4 expert endorsements. 2 experts out of 4 recommended it as the '#1 fishing rod' this month.
Brand breakdown
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Shimano: 6 fishing rods
(#1 is Shimano Poison Ultima)
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KastKing: 5 fishing rods
(#1 is KastKing Zephyr Light)
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Ugly Stik: 4 fishing rods
(#1 is Ugly Stik GX2)
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St Croix: 3 fishing rods
(#1 is St.Croix Triumph)
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Plusinno: 3 fishing rods
(#1 is Plusinno Carbon Fiber Telescopic)
Price breakdown
At a glance - January Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | Fishing Rod |
Wirecutter
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Reviewed
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OutdoorGearLab
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Forbes
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fishinggearcenter.com
|
BestReviews
|
Field & Stream
|
TheManual
|
boatsafe.com
|
wired2fish.com
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
- | $150 |
St.Croix Triumph
The St. Croix Triumph fishing rod is a versatile and high-quality spinning rod that offers excellent performance, durability, and sensitivity, making it a top choice for anglers of all skill levels.
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-
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-
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1
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-
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8
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1
|
-
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7
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-
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-
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2
|
- | Check price |
Ugly Stik GX2
The Ugly Stik GX2 fishing rod is highly praised by experts for its exceptional construction, durability, and performance, making it a versatile and reliable choice for anglers of all skill levels.
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3
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-
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-
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-
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1
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4
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-
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-
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-
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-
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3
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- | $50 |
Ugly Stik Elite
The Ugly Stik Elite spinning rod is a versatile and durable option for anglers of all levels, offering excellent sensitivity and strength for a variety of fishing situations.
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2
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-
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4
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2
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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4
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- | $59 |
Plusinno Carbon Fiber Telescopic
The Plusinno Carbon Fiber Telescopic Fishing Rod is a versatile and reliable fishing rod that offers convenience, durability, and exceptional performance for anglers of all skill levels.
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-
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1
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2
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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5
|
- | Check price |
Orvis Superfine
The Orvis Superfine is a highly regarded fiberglass fly rod that offers a slower, full-flex action, making it ideal for delicate and precise casts in small bodies of water, with its construction and build quality praised for its classic feel and comfortable cork handle.
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-
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-
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-
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3
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-
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-
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-
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1
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-
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-
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6
|
- | Check price |
Plusinno Elite Hunter
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-
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-
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3
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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2
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-
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|
12
|
+1 | Check price |
Bubba Tidal Pro
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-
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-
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-
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4
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-
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-
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5
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-
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-
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-
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|
13
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-1 | $109 |
Wild Water Standard Fly
The Wild Water Standard Fly fishing rod is a versatile and reliable option for beginners, offering different lengths for versatility and maneuverability, a forgiving slow action, and a decent budget option with quality materials and a lifetime warranty.
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-
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4
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-
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-
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-
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5
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-
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-
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-
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-
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14
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- | $38 |
Entsport E Series Camo Legend
The Entsport E Series Camo Legend baitcasting rod is highly praised for its lightweight yet strong construction, versatile design, and affordable price, making it a top choice for bass fishing and other species.
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-
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-
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-
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-
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6
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-
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-
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-
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5
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-
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We ranked St.Croix Triumph #1 in January 2025 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best fishing rods” rankings.
- Out of those, 2 experts ranked St.Croix Triumph as #1.
OutdoorGearLab
Best Overall Fishing Rod / Editors' Choice
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Excellent feel
Great casting
Portable
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Slightly difficult to take apart
Line guides easily bent
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fishinggearcenter.com
Best for Budget
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You don’t have to put a lot of strength while using it.
Beginners find it quite easy to get started with the hobby of fishing.
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The piece isn’t good for the spin-casting followers. For them, buying a more high-end model will serve.
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BestReviews
Best of the Best
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High-quality spinning rod with SCII carbon construction for impressive sensitivity and power.
Cork handle for comfortable grip. Boasts black aluminum oxide guides and double-coated slow cure finish.
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A little pricey. Warranty will still cost money.
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We ranked Ugly Stik GX2 #2 in January 2025 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best fishing rods” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Ugly Stik GX2 as #1.
fishinggearcenter.com
Best to Buy in 2022
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You’ll get the availability of a good Price to value ratio.
The lightweight and durable design make it stand out.
You’ll get lots of weights available.
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Foam vs. cork handle is a major drawback.
When the package arrives, the 2 piece comes apart.
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BestReviews
Balanced & Sensitive
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Several lengths available between 5.5 and 7 ft. graphite and fiberglass construction lasts a long time. Two-piece construction for traveling convenience. Good price point. Well-constructed.
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Eyes on the rod may come loose or spin out of position. Heavy.
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Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend fishing rods.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of fishing rods, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for January 2025 ranking
Wirecutter
Reviewed
OutdoorGearLab
Forbes
fishinggearcenter.com
BestReviews
Field & Stream
TheManual
boatsafe.com
wired2fish.com
We ranked Ugly Stik Elite #3 in January 2025 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best fishing rods” rankings.
We ranked Plusinno Carbon Fiber Telescopic #4 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best fishing rods” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Plusinno Carbon Fiber Telescopic as #1.
Reviewed
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Reversible handle
Collapsible, telescoping rod
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Some users report telescoping breaks
Some users report guides snap off easily
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OutdoorGearLab
Best Telescoping Rod
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Easily portable
Excellent sensitivity
Durable construction
Affordable
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No built-in hook holder
Segments may stick if extended too far
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We ranked Orvis Superfine #5 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best fishing rods” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Orvis Superfine as #1.
We ranked Plusinno Elite Hunter #6 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best fishing rods” rankings.
OutdoorGearLab
Best Bang for Your Buck
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Great balance
Ergonomic handle
Casting
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Not as portable
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boatsafe.com
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Two pieces
Stainless steel guides with ceramic inserts
Comfortable grip
Lightweight
Durable
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Not as much sensitivity in the rod as other options
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We ranked Bubba Tidal Pro #7 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best fishing rods” rankings.
Field & Stream
Best for Saltwater
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Nonslip Grip
1-Piece Rod
Corrosion Resistant Guides
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Grip scratches easily
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We ranked Wild Water Standard Fly #8 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best fishing rods” rankings.
Reviewed
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Quality materials
Rod breaks down for transport
Line and flies included
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Users have reported product defects
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BestReviews
Simple yet Solid
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A good choice for beginners, this set includes a rod, reel, and 9 flies. The 9-foot rod has a comfortable cork handle and a locking reel seat. The aluminum reel arrives loaded with a floating fly line that has a monofilament leader. The set includes the necessary tools.
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Poor quality control results in incomplete sets being delivered.
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We ranked Entsport E Series Camo Legend #9 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best fishing rods” rankings.
fishinggearcenter.com
Best Warranty
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You will always get a sturdy solid connection between the casting rod and reel.
The quality of EVA handles will reduce the overall weight and provide pressure strength.
There are guides that will give friction-free flow and cutting performance.
It is an ergonomic design model that allows direct contact with the fingers.
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Catching big fish is a problematic one.
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boatsafe.com
|
Affordable
2 different tips; medium and medium-heavy
Strong
Lightweight
Comfortable
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Rod tip can break if you have the wrong size combined with the wrong type of fishing line
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