7 Best Medium Action Bass Rod Picks That Catch More Fish in 2026

Here’s a confession most tackle-shop guys won’t make out loud: you don’t need twelve rods. You need the right one. And if there’s a single stick that belongs on every bass boat regardless of budget, skill level, or favorite fishing hole, it’s a medium action bass rod.

But what actually is a medium action rod, and why does it matter so much? In plain terms, a medium action (often called moderate or moderate-fast) rod bends somewhere in the middle third of the blank under pressure — not stiff as a broomstick, not floppy as a noodle. That bend is not a flaw. It’s a feature. According to Bassmaster’s rod guide, that mid-blank flex acts like a built-in shock absorber, keeping treble hooks buried in the lip of a bass instead of tearing free during a head-shake. That’s the reason every elite crankbait angler you’ve ever watched on TV is throwing a moderate or medium action rod.

A true medium action bass rod handles the moving-bait category better than anything else on the market: crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, lipless cranks, and swimbaits all shine when paired with a rod that loads smoothly and forgives the occasional missed sweep. At the same time, the softer tip makes it genuinely versatile — you can work topwater lures, slow-roll a swimjig, or even finesse a shaky head without switching rods.

This guide rounds up seven real, currently available medium action bass rods on Amazon in 2026 — from hard-working budget picks under $65 to mid-range performers that tournament anglers quietly trust. We tested feedback, dug into real specs, and cut through the marketing fluff so you can buy the rod that fits your style of fishing — not somebody else’s.

Quick Comparison: 7 Best Medium Action Bass Rods at a Glance

What the table tells you: The $40–$65 range is genuinely competitive in 2026 — the Abu Garcia Vengeance and KastKing Perigee II punch well above their price brackets. But notice the lure ratings: if you’re throwing heavier crankbaits (⅝ oz and up), the Lew’s and St. Croix Premier offer a wider, more forgiving casting window. Budget buyers will be satisfied with the sub-$65 options for most weekend fishing, but serious tournament anglers will feel the difference in sensitivity the moment they pick up the Fenwick HMG or SLX.

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Top 7 Medium Action Bass Rods in 2026: Expert Analysis

1. St. Croix Premier Casting Rod (PC66MF) — The Gold Standard All-Arounder

The St. Croix Premier PC66MF is the rod that keeps showing up in “what’s on your front deck?” conversations — and for good reason. At 6’6″ with medium power and a fast action taper, it threads the needle between crankbait compliance and enough backbone to handle a hard hookset on a moving spinnerbait. The blank is built from SCII premium-grade graphite with St. Croix’s Integrated Poly Curve (IPC) tooling technology, which eliminates dead zones in the blank — meaning you feel the tick of a follow-bite, not just the thud of a committed eat.

At 4.2 oz, this rod is featherlight for a full day of casting. It uses genuine Fuji reel seats and select-grade cork handles, which sounds like marketing copy until you’ve spent six hours on the water with a cheap rubber grip chafing your palm. The aluminum-oxide guides are smooth under both monofilament and fluorocarbon.

This is the rod I’d hand to an intermediate angler who fishes a variety of presentations — a morning crankbait run transitioning to afternoon spinnerbaits — and doesn’t want to swap sticks. Backed by a 5-year warranty with St. Croix’s legendary Superstar Service, you’re buying peace of mind as much as a rod.

Buyers love the sensitivity and light weight, with many noting it’s competitive with rods costing significantly more.

✅ Genuinely lightweight at 4.2 oz — comfortable for full-day casting
✅ IPC technology means no dead-zone blank inconsistency
✅ 5-year warranty backed by best-in-class customer service
❌ Fast action may not be quite as forgiving as a true moderate for big squarebills
❌ Price point is higher than beginner-friendly options

Price range: $130–$160. Solid value for a lifetime-use rod from one of North America’s most trusted rod manufacturers.

2. Abu Garcia Vengeance 6’6″ Casting Rod (Medium/Fast) — The Budget Crankbait Workhorse

Don’t let the price fool you. The Abu Garcia Vengeance 6’6″ Medium/Fast is the rod that professional guide and Wired2Fish contributor Walker Smith called “ridiculously lightweight for its price point” — and he’s right. The 24-ton intermediate modulus graphite blank gives it enough sensitivity to detect light-biting fish in cold-front conditions, while the soft, spongy tip does exactly what you want in a moving-bait rod: loads on the cast and gives a bass a split-second to eat before you bury the hooks.

Eight stainless steel guides with aluminum-oxide inserts keep the build honest — no single-foot wire guides that might pop out mid-tournament. The custom Abu Garcia ergonomic reel seat increases blank-to-hand contact, which matters more than most anglers realize. The split-grip EVA handles repel water well and maintain grip after handling fish barehanded.

Durability is the common question at this price, and honestly, it’s fair. The Vengeance isn’t built to survive abuse. But treated with respect — not used as a truck-door pry bar — it holds up admirably. For an angler building their first rod collection or trying out crankbait fishing before committing to a premium stick, this is the smartest $50–$65 you’ll spend at the tackle shop.

Buyers frequently cite the balance and crankbait hookup ratio as standout positives at this price point.

✅ Excellent hookup ratio thanks to spongy medium-action tip
✅ 24-ton graphite punch well above price bracket
✅ Great for anyone testing crankbait techniques before upgrading
❌ Durability concerns if handled roughly
❌ Not ideal for heavier squarebill or deep-diving cranks over ¾ oz

Price range: $50–$65. The strongest entry-level medium action bass rod argument in 2026.

3. Ugly Stik Elite Spinning Rod 7′ Medium/Fast — The Toughest Rod You’ll Ever Buy on a Budget

There is a reason Ugly Stik’s slogan basically writes itself: these rods do not break. The Ugly Stik Elite 7′ Medium/Fast pairs the brand’s legendary Clear Tip construction — a solid glass reinforced tip — with a graphite/fiberglass composite blank that provides a balance of sensitivity and indestructibility no all-graphite rod at this price can match. On a 7-foot spinning platform, this rod opens up a whole lane of medium action bass fishing: finesse swimbaits, underspin jibs, and slow-rolled grubs on light spinning gear.

The Clear Tip doesn’t just look cool. It transfers vibration differently than graphite, providing a visual cue during light bites — you’ll often see the tip dip before you feel the tap. Stainless steel “Ugly Tuff” one-piece guides eliminate the line-chafing insert gaps that plague cheaper guides after a season of hard use.

Realistically, this is the rod you buy when you fish places where gear gets dunked, stepped on, or crammed into truck beds with no rod tube. It handles the real world better than it handles tournament pressure. The trade-off is that it runs a little heavier than pure graphite options, and a full day of fast-moving bait fishing will tire your arm before a lighter stick would.

Users routinely report it surviving abuse that would destroy comparable rods at twice the price.

✅ Clear Tip construction for visual bite detection
✅ Near-indestructible build — takes abuse other rods don’t
✅ Ugly Tuff one-piece guides prevent line damage
❌ Heavier than graphite-only competitors
❌ Less sensitive than premium graphite at high-frequency bites

Price range: $55–$75. The go-to pick when durability beats sensitivity on your priority list.

4. KastKing Perigee II Spinning & Casting Rod (Twin-Tip, Medium) — Two Rods, One Price

The KastKing Perigee II does something none of the others on this list do: it ships with two interchangeable tips — one medium and one medium-heavy — letting you swap power levels without buying a second rod. For an angler building a kit on a strict budget, that’s genuinely game-changing. The 24-ton carbon fiber blank is paired with Fuji O-Ring line guides, graphite high-strength reel seats, and high-density EVA grips. Every component here belongs on a rod costing $30 more.

In practical terms, what this means is: run the medium tip on a ⅜ oz crankbait in the morning, swap to the medium-heavy tip for punching lighter mats in the afternoon, all on the same rod body. The moderate-fast to fast action taper on the medium tip is right in the sweet spot for treble-hook lures — enough give to prevent ripping hooks, enough speed to generate casting distance with lighter lures.

Available in lengths from 4’6″ to 7’6″, the 7′ casting model with twin tips is the pick for bass-specific work. What most buyers overlook is that the Fuji O-Ring guides on a rod under $60 is extraordinary value — Fuji guides typically add $20–$30 to a rod’s cost when spec’d by competitors.

Buyers who are new to fishing routinely rank it as the best first bass rod they’ve owned.

✅ Twin-tip system gives two power levels in one rod
✅ Fuji O-Ring guides at a sub-$60 price is genuinely rare
✅ Wide size selection for different technique needs
❌ Graphite reel seat not as refined as metal alternatives
❌ Twin-tip system requires a minute of swapping time on the water

Price range: $40–$60. Best “bang for your bank account” pick in the entire lineup.

5. Fenwick HMG Casting Rod 7′ Medium/Fast — The Sensitive Mid-Range Standout

Fenwick invented the all-graphite fishing rod back in 1973. That’s not a marketing line — it’s a factual turning point in fishing history. The HMG line is their legacy rod, and the current generation is the best version of it yet. The 7′ Medium/Fast is built on a 30/24-ton high-modulus graphite blend with Fenwick’s Powerlux 100 blank technology, delivering a 13% strength increase and 8% weight reduction versus previous HMG models. In real-world terms: more sensitivity, less fatigue.

Where the Fenwick HMG earns its price is in feedback quality. The soft-touch reel seat is designed with an exposed-blank design — your palm sits directly against the graphite instead of against a thick chassis. That direct contact transmits information your hands process before your brain consciously registers it. If you’ve ever wondered why some anglers detect bites you completely missed, this is often the mechanical answer. Titanium frames with zirconia inserts handle both monofilament and braid cleanly, and the premium cork handle ages beautifully over years of use.

This rod makes the most sense for anglers who spend full tournament days on the water with one rod and need to stay mentally sharp. Reduced fatigue from lighter weight is an underrated performance factor that only shows up in the fourth hour of fishing.

✅ Powerlux 100 blank — measurably lighter and stronger than previous generation
✅ Exposed-blank reel seat for superior bite detection
✅ Lifetime limited warranty — genuine peace of mind
❌ 7′ format may feel unwieldy in tight boat docks or brushy banks
❌ Premium price may be tough to justify for occasional fishers

Price range: $120–$145. The pick for the angler who wants tournament-grade sensitivity without a tournament-budget price tag.

6. Shimano SLX Casting Rod 7’2″ Medium (SLXCX72MA) — The Finesse Specialist

The Shimano SLX SLXCX72MA is a different animal from the other rods on this list, and that’s deliberate. At 7’2″ with a medium power/extra-fast action taper, it’s designed specifically for finesse presentations where the medium power gives the fish a moment to commit while the extra-fast taper keeps enough backbone for a clean hookset. This is the rod for walking a Whopper Plopper over shallow grass, twitching a suspending jerkbait in clear water, or slow-rolling a medium-diving crank in cold post-frontal conditions.

What separates the SLX from rods at similar prices is Shimano’s proprietary DIAFLASH technology — carbon tape wrapped diagonally in opposite directions at the butt section to form X-shaped reinforcement. The result is dramatically reduced blank torque when you’re pulling against a hard-fighting bass, translating to more control at boat-side. Titanium Oxide guides handle thin braid-to-fluoro leader setups without wear, and the custom-etched EVA split-grip handles are a legitimate ergonomic upgrade over generic foam.

This rod shines for the technical angler who wants a medium-power stick that doesn’t feel like a sloppy noodle — the extra-fast taper keeps the tip response crisp even at medium power.

✅ DIAFLASH technology reduces blank torque under load
✅ 7’2″ length maximizes casting distance for open-water presentations
✅ Extra-fast tip means crisp response despite medium power rating
❌ Extra-fast action requires some adjustment for treble-hook bait work
❌ Lure rating tops out at ½ oz — too light for heavy squarebills

Price range: $130–$155. The sleeper pick for anglers who fish finesse-heavy clear-water situations.

7. Lew’s Custom Lite Speed Stick Casting Rod (TLCPAPC) 7′ Medium/Moderate-Fast — The Premium All-Day Performer

If you’ve ever fished for eight straight hours with a cheap rod and wondered why your arm feels like concrete, Lew’s Custom Lite is the answer to that problem. The TLCPAPC 7′ Medium/Moderate-Fast is built on LFS-X5 Nano graphite technology — an 85-modulus graphite construction that Lew’s markets as delivering “maximum sensitivity from minimum weight,” and for once, the spec sheet matches the on-water experience.

The moderate-fast taper sits right in the center of medium action bass rod territory: it forgives hard hooksets without pulling treble hooks, but it won’t feel dead under your hand. At 10–20 lb line rating with ⅛–½ oz lure weight, it shines with lighter crankbaits, small swimbaits, and medium-running squarebills on fluorocarbon. The SS316 stainless steel tangle-free zirconium-insert guides are genuinely premium components — the same guide family you find on rods costing $50–$100 more.

The A-grade cork palm swell handles with EVA and Duracork inlay are legitimately the most comfortable grip in this entire roundup. Pair that with Lew’s proprietary SoftTouch skeletal graphite reel seat and you have a rod that becomes an extension of your arm after thirty minutes of use. This is the pick for the angler who has owned the Abu Garcia Vengeance, appreciated it, and is ready to feel the difference that $100 more in rod budget actually makes.

✅ LFS-X5 Nano 85-modulus graphite — one of the lightest blanks on this list
✅ A-grade cork + EVA Duracork grip — exceptional all-day comfort
✅ SoftTouch skeletal reel seat delivers direct blank contact sensitivity
❌ Highest price point in the lineup
❌ ½ oz lure cap limits heavier crankbait applications

Price range: $160–$200. The premium daily-driver that rewards anyone who spends serious time fishing.

How to Match Your Bass Fishing Style to the Right Medium Action Bass Rod

Understanding that you need a medium action bass rod is only half the equation. The half that most buyers skip is matching the specific action within the medium power range to what they actually fish. Spool up wrong and even the best rod on this list will feel average.

Crankbait & Treble Hook Applications: Go Moderate-Fast or True Moderate

This is the sweet spot for medium action rods. As the BASS Federation explains in its technique library, the whole idea behind a softer rod action for treble-hook baits is preventing the fish from using the hook as a lever against you during headshakes. A 7′ medium/moderate-fast like the Abu Garcia Vengeance or the Lew’s Custom Lite loads smoothly on the cast and then cushions runs instead of ripping hooks out. For squarebills and medium-divers specifically, look for a lure rating that includes ⅜–⅝ oz.

Moving Baits & Spinnerbaits: Medium Power Handles the Load

Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and bladed jigs all benefit from a rod that loads during the cast and telegraphs thump-and-vibration feedback through the retrieve. Medium power with a moderate or moderate-fast action is ideal — stiff enough to feel the blade tick, soft enough to absorb reactionary bites where the fish slams the bait at boatside. The St. Croix Premier PC66MF and Fenwick HMG both handle this category exceptionally well.

Light Swimbaits & Topwater: Consider the Spinning Option

The Ugly Stik Elite 7′ spinning model opens up a softer lane of medium action bass fishing that the casting rods on this list don’t quite reach. On 10 lb fluorocarbon, a slow-rolled 3″ paddletail or a walking topwater like a Zara Spook casts beautifully and presents with natural action that heavier-line setups can’t replicate. If your fishing style leans toward clear-water bass chasing, the 7′ spinning medium option deserves a dedicated spot in your arsenal.

Real-World Buyer Scenarios: Which Rod Should You Actually Buy?

These aren’t hypothetical profiles. These are the three angler types who show up at any boat ramp on a Saturday morning.

Scenario 1 — The Weekend Warrior on a $100 Budget You fish 15–20 times per year, mostly on local lakes with spinnerbaits and crankbaits. You want one do-it-all rod that won’t panic you when it gets dinged on the boat gunnel. The KastKing Perigee II Twin-Tip is your pick. The twin-tip system means you effectively get two rods for under $60, and the Fuji guides at this price are legitimately impressive. Buy it, fish it hard, upgrade in two seasons when you’re ready.

Scenario 2 — The Serious Hobbyist Building a Focused Crankbait Setup You fish 30+ days a year, you’ve started studying seasonal patterns, and you want a rod that matches the way tournament anglers set up their crankbait boxes. The Abu Garcia Vengeance 6’6″ Medium/Fast handles your sub-½ oz cranks, and the St. Croix Premier PC66MF handles the heavier ⅝–¾ oz bills. Between these two rods in the $50–$160 range, you cover the entire crankbait spectrum.

Scenario 3 — The Tournament Angler Who Values All-Day Comfort You fish 40+ days a year, often pre-fishing days back to back. Arm fatigue and grip comfort are legitimate performance factors, not excuses. The Lew’s Custom Lite TLCPAPC and the Fenwick HMG both shine here. The Lew’s wins on grip comfort; the Fenwick wins on blank sensitivity. If forced to choose one: Fenwick HMG for the versatile angler, Lew’s Custom Lite for someone who specializes in moderate-retrieve presentations.

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Click on any highlighted rod name in this article to check current pricing and availability on Amazon. Whether you’re building your first crankbait setup or upgrading to a premium tournament stick, these rods represent the best medium action bass rod options available in 2026 — at every price point that matters.

How to Choose a Medium Action Bass Rod: 6 Criteria That Actually Matter

Walk into any tackle shop and the wall of rods looks like a conspiracy. Here’s what to actually evaluate — in order of importance.

1. Action Taper First, Power Second Most buyers flip this. Rod power (medium vs. medium-heavy) describes lifting strength; rod action describes where the blank bends. For moving-bait applications, action is the more important specification. A medium-fast taper is the versatility sweet spot; true moderate is better for treble-hook-specific work.

2. Length for Your Fishing Environment Shorter rods (6’6″) are more accurate in tight quarters — docks, laydowns, boat lanes. Longer rods (7’–7’2″) generate more casting distance and a better sweep-strike arc for long-line crankbait fishing. There’s no universal winner; match length to your primary environment.

3. Blank Material and Modulus Rating Higher modulus graphite (30-ton, 85-modulus) is lighter and more sensitive but potentially more brittle under impact. Lower modulus graphite with fiberglass blends (like Ugly Stik’s composite) trades some sensitivity for durability. Neither is objectively better — it depends whether sensitivity or ruggedness ranks higher on your priority list.

4. Guide Quality Fuji guides and zirconia/titanium-oxide inserts are the gold standard. They reduce line friction, cast farther, and last longer than generic stainless ring-in-metal guides. In sub-$60 rods, guide quality is often the first corner cut. The KastKing Perigee II is the notable exception with actual Fuji O-Ring guides at that price point.

5. Reel Seat Design Exposed-blank reel seat designs (like the Fenwick HMG and Lew’s Custom Lite) transfer more vibration to your hand than covered-blank designs. If sensitivity is a priority, spend five minutes on this spec when comparing rods.

6. Warranty A 5-year warranty (St. Croix) signals confidence in build quality. A lifetime limited warranty (Fenwick) signals something stronger. A 1-year warranty at any price should make you pause and think about what the manufacturer is implicitly telling you about expected longevity.

Common Mistakes When Buying a Medium Action Bass Rod

The mistakes aren’t what you’d expect. Nobody admits to them, but everybody makes at least one.

Mistake #1: Buying Medium Power When You Mean Moderate Action These are not the same thing. “Medium” refers to power (how much force to bend the rod). “Moderate” or “medium action” refers to where the bend occurs. Many crankbait anglers need a moderate-action rod in a medium or medium-heavy power. Read the spec sheet, not just the label on the rod.

Mistake #2: Matching Rod to Line Weight Instead of Lure Weight The lure weight rating on a rod is the more practically useful number for technique matching. If you’re throwing ¼–½ oz crankbaits, you need a rod rated for that lure range regardless of what line you prefer. Running 17 lb fluorocarbon through a rod rated for 6–12 lb line will eventually compromise the blank’s integrity.

Mistake #3: Buying Fast Action for Everything The fishing industry has conditioned anglers to associate “fast action” with quality. But for treble-hook presentations, a fast action rod actually works against you — the stiff tip doesn’t cushion the fish’s run, increasing hook-pull frequency. As Wikipedia’s bass fishing article notes, technique-specific tackle selection is one of the key differentiators between casual and consistent anglers.

Mistake #4: Ignoring Handle Comfort for Long-Fishing Days Grip comfort is a performance factor, not a luxury feature. An hour into a calm summer evening, any rod feels fine. Five hours into a pre-fish day after a sleepless night, a poorly designed grip becomes genuinely fatiguing. The A-grade cork on the St. Croix Premier and Lew’s Custom Lite isn’t an aesthetic choice — it reduces micro-fatigue over an all-day session.

Mistake #5: Overspending on Features You Won’t Use If you fish 10 times per year with moderate technique variety, a $170 Lew’s Custom Lite won’t improve your catch rate more than a $60 KastKing Perigee II. Spend to the level your fishing frequency justifies. The best medium action bass rod for you is the one that matches your investment of time on the water.

Medium Action vs. Fast Action Bass Rods: The Real Honest Comparison

This is the comparison that sells more unnecessary fast-action rods than any other single misconception.

The table above clarifies why a medium action bass rod earns its dedicated slot in any well-rounded rod collection: it covers categories a fast-action rod genuinely struggles with. A fast-action rod is excellent for jig and Texas-rig work — but running a squarebill on a fast-action rod regularly costs hook-ups that a medium rod would have converted.

The real answer most experienced anglers land on: own both. The medium action rod handles moving baits, the fast action rod handles bottom contact presentations. Between these two, you cover 90% of bass fishing scenarios according to most professional guides.

Medium Action Bass Rods for Beginners: Where to Start Without Wasting Money

New bass anglers almost universally receive the same bad advice: “Get whatever’s cheapest until you learn.” That framing sets beginners up to learn the wrong lessons from bad equipment.

A better framework: spend the minimum to get equipment that doesn’t actively fight you, then upgrade once your technique reveals specific gaps. That minimum is approximately $50–$75 in today’s market. Both the Abu Garcia Vengeance and the Ugly Stik Elite sit comfortably in that window and provide genuine medium action bass rod performance — not toys with fishing rod labels.

Start on a casting (baitcasting) setup only if you’re already comfortable with backlash management. If you’re brand new to bass fishing, the Ugly Stik Elite 7′ Medium spinning rod removes that variable entirely. You can develop retrieve technique, learn seasonal patterns, and start catching fish without managing spool control simultaneously. The American Sportfishing Association consistently notes that new anglers who start with appropriately matched gear develop skills faster and stick with the sport longer — the gear genuinely matters for the learning curve.

Once you’ve identified what presentations you enjoy most — crankbaits versus finesse versus moving baits — your next rod purchase becomes obvious and specific rather than another general guess.

Long-Term Value: What Does a Medium Action Bass Rod Actually Cost Over 5 Years?

Let’s do math that fishing content rarely includes.

Budget option ($60 rod): If it lasts 3–4 years with moderate care, you’re spending roughly $15–$20 per year of use. Solid value.

Mid-range option ($130 rod with 5-year warranty): If you exercise the warranty once in five years (replacing a broken tip, for example), the effective annual cost drops to $20–$25. The warranty doesn’t cost you extra — it dramatically reduces replacement costs.

Premium option ($170 rod with lifetime warranty): Over 10 years of regular use, the annual cost is $17 — less than many budget rods. Premium rods with legitimate lifetime warranties are often the cheapest long-term investment in the category.

The spec sheet won’t tell you this, but guide inserts are often the first failure point on budget rods. A cracked zirconia insert creates a line-fraying groove that costs you both line and, eventually, fish. On premium rods with titanium guides, this is virtually a non-issue. Factor in 2–3 spools of damaged line per year on cheap guides and the value math on premium rods shifts considerably.

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Check out the highlighted rod names throughout this article for current pricing and availability on Amazon. Stock levels on popular bass rods shift seasonally — tournament season (April–June) in particular sees inventory thin quickly on sought-after medium action rods.

FAQ: Medium Action Bass Rod Questions Answered

Conclusion: The Medium Action Bass Rod Is the Foundation, Not the Option

In a world of specialized techniques and hyper-specific gear recommendations, the medium action bass rod is the honest answer to a question most anglers are secretly asking: what rod actually catches the most fish for the most situations?

The answer hasn’t changed in 30 years of tournament fishing. Moving-bait anglers — from club tournament weekenders to Elite Series pros — put their crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits on medium action rods because the forgiveness in the blank directly converts to more fish in the net. The specs matter, but the principle is simple: a rod that cushions the fight lands more treble-hook bass than a rod that fights against it.

For 2026, the KastKing Perigee II and Abu Garcia Vengeance dominate the budget conversation. The St. Croix Premier PC66MF and Fenwick HMG own the mid-range space. The Lew’s Custom Lite and Shimano SLX serve the premium angler with specific technique needs. Every one of them is currently available on Amazon — check current pricing on any highlighted rod name in this article.

Pick the rod that matches your fishing frequency and budget. Then go find some bass.

✨ Did this guide help you choose? Drop a comment and share which rod you went with — and why!

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