The Latest Trends in Travel Fishing Rods

Whether or not you’re touring to a dream fishing vacation spot or on a enterprise journey and seeking to make a number of casts between conferences, the most recent technology of journey fishing rods take excessive efficiency on the highway. 

In accordance with the Fishing Tourism Advertising and marketing Outlook Report, vacation spot fishing generated $72 million in 2023, and journey fishing is forecast to extend 3 times within the subsequent 10 years. Anticipating flocks of touring anglers, the sort out business responded with new journey fishing rods utilizing premium blanks and elements to offer one of the best fishing expertise wherever you moist a line. 

Kinds of Journey Rods

Journey rods are available in two flavors: multipiece and telescoping. Telescoping rods, just like the title says, collapse like a telescope. Multipiece rods, alternatively, break down into three to 6 sections that pack right into a case or rod tube.

Telescoping rods are essentially the most compact and best to retailer. Chris Martin, area advertising and marketing specialist at Daiwa, packs a telescoping rod when he’s on a enterprise journey. “TSA scans the rod and sends it via as carry-on baggage.” When Martin reaches the aircraft, the flight attendant will let him take the rod into the cabin if he has to gate-check his carry-on bag. 

Martin can stash the journey rod in an overhead bin already full of different baggage. “The collapsible rod isn’t an issue on the flight,” Martin says. 

A multipiece rod in a case or rod tube requires a bit of extra space however gives one of the best efficiency. Josh Lantz, communications supervisor at St. Croix, says a three-piece 7-foot rod gives a very good stability between efficiency and portability. “The rod breaks all the way down to 30 inches to suit the necessities for carry-on baggage,” Lantz says. 

The longer clean sections enable the rod to transition from a stiffer butt part to the lighter tip, providing extra choices for energy and motion. “We make journey rods for panfish and rods for tarpon,” he says. Every mannequin is dialed in to fulfill the wants of the goal species.

To fulfill the expectations of an skilled journey angler, the most recent journey rods use the highest-grade rod blanks. “A touring angler is on trip, doing what he loves, and he desires a rod that’s going to raise the expertise,” Lantz says. 

Lantz figures a touring angler can be an skilled angler who is aware of the worth of a very good fishing rod. 

A journey rod takes a beating, and never simply from the fish. Lantz factors out the worth of high-quality reel seats and line guides. “A damaged information eye might intrude with fishing plans,” he explains. 

Species Particular

The largest pattern is journey rods with efficiency and options designed for mild sort out, heavy sort out, jigging, casting, standard or spinning. 

Many anglers journey to a dream vacation spot to focus on a bucket-list trophy. Shimano designed the Zodias five-piece rods with its greatest clean and elements to deal with the largest fish within the sea. Product advertising and marketing supervisor Blaine Anderson says large tuna, big trevally and different bluewater brutes take a look at sort out to the breaking level. “I desire a casting or jigging rod with energy and efficiency after I want it,” he says.

Touring anglers on tight budgets will likely be fishing from shore. Okuma lately launched the Rockaway journey surf rods, a sequence of three-piece rods from 8 to 12 ft lengthy. Jonathan Gayton, advertising and marketing specialist at Okuma, explains: “The rods have surf-fishing-specific options like a shrink-wrap grip and EVA butt for larger casting distance.” Stainless-steel line guides are corrosion-resistant in case the angler can’t rinse the rods after fishing.

Making Connections

The weak level on any journey rod is the ferrules between the clean sections. The connection invitations injury, and the stiff joint impacts the rod’s motion. 

To cut back the impact ferrules have on the rod, Okuma makes use of a singular European spigot-style ferrule to hitch the sections of the Rockaway journey surf rods. As a substitute of the tip part becoming over the butt part, the tip part has an insert that matches contained in the butt part. “The ferrule is low-profile and permits us to take care of efficiency all through the clean,” Gayton reveals. 

For 2024, Daiwa is investing in its journey rods by redesigning the present lineup and releasing new rods for vacation spot anglers. The Saltiga journey sequence is constructed on Daiwa’s personal V-Joint ferrule. 

“The V-Joint is a versatile connection between the rod sections,” Martin says. As a substitute of stiffening the rod, the V-Joint permits the rod to flex naturally and eliminates flat spots that hinder the rod’s motion and energy.

Journey Log

Nobody is happier in regards to the new journey rods than the parents who make them. Product specialists journey all around the nation to fulfill with sellers and attend commerce reveals. Lantz has used his Avid Trek medium-action journey rod for snook and tarpon in Florida and at residence to jig for lake trout. “I might use any St. Croix rod for trout, however I can’t beat the motion of the Avid Trek,” he says. Daiwa’s Martin was impressed with the efficiency of the Procyon telescoping rod. “Now I don’t hesitate to journey with a fishing rod,” he says. 

Okuma Rockaway Journey Surf Rods

Okuma stepped exterior the field designing a sequence of three-piece surf rods. The Okuma journey surf rods can be found in lengths from 8.5 to 12 ft that break all the way down to solely 33.5 to 43 inches. To outlive the surf, the Rockaway surf rods embrace sturdy tapered shrink-wrap rod grips and corrosion-­resistant stainless-steel line guides. To supply lengthy casts with elevated preventing energy, the journey surf rods use Okuma’s strengthened rod tip that produces 300 p.c extra lifting energy.

Learn Subsequent: Select the Proper Fishing Rod

Daiwa Saltiga SW Journey Rod

Designed to deal with giant fish anyplace on the earth, the Saltiga SW journey rod breaks down into three items and matches in a sturdy journey case. Obtainable in three spinning and three casting fashions from medium-­heavy to heavy motion, the rods use Daiwa’s proprietary carbon-fiber weave and nano resin to extend energy and cut back weight. Mixed with premium Fuji tangle-free guides, the SW journey rod received’t allow you to down when the fish of a lifetime is on the road.

Fenwick Elite Journey Inshore Spinning Rod

The Elite Journey inshore rod combines the sturdiness of 36- and 30-ton carbon fiber with strengthened resin. Taking sensitivity to the following stage, the Elite Journey makes use of Fenwick’s soft-touch reel seat with a cushty body and uncovered clean that instantly transmits vibration to the angler’s hand. The Elite Journey is out there in a flexible medium-heavy 7-foot rod with a ⅛- to 1-ounce lure score to cowl the whole lot from finesse fishing to bait fishing. 

St. Croix Avid Trek Rod

Obtainable in six spinning and one casting mannequin, the Avid Trek line has a journey rod to fulfill the wants of big-game and light-tackle anglers. The sequence consists of St. Croix’s thin-wall rod clean, premium cork handles and high-modulus carbon fiber to dial in every Trek rod for efficiency centered on a selected fishing approach. Utilizing strengthened carbon fiber within the clean, St. Croix reduces flat spots and will increase hoop energy for a rod with constant efficiency all through the size of the clean.

G.Loomis NRX+Fly Saltwater Rod

For lengthy, correct casts, fly anglers demand one of the best qualities out of their rods, even when utilizing a journey rod. The four-piece NRX+Fly rod begins with G.Loomis’ most superior Dynamic Restoration System, combining its multitaper clean with high-strength NRX+ carbon fiber to exactly distribute materials, giving the rod energy in weak spots and fine-tuning the clean’s response. The result’s a journey rod that performs like a single-piece fly rod to take your greatest forged anyplace within the world.

Shimano Convergence D 4-Piece Rod

In case you’re on the lookout for a handy journey rod with out breaking the financial institution, Shimano’s Convergence D 4-Piece is out there in medium-light and medium motion for below $80. The cork grips, Fuji reel seat and SeaGuide aluminum-oxide line guides are premium options for one of the best fishing expertise at any vacation spot. To get to there, the Convergence D breaks into 4 items and matches right into a protecting rod tube.