Some anglers will scoff at the notion of using ultralight fishing gear. Likewise, I’m not here to convert die hard bass anglers into something else. I’m hopefully viewed more as an advocate for helping folks enjoy fishing more and for helping spread the fun of fishing to other folks, especially young folks. It’s hard to argue that one of the easiest ways to do that is with an ultralight rod and reel combo. I won’t go too far into the weeds on which rods and reels you should pick as we have covered best ultralight rods, best ultralight reels and best travel rods in great detail already. So I will focus mostly on the why an ultralight rod is great to always have on the ready.
I think it boils down to several key points as to why an ultralight rod is a good addition to have in the boat, on the kayak or in the truck. They are usually affordable, simple and quick to get a bait in the water. All of these things can lead to a lot of fishing enjoyment in your travels and days off.
And, I’ve also had a bunch of cases where an ultralight rod really saved the day on fishing trips to new bodies of water and on days when I intended to do one thing but when I got on the water, I found something else going on that I was unprepared for and the ultralight rod was the perfect tool.
If you’re still on the fence, let’s run down some key points on why an ultralight rod is a great fishing tool to have at your disposal at all times.
CHEAP WAY TO A BETTER FIGHT
You can spend a lot on a ultralight combo. I have a few myself. But day in and day out I’m using a $25 reel and a $25 rod. And for that money, I’ve had a ton of fun memories. I’ve caught big bass, nice crappie, big shellcrackers, nice trout, a bunch of giant bluegill, some big catfish, a few nice white bass, some sauger and some other fish I’m probably forgetting.
The nice thing about it ultralight fishing is you can make it very inexpensive and then it’s all about you playing down a fish when the fight ensues. If you’re going to spend money on an ultralight rod and reel combo, put the money into the reel so that you get a little better drag. I’ve used some good reels but for the money, the Piscifun Viper X can be had on Amazon for around $29. I’ve caught it on sale a bunch of times for $25. The Handing M1 is also available on Amazon for $22 and is pretty good, although the Piscifun has a bit better drag.
Rods there are some good rods between $30-$50. If you catch them on sale, you will get down in the $25 range. I like the Handing rods, B’n’M rods, and a few JDM rods that are bit pricey. But day in and day out. I’m using a Handing Magic L Ultralight and a Piscifun Viper X to do most of my damage on panfish, trout and bass with an ultralight setup.
The fight is just too much fun with these setups. I’ve caught shellcrackers over 2 pounds, crappie over 2 pounds, smallmouth bass over 4 pounds, catfish over 7 pounds, white bass over 3 pounds. So even with 2-4 pound line, you can handle fish with these setups. You just have to be patient, use your drag and play the fish down first. And that makes it a lot of fun.
GREAT FOR GETTING PRESSURED FISH TO BITE
The best part of an ultralight fishing combo is that it can actually save a fishing day when the fish are in a negative mood or they are pressured with more power baits. I’ve caught a bunch of nice fish on small jigs, small topwaters and small buggy baits fished on an ultralight when they wouldn’t hit anything else.
I grew up fishing creeks in Arkansas and spent a lot of time landing nice smallmouth on 2 to 4-pound line with 1/16 and 1/8 ounce jigs and baits. Ultra clear water, very specific precision casts in and around cover with current. That taught me a lot about being adept with light line and catching fish I see that others couldn’t get to bite.
It’s worth your time to hone your skills with an ultralight rod. The numbers of fish you catch will impress the hardest of power fishermen.
WILL LET YOU DO MORE THAN MOST OTHER RODS
One of the nice things about an ultralight setup is that it can do a lot more than most rods. It can get a bait in tight quarters from a distance. It can often throw down-sized versions of your favorite baits a lot better than you throw your standard version on your standard gear.
Another key point is that they are usually 2-piece rods that are packable. Because of this, I have one in my vehicle at all times. And when it’s broken down, it stays strapped to my sling pack so I can grab and go anywhere anytime on my travels. Its portability makes it a lot more functional than most fishing combos.
MOST NEW ANGLERS JUST WANT CONSISTENT ACTION
When you are introducing people to fishing, an ultralight is a great way to go. A small bait that just gets bit on light line and letting them hear that drag sing while they fight a hard-pulling fish is what makes memories. For most people starting out, catching lots of fish will keep them engaged and coming back. Then as they start getting better quality they will get the bug. And that one big fish on an ultralight has been some of my fondest memories over the years.
ELEPHANTS EAT PEANUTS
It is worth mentioning that sometimes bigger fish are keyed in on smaller bait. So there are times when you need to throw a much smaller bait that can sometimes be difficult on conventional tackle. We see it a lot in the summer when the shad are very small and the bass are busting tiny shad out over open water. Same with fish on docks. They can sometimes be keyed into very small baits. Yes you sometimes want a stiffer rod to work a fish away from potential snags. There are also times when you want to throw something very small a very long ways, and an ultralight fishing combo is the best way to do that.
BYCATCH BOUNTY
Probably my number one reason to urge anglers to get an ultralight rod is how many times I’ve been out fishing for bass or something else and stumbled onto something and wished I had a small rod and small jig rigged up. I’ve had so many times where I found a big shell cracker bed, a big, a bunch of crappie out suspended in open clear water that I had to stay way off of. A fish in uber shallow clear water that I wanted to land a tiny little light bait on to get the bite. Whatever you encounter when fishing, having a jack-of-all-trades ultralight rod handy can make for a super fun sideline tangent to your planned fishing.
Whether it’s catching fish easily, catching tough pressured fish, being ready for unplanned encounters or just wanting to enjoy a fight on light gear, an ultralight fishing combo can really be one of your favorite fishing setups if you’ll pick it up and use it.
