The biggest advantage of ultralight fishing rods is that they can deliver even the lightest and smallest lures over a decent distance without any problems. Micro lures are more likely to be attacked by fish, therefore, even on the most unfavorable day for fishing, the probability of catching fish with an ultralight rod is higher. This is why rods like these are incredible even for the advanced angler.
The 11 Best Budget Ultralight Fishing Rods
Later in this article, I will explain to you the most important quality criteria that you should pay special attention to when buying ultralight rods. Now let’s take a look at the 11 best ultralight fishing rods currently available on the market.
1# St Croix Triumph Spinning Rods – #1 Best Seller
The St. Croix Triumph spinning rods are characterized by fast action, high sensitivity, and lightness, while at the same time they have enough power and strength to fish even in the most difficult conditions. All spinning rods are made of high-quality SC II graphite. Each St. Croix Triumph rod is equipped with a Fuji graphite reel seat, Batson Forecast aluminum oxide guides with black double chrome frames, and a selected cork handle.
2# BERRYPRO Ultralight Spinning Fishing Rod
The rod is intended primarily for trout fishing, and, of course, for other fish with a powerful and lightning attack. The name of this line of ultralight class spinning rods speaks for itself – speed, lightness, elegance, and irresistibility! The spinning rod works great with various types of light lures. The use of X-Carbon technology in the creation of the blank made it possible to give the spinning speed when casting. It has a carbon tip section for high sensitivity. The stainless steel guide has a ceramic ring for smooth operation.
3# Ugly Stik Elite Spinning Fishing Rod – #1 Best Seller
A high-modulus graphite fiber is wound on the base of the blank, due to which a certain structure is achieved that can withstand significant loads even with aggressive playing. It also reduces the weight of the rod and adds sensitivity. Also, the model has a perfect balance. The accessory is endowed with such a distinctive feature as a transparent fiberglass tip end. This provides extra strength where it is needed most. Also, thanks to the fiberglass top, the Ugly Stik has excellent sensitivity to even the weakest bites.
4# Sougayilang Fishing Rods
This is a very gentle ultralight spinning rod, designed for catching perch with the smallest lures. It features graphite composite billets that provide maximum sensitivity and product strength. It has a cork handle for maximum comfort. Your wet hands will not slip on the handle. The model is equipped with stainless steel guides with stainless steel inserts. They ensure smooth operation and prevent line tangling.
5# TEMPO Spinning Rod
This ultra-light spinning rod is ideal for fun and effective fishing. The blank is made of high-quality graphite and has a high power reserve and low weight. The static blank combines a sensitive tip to provide excellent cushioning for fish while playing. The rod is equipped with SIC guides. The comfortable handle is made from a combination of EVA material and cork and makes it possible to confidently hold the rod when fighting fish or power casting.
6# Berkley Lightning Rod Trout Rod
The Berkley Lightning Rod is made from IM6 carbon fiber. This model has become famous as a fairly powerful, but at the same time, a super-sensitive rod. It will allow you to feel the slightest bites. The Berkley spinning rod is a unique combination of strength and sensitivity, the fastest, strongest and lightest rod in its class. The reel holds perfectly thanks to the double-locking reel seat. Your line won’t slip thanks to stainless steel guides with aluminum oxide inserts.
7# Daiwa SMD562ULFS Rods Spinning
This is a representative of the famous and popular series of ultralight spinning rods from Daiwa. These are strong, comfortable, and reliable rods made of high modulus SG graphite. The handle is made of natural cork. The rod has a fast action. The model is made of high modulus graphite with excellent characteristics but at a very reasonable price. For the first time on a spinning rod of this class, two cutting-edge technologies from DAIWA are applied at once. The buttstock is made using SOLID technology to give the rod rigidity and power. And the top for the precise and long casting of lures is made using TUBULAR technology.
8# OKUMA Celilo Graphite Lightweight Ultra Light Trout Rods
An OKUMA spinning rod that has significantly raised the bar for quality and performance in its price range. The blanks of these rods have a significant taper and have a graphite blank design. The model has a good feel for the guidance of light lures and is capable of casting rather heavy lures. The reel is securely fastened thanks to the stainless steel hooded reel seat.
9# Shakespeare Micro Spinning Rod
This is a reliable rod from the renowned Shakespeare company. It is suitable for ultra-light fishing and for users of all skill levels. It is made of graphite composite material and has an ultralight effect. Your reel will always be in place thanks to the reel seat with cushioned hoods. The handles are made of cork so they are of high quality and comfort.
10# Goture Telescopic Tenkara Ultralight Travel Fishing Rod
If you are looking for a telescopic rod for ultralight fishing this is the perfect one for you. Its closed design and lightweight make it easy to take with you when traveling. I really liked this rod for its high flexibility. It is made of high-quality carbon fiber with a special inner reinforcement. This adds strength. The rod is comfortable to use, providing smooth and accurate long-distance casts.
11# Rosewood Ultralight Spinning/Casting Rod
When you fish with this accessory, you will feel the slightest fish bites. It has a sensitive hard tip. Graphite billet construction provides high strength and reliability. The rod can be used on various bodies of water. Guides minimize line friction and twisting. Even if your rod is wet, your hands won’t slip thanks to the fore and rear cork grips.
What is an Ultralight Spinning Rod for?
Such models are designed for catching predatory fish, as usual with very light baits. Many people probably think that if a rod is ultralight, then it is necessarily fragile, but this is absolutely not the case. The modern materials from which the spinning rod is made are so strong that they can fish out large fish. Due to the ability to throw light tackle with ultralight equipment, it is very convenient to fish in overgrown reservoirs. Also, due to the properties of lightweight baits, they often provoke fish to bite. Therefore, the likelihood of catching fish is significantly increased compared to other gear.
Ultralight Fishing Rod Buying Guide
Length
While passionate ultralight anglers call perch the true target fish in this type of fishing, many other species are regularly hooked. From trout and pike perch to pike and catfish, as well as white and carp fish. Since the baits in UL fishing are usually very small, the catch delay threshold is reduced accordingly. Another strong point of fishing with ultralight rods is that the lines are very thin, so the fish can’t see them.
The best ultralight fishing rods are usually 1.80 to 2.20 meters in length. If this is a coastal area overgrown with bushes, then the spinning rod should be chosen shorter. If the space is open without interference or you are fishing from a boat, then it is better to choose a longer rod. Fishing with a short spinning rod takes away your maneuverability. You cannot avoid obstacles, be it driftwood or grass. Lures weighing 1 gram can only be cast with a short spinning rod. If the weight of the bait is 2 grams or more, then the length of the ultralight tackle does not matter. In any case, the choice of the length of such rods is rather limited. So you can hardly go wrong here.
Action
The action of the rod indicates how much the rod bends when loaded. The action also provides information on how quickly the rod returns to its original position when the load is removed. That is, how quickly it becomes straight again. Ultralight rods usually have fast action. With each load, they evenly bend with their upper half. The advantage of quick action is that they are very good at mitigating fish spillage, which often occurs without warning at close range. This action of the rod is great for long casts.
Material
The material from which modern rods are made can be divided into three categories:
- Graphite
- Fiberglass
- Composite, as it consists of the previous two materials
Graphite ultralight rods are the most common ones due to their strength and cheap material. This material is now used even in the manufacture of automobiles. Despite all its advantages, graphite has one, but a significant drawback. It’s flexible. Although many of the fishermen take this disadvantage as a virtue. They say that with such a rod it is more convenient to wire the fish. All the same, in my opinion, this is a drawback.
Ultralight rods made of fiberglass and composite materials have very high flexibility, which is why they are inferior to graphite in strength, and this indicator is much more important for ultralight spinning.
Variety of Lures for Ultralight Fishing
Spinners, wobblers, and soft baits from all brands are ideal for fishing with ultra-light rods. The only requirement is that they must be small enough and weigh no more than 8 grams. The wider the range of the bait, the more likely it is to catch unexpectedly. Basically, you can use faux crabs, twisters, poppers, animal baits, spinners to catch all kinds of fish that feed on the natural patterns that these baits mimic. However, wobblers are the most popular lure for most anglers in this type of fishing. There are no rules for ultralight fishing for bait color.
The Right Reel for an Ultralight Rod
If you are fishing with a light rod, you will also need a light reel. The weight of a suitable model should be between 150 and 200 grams. The low weight of the reel is a prerequisite for spinning fishing without fatigue. In addition, the reel should help balance the ultralight rod. In addition, it should be easy to reel, have good brakes, and excellent line guidance.
Conclusion
Ultralight fishing is interesting and amazing. It is a lot of fun and you will have a big catch. You need to choose the right rod. Study again all the information I have provided and you will have a clear idea of the choice. However, I recommend choosing St Croix Triumph Spinning Rods.
Tags: #ultralight fishing rod / #best ultralight fishing rod / #ultralight telescopic fishing rod / #ultralight fishing rod reviews / #best ultralight fishing rod reel combo / #best ultralight fishing rod and reel
I live in Tenerife (Canary Islands) for the last 10+ years and share my daily fishing experiences on my website. Many years of personal experience as a fisherman and the vast experience of my friends allow me to write professionally on any fishing topics (from choosing a flashlight and equipment to deep-sea fishing).
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I found this article to be very well-researched and organized, making it easy to compare the different ultralight rods. Great job! The Daiwa Presso is a fantastic ultralight fishing rod, but it has been difficult to obtain in recent times.
For those looking for a budget option, the Daiwa Legalis LT Blue 2021 Model is my personal recommendation. While the Shimano Sienna is also a good budget option, it is slightly heavier at around 60 grams in comparison to the Legalis.
For those searching for an even more budget-friendly option, I suggest checking out the Walmart Micro Series Light 7ft rod. Despite its low price of only $20, it is still a great rod that offers sensitivity and a fast tip, making it ideal for ultralight jigging.
I appreciated the inclusion of the customer reviews, it gives a good idea of how the rods perform in real-life situations. As someone also in the market for an ultra-light fishing setup, I wanted to offer some advice regarding the rod aspect of it.
You mentioned St. Croix and the fact that their rods can get into the $100+ range, which is true. However, it is worth mentioning that the quality of St. Croix products is excellent and their rod warranty is top-notch.
In case of an unfortunate event leading to a broken rod, the investment in a St. Croix product can go a long way and the warranty process is very straightforward and customer-friendly.
Having personally taken advantage of the rod warranty from St. Croix on a few occasions, I can attest to their high level of customer service which has made me a loyal customer for life. I wish you the best of luck with your search for an ultra-light setup and I hope it brings you many successful fishing trips and a lot of fish!
I have been fishing for years, and I never knew there were so many options for ultralight rods. Thanks for the informative article! As someone who only practices fly fishing, I would say that it is much more effective when fishing in mountain streams. The use of flies, which are lighter than lures, allows you to bring a large variety to match what the fish are feeding on.
For those who are looking for an ultra-light and budget-friendly option, I would recommend trying tenkara. This Japanese style of fly fishing doesn’t require a reel, making the setup very lightweight and packable. I personally find it to be best for smaller streams and lakes where the fish feed close to the banks and on the surface. My favorite rod for this style of fishing is my primary tenkara rod.
When it comes to larger lakes, I prefer to use regular “Western” fly fishing. This allows me to cast further, even in windy conditions, and it’s a great feeling to play larger fish off a reel. I use a Scott rods 4wt, which provides enough backbone for windy conditions but is still small and packable. I would suggest considering a four-piece rod.
I love how the author has included both the pros and cons of each rod, making it easier to make an informed decision. When I was fishing with ultralight tackle, I had rods in three different lengths – 5′, 6′, and 7′. The 7′ rod came in handy for fishing in open areas such as alpine lakes, while the 5′ rod was perfect for dense cover along small creeks.
But, my go-to rod was the 6′ as it handled the best and I used it on most rivers. If you’re just starting out, a 6′ rod is a great choice, but if you need something shorter, you can always go for a 4.5′ or 5′ Ugly Stik.
For lures, some of the most effective ones I’ve used include Joe’s Flies, Roostertails, and a variety of larger flies like muddlers with a spinner blade. I’ve also had good results with Mr. Twister jig heads paired with short grub-looking lures (1.5-2″) behind a spinner blade. If you’re targeting bass, you might want to try a bunny leech behind a spinner.
This is a great article for anyone looking for an ultralight fishing rod. The information provided on the different brands and models is very helpful.
I got back into fishing years ago thanks to ultralight fishing and it’s been an absolute blast! While ultralight fishing is a lot of fun, I find that light power provides me with more versatility.
I mainly use it in creeks and I target small to medium-sized bass and various panfish, but I also sometimes catch larger catfish, saugeye, or other rough fish as a surprise. Both ultralight and light power provides the ability to be an effective multi-species angler and catch fish of any size.
I like to throw finesse baits like jigs, tubes, neds, etc. and the light power has a little more backbone which results in better hook sets. If you’re only throwing inline spinners like rooster tails or mepps, an ultralight rod will give you amazing long casts and a more forgiving slow action. I still use ultralight gear occasionally when I’m fishing for stocked trout.
As a freshwater angler, I love nothing more than fishing with ultralight gear. My setup of choice is a Shimano Stradic ci4 1000 reel and a custom 5′ 1-4lb rod. This combination has proven to be very effective, even in the northeast where I’ve been able to catch bass up to 4 lbs.
While ultralight gear can limit your casting distance slightly, I’ve still been able to cast pretty far with the help of a decent braid. The only real challenge I’ve faced is fishing in lily pads, but for me, the thrill of the catch makes it all worth it. Despite the light gear, I’ve never encountered a fish I couldn’t handle, but I have struggled with snags from plant life both in and out of the water.
One thing to keep in mind is that with ultralight gear, you’ll need to have a reel with a decent-quality drag system. During the fight, it’s important to give the fish a bit more control and play them until they tire out.
I’ve been using a cheap $30 rod for over a decade and thought it worked just fine. However, after it broke, I received the St Croix Trout Series Rod as a Christmas gift and it has completely changed my fishing game.
This 6ft light two-piece rod is easy to travel with and has exceeded my expectations. It’s incredibly light, casts beautifully, and allows me to feel even the slightest head shakes and bites. I was wrong in thinking a nice rod wasn’t necessary and I’m now a firm believer in investing in quality fishing gear.
I’m a big fan of St Croix Avid and Premier rods. I’ve got two 2-piece Avid rods and two Premier rods, both with a length of 6’6″ or 6′, making them perfect for carrying on my backpack during hikes. Before I got these, I used to use cheap telescoping rods, but it was difficult to find one that was both high-quality and suitable for ultralight backpacking.
So, I decided to upgrade to a quality 2-piece rod, which not only works better but is also lighter. I typically pair these rods with a lightweight 1000 series reel or, if necessary, a 2000 series reel, and it works great for me.
I recently picked up the Ugly Stick ultralight combo, and I’m blown away by how much fun it is to fish with! This 5ft one-piece rod and Shakespeare reel combo only cost me 30 dollars, and in just one week, I caught more fish than I had in a whole month with my other gear. The lightweight rod allows me to make some really long casts with light lures, and fighting fish with it is a blast.
While the combo is cheap, I do have to say that the reel that comes with it isn’t the best quality. I’d recommend buying the rod and reel separately, or just being prepared to replace the reel every so often if you do go for the combo. I’ve been using a $15 Shakespeare reel on my Ugly Stik, and while it needs to be fixed or replaced every 18 months or so, it’s worth it for the price.
When it comes to traveling and fishing, I always opt for a one-piece ultra-light rod. All of my bass rods are single-piece, making them easy to bring along on road trips. I don’t have to worry about the rod breaking or taking up too much space in the car, and I can still enjoy a good day of fishing without having to bring my entire tackle box. Having a single, reliable ultra-light rod makes traveling and fishing much more convenient for me.
I own three ultralight spinning rods for trout fishing, the St. Croix Panfish, the St. Croix Avid, and the Fenwick Elite Tech. All of them are between 6’6″ and 7’0″ in length.
My personal favorite is the Fenwick Elite Tech, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be available anymore. Out of the other two, I prefer the St. Croix Panfish as it has a slightly stiffer backbone compared to the Avid. This helps me set the hook better when using small jigs, which is a technique I often employ while fishing.
I recently got myself a Shakespeare telescopic rod that measures 4’6” and paired it with a Pflueger Trion reel loaded with a 4lb Trilene line. The entire setup cost me around $60 and it’s been a joy to fish with. Its compact size makes it super easy to pack and carry, and the best part is that I don’t have to worry too much if it gets broken or lost since it’s not a big investment.