Gear guide – rods, reels, lines and lures

Balance matters more than price: rod casting weight, reel size, line strength and lure weight must fit each other and the target fish.

By Filip Nyman · Updated 2026-10-21

Rods

Length: short (1.8–2.1 m) for boat, jigging and precision; medium (2.1–2.7 m) for all-round shore fishing; long (2.7–3.3 m) for coastal distance and big rivers; 3.3 m+ for float, feeder and surf.
Casting weight: the lure range the rod handles best. UL 1–7 g (small perch, trout), L 3–15 g, M 10–30 g (all-round), MH 15–50 g, H 30–100 g+ (big pike baits, sea).
Action: fast action bends in the tip (sensitivity, jigging, hook sets with braid); moderate bends further down (crankbaits, trebles, forgiving with mono).
Fly rods are rated by AFTM line weight: #3–4 small streams and grayling, #5–6 all-round trout, #6–7 coastal sea trout, #8–10 pike and salmon, double-handed 12–15 ft for big salmon rivers.

Reels

Reel type	Sizes	Use
Spinning reel	1000–2500 light, 3000–4000 medium, 5000+ heavy	Easiest to learn; most lure and coastal fishing
Low-profile baitcaster	100–300	Heavy lures, pike, precise casting; practice to avoid backlash
Round multiplier	5000–7000	Trolling, sea fishing, heavy bottom fishing
Fly reel	Match the rod's line weight	Line storage, drag for big fish
Baitrunner / big pit	5000–14000	Carp and static bait fishing

Set the drag to roughly a third of the line's breaking strain.

Lines

Line	Strengths	Weaknesses	Typical diameters
Braid	No stretch, thin for its strength, long casts, feel bites	Visible, poor abrasion resistance, wind knots	0.06–0.10 finesse, 0.12–0.15 all-round, 0.18–0.30 pike and sea
Monofilament	Cheap, stretchy and forgiving, floats	Stretch dulls feel, degrades in sunlight	0.14–0.20 float, 0.25–0.35 all-round/sea
Fluorocarbon	Nearly invisible, abrasion resistant, sinks	Stiffer, more expensive	Leader 0.18–0.30 perch/trout, 0.40–0.80 pike

Always fish for pike with a wire, titanium or heavy fluoro leader (0.8 mm or more) – pike teeth cut thin line instantly.

Hooks, sinkers and floats

Hook sizes: higher number means smaller hook. 14–18 for roach on maggots, 8–12 for perch and trout bait, 4–1 for larger bait, 1/0–6/0 for pike baits, carp and sea.
Hook types: single, double, treble, circle (fish hooks itself in the jaw – great for catch and release) and barbless (easier release, required on some waters).
Sinkers: split shot (float rigs), drop shot weights, bullet weights (Texas), pear leads (ledger); pirks double as weight and lure.
Swivels and snaps prevent line twist with spinners and spoons – keep them small and dark.
Floats: waggler (still water, attached bottom only), stick float (flowing water), pike float (dead bait) and bubble float (casting flies on spinning gear).

Lure types

Lure	How it works	Best species	Retrieve
Spoon	Wobbling metal blade	Pike, trout, sea trout, salmon, asp	Steady with pauses, flutter on the drop
Spinner	Rotating blade, vibration	Perch, trout, ide, small pike	Steady, just fast enough to spin
Soft shad	Paddle tail on a jig head	Zander, perch, pike, cod	Hop along bottom or steady swim
Creature / worm	Soft plastic without paddle	Perch, bass, zander	Drop shot, Texas, ned rig, slow drag
Crankbait	Lip makes it dive and wobble	Pike, perch, trout, zander, trolling	Steady or troll; lip size sets depth
Jerkbait	Lipless, worked with rod jerks	Pike	Jerk and pause, glides side to side
Spinnerbait	Wire frame with blades and skirt	Pike, bass	Steady, over and along weed
Topwater / popper	Floats, makes surface commotion	Pike, perch, asp, bass	Walk-the-dog, pop and pause; calm summer evenings
Jig / pirk	Weighted metal or lead	Cod, pollack, zander, perch (ice)	Vertical lift and drop
Balance jig	Swims in circles under the ice	Perch, pike, zander, char	Lift and let it glide back
Flies	Dry, nymph, wet, streamer, saltwater	Salmonids, grayling, pike, perch	Drift (dry, nymph), strip (streamer)

Colour rule of thumb: natural (silver, brown, green) in clear water and sunshine; bright (chartreuse, orange, firetiger) in murky water or low light; black or dark at night for silhouette.

Electronics and extras

Echo sounder: shows depth, bottom hardness, structure and fish – essential for zander, jigging and trolling. Live sonar shows fish in real time.
Landing net with rubberised mesh, long-nose pliers, jaw spreader and hook cutter for pike, measuring mat and scale.
Polarised sunglasses to see into the water and protect your eyes.
Safety: life jacket in boats, ice picks, ice pole and throw line on ice, wader belt in rivers.
Clothing: layers, waterproof shell, waders for rivers and coastal sea trout.

The right gear makes the difference

Sportfish is one of the UK's leading fishing tackle retailers, with a wide range of rods, reels, lures and fly-tying gear. We recommend them if you're looking to upgrade your setup.

Shop at Sportfish

Frequently asked questions

What casting weight should my first rod have?

10–30 g (medium) is the most versatile and covers perch, pike, zander and coastal fishing.

Braid or mono?

Braid gives longer casts and better feel for lure fishing; mono is cheaper and more forgiving for float fishing and crankbaits. Always use a fluorocarbon leader with braid.