Whether you hunt your panfish in open water or in the tangles of downed trees, rod selection is critical to success.
If you’re wondering what makes an ideal panfish rod, look no further. Below, you’ll find out more about how we select our own rods, as well as reviews of some excellent choices.
Quick glance at the best panfish rods on the market today:
Table of Contents (clickable)
Best Panfish Rods Reviewed
St. Croix Premier Spinning Rod – Our Pick!
Length: 7’
Material: graphite
Power/action: ultralight/fast
Lure size: 1/32 oz. to 3/16 oz.
Line weight: 2 to 6 #
Handle: cork
Guide material: stainless steel with aluminum oxide inserts
St. Croix’s rods are quickly outstripping their premium competition, including the trusted Fenwick name. That’s not because Fenwick’s rods aren’t excellent–they are–but rather because St. Croix just keeps getting better and better. If you’ve got the money to spend, this is probably the best panfish rod on the market.
The Premier ultralight features a fast action, and as a combination, they provide the sensitivity you want with the cushioned hookset you need for “papermouths.” Strong, supple, well-balanced, and light, this rod is everything you’re looking for. Bass, panfish, panfish–this rod can handle them all with no worries, and your line will break long before it does.
The premium-quality aluminum oxide guides will pamper your line. In our view, these are among the best available. Casting is outstanding with this rod as well, irrespective of lure size.
Quality cork furnishes this rod’s long handle, and you’ll find plenty of room for even the biggest hands to cast comfortably. If you prefer split handles, and some anglers do, you might look to the Fenwick as the most capable alternative.
If you’re willing to pay for an awesome rod, the St. Croix is very hard to match.
Pros:
- Fantastic sensitivity
- Excellent casting
- Quality handles
- Awesome guides
Cons:
Bass Pro Shops Micro Lite Graphite Spinning Rod
Length: 6’ 6”
Material: graphite
Power/action: ultralight/fast
Lure size: 1/32 oz. to 1/4 oz.
Line weight: 1 to 6 lbs.
Handle: cork
Guide material: stainless steel
Bass Pro Shop’s house-brand ultralight rod is an excellent choice for small species like panfish. Economically priced, you get a lot for what you pay.
The six-and-a-half-foot ultralight we prefer is available in fast action, but due to the rod’s power, offers a fantastic combination of sensitivity and finesse. Simply put, it’s pretty hard to rip a hookset with a rod that bends like a whip! I own and fish with this rod, and I find that it casts very well, even with 1/32 and 1/64 ounce lures. It’s been sensitive enough for me to feel the lightest strikes, too, and it can handle some respectable large and small mouth with aplomb.
The cork handles are smooth, comfortable, and spacious, providing plenty of room for anglers with big hands. They’ve stood the test of time for me, and I’ve heard no complaints from others.
Some anglers, though, have found that the guide quality has suffered in newer models, especially when using tough fluorocarbon line. The result is that the guides have been notched by friction, rather than the line breaking, however. I typically fish mono for panfish and panfish, and haven’t used fluorocarbon on my Bass Pro rod, and I’ve experienced no trouble at all.
Pros:
- Fantastic sensitivity
- Gentle hooksets
- Excellent casting
- Quality handles
- Very affordable
Cons:
- Guide quality issues with fluorocarbon?
B’n’M Duck Commander Ultralite
Length: 6’
Material: IM6 graphite
Power/action: ultralight/fast
Lure size: 1/32 oz. to 1/4 oz.
Line weight: 2 to 6 lbs.
Handle: cork
Guide material: stainless steel
The Duck Commanders may be known for waterfowl hunting, but in combination with B’n’M, they’re designed a budget-friendly panfish rod that covers all the bases without breaking the bank.
Available in two lengths, we prefer the two-piece, 6’ rod.
The blank is made from IM6 graphite, and it’s sensitive enough that you’ll feel every bump and nibble. And whether you’re tossing a tiny Maribou jig or an Aberdeen hook under a slip float, it casts really well.
There’s enough backbone here to fight any panfish you might hook, but at this price point, the graphite can be hit or miss. That can lead to sudden failure, but for this price, you can afford to have a backup!
The cork handle is high-quality and comfortable, and the guides, while minimalistic, do their job pretty well.
If you’re wallet’s feeling a bit flat, the B’n’M Duck Commander Ultralight will get you out on the water and keep a smile on yur face.
Pros:
- Awesome price!
- Great sensitivity
- Excellent casting
- Quality handles
- Good guides
Cons:
- At this price point, blank quality can be spotty
Cadence Fishing CR5 Spinning Rods
Length: 7’
Material: graphite
Power/action: ultralight/moderate
Lure size: 1/32 oz. to 1/8 oz.
Line weight: 2 to 6 lbs.
Handle: cork and EVA combo
Guide material: stainless steel with SiC inserts
The CR5 is a serious rod at a bargain price, and if you’re looking for a dedicated panfish rod, this is a great choice.
Due to a combination of length, action, and power, the CR5 will provide the soft hookset you need for panfish. Moreover, the moderate action allows the use of very light lines under high stress. The rod will flex along much of its length, absorbing force that would otherwise simply be transferred to your line.
The CR5 ultralight is also strong, and catching fish larger than panfish should be no problem with this rod. That said, the same moderate action that makes it a panfish killer is perhaps not ideal for other species.
Guide quality is excellent, and the handle is of premium quality and excellent length.
Overall, this is a strong contender for our top spot and a fantastic rod for panfish.
Pros:
- Fantastic sensitivity
- Quality handles
- Great guides
- Soft hooksets are pretty much guaranteed
- Very affordable
Cons:
- A bit less versatile than the competitors
Okuma Celilo
Length: 6’ 6”
Material: graphite
Power/action: ultralight/fast
Lure size: 1/32 oz. to 3/8 oz.
Line weight: 2 to 6 lbs.
Handle: cork
Guide material: stainless steel with aluminum oxide inserts
Okuma is a great fishing company with a hard-won reputation. And while they always deliver top-notch quality, they’ve carved out a niche in the moderately-priced market, making their rods an outstanding buy.
The Celilo we prefer for panfish is the two-piece, 6’ 6” rod.
Powered by a high-quality graphite blank, this ultralight casts well and fights like a heavyweight boxer. It’ll tackle any panfish you manage to hook, while still providing the sensitivity and light line and lure weights that are idea.
This Celilo rod wears very nice stainless guides with aluminum oxide inserts, and the overall feel of this rod rivals much more expensive offerings from St. Croix.
You’ll also find a long, continuous cork handle that’s just great for all-day comfort.
Pros:
- Fantastic sensitivity
- Excellent casting
- Quality handle
- Great guides
- Excellent blank
Cons:
St. Croix Panfish Series Spinning Rod
Length: 6’9”
Material: graphite
Power/action: ultralight/fast
Lure size: 1/32 oz. to 3/16 oz.
Line weight: 2 to 6 #
Handle: cork /spinning
Guide material: stainless steel
As is evident from our top choice, St. Croix makes outstanding rods. If you’re looking for that same incredible quality, but can’t or won’t spend quite that much money, you may want to take a look at this option. This nearly seven-foot-long single piece rod is a great choice for panfish, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better rod for the price.
The Panfish Series ultralight features a fast action, though it could perhaps be better described as medium fast. Sensitive and shock-absorbing, it’s a good choice for panfish, as it will help soften your hooksets while still giving you the feel you need to detect light strikes. Overall build quality is excellent, too, and these rods clearly deserve the premium reputation they’ve acquired.
Guide quality is what you’d expect at this price point: smooth, strong, and well-engineered to preserve even the lightest line in a hard fight.
Personal preference varies, but I find the handle a bit short. That notwithstanding, the cork Cadence uses on this rod is top-notch, and many will find the design fits them perfectly.
Our only reservation in recommending this rod is that it comes as a single piece, making storage and transport a bit cumbersome.
Pros:
- Fantastic sensitivity
- Excellent casting
- Quality handles
- Great guides
Cons:
- Single piece rod makes storage and transport cumbersome
What We Consider When Selecting a Panfish Rod
Good panfish rods come in a variety of lengths, powers, and actions. But they have one thing in common: they help you set the hook gently while still detecting nibbles.
Action
A rod’s action describes where along its length it will begin to bend under weight. Fast action rods are stiff for most of their length, bending near the tip. By contrast, slow action rods begin to give closer to the handle and reel seat, curving over a much greater percentage of their length.
If you regularly angle for bass, for instance, you probably prefer a fast action, medium to heavy power rod to help set your hook. But panfish have very delicate mouths that are easily torn by hard hooksets; in short, they demand finesse rather than power. For that reason, we recommend an ultralight with a medium to fast action to absorb some of the force that would otherwise be transferred to the fish’s mouth.
In our experience, moving to a delicate rod is probably the best thing you can do if you want to target panfish. They provide the cushioned hookset you need while still delivering the sensitivity to detect a cautious strike.
describing power and action
Material
Modern fishing rods can be made from a variety of materials, including carbon fiber, graphite, and fiberglass. Some feature composite construction, using more than one material in the blank that provides their backbone.
- Graphite is strong, stiff, and ultra-light. Due to its high stiffness, it’s also quite sensitive, and it makes a great, durable choice for a rod.
- Fiberglass is heavier than graphite, and usually less expensive. It’s not quite as sensitive or as stiff, but it can be incredibly strong, earning it a place in your angling arsenal. Especially for panfish, this is not necessarily a disadvantage, as cushioned hooksets are ideal.
- Carbon fiber is the stiffest, strongest, lightest, and most expensive material used for rod blanks. Its performance is unparalleled, but so is its price!
Handle
Much about which handle to choose is a personal decision, and what’s comfortable to me may be misery for you. Generally, there are two primary handle materials: cork and EVA foam.
- Cork is warmer and more attractive, but less forgiving of rough treatment.
- EVA foam is softer and cooler to the touch, and it’s pretty tough stuff.
Reel Selection
Whether you choose a spinning reel, a baitcaster, or a closed face reel–like the tried-and-true Zebcos–is largely a matter of preference. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but any quality reel will do its work admirably if you care for it.
It’s important to match the reel size to the rod you select, keeping in mind both the balance of the rod in your hand as well as the size of the line you’ll be casting. Mismatches will still function, but you won’t get the performance you’d like from them.
Most panfish anglers prefer spinning reels, and thus most rods are built to accommodate that style.
The competition between these options is as fierce as it gets, and any of these rods will serve you admirably in your hunt for panfish. Indeed, these rods are so closely matched in performance and quality, that with the exception of handle style and length, you probably couldn’t tell a difference between them in real-world performance.
Our top choice, the awesome St. Croix Premier ultralight, is just a hair better than the rest, but its quality and capacity set the standard against which all others should be judged.
Supple, sensitive, and strong: these are words that can be defined by the Premium. And its superb guides and excellent handle complete a package that probably outcasts and outlasts its alternatives.
But if you’re looking to spend less, take a close look at Bass Pro’s Micro Lite, Cabela’s Fish Eagle, and Cadence’s CR5. While not premium options, they’re affordable, excellent choices.
Whichever you choose, you won’t be disappointed!
Source: usangler.com