Will Any Inshore Fishing Rod Work On A Fishing Boat?

Fishing on a fishing boat is a lot of fun and gives you a better vantage point than you’d have on the shore. Of course, no matter where you fish, you need to use only the best rods. With that said, should you use your high-performance inshore fishing rods on your fishing boat, or have specific rods better suited to this activity?

While you can use any inshore rod for your boat fishing trips, there are some that are just much better suited for this purpose. Let’s look at the best fishing rods for boat fishing so you can be sure you’re using the right one.

Our list is in no specific order, so you can choose any of these rods for your fishing.

General Purpose Rod/Downtide Rod

If you’re going to fish on the drift with baits and lures, this is the type of rod you will probably end up using. General purpose rods are also often recommended when fishing down tide off the boat at anchor. They can vary in length, being between six to eight feet, and are typically made from a mix of glass fiber and carbon. Typically, these rods have a medium to fast action on offer.

Multi-Tips Rods

These rods are equipped with multiple push-fit tip sections, each specifically designed to handle different weights of leads and enhance bite detection. Typically, these tips are constructed from solid carbon or glass fiber materials, although metal versions can be found in the Japanese market. Most long match rods are provided with multi-tips, offering anglers versatility and options for different fishing scenarios.

Lure Casting Rod

The lure casting rod is a popular choice for casting spinning lures, small pirks, and leadheads. It’s also often used on boats and comes highly recommended by anglers who enjoy spending time on the ocean.

Long Match Rods

These are longer fishing rods and can be up to 15 feet. They have gained a lot of popularity in boat match fishing circuits. They are specifically made to enable anglers to fish effectively from challenging positions on their boats. The extended length allows for flick casting baits away from the side of your boat and bouncing them downtide. You can get these rods in either telescopic or spigot versions. If you want, you can even go for a hybrid model, which has a telescopic section near the butt and jointed sections in the rest of the rod. It’s easier to adjust the rod’s total length this way.

Stand-Up Stick

This rod is a specialized and compact fishing rod designed for handling large fish while utilizing a harness and butt pad, making it ideal for boat fishing. Typically measuring around five to six feet in length, this rod features an elongated fore grip to truly accommodate its usage. The shorter length of the rod proves to be highly effective in generating leverage when dealing with heavy loads.

Uptide Casting Rod

Uptide casting rods are quite popular for boat fishing. The tip section of rods specifically made for uptide fishing is notably softer compared to typical beachcasters. This softness enables the rod to flex and move naturally with the tide, preventing the wire leads commonly used in this type of fishing from getting tangled or tripped. These rods typically have a length ranging from nine to ten feet, providing anglers with a sufficiently long reach to cast their baits away from the boat.

The type of fishing rod you choose for your boat fishing adventures depends on your own preferences. The fishing rods discussed here are just suggestions but you can’t go wrong with any of these options, as long as you familiarize yourself with how to use them properly.