Match / Float rods

A float rod is a fishing rod that virtually all fishermen have owned in one form or another. Most of us remember our childhood on the water with a floating fishing rod. For some it was homemade rods made from hazel, for others it was bamboo rods bought for them, and for younger fishermen it may have been telescopic rods that helped them to catch their first catches. In one way or another, we used to call any rod that could cast a float with a complete system a float rod. More seriously, there are several types of float rods.

Pole - a folding long rod without reel and rings. Used mainly by sport fishermen. Very unpopular in Lithuania due to the high price and the specific nature of our water bodies.

Pole telescopes are also called bots. They are telescopic rods without rings, designed for fast fishing, but also used by beginners or float fishermen fishing from a boat.

Bolon rods are telescopic rods with a reel, designed to fish mainly in the current and at short distances by holding a float. They range in length from 2 to 8 metres. Since they are always in the hand when fishing, they are made as light as possible. They have virtually no handle, which is replaced by the back of the blank up to a special reel holder attached to the blank itself. Bolon rods are also used in Lithuania for stillwater fishing, but only because they do not want to buy a folding rod and prefer a telescopic one. However, telescopic Match rods are a more suitable choice for this purpose.

Telematch is a telescopic rod with a long casting distance. This type of rod has come about more because of the preferences of amateur anglers than because of the type of fishing or sport. You won't find this type of rod with any sport fisherman, because a telescopic rod will never match the performance of a folding rod when it comes to longer distances. A match rod is designed to be fished by casting the float further than 15m, so a telematch serves the same purpose, but the performance is not the same. Telematch rods are popular with amateur anglers because of their compact transport and quick set-up. However, like telescopic rods or fiddlers, their ballistic performance and overall blank performance is relatively poor.

Match rods

These are the most popular floating rods in Lithuania. They are put together in 3 parts. Their lengths range from 3.6m to 4.5m. Casting tests range from 7 to 40g. The light rods are designed for catching smaller fish at closer distances, while the most powerful models are designed either for very long distances or for serious catches such as carp, broadbill or grass carp. The primary purpose of a match rod is to fish in still water where you can't reach it with a boot or pole. Match rods have a cork handle as standard, a standard reel holder and small rings on the long legs to prevent the line from sticking to the blank. However, not all anglers like the small rings because they make it harder for the rubber stop knot of the float to pass through them, so manufacturers have been quick to produce match rods with larger rings. However, larger rings are heavier and the action of the blank loaded with heavier rings slows down and causes parasitic movements in the limb. This hinders the ability to cast the float far and accurately. Match rods are usually made of carbon fibre. Fibreglass match rods are practically non-existent on the market because a long fibreglass rod weighs too much and bends too much. Unlike spinning rods, match rods do not need sensitivity, because you can see the bite by watching the float, but despite this, this type of rod is also made of very expensive blank. The higher the modulus of the carbon fibre blank, the better the quality of the match rod and the further and more accurate the float can be cast. This is very important not only for competition fishing, but also when trying to fish the same spot yourself.

Float rod. How to choose it correctly?

Looking for a float fishing rod for your child?

For a child under 5 years old, choose a short pole rod without a reel. A length of 2 metres is best. For an older child, a telescopic float rod with a reel can be built - 3 metres will certainly do for a start. A 4 metre rod without rings and reel can also be tried, especially if you often fish from a bridge or quay.
Looking for a compact, space-saving rod for your holiday?
Choose a bolon (compact or travel) class rod with reel. The choice of such rods is quite large and a set can cost 60 or 70€. Such rods take up little space and fit easily into hand luggage or a suitcase.
Do you want to start fishing with a floating rod in rivers and targeting grasshoppers or shad?
A Match rod with a length of 4.5 metres and a casting test of up to 25 or 30g is the best choice. The price of this type of rod should be more than 60eur, as it is not worth buying cheaper versions because of the excessive weight of the rod. A cheap rod of 4,5m will weigh far too much and will not provide comfortable fishing. This is because when fishing in rivers the rod is always held in the hand and often even in the outstretched hand to hold the float. Here, every extra gram goes very hard on the tendons, joints and muscles. And who needs such a long rod? On the river, it is very important. The longer the rod, the more room for manoeuvre. When fishing in rivers, you can also choose a longer bolon rod, but it is worth not overdoing the length. A 6m bolon rod is already very difficult and cumbersome to carry around and look for chub. The best choice then is a good carbon lightweight but strong enough 5m bolon rod. If it is of high quality, it will weigh little enough to be comfortable to fish with and will not make fishing an hour's fishing a misery.

Looking for a floating rod for fishing for ropes near grasses?

A 3.9 or 4.2 m match rod or a 4 m bolon rod will do. This fishing is usually at quite close distances. It is important to cast the float close to the grass line. Often even a shorter rod has more advantages, as there is less interference from tree branches. However, it is not possible to make it too short. This is because when fishing with a float, the line is not taut. It lies loose on the surface of the water. When the float dives and you need to make a sudden jerk, it is much harder to do this with a short rod. The length of the rod may simply not be long enough to lift all the loose line out of the water. Rope fishing is sedentary and slow-paced. So cheaper, heavier rods are also available, as the rod is not held in the hand for long periods. The rod is only picked up when casting and preparing to cut the line, when the float starts to move and the line is dragged back towards the grass.
Want to catch bream, crucian carp or chub in lakes with a float rod?
This requires a 4.2m or 4.5m casting distance with a match rod. A bologna is not suitable for such fishing because it is difficult to cast the float far and accurately.

Do you want to fish for Heather?

Fishing for sea bass is quite popular with both sportsmen (sea bass championships are held) and amateur fishermen. Amateur fishermen like to fish for morels, as it is sporting and productive. It is possible to catch several hundred more in half a day and to prepare a number of tasty dishes from them. It is very tasty simply fried in oil and canned or dried. The most effective way to catch horse mackerel is with a pole class telescopic rod without rings and reel. A length of 4 or 5 metres is fine. If you want to fish comfortably, it is better to buy a more expensive rod which will be much lighter. The weight of the rod is very important here because the fishing is intense and fast and the rod is very much in the hand. The bites are very frequent and you cannot let go of the rod because you will miss the bites. If you are fishing only for roach, you do not need a rod and reel at all. The fishing for dories is "underfoot". They are completely inshore fish and, when they stay far from the shore, they cannot be caught with any rod. There is a time when they come ashore and the fishing for them begins. Then there is really no need to cast the bait far. The reel just makes the whole gear heavier and the fishing less enjoyable.

Do you want to fish for carp or grass carp in commercial ponds?

There are special fishing rods for that. They are often called carp match or carp float. In principle, it is the same 3-piece rod as a match rod, but it is normally shorter and much more powerful. The length of such rods ranges from 3.3m to 3.9m. They have much larger rings and much more powerful and heavier blanks. A powerful blank is needed for no other reason than to control a powerful fish. Large rings are needed because fishing with thick monofilament lines. Here, a 0,18mm line is no longer enough, because the carp is a very strong fish. A 0,22mm or 0,25mm line is the right choice for amateur carp fishing, especially a thicker line is needed if you are not fishing alone and cannot let the carp swim where it wants to and how much it wants to. It can get tangled up in the lines of colleagues on the side and escape.

Want to fish for pike with a float and a minnow?

Powerful telescopic rods up to 50g or 80g are commonly used. The rod has to be able to withstand the weight of the fish it is casting, so with a simple match or bologna rod you will struggle to cast a 100g roach or bream. The length of the rod can vary from 2.7 to 3.5 metres. Longer is of course better, but the rod is really heavy and it takes a lot of strength to hold it for a long time. If you are going to fish sedately, without looking for pike, you can go for a longer rod, but if you are walking the banks and fishing actively, a lighter rod is better.

We have a wide selection of float rods in our shop. Best value for money is our priority when it comes to our product range, so you will find carefully selected the best products in their price categories.

What do we recommend?

The best premium match rods are Drennan Acolyte. This model has long been the king of the European market and is highly appreciated by sportsmen and amateurs. In the middle class, Shimano rods are worth considering. They are very reliable, difficult to break and we sell them at really good discounts. Drennan has also produced a very cool mid-range match rod called Vertex. They are not well known in Lithuania yet, but we really recommend them. In the economy class, the Custom Baltic rods are the most worth paying attention to. Their price is really very good considering the quality. Okuma fishing rods are also very popular. In rods without a reel, the market is being conquered by the products of the Ukrainian firm Golden Catch. Both in the premium and economy class.