Choosing your rod. Basics instructions to fish in Malaysia.

 

Ahh… the big blue….

Malaysia is a wonderful place to fish. We have housing estates that possess at least one body of water with fish in it. In some instances this body would be a natural water source. This then assures good quality angling. From the more industrious dwellings in Setapak (or its kind) to the upscale villas in Petaling Jaya there is an assurance that you can find a place to fish not to far away (albeit the bounty being varied).
To begin your career for this exciting sport here in Malaysia, you need to get the most essential of items required for this sport. Like how wheels are to a car, a rod is to fishing. In more primitive times rods grew in trees. However with technology and modern medicine, now rods can be found in specialty shops and in some instances super markets.
The fishing rod is used to cast the line into the water. Rods that came from trees were unable to do this and had very limited range. Modern day rods however allow the bait to be tossed to where the fish are in the water. This allows more exciting fish to be caught.
There are four types of rods that are available for the sport. The types of rods are:

1. Spinning Rods 
2. Casting Rods
3. Ice-fishing Rods
4. Telescopic Rods

What you don’t need is quite obviously the ice fishing rod. Well this is because that there is no winter here in Malaysia. However if you feel that this rod will make a difference in your life by all means there is no stopping you from acquiring one.

The Spinning Rod

This type of rod comes in a range of 5′ to 10′ sizes. The longer allowing more distance in casting. These rods are detachable and can be dismantled to up to 3 pieces for easy logistics and storage. There are usually 5 – 8 guide rings on each rod to hold and direct the line. Each ring gradually shrinking toward the tip. This allows better casting and reduces the risks of tangling.
The spinner reel used for this type of rod usually hangs beneath the “spine” of the rod and is held in place with screwable lock seat. This holds the reel firmly in place.
Spinner rods are king here in malaysia. Malaysians love to use live bait to fish and spinner rods seem to be well suited for the job.  its quite suitable if you’re the sit and wait kind of fisherman.
These rods can price between anything from RM 10 to RM 1000 (or more). It is also the most common type of rod available.

The (Bait)Casting Rod

(Bait) Casting Rod

Similar to that of the spinner rod. However this rod varies in the position that the reel is placed. Unlike the spinner the casting rod’s reel is placed above the rod and the line runs along the spine of the rod. This is supposedly to give more support to the line when reeling in a fish.
These rods usually have a cork grip for that extra feel. The technique used with these rods are usually trolling and live bait.
These rods also have a special casting reel which is more “hands on” compared to the spinner reel.
Slightly more expensive than its more common cousin the spinner. Expect to pay anything between RM 50 – the thousands for a rod like this. The real perk about bait casting is that your target fish are usually large predators who give up a huge fight.

The Telescopic Rod

telescopic rod

The telescopic rods are usually 10 footers and above. These rods can go up to 30 footers and can collapse to as little as 2 feet. This makes them easier to transport and ferry around.
These rods use the same substances in their construction as the spinner rods and casting rods.
People who use these kind of rods have to be careful about the assembly of it. Rough handling can result in a 20 foot rod that cannot be closed.
Something to note about these rods are:

1. The more shorter the sections the more shorter they fold.
2. The more eyes they have the better the power curve.
3. More eyes also mean better weight distribution.
4. All this can translate to better and longer casting.

Prices can range between RM 50 to the thousands. Of course you pay for quality. So don’t be to brash about buying this.
Choosing your style of rod will help define what kind of fishing you will enjoy. Experiment with both styles first and gravitate towards what you like. Its good to be an angler who knows the styles but is master of one particular style.
Good luck and happy fishing!


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