The 7 Best Saltwater Fishing Rods of 2022
Saltwater fishing provides a level of mystery and excitement unlike any other style of angling and it should be no surprise that it has attracted some of the most accomplished men in history.
Ernest Hemingway and Ted Williams are just two examples of many a Rugged Man who have found the darkness and depths of the wide blue unknown far too alluring to not explore and attempt to conquer it in their own way.
There are vast and drastic changes in habitat ranging from deep sea and surf, to flats and backwaters. This is not even scratching the surface of each category, having subcategories, and so on...
Though there are many different habitats in which you can begin to target certain specific species of fish, you really just never know what you’re gonna hang into. The deeper the angling, the more captivating the mystery, right?Well, maybe, but not always.
Fortunately you can catch 100 lb+ fish and other exotic creatures in some of the most unsuspecting areas of salty waters, including flats and narrow backwaters. Excitingly enough, it may not even be a fish!
How Do I Choose a Saltwater Rod?
There are some things to consider when you’re trying to pick out which saltwater rod(s) you want to add to your collection. Analyze your needs for length, power, and action, partly based on where you will be fishing and what it is you are mostly after.
Generally, saltwater rods are made of fiberglass and/or graphite. Graphite rods are stiffer and more sensitive, fiberglass rods are tougher and more powerful, and sometimes you will find rods that are made with a versatility and technology that combines both.
There are many types of saltwater rods out there, from trolling rods to jigging rods, and you must simply understand what it is you are setting out to fish for and spend a little time researching what works best for you.
While attempting to go in depth enough to give you a thorough understanding of different saltwater rod options, we have also attempted to keep things as concise as possible, giving you the best of knowledge of the gear in the shortest amount of time.
Here at Rugged Man, we have enjoyed every second of this exploration into the world of saltwater angling, and in the process, we’ve gotten ourselves itching for adventure.
We hope this article will inspire you to get out there and fish the deep blue mystery! Let’s get our lines in the water and take a look at The 7 Best Saltwater Fishing Rods of 2022!
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Shakespeare Company has been around since 1897!
The objective; make fishing easy and enjoyable for EVERYONE.
That has been a priority of this company for 125 years and they apply the same principles now more than ever.
Combining heritage, tradition, strength, and durability, the UglyStik Gx2 is the next bold and beautiful generation of indestructible Ugly Stik rods.
The inception of the Ugly Stik was in 1976 and it was the first to feature the “Clear Tip” design and the Howald Process, making it virtually indestructible.
These elements with “Ugly Tech” construction, which is a graphite/fiberglass combo, provide serious backbone and a sensitivity that allows you to easily detect touching bottom while feeling the tiniest nibbles and obstacles.
The UglyStik Gx2 has better balance for a lighter feel and comes with improved components. The one piece stainless steel guides provide excellent durability and eliminate insert pop-outs.
It has durable and lightweight EVA grips, and though not necessarily a top concern for us here at Rugged Man, it is sharp with new eye catching cosmetics for a more modern look.
Boasting versatility, your UglyStik Gx2 can easily double as a freshwater rod and the sizes range from 4’6” - 9’ medium.
For saltwater fishing, we recommend 7’ and above, though 6’6” may also work well for you. With the 7’6” medium inshore, a favorite, enjoy heightened sensitivity for smaller fish, and catch big Reds with ease.
With remarkable casting accuracy and distance, the UglyStik Gx2 is the type of rod that feels like you’ve been using it for years.
Few rods ever seem to outlive their reels, and while many others seem to come and go over time, these just don’t seem to give up!
At the top of the list when it comes to ease of use, quality, and value, the UglyStik Gx2 is a clear choice for anglers who want a lighter rod for various inshore applications.
Not to mention you can buy 3 for the price of 1 of the competition!! You simply can’t get a better rod for the money.
The 7 year warranty just puts a sweet cherry on top!
Winston Saltwater Air
(Fly-Fishing Rod)
The world’s finest fly rods are made by a company of men who love to fish. That’s their secret!
We here at Rugged Man have an immense appreciation for men, such as these, who place honor and integrity at the forefront of everything they do and are passionate about the quality of their work.
We close our eyes and sigh in deep remembrance of such times where this was a common characteristic of men.
We have to remind ourselves that there are plenty of us still out there and it is our responsibility to carry the torch and uphold such traditions.
In 1929, Robert Winther and Lew Stoner started what is known today as the R.L. Winston Rod Company and the bamboo rods these two men built quickly earned a reputation for performance and exceptional quality.
A few years later, Lew Stoner developed his patented hollow-fluted rod design for use in tournament casting competition.
This company has a reputation for shattering world records since the 1930’s. Primo Livenais used a Winston surf rod in 1936 to break the world record with a 623 foot cast.
In 1938, Marvin Hedge used a Winston to break the world fly casting record by 36 feet.
The R.L. Winston Rod Company has been responsible for some of the most groundbreaking innovations in fly-fishing for over 91 years, pioneering technologies to optimize power and performance.
They were one of the first companies to incorporate the use of materials such as fiberglass in the 1950’s, graphite in 1975, and then on to boronIII/graphite technology in the 2000’s, which manifests a combination of high strength and high elasticity.
The Winston Saltwater Air is “the new smooth in saltwater”, Winston smooth. It is the newest line to be released by Winston and it upholds the solid reputation that we have grown to respect and expect from this time honored company.
These lightweight and powerful AIR series rods deliver that old fashioned feel combined with the latest in modern technology and allow for unprecedented fast recovery no matter how far you’re casting.
Let’s get technical for a short bit and let Winston explain things to us in a way that only they can:
“Combining our proprietary SuperSilica lightweight resin system and Boron III material with modern progressive tapers, Winston Saltwater AIR rods deliver the celebrated Winston “feel”, along with balanced, fast graphite recovery rates, for incredible line speed and presentation, making them our most versatile rods in saltwater environments.
What this means for anglers is faster mid-sections to dictate line control and easily manage windy conditions along with Boron III technology applied in the butt section for more lifting strength to fight and land fish quickly.”
Winston is a company that is also very active in conservation and they support over 6 major organizations dedicated to environmental preservation and education.
There is little left to imagine why this organization and there new creation has made the list today as our hands-down choice when it comes to saltwater FLY-FISHING!
The Air Series ranges from 6 wt - 12 wt, are all 9’ long, and all have full wells with fighting butt grips.
Below is a list of specs directly from their site to give you a better idea of which rod will work best for you and your particular application.
Saltwater AIR 6 wt: This 9’ 6 weight utilizes a saltwater focused fast action for quick shots on calm days while wading the flats looking for tailing bones. A great sea-run cutthroat rod off the beach in the Pacific Northwest as well. These 6 weights have plenty of power for longer casts, but anglers will notice it’s the perfect choice for delicate presentations to spooky species like bonefish.
Saltwater AIR 7 wt: Our 9’ 7 weight Saltwater Air has become the perfect all-round bonefish rod. With a taper that allows for minimal back casts and quick shots off the bow of the skiff, this rod will put crab, shrimp and baitfish patterns on target every time with minimal effort. Light in hand, and extremely responsive, these 7 weights are becoming the go-to for dedicated bonefish anglers worldwide.
Saltwater AIR 8 wt: With a lighter swing weight, the 9’ 8 weight Saltwater Air was built for all day casting at a variety of saltwater species. From bonefish, redfish, stripers, snook, and various other species, this rod is up to the task. If you could own only one saltwater rod, this 9’ 8 weight would cover any standard saltwater application.
Saltwater AIR 9 wt: An unbelievably light 9 weight that produces fast line speed with incredible accuracy. The perfect rod for feeding heavy crab patterns to picky permit. In addition to Permit, anglers will love these 9 weights for giant Hawaiian and Bahama bonefish, barracuda, baby tarpon in the mangroves, giant red fish, and stripers in the Northeast.
Saltwater AIR 10 wt: With great power comes great fish. Use this smooth and powerful 10 weight for quick shots on Roosterfish, Sharks, blitzing GTs, and more delicate presentations to tarpon. This rod is responsive, easy to cast and built for those once-in-a-lifetime shots.
Saltwater AIR 11 wt: The new standard for an all-around Tarpon rod. With a little more feel than a 12 weight, this 11 will make pinpoint presentations when a pack of silver kings are bearing down on the skiff.
Saltwater AIR 12 wt: The ultimate Giant Tarpon rod. When sinking lines are needed for these big fish, this rod can make the presentation. With amazing lifting strength in the butt section, anglers can pull hard on these powerful fish. When an angler needs the most powerful rod for the most powerful of saltwater fish, this is a 12 weight that’s up for the task at hand.
Okuma Nomad
(Inshore Travel Fishing Rod)
The ability to take your saltwater fishing rod ANYWHERE is a pretty big deal to some folks.
That wandering spirit paired with minimalist practices beckons the need for frugality and resourcefulness.
How romantic it is, men, for you to be able to travel the world and catch dinner from any free shore of your choosing and feed your woman a fresh exotic catch, and all from your own rod and reel (not some old banged up rented lodge rod).
Now that’s RUGGED! Fortunately for you, my friends, we have just the answer. Meet your new travel companion.
The Okuma Nomad Inshore Travel Rod is your new pal. This durable, 3-piece, all-around destination rod design, constructed with European spigot ferrule connections, has 1 piece rod performance combined with rock-solid durability.
Each rod is made of strong but lightweight OC9 technology graphite material with a carbon outer wrapping, is easy to break down, and fits snug as a bug inside a padded and waterproof case to increase versatility while keeping luggage to a minimum.
Every model of this efficient nomadic traveler is 7’ long and includes two tip action sections, one light and one heavier, has a split-butt rear grip design with durable cork fore and rear grips.
It also features ALPS guides with Zirconium inserts, ALPS 2-tone anodized aluminum reel seat, and ALPS machined aluminum trigger reel seat on casting models
Simply rinse the saltwater off of it before you put it away and you should see no corrosion for years to come. It is also backed by a life-time limited warranty for added insurance.
For the traveler and adventurer who can’t be tied down to one location, values the ability to experience good quality angling wherever they go, world-wide, you just can’t beat the Okuma Nomad Inshore Saltwater Travel Rod.
With this all-in-one rod, you can choose how you’re going to fish and what you’re going to fish for, right there on the spot!
Fiblink 1 - Piece
(Off-Shore Trolling Conventional Boat Rod)
We’ve tried to cover a variety of rods for you today and in an effort to keep things interesting we’re going off-shore. The one-piece Fiblink Off-Shore Trolling Boat Rod is our deep-sea diving mule!
This 6 ft, incredibly strong, power-house rod is made of high-quality, super-tough 1-piece E-glass graphite composite blanks, with a parabolic taper specifically designed to endure extraordinary pressure while battling the monsters of the deep!
5 heavy-duty roller guides minimize strain on your line and, more importantly, YOU! This provides added leverage so you can bear down and give it hell! Two options exist in this model that support 30 - 50 lb test and 50 - 80 lb test (YEESH!!).
The machined aluminum alloy reel seat keeps the reel securely in place without corrosion and it has an aluminum gimbal butt for easy access in and out of rod holders.
The aluminum gimbal provides considerable advantage in keeping the rod butt solidly planted in the fighting belt to minimize fatigue during prolonged battles.
High-density EVA foam handle and foregrips allow for maximum control and comfort, and aid in the long haul with those hard and heavy fighters!
For under $60 with a 1 year manufacturer warranty, this is a simple and solid trolling rod that should hold up against anything that you would actually WANT in your boat.
If this rod can’t handle it, chances are you don’t want it.
Penn Prevail II
(Surf Spinning Rod)
In 1922, Otto Henze left Germany at age 25 and came to the United States. Not long after his arrival in the states, he got work as a machinist for the Ocean City Reels Company in Philadelphia.
However, Otto aspired to greater things. He knew that one day he would own his own company. His dream was not only to own his own company, but to literally set world records with amazing products, and that’s just what he did!
After 10 years of service, Otto Henze left Ocean City Reels and launched his own company called Penn Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Company in 1932.
Otto Henze suddenly passed away in 1948 and his wife, Martha, at age 39, made a very bold move that few women of that time period would have ever considered and took over as President and would see to it that Penn continued to prosper.
For 88 years now, Penn has been a highly respected industry leader in the design and production of high quality fishing gear. Millions of experienced anglers from all over the globe put their trust and confidence in Penn for good and proven reason.
They even had a program at one time called PENN FISHING UNIVERSITY where, for under $150 (usually), you could board a sportfishing boat and set out on full day, long-range trips with a captain and small crew to learn about saltwater angling, put some PENN gear to the test, and experience an offshore adventure on some of the best sportfishing boats the west coast has to offer.
Hot meals and gear included, each trip targets a couple of species ranging from live bait Halibut and Striper, live bait rockfish/lingcod trip, to big sharks!
In 1979, Frank Mundus, the inspiration for Robert Shaw’s character in the film Jaws, caught the largest Mako shark in history on a rod and reel, weighing in at 1,080lbs. It was a Penn combo that brought the beast in and would not be the only record set and broken by these guys.
So it should be no surprise that pulling in 7 to 9 foot sharks is a common daily occurrence. Multiple sharks and several hours of battle, no problem. One of the rods made to do this very thing is the new Prevail II Surf Spinning Rod.
It’s not every day you can find all that you want in one high-end surf rod without straining the wallet. However, this surf rod seems to have filled a void with its new and improved design, offering a graphite composite rod, graphite reel seat, and one-piece stainless steel Dura-Guides to provide versatility, strength, performance, and ultimate durability.
Ergonomic Winn grips and diamond X wrap shrink tube provide grip and comfort for just about any angling situation. All models in this series come in 2 pieces, range in rod length from 8’ to 12’, and have power ratings of medium, medium-heavy, and heavy.
Penn is another company on our list today that we here at Rugged Man are proud to get behind and attach our name to.
Through hard work, tenacity, and integrity, they have procured a storied and rich past and undoubtedly secured a time-honored future.
St. Croix Mojo Yak
(Spinning Rod)
Fitting right in with good company on our list today, St. Croix is unique to the fishing rod industry by having complete control over the sourcing, manufacturing, and craftsmanship that go into building their products.
For almost 75 years, St. Croix has been passionate about the craftsmanship of their fishing rods.
So passionate that it literally takes 32 pairs of hands to produce one fishing rod!
Every single rod they manufacture is carefully crafted, assembled, and tested by professionals who have a passion for angling and want to ensure the best experience possible.
The path of this company has evolved and taken many different twists and turns over the last three-quarters of a century, with some of those incarnations being more successful than others.
However, it is not our missteps that define us, rather, it is how we respond to them that makes us who we are.
With grit and determination, St. Croix constructed the most advanced fishing rod facility on the planet and with it, a world-class brand that has earned the respect and admiration of anglers around the world. They continue to challenge themselves to be the best and it’s working.
Now, let’s get to the meat! Designed by St. Croix to provide superior performance and exceptional balance for kayak anglers, we bring you the Mojo Yak Spinning Rod!
The Yak Series combines the framework of the tried and true/angler-approved Mojo series with updated technology.
Constructed from premium, high-modulus SC III graphite blanks, Mojo Yak Spinning Rod has been specifically crafted using Integrated Poly Curve mandrel technology to provide precise, technique specific actions that meet the demands of kayak enthusiasts.
Displaying unique versatility, this 1 - piece, fast action rod handles everything you fish for off the kayak, from Bass to Bull Reds, and is designed to handle some pretty serious abuse and still hold its integrity. They range from a length of 7’ - 7’6” and medium-light to medium-heavy in rod power.
Every single Mojo Yak Spinning Rod has two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish with Kigan Master Hand 3D guides and slim, strong aluminum-oxide rings and black frames.
A custom Winn split-grip handle provides optimal comfort and control just under the Fuji DPS reel seat with black hoods and a handy Kigan hook-keeper.
Backed by a 5-year warranty and St. Croix Superstar Service, the Mojo Yak Spinning Rod is the obvious choice for your kayak angling needs and we here at Rugged Man give St. Croix a huge thumbs up for this creative innovation and step forward in making fishing accessible and enjoyable for everyone!
Lamiglas Redline CenterSpin HS12CS
(Steelhead & Salmon)
Family owned and operated in Washington State, Lamiglas has been leading innovations in rod development since 1949, evolving into a premier rod company and offering technique-specific fishing rods.
A lot of the top brands in the industry have roots that grow from this company.
Hiring top-level Boeing Engineers to pioneer designs that have never before been produced is just one example of how they operate. This commitment to excellence and innovation is why their fishing rods have been a staple of anglers for decades.
Through rapid responsive development work, their innovations in graphite, fiberglass, and composite designs, have kept them at the forefront of the industry.
Lamiglas has a strong foothold in both offshore and inshore rod design. Their rod lineup is legendary and ultimately matched.
Salmon and steelhead rods are first nature to them and their extensive lineup can outfit the most demanding of anglers.
Commitment to improvement in their manufacturing processes, servicing their clients to the highest level, and continuing innovative and industry-leading rod and blank design, has been the hallmark of Lamiglas for 71 years, and you can bet it will continue for many more.
Now on to “The Most Versatile Float Rod on the Market”, the CenterSpin HS12CS, from the Redline series.
This 2-Piece 12’ Steelhead & Salmon rod is known for being extremely effective in a multitude of float (bobber) fishing situations. You can use this rod with either a CenterPin or Spinning Reel.
Providing you the ultimate experience in intricate line control, the efficient tip can mend lines very smoothly, allowing you to place the float exactly where you need it.
The taper protects a light 6lb leader for steelhead, but can also have the versatility to lean back on larger steelhead and salmon, with up to 15lb leaders.
The Lamiglas Redline CenterSpin HS12CS features a graphite black gloss blank, rubber sliding rings for choosing any reel position (fitting any reel seat size), and a rubberized aluminum butt cap for durable protection and balance.
“Did you step on your rod? Run it over in your car? Come home to an angry significant other trying to get revenge on you for spending all of your time on the water? No worries, we've got you covered.”
Welcome to the Lamiglas No Questions Asked "Fast Track" Warranty Replacement Program
No matter the age of the rod or the cause of the break, with their "Fast Track" program, you can have your rod replaced, for a small fee depending on series.
You don’t even have to mail the whole rod. Just cut out the small label section of the rod and stick it in a padded envelope.
They will also pay the shipping back to you, free of charge if you’re in the Lower 48.
To top it all off, you can even use this warranty program at any participating retailer, so you can get back to fishing that very day!
“Fishing provides that connection with the whole living world. It gives you the opportunity of being totally immersed, turning back into yourself in a good way. A form of meditation, some form of communion with levels of yourself that are deeper than the ordinary self”
— Ted Hughes
Breathing in the salty air is incredibly healthy. It is not only healthy for the body, but for clearing the mind and filling our hearts and souls with a much needed reprieve from our mundane everyday existence as busy bee workers and daily grinders.
It should not be understated, nor underestimated, that the benefits in taking time for yourself to hit the reset button and SLOW down are of grave importance in maintaining our roles as healthy leaders, providers, protectors, husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers.
Whatever role you play, you owe it to yourself and the ones you love to be your best.
So, all joking and snickering aside, get out on the water when you can. Whether that is saltwater or freshwater, boat or bank, creek or river, shore or backwater.
Just get out there! It will keep something alive inside of you that should never die. It will make everything else you do in your life more effective and productive.
Take care of yourself and stay RUGGED!
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