Fishing rods can look similar to the naked eye but modern designs are the result of sophisticated technologies used to create specific attributes—and which attributes you choose is never more critical than when selecting casting rods.

The rods you use for luring will affect how much you catch. For example, small hard-bodied lures and small soft plastic lures are both popular for catching bream—and there’s often little difference in the weight of the two lure styles at this size. However, the best rods for little hard-bodied lures have stiffer tip sections for a ‘faster’ rod response to achieve solid hook sets—because the fish will immediately try to spit out the lure. Some anglers prefer soft plastics rods with softer tip sections for a ‘slower’ rod response—because the hook-up rate will increase if you allow fish time to chew on the lure.

It’s a subtle difference, but this kind of attention to detail is often what separates the catchers from the fishers.