Are Telescopic Rods Actually Good – Detailed Explanation
I think the answer to this question really depends on the type of fishing that you do and how serious of an angler you are. Frankly, I don’t think that there’s anything inherently wrong with telescopic fishing rods. They are convenient and affordable which makes them attractive to new anglers. I completely understand the appeal and for anyone who’s dabbling with the idea of fishing, it’s not such a bad idea.
Besides telescopic rods are quite capable these days and they’ve come a long way in recent years. Even some competitive anglers use specialized telescopic rods when they are traveling light. On the other hand, generic telescopic rods allow new anglers to get into fishing in a pragmatic fashion.
However, I don’t think the majority of telescopic rods are of genuine value to competent anglers. There are several reasons for this but really it’s dependent on two things. Specialization and Durability. Holistically speaking, I don’t think that the majority of telescopic rods offer either of these things which makes them redundant to most anglers.
What Telescopic Rods Can Be Used For
I’m certainly not saying that there isn’t a place for telescopic rods, they do serve a purpose, hence their popularity. While their utility is limited they certainly can be useful for certain situations. For instance, if you were camping with small children and wanted to teach them the fundamentals of fishing, then a generic telescopic rod is perfect.
In cases like this, the rod doesn’t need to be great because its ability won’t be tested when your casually fishing for fish like crappie, bream, roach, etc. Other activities where a telescopic rod may prove to be useful include but aren’t limited to:
- Teaching Fishing To Children
- Fishing For Bait Fish
- Fishing While Camping
- Fishing While Travelling/Backpacking
- Casual Fishing/One-off Usage
- Trying Fishing For The First Time
In such instances, a telescopic rod is perfect. The first rod I ever used was a telescopic rod and I caught my first fish with it. In hindsight, I can say that it wasn’t a great piece of kit. But frankly, at a young age, the capability of your tackle isn’t particularly relevant or even important. Fishing is about having fun. So if you have young kids and your eager to introduce them to fishing or you are interested in learning about fishing yourself, a telescopic rod isn’t a bad option.
They’re reasonably priced and you can find hundreds of them on Amazon. I don’t have one that I particularly recommend, in my experience, they are more or less the same. But providing it doesn’t cost too much, a telescopic rod is a good way to get into fishing.
Why Telescopic Rods Aren’t Ideal For Competent Anglers
As fishermen, we know how large of an impact our tackle can make. For instance, as an avid carp fisherman, my methods would be useless if someone were to give me a Pike fishing rod and ask me to catch carp. This is because there are specific things that I need in a fishing rod in order for it to be effective for carp fishing. However, most telescopic rods are unspecialized, generic, and in my opinion, cheaply constructed.
If you want a specialized telescopic rod, chances are it will be more expensive and weaker than a traditional rod. So while it will certainly get the job done, there is much logic behind it. You could argue that its more convenient but I don’t know how much of a difference that makes to most anglers. Perhaps if you travel a lot, then such a rod is justifiable.
A specialized telescopic rod is rather similar to a convertible sports car, in the sense that it is a luxury item that is formatted in a fashion that makes it worse yet more expensive. Unless the compact design makes a significant impact on you, I personally wouldn’t recommend buying a telescopic rod, purely based on this fact.
Are There Any Good Telescopic Rods
Yes, there are some really fantastic telescopic fishing rods and they are perfect for people who actually value transportation and convince. But for people who don’t travel often or don’t go fishing often, they are slightly pointless. Firstly, they are more expensive due to the construction along with the materials and components required to make a telescopic rod have proper utility and durability. Secondly, these rods often aren’t as capable as their standard counterparts
The Sonik Xtractor Carp is an excellent example of a well-done telescopic fishing rod. This is a partially telescopic carp fishing rod that was designed for anglers who like to travel light and are constantly on the go. The rod comes in a variety of lengths from 6-10 feet. I think the Xtractor really suited to stalking carp because its so light and maneuverable.
Why Telescopic Rods Break
Telescopic rods are easier to break because they have more weak points due to the retractable system. The blanks are put under tremendous amounts of pressure when playing with a large fish. They move freely because they’re retractable so they are more prone to breaking.
They can also break due to user error, especially when opening and closing the rod. This means that the rod is more fragile and needs to be used very carefully. The first telescopic rod I had broke within a matter of days. While I wasn’t the most competent angler but I wasn’t abusing the gear and didn’t catch anything over a couple of pounds. Yet within a few days, the rod simply stop retracting properly and I learned my lesson.
Failure of the retraction system can be due to a variety of reasons but most often it is user error. However, there are rare instances where dirt and debris can enter the retraction system via the blanks which ultimately leads to the system breaking.
Advantage Of Telescopic Fishing Rods
They Are Often Reasonably Priced: Most of the generic telescopic rods you’ll find on Amazon are around $30. This makes them perfect for novice anglers and those who just trying out fishing.
Telescopic Rods Are Easy To Find Online: For a lot of rods, you’ll have to go into a tackle store to find a specific rod that is appropriate for your use. However, lots of telescopic rods and generic and they are readily available online.
Telescopic Rods Often Come As a Rod & Reel Combo: I think the biggest issue people face when trying fishing is buying gear. A good fishing rod is expensive by itself but coupled with a decent reel, its really expensive. Fortunately, lots of telescopic rods often come with reels which reduces the cost of entry. This is very encouraging to new anglers because many people will be unsure whether they even like fishing when trying it out for the first time.
Telescopic Rods Are Compact & Easy To Travel With: For people that are fishing on the go or families that want to try lots of different things while traveling, telescopic rods prove to be very useful.
FAQs
Are Telescopic Rods As Good As Regular Rods? No, the retractable mechanism means that there are more weak points in the rod. Also, dirt and debris can often get trapped in the blanks which ruins the system.
Are Telescopic Rods Good For Beginners? Yes, I think telescopic rods are an excellent way for new anglers to get into fishing. Just take into consideration that you’ll have to upgrade your tackle quickly if you decide to take fishing more seriously.
Are Telescopic Rods Good For Travelling? Yes, since they compress into a such small package, they are very convenient to travel with.
