The Must-Have Fishing Rod EVERYONE Needs In Their Arsenal
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
What is the must-have fishing rod EVERYONE needs in their arsenal of gear?
As inshore anglers, we never really know what we’ll run into while out on the water.
We also travel a lot and move from spot to spot covering ground and experimenting in new areas.
If you’ve got one of THESE at the ready, you’re set up for ultimate success.
Take a closer look here!!
Must-Have Fishing Rod EVERYONE Needs [VIDEO]
Become A Better Angler While Saving Time & Money
Featured Gear:
- Daiwa Ardito Travel Rod
- TFO Traveler Spinning Rod
- Daiwa Fuego Spinning Reel
- Daiwa Legalis Spinning Reel
I think every inshore angler should own a 3-piece travel fishing rod for a few reasons.
The first is providing instant ability to fish wherever and whenever.
In my previous job, I traveled all around the state of Florida and had the Daiwa Ardito Travel Rod tucked behind my driver’s seat.
This enabled me to stop and fish wherever I was.
Instead of wasting time watching TV stuck in a hotel room, I was out trying to get tight lines wherever I was.
Another reason for having a 3-piece travel rod is they make fantastic backup options.
If you happen to break your main fishing rod then these travel setups are high-quality choices to use instead.
You’ve probably been told that 3-piece fishing rods are not the way to go.
This is not all that true.
If you do go out and spend less money on a 3-piece set up in a big box store, then that probably won’t hold up very long.
But rod manufacturers like Daiwa, St. Croix, and TFO among a bunch of others are designing and selling excellent travel rod options for inshore anglers.
These rods are WAY better than you would anticipate.
The Daiwa Ardito Travel Rod fishes just the same as a one-piece rod and you likely wouldn’t be able to tell the difference if I stuck it in your hands and didn’t tell you it was 3 pieces.
Don’t immediately write off 3-piece travel rods.
These are great options in case your main option goes down or you have other people coming to fish with you that don’t have rods of their own.
Daiwa Ardito Travel Rod Details
The Daiwa Ardito is a carbon-fiber graphite fishing rod just like any other high-quality inshore rod out there now.
The particular model I have is the 7’6 Medium-Light.
These rods feature a V-Flex Ferrule which is the part where the pieces come together.
In cheaper options, the ferrules will combine as closely as they can which doesn’t allow the rod to bend consistently when under a load.
There is a small gap between those two flared ends so the graphite blank has a consistent bend all the way through.
You don’t have to sit there and fight to attach the pieces together as a result.
The pieces combine easily and without much effort to assemble.
Moreover, the reel seat, grips, and guides are all consistent with high-quality inshore gear.
It has aluminum-oxide guides on it which are very braid-friendly.
The reel seat is attached directly to the reel giving you more feel just as you would expect from a top-shelf rod.
The Daiwa Ardito comes in a nylon carrying case.
It is rigid enough to give you the protection you need but it has just enough flex so you can pack it into tight areas.
Reel Pairing Options
As far as the reels to pair with the Daiwa Ardito or any travel rod, you should use the reel that the situation calls for.
I do a lot of inshore fishing so I typically use a 2500 or 3000 size spinning reel.
I mostly lean toward using a 3000-size Daiwa Fuego with the Ardito rod.
The color schemes also line up and match with the Fuego and Ardito.
If color is of no concern to you, then the Daiwa Legalis is also an excellent option for this rod.
Final Thoughts
The Daiwa Ardito Travel Rod is an excellent setup if you’re looking for a travel rod.
We do also carry the TFO Traveler Spinning Rod in the Fish Strong shop.
If you’re familiar with the TFO Tactical, this is basically the same rod just now in 3-pieces.
This is an excellent setup and is as good as any daily use rods you regularly use.
I’d like to hear from YOU – what is your go-to travel rod?
Have you fished with the Daiwa Ardito Travel Rod before?
TFO? St. Croix? Toadfish?
Please let me hear your opinions and feedback down in the comments!!
Drop your stories down below!
Become A Better Angler While Saving Time & Money
Finding The Fish Help
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Pat,
I am a Michigan boy that travels to SW Florida once a year for vacation. I have used the Kastking Blackhawk II but looking to get a second rod. I have read several reviews, some a few years old, and the comments surround the tip breaking on the Ardito. Any thoughts? Are the Ardito rods that are purchased today have different tips than those of a few years ago and/or has Daiwa addressed that issue? Any insight would be appreciated.
Chris, thanks for the question.
I’m not sure if there has been a redesign of the rod or any of its components but I will say that it’s VERY uncommon for a rod to have a manufacturer defect. Although it does happen, most rod breakages are caused from mishandling or damage.
Typically a rod breaking higher up near the tip is caused by what is known as “High Sticking”. That’s when the rod tip is raised at too high of an angle compared to the rod base. That angle will put too much pressure on the rod and cause it to break.
I wouldn’t be too concerned about those reviews. The rod is a quality unit and for the money it would be hard to beat.
Hope this helps and best of luck to you!
I picked up an Ardito 7’6″ MH on a recommendation from Justin Richie. I’m in the Northeast and don’t throw anything less than 1/4 oz. (usually 1/2 to 3/4). This is a great rod for back bay stripers and blues as well as fluke. Good backbone and plenty sensitive for me. Paired with an Procyon AL 3000/4000 10/15lb braid and I’m always ready to fish just about anywhere.
I’m looking to purchase this rod but dose the 7’6 mh still sensitive enough to use artificial lures? It seems like Daiwa dose not make a 7’6 m.
Honestly, I would get the 7’0” Medium. It think the MH is over kill for most inshore applications. The casting distance between the two would be minimal.
I own a TFO, a ST Croix, and a Toadfish travel rod. They all have merit, but the Toadfish blows the other two away. I use it when I fly to SW Florida. The case is rigid and sturdy, and the rod is great for both inshore and nearshore use. I have caught numerous snook, redfish and gag groupers on this rod. Highly recommend!
Thanks Lara!! They are a great tool to have!
Great write up. I went with the Toadfish outfitters travel rod that Justin suggested. Have fished that thing all over the world from catching brown trout in the Italian alps, rainbow trout in Japan, shore fishing for stud Kahawai and snapper off the rocks in New Zealand to dentex, grouper, and barracuda in the Mediterranean and it functioned flawlessly. The option to go from medium to medium heavy power and fast to mod-fast action, along with the solid metal tube made it a perfect choice for worldwide travel. If I didn’t go with that one the Ardito was my second choice.
Wow! You definitely have some miles on yours!! Thanks for the feedback and sharing the input!
Thanks for a very informative video on travel rods. Will help make my decision on a future purchase.
No problem Gwendolyn!! Glad you enjoyed it!
I recently looked into travel spinning rods and found that only a few manufacturers still make them and even fewer have them in stock. Here’s a list of the ones I found:
Daiwa Ardito Travel Rod
Falcon Coastal Inshore Traveler
Fenwick Elite Inshore Travel
Penn Pursuit IV Combo Trvl (with 4000 or 6000 reel)
Penn Battle III Combo Trvl (with 4000 or 6000 reel)
TFO Tactical Inshore Traveler
St. Croix AVID Trek
The Penn combos come with a travel case where the reel stays attached.
Ended up going with the TFO since they are renowned for their multi-piece fly rods so should know how to make a durable travel rod and paired it with a Daiwa Fuego 2500. The Daiwa was a very close second.
Thanks for the article, Pat!
Glad you liked it Reed!!
I have a few great travel rods, but they are all spinning. I am really looking for a heavy or extra heavy travel casting rod. Does anybody have any ideas?
Not sure on that one. The only heavy power that I know are surf rods.
I’m a big fan of travel rods for the ease of transport and storage. The Fenwick HMG travel rod is a rock solid contender in the travel rod world. I’ve caught a lot of good fish on it, and it comes with two tip sections to give you medium and medium-light capabilities.
I’ve heard good things about the Fenwick and the extra section is a big bonus! Thanks for sharing!
I just saw the video on the travel gear. What do you guys think on telescopic rods? I know there are several products online that offers them & some have good reviews.
I don’t have any personal experience with the telescopic ones. I think under light use they would probably be fine.
Magreel has the best economical combo telescopic travel rods, in my opinion. If you can spend a few extra bucks, I recommend getting the KastKing Blackhawk II and your choice of spinning reel.