An inshore spinning rod once sized correctly can handle a lot of different setups and techniques.
Although there is a difference in the type of rod that you might use when doing some lightweight jigging for smaller speckled trout with and a heavier setup for bigger lures.
However, you can get away with an all rounder that can cover a lot of different scenario’s.
As an all rounder the best inshore spinning rods will be 7′ or 7’6″ with a medium/heavy power rating and a fast action.
This type of rod can perform well with line in the 10 to 20 lbs range if is mono and 15 to 30 lbs range if using braid.
If you are targeting specks, snook, and redfish then you really only need one rod as a general rod or if you are looking to really maximize your performance then a two rod setup as follows:
- Jigging/Lighter setup – 7 foot, medium power with a fast action
- Longer distance lure work – 7’6″, medium/heavy power rating with a fast action for heavier lure work
Given the choice between the two setups above I’d opt for the medium/heavy rated slightly longer rod as it is more versatile.
A medium power rod should be rated for mono in the 8 to 15 lbs range and lures in the 3/8 to 3/4 ounce range.
A medium/heavy should be rated for mono in the 10 to 20 lbs range and lures in the 1/2 to 1-1/4 ounce range.
As a general rule if you are using braid you can double the numbers that are quoted for monofilament so a medium/heavy rod would equate to 20 to 40 pound braid.
Best Inshore Spinning Rods
1. St Croix Mojo Inshore
The St Croix Mojo Inshore gets you a high end rod performance at a mid-range price.
St Croix are known for building some of the highest quality rod blanks available and they have built an entire series of rods for various techniques on their SCII graphite blank.
The Mojo Inshore fishing rods are designed with saltwater fishing in mind and have the specific hardware to handle it.
They come with Baston Forecast aluminum oxide guides and 316 stainless-steel frames which are considerably more corrosion resistant than more common 306 stainless-steel frames.
A high quality Fuji DPS reel seat and a really nice split grip cork handle plus a hook keeper round off the hardware.
Every rod is give two coats of Flex Coat slow-cure finish which gives the blanks a really nice looking nice high quality finish.
All rods are also backed by St Croix’s 5 year warranty.
Across the range there are 8 different models to choose from 2 length, 4 power and the same action on all.
There are only two lengths available in the range a 7′ and a 7’6″ which are two of the most popular rod lengths for inshore fishing.
All rods have a fast action for quicker hook sets and great feedback or tip sensitivity.
With four power ratings you can choose the exact weight rod for your target setup:
- ML(medium/light): 6-14 lbs line and 1/8 – 1/2 ounces weights
- M(medium): 8-17 lbs line and 3/8 – 3/4 ounces weights
- MH(medium/heavy): 10-20 lbs line and 1/2 – 11/4 ounces weights
- H(heavy): 15-30 lbs line and 3/4 – 2 ounces weights
The longer rod is better for casting larger weights or lures when sight fishing over longer distances whereas the 7′ is great for close in work around piers or docks.
2. Daiwa Coastal Salt Pro
If you are looking for a rod that can double as a light surf casting rod and a medium to heavy inshore rod then the Coastal Salt Pro from Daiwa is the perfect middle ground rod for the two.
The range has much longer and heavier rods than what is available in the Mojo Inshore rods range so for inshore work the smallest of the Coastal rods is a great compromise.
These rods are perfect for throwing big lures either into the surf or over a long distance when out on salt water flats targeting larger species.
The blanks are made from high modulus IM-7 graphite with a woven carbon mixed in for strength and added durability especially when flexing under casting.
They are finished with Fuji Alconite Low Rider guides, a Fuji DPS reel seat and an X-Tube grip design.
At 7′ in length and with a medium power rating this rod is great for throwing heavier lures when working inshore.
The line rating is 10 – 20 lbs and it is rated for lures in the 1 to 4 ounce range so definitely not a rod for jigging light lures with.
3. G.Loomis E6X Inshore Spinning Rods
G Loomis are known for building some very high end rods particularly in the salmon and Steelhead world, one particular line of rods the E6X gives you access to their superior technologies at a mid-range price point.
The E6X Inshore line as the name suggests is targeted at inshore saltwater fishing and the demands that it puts on both the rod and the hardware.
These rods are a definitely suited to more finesse inshore techniques like small jigs and plastics or throwing small bait rigs under bobbers.
Like all E6X’s the inshore fishing rod series is built on G. Loomis’s multi-taper technology giving a very light yet crisp rod blank that is super sensitive.
If you are looking for a rod that has a lot of feedback through the tip then the E6X is a serious contender.
A medium power rod is rated for line in the 8 to 14 lbs range and lures weights of 3/4 to 1-1/2 ounces which is perfect for lighter close quarters work.
4. St Croix Avid Inshore
The Avid Inshore line of rods from St Croix are a step up in terms of sensitivity when compared to the Mojo Inshore.
The Mojo is undoubtedly the best value for money but if you are looking to really up your game then the Avid line is where it is at.
American made they have a much more sensitive rod blank and the tip section is super sensitive.
The taper on the blank is what really makes it stand out as you get a really sensitive tip but quite a bit of power lower down in the blank which is not that easy to achieve.
This is down to St Croix’s Poly Curve technology that gives a much more even taper to the rod blank when compared to the Mojo inshore rod.
The hardware is also uprated from the Mojo and come with Kigan Master Zero Tangle guides that have aluminum oxide inserts with titanium frames with the guides having a more low profile than regular.
The rods are finished off with a Fuji DPS reel seat and full cork split drip handle.
The range runs from 6’6″ to 8′ in length and a range of rod powers and actions.
5. Hurricane Redbone Inshore Spinning Rod
Hurricane aren’t a brand of fishing rods that a lot of freshwater anglers would be familiar with but in the inshore saltwater world they have quite an underground following.
Built in the USA with inshore fishing in mind the Redbone is an excellent rod for the money.
They have two models for inshore fishing the ‘Redbone’ and the ‘Calica Jack’. Both rods are built on an older style IM7 graphite rod blank.
They feel super light in the hand and have a really crisp tip action. They come with Fuji aluminum oxide guides, full cork handle and a Fuji reel seat.
Inshore Rods
Most inshore spinning rods should be running 10 lbs mono or 20 lbs braid and if using braid then a 10 to 15 lbs leader of fluorocarbon.
Pair this with a high quality inshore spinning reel and you will have one heck of a setup that if properly looked after should last many years of great fishing.
Let’s take a brief look at the specifications in more detail below.
What Size Rod for Inshore Fishing?
As an all rounder right choice of rod length is between 7 and 8 feet depending on the setup.
When talking about what length rod you should get, you first need to ask what type of fishing are you doing.
Generally speaking if you are doing some light jigging work then a shorter inshore rod is the better option.
A shorter rod will allow you to jig your rod with shorter snappy wrist movements. If will also allow you to cast lighter lures or jigs with greater accuracy.
If you are looking to cast bigger lures a long distance when sight fishing over saltwater flats then an inshore rod of at least 7’6″ would be more suitable.
Longer rods all things being equal more suited to casting long distances.
Rod Power
Power is mostly influenced by the weight of your lures or bait rigs and how heavy a line you will be using.
As a guide for the majority of inshore fishing a 10 lbs mono or 20 lbs braid is the norm.
Rods are generally rated by what weight monofilament to pair them with.
For a spinning rod for inshore fishing 10 lbs mono should equate to a medium/heavy power rating.
For lighter jigging a medium power rating is a good option as the rod will have a bit more feel and sensitivity to it.
Action
You want a fast action for most styles of inshore fishing the only exception would be casting big crankbaits as a more moderate action will suit them.
Rod action means where on the rod blank that the natural bend will start to form.
A slow or moderate action rod will start to bend in the lower or middle section of the rod when pressure is applied to the tip.
A fast action rod will start to bend higher up in the top one third of the rod blank.
Fast action rods will have a quicker hook set and will have a lot more sensitivity transmitted down through the rod blank and into your hand.
When working lures or jigs a fast action will also allow you to make snappier short casts with better accuracy that is why the right action for an inshore rod will be fast.