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If you’re anything like us, a travel fishing rod is one of the most important items in your angling arsenal. When travelling the world you don’t want to miss out on angling opportunities. But taking clunky 12′ rods with you in oversized luggage adds to the stress that comes with travelling.
Enter the travel rod. Compact, portable and designed specifically for on-the-go anglers, these four or five-piece rods are a thing of beauty. Designed to fit in your suitcase and complete with an easy-to-carry, hard-shelled case, a good-quality travel rod can revolutionise your fishing experience. A cut above the best telescopic rods when it comes to power and durability.
In this guide we’ve covered what the very best travel fishing rod is, what makes a good travel fishing rod, our breakdown of the best available rods and a best of the rest section. Still very good rods, but just not quite breaking into the upper echelon. Find your favourite fishing companion below.
What does our current travel fishing rod setup look like?
The Savage Gear Travel Rods have travelled the world with us. From Cornwall, Jamaica, Sri Lanka and back again. Durable, unimportantly aesthetically pleasing and designed to fit in a traditional suitcase, the Savage Gear Travel Rods have done us proud.
At under £100, the SG2 range is also excellent value now that others have come out in the range. Whilst the 20-60g casting weight is arguably a better choice for handling some decent-sized fish, the 10-40g is more effective when lure fishing for bass thanks to its slightly better sensitivity.
What is the best travel fishing rod?
The best travel fishing rod is Major Craft’s Crostage Travel Rod. This four-piece, extra-fast action travel rod is incredible for saltwater lure fishing. Powerful, with excellent casting distance for a four-piece, and great quality reinforced carbon blanks, the Crostage is a superb piece of kit from rod specialists Major Craft.
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What makes a good travel fishing rod?
A good travel rod must be:
- Portable: Whether you’re travelling by plane, car or foot a travel rod needs to pack down into a case of around two feet long with carry holders that make transportation simple, packing down into most suitcases.
- Durable: Travel rods tend to be made up of four or five pieces, which means these rods have more weak points than a traditional two-piece rod. As such it’s important they are made with high-quality carbon, graphite or carbon-like material.
- Sensitive: The trade-off with sensitivity tends to be durability. And vice versa of course. As travel rods tend to be shorter than most rods, the tips tend to be slightly less sensitive. So make sure the rod you pick has an appropriate, action, casting weight and bite detection.
- An appropriate length: A standard four-piece travel rod tends to be between 7′-8′ in length. This packs away into a two-feet long case and is easy to carry. Five-piece travel rods can be up to around 9’6-10′, with very few making it past the mark. So weigh up transportation, required casting distance, and power to determine the correct length.
- Appropriate action and power: Most travel rods are made for the lure fishing market. As such you want to pick a rod that is fast-action and medium-power. But match the action and power to the type of fishing you’re doing.
- Casting performance: Longer, whippier rods cast lures and baits further. travel rods tend to be shorter and more rigid to make up for the increased number of weak points. If you’re looking for a long-casting, powerful travel rod there are only a few to choose from.
- Part quality: This is particularly important if you’re doing more saltwater fishing. But make sure the rod you choose is made with quality blank material, corrosion-resistant guides, has a good travel case, a quality reel seat et al.
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The 7 best travel fishing rods
Major Craft Crostage Light Game Travel RodBest overall travel fishing rod
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- Four-piece, extra fast travel rod up to nine feet long
- Casting weight 10-30g and 15-42g
- Moderate – heavy power
- Made from ultra-strong Micropitch Force Carbon
Major Craft’s Crostage Travel Rod is a fantastic bass fishing rod for on-the-go fishermen. And – unlike most travel rods – this 4 piece can handle seriously tough conditions and decent-sized bass. However, if it’s distance casting you’re after on shallow shingle beaches, this rod is not the one for you. Even the 9-footer.
However, if you’re anything like us, you’ll love this rod. Covering some serious distance on foot with nothing but a backpack and your fishing tackle is the ultimate fishing experience. And for that, this travel rod can’t be beaten. The 9′ 10 – 30g version has an excellent whip for a 4 piece and lets you cast soft plastics and mid-size metals without any trouble.
Abu Garcia Diplomat V2 Travel ComboBest travel fishing rod and reel combo
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- Four-piece, 8′ long travel rod
- 10-35g casting weight (other weights are available)
- Moderate to fast action
- Corrosion-resistant guides and fixtures
As kings of the value fishing tackle, it’s no surprise the Abu Garcia Diplomat V2 Travel Combo is a very good travel rod and reel combo. We now have a Savage Gear Power Game travel rod, but the Abu Garcia Diplomat combo is a very good travel rod and reel. It is one of the very best rod and reel combos out there and the standalone Diplomat Travel Rod is just great value.
Travel rod setups are meant to be convenient. They’re all about convenience in fact. From purchase to catching a fish, you want everything to be included. Which is exactly what you get here. The 2500-sized reel with a 5.2:1 gear ratio is spot on for catching medium-sized sea predators and pike, with a relatively smooth action. Of course, you give up something in the casting distance and overall power output, but that’s what a travel rod is!
Savage Gear SG4 Travel RodBest travel rod for spinning
Fishing, Tackle & Bait
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- Four-piece, fast action, medium power travel rod
- 6’6″ – 8’10″‘ in length
- Casting weight: 7-23g up to 15-45g
- Transport length: 69cm
Savage Gear’s SG4 Medium Game Travel Rod is the latest in Savage Gear’s travel range of rods and a marked step-up from the SG2 travel range. Designed for targeting predatory fish like pike, perch and bass. The lightweight reinforced graphite blanks make for a fast, powerful response at the weight and the sensitive tip has excellent bite detection. Particularly for a travel rod. Suitable for paddle tails, crankbaits, spinners, and light metals, the SG4 won’t disappoint.
Aesthetically the rod is beautiful and the mottled green colour is a real personal highlight. The carry bag is another step up, with a shoulder strap and carry handle that makes fishing in challenging-to-reach locations much more enjoyable. Of course, the trade-off with travel fishing rods is that four-piece rods are less powerful than a traditional two-piece, but the fast action and up to 45g lure weight make it suitable for reasonable-size predators.
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Garbolino Sakura Bidaia Travel RodBest travel rod for lighter-weight fishing
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- Four-piece, fast action rod that is between 7-9 feet long
- Casting weight: 3-10.5g up to 14-60g
- 24T carbon blanks, with an ergonomic reel seat and anti-tangling SIC rings
Garbolino’s Sakura Bidaia Travel Rod is a high-quality, sensitive travel fishing rod made by lightweight fishing experts Garbolino. The 24T carbon blanks are reasonably powerful at the weight and the fast action rod is suitable for salt and freshwater fishing. Another quality travel fishing rod that comes in an array of options – a seven-foot-long four-piece with a casting weight of 3-10.5g designed for seriously lightweight spinning. Up to a nine-foot behemoth with a casting weight of 14-60g designed for some really powerful saltwater predators. This rod range has it all.
Aesthetically the rod looks great and the components are nicely put together. The anti-tangling rings resist friction associated with braid and the polished steel frame is saltwater-resistant. Make sure you use a quality braided fishing line with it.
Rigged & Ready Smuggler Max Travel Fishing RodBest travel rod for casting distance and big fish
- 10’6″ and 11’10” rod length
- Casting weight: 50-100g and 100-170g depending on the rod tip used
- Transport length: 66cm
- These rods also come with a two-year guarantee for parts and breakages
Rigged & Ready’s Smuggler Max Travel Fishing Rod is a seven-piece travel fishing rod designed for fishing for predators in the surf and freshwaters around the world. If you’re in the market for a sea fishing rod that you can fit in your hand luggage, can handle powerful fish and cast serious distances, the S Max is a great option. This powerful, durable, dual-tip rod is arguably the most flexible travel fishing rod we’ve come across.
The dual tips mean the rod has multiple lengths and casting weights, which offers power and flexibility you don’t find with traditional travel fishing rods. With a max casting weight of 170g and rod lengths in excess of 10′ (the longest tip reaching 11’10”), the super compact design belies the fact that the casting distance is exceptional. Obviously, it doesn’t have the same whip as a two-piece, but distance-wise it’s certainly comparable. The fibreglass tips themselves are very sturdy and – thanks to the two-year guarantee – can be easily replaced.
Penn Squadron III Travel Saltwater Spinning RodBest five-piece travel fishing rod
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- Five-piece, fast-action travel rod
- 8’2″ length with a casting weight of 15-40g (other models are available)
- Saltwater-resistant components
- Under two-foot when broken down and designed to fit in all suitcases
Penn’s Squadron III Travel Saltwater Spinning Rod is a quality, excellent value travel fishing rod designed for fishing in saltwater conditions. With an 8’2″ length and a casting weight of 15-40g, this travel rod has a more than reasonable casting distance and the flexibility to target medium-sized predators and smaller fish that require a little more finesse and bite detection. It’s a really good all-around travel fishing rod and perfect for entry-level and intermediate anglers.
The components and guides are all saltwater-resistant and the 24T carbon blanks are durable and capable of handling the majority of saltwater shore fishing.
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Westin W4 Light Spin Travel RodBest saltwater travel fishing rod
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- Four-piece, fast-action travel rod
- Lengths range from 7′-9’6″
- The carbon blanks have been reinforced with Torayca fibres
- Transport length: 66cm
Westin W4 Light Spin Travel Rod is Westin’s second-generation travel rod and a definite upgrade. The carbon blanks have been reinforced with Torayca fibres and resin, creating an inherently more powerful, whippier version of the travel rod. The higher-tensile strength and more responsive blanks are perfect for saltwater predators.
The reinforced carbon blanks and fast action make for an extremely fun fishing experience. The heavier-duty models in the nine-foot plus range are substantially more powerful and durable, maintaining more than adequate bite detection. Particularly at this power.
Best of the rest
| Price history for Fish Rig 180. Super lightweight, strong, hi carbon telescopic travel fishing rod + 2 tips. 160 & 180cm rod lengths and fishing weight options | |
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Whilst telescopic rods are not the toughest rods available, they can be brilliant fun and, crucially, easy to transport. Rigged & Ready’s Fish Rig 180 is a super lightweight, carbon-made telescopic rod designed for the roving angler and made by the world’s only travel rod specialists.
If you’re in the market for a telescopic rod made to a really high standard that’s perfect for targeting fish like perch, mackerel and other predatory fish up to the 2-3lb mark, Rigged & Ready’s Fish Rig 180 is the best of all available telescopic rods. It pairs particularly well with Rigged & Ready’s RR Spin Reel.
As kings of the value fishing tackle, it’s no surprise the Abu Garcia Diplomat V2 Travel Combo is a very good travel rod. With a light and ergonomic Abu Garcia WFS reel seat, the four-piece rod is ultra-transportable, with a strong, supple and responsive 24T Carbon rod blank. It’s a superb travel rod and one that won’t break the bank.
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Savage Gear’s SG2 Medium Game Travel Rod is a really well-balanced, good-value travel fishing rod that birthed the SG4 Travel Rod. Our personal favourite. It isn’t quite as aesthetically pleasing or as sensitive, but it’s still a very good travel rod. We would recommend the 7’1″ size as a go-to for beginner travel fishermen.
Decathlon UK
HTO’s Nebula Travel Fishing Rod is a superb travel fishing rod and one of the best on the market. Obviously, the trade-off you make with a four-piece rod over a two-piece is an element of power and control. You don’t tend to lose much sensitivity. The nine-foot length makes for a whippy cast not normally associated with travel rods, whilst the combination of sensitivity and power is – to our knowledge – unmatched
FAQs
What is a travel rod?
A travel fishing rod is a type of fishing rod specifically designed for easy transportation and convenience while travelling. A standard travel rod should break down into a carry case of around two-feet long that can fit in your suitcase.
Unlike traditional fishing rods, which are typically made up of two pieces, travel fishing rods are made out of four or five sections to be compact and portable. This makes them easier to carry in luggage, backpacks, or travel cases.
What type of travel fishing rods are there?
There are a number of travel fishing rods, including:
- Multi-piece rods: standard rods that breakdown into four or five pieces instead of two
- Telescopic rods: have sections that slide into one another
- Multi-length rods: also known as convertible rods can be adjusted to suit different fishing conditions
- Collapsible rods: similar to telescopic rods but operate on a different mechanism. Instead of sliding the sections into one another, collapsible rods have segments that fold and collapse inward
- Travel fly rods: multi-piece fly rods that breakdown to different sections
Are travel rods worth it?
Yes, travel rods are worth it. If you’re someone who travels a lot and doesn’t want to miss out on fishing opportunities around the world, then a good quality travel fishing rod can revolutionise your angling experience. Versatile, convenient and so much more powerful and durable than a few years ago, travel rods are a great purchase.
What is the difference between a telescopic rod and a travel rod?
Technically a telescopic rod is a type of travel rod, but both are designed for portability and convenience. A traditional travel rod is built much like a traditional two-piece rod but is broken down into four or five pieces so it can fit in a suitcase.
A telescopic rod is built with sections that collapse into each other, allowing the rod to retract and extend like a telescope.
Are travel fishing rods good?
Traditional multi-piece travel fishing rods are good. They have come such a long way over the last 15 years and brands like Savage Gear, Westin, Abu Garcia, Penn and Major Craft make some extremely versatile four and five-piece travel rods capable of catching some seriously powerful predators.
Harry
Hi, I'm Harry. A keen, albeit exceedingly average fisherman. I've spent the last few years trawling London's waterways with - if I'm being kind - varied success and would love to help you avoid the mistakes I have made.
