It’s summer time and grass mats everywhere so that means it’s time to start punching through the slop to catch a lunker. In this post we will go over the best punching rods that can get the job done and catch you a big bass!
Best Punching Rods for Bass
- Temple Fork Outfitters Professional Series Medium-Heavy Casting Rod – Our Favorite MH Rod
- 13 Fishing Defy Black Medium-Heavy Baitcasting Rod – Our Budget MH Rod
- Dobyns Sierra Series 7’0″ Medium-Heavy Casting Bass Fishing Rod – Our Premium MH Rod
- Temple Fork Outfitters Professional Series Heavy Casting Rod – Our Favorite Heavy Rod
- 13 Fishing Defy Black Heavy Baitcasting Rod – Our Budget Heavy Rod
- Dobyns Sierra Series Heavy Casting Bass Fishing Rod – Our Premium Heavy Rod
Best Rod Size for Punching
The best rod size or length for punching is between 6-7ft. Generally when you’re punching you’re not casting very far so you don’t need a long rod for casting distance. Short flips and pitches are the goal and you want a rod you can accurately flip and pitch into areas where you think a bass could be hiding.
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Best Rod Power for Punching Grass
The best rod power for punching for bass is medium-heavy to heavy powered rods. You’ve probably heard that you need a heavy or even an extra-heavy powered rod for punching and it’s not wrong, but it can be overkill. You don’t want to be using a broom stick to lift a 2lb bass into the next county. You’re more likely to rip the hook out of it’s mouth than actually land that fish.
A medium-heavy rod can be used for punching applications with lighter weights, think 1/2oz or lighter. If you have really heavy slop or you’re throwing a heavy punch rig you’ll want to have a heavy stick at the ready.
Best Punching Rod Action for Bass Fishing
The best punching rod action for bass fishing is rod with a fast action tip. A fast tip is great for setting the hook quickly and easily. A swift pulling motion is all you need to set the hook when you have the right action.
Best Rod for Punching Grass
Temple Fork Outfitters Professional Series MH Casting Rod – Our Favorite Casting Rod
Temple Fork Outfitters MH Professional Series Casting Rod
$119.95 Buy Now Disclaimer – This website uses affiliate links and get a small commission at no additional cost to you.| Price | $109.95 |
| Rod Length | 7’0″ |
| Power | Medium Heavy |
| Action | Fast |
| Line Weight | 8-17 lbs. |
| Lure Weight | 3/8-1 oz |
| Rod Weight | 4.5 oz |
| Pieces | 1 Piece |
The TFO Medium-Heavy Professional Series casting rod is our favorite on the list. It’s a great balance of price and quality. This rod is capable of coasting lures up to an ounce, but we recommend you use punching lures that are less than 5/8 oz so that you don’t over power your rod. Pair this up with a great punching reel and you’ll be punching through and catching bass in no time!
13 Fishing Defy Black MH Baitcasting Rod – Best Priced Casting Rod
13 Fishing Defy Black Baitcasting Rod
$59.99 Buy Now Disclaimer – This website uses affiliate links and get a small commission at no additional cost to you.| Price | $69.99 |
| Rod Length | 6’7″ |
| Power | Medium–Heavy |
| Action | Fast |
| Line Weight | 12–20 lbs. |
| Lure Weight | 3/8–1 oz. |
| Rod Weight | 10 oz. |
| Pieces | 1 Piece |
The MH 13 Fishing Defy Black series is our budget pick. It’s $40 cheaper than the TFO, but still a solid budget option. The Foam split grip is comfortable in the hand and makes it super easy to set the hook on a bass. If you’re looking to round out this budget option we recommend pairing it up with a Shimano SLX. The entire set up will run you around $160 which is a great price point for a punching rod.
Dobyns Sierra Series 7’0” MH Casting Bass Fishing Rod – Premium Casting Rod
Dobyns Sierra Series 7’0” Casting Bass Fishing Rod
$179.99 Buy Now Disclaimer – This website uses affiliate links and get a small commission at no additional cost to you.| Price | $179.99 |
| Rod Length | 7’0″ |
| Power | Medium–Heavy |
| Action | Fast |
| Line Weight | 10–17 lbs. |
| Lure Weight | 1/4–3/4 oz. |
| Rod Weight | 5 oz. |
| Pieces | 1 Piece |
If you’re looking to get a punching rod that has the most premium components, the Dobyns Sierra MH casting rod is going to be the one for you. It’s the most expensive on this list, but it also has the best quality and is a favorite for everyday applications too. It’s a well balanced rod and feature light so you can spend your whole day punching for largies.
Temple Fork Outfitters Professional Series Heavy Casting Rod – Our Favorite Casting Rod
Temple Fork Outfitters Heavy Professional Series Casting Rod
109.95 Buy Now Disclaimer – This website uses affiliate links and get a small commission at no additional cost to you.| Price | $109.95 |
| Rod Length | 7’0″ |
| Power | Heavy |
| Action | Mod-Fast |
| Line Weight | 10-25 lbs. |
| Lure Weight | 1/2-1 1/2 oz |
| Rod Weight | 5 oz |
| Pieces | 1 Piece |
This rod is the same as the one higher on the list, but it’s a Heavy powered rod. Same great price and quality, but a little extra beef so you can pull that bass out of the thickest stuff around. If you’re throwing a heavy flipping lure that is 1/2oz or heavier or flipping into some nasty thick stuff, this is the rod you’re going to want to use.
13 Fishing Defy Black Heavy Baitcasting Rod – Best Priced Casting Rod
13 Fishing Defy Black Heavy Baitcasting Rod
69.99 Buy Now Disclaimer – This website uses affiliate links and get a small commission at no additional cost to you.| Price | $68.99 |
| Rod Length | 7’5″ |
| Power | Heavy |
| Action | Fast |
| Line Weight | 14–25 lbs. |
| Lure Weight | 3/8–1 1/2oz. |
| Rod Weight | 5.6 oz. |
| Pieces | 1 Piece |
A little longer, but still a Defy Black is our budget pick for a Heavy casting rod. Priced great and a solid stick so you can wrench out stubborn bass from deep in the weeds. Capable of flipping and pitching a lure over 1 oz. This is a great rod to punch through very thick stuff.
Dobyns Fury Series 7’0” Heavy Casting Bass Fishing Rod – Premium Casting Rod
Dobyns Fury Series 7’0” Casting Bass Fishing Rod
129.99 Buy Now Disclaimer – This website uses affiliate links and get a small commission at no additional cost to you.| Price | $129.99 |
| Rod Length | 7’0″ |
| Power | Heavy |
| Action | Fast |
| Line Weight | 10–20 lbs. |
| Lure Weight | 1/4–1 oz. |
| Rod Weight | 5 oz. |
| Pieces | 1 Piece |
The Dobyns’ Fury Heavy rod is our high-end pick. It’s a great quality rod able to handle heavy cover and heavy lures. It’s a well balanced rod that handles the heaviest hooksets. Very light and sensitive so you will be able to detect even the lightest of bites. Also makes a great Carolina Rig rod.
Best Punching Reel for Bass
You’ve got your rod picked out and now you’re going to want a solid reel for punching. A good flipping and pitching reel is what you’re looking for. You want a good reel that can handle light cast easily. Good amount of reel speed with at least a 7-1.1 gear ratio and made from quality materials that wont break once you set the hook on that monster.
Best Fishing Line for Punching
The fishing line you use for punching is important. You’re dealing with a lot of heavy grass and a lot of force from your hookset so you need something tough. The best fishing line for punching is strong, durable, and cast-able. Braided line is a favorite for most anglers and a good choice for strength, durability, and no stretch. Fluorocarbon line is also used as a leader and is starting to be more popular as a mainline. You should probably stay away from monofilament because it has too much stretch.
PowerPro Spectra Moss Green Braided Line
Buy Now Disclaimer – This website uses affiliate links and get a small commission at no additional cost to you.Fishing Lures for Punching
When you’re thinking about fishing lures for punching for bass, you’re going to want something heavy enough to break through grass mats. Grass mats can take several forms and some are thicker than others. Regardless you want heavy enough to break through, but not too heavy that it ruins your hook set. Using the right hooks, plastics, hooks, and jigs are important.
Craws are a popular soft plastic lure on a stout flipping or straight shank hook. Paired up with a punching weight that can get through the heavy grass mats make it a killer set up.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for a budget option or the best of the best, a good punching rod means the difference between having a good time or a bad time fishing. Get yourself a good set up and start catching fish!
