If you're new to fishing, or have been fishing for many years

If you're new to fishing, or have been fishing for many years, you might still be wondering whether you'd catch more fish with a different fishing rod. If you think that your rod might be to blame, perhaps you're not using the right fishing rod.

Here's what you need to consider.

1. By establishing what sort of fishing you do, you can begin to understand whether you have the right rod. If you're using a rod designed for catching salmon or trout, and fly fishing, whilst you're sea fishing, or vice versa, then you might not have the most suitable rod.

2. Depending on how often you go fishing you might think that there's a more appropriate fishing rod for you. You might go fishing every weekend, and are still using the same rod you bought years ago. You might have an extremely expensive or technical fishing rod that you're scared to use in case it gets damaged.

3. Where you fish can also make a difference. Fishing on the sea, or standing in a river places different requirements on your rod. Will you be holding your rod whilst sitting on a boat or by the side of a lake? Will you be fishing for a couple of hours at a time, or all day?

4. The weight of fishing rods also makes a difference to whether they are right or not. You might prefer a lightweight rod that's easy to handle, or might prefer a heavier rod, that will be more resilient.

5. You might prefer a longer length of fishing rod, so that you can cast further. Or if you enjoy putting your waders on and getting up to your waist in the river, you might want a shorter rod so that you don't get your line caught on any overhanging trees when you cast.

6. The comfort of your rod is a personal preference, and what works for you, might not work for others. Just because a magazine rates a rod highly, doesn't mean that it's right for you. Remember that you'll have to live with it, and you don't want to buy a rod that you'll never use.

7. You might have a few fishing brands that you like, and know that their rods are comfortable, and perform well for the type of fishing you do. Alternatively, you might be open to different brands, and want the right rod.

8. If you have several reels and do sea fishing as well as fly fishing, or take your rod on holiday, or go fishing with your children, you might have several rods, reels and lines, and need to know that you can swap the line or reel, so that you can have the right set up for no matter how much time you have to get ready, or what sort of fishing you're doing.

9. Your rod might not be particularly easy to use. If it's old, or inherited, or you bought it because it was cheap, then you might have learnt to live with the problems, and the things you don't like about it. Why not see if a different rod would be better for you?

10. No matter how much you spend on a fishing rod, you want value for money. You might use an expensive fishing rod every day, and it be worth every penny, ehmanns or alternatively, you might have a cheap rod that's not right and you never use that was a waste of money.

Now you know what to think about, you'll be able to make sure that you have the right fishing rod, and go fishing more often.