My wife asked why I needed so many rods to catch a little green fish. I quipped about why she needed so many pairs of shoes. With my yard pass revoked for several weeks and the honey do list additions, I should have explained that rods are like shoes, you need one for every outfit or situation.

If you and your better half are the standard American couple, shoes and rods fall into a budget. Most anglers buy the best rod for their needs that fall within the family’s budget. Berkley® addresses the need for a high quality rod with a family budget price. The Berkley® Lightning Rod® allows you to buy a few shoes and keep your yard pass intact.

Berkley® covers all the basic needs of a fishermen with a line of light and powerful rods for fishing. High modulus IM-6 graphite blanks are sensitive with the power to spare for hook sets. The blank are matched with Hard Chromium SS304 guides, which are usually used on models that are more expensive. These guides are up to 20 times tougher and 55% lighter than aluminum oxide guides. The fast-flex tip is 38% than conventional graphite rods. This means the rod has plenty of backbone for hook sets.

Whether you choose a spinning or casting model, Lightning Rods® have numerous choices to match every fishing need. Depending on the model, action ranges from ultralight to hard. The sensitive blank and the chromium guides produce a very sensitive rod. In addition, Lighting Rods® are available at local retailers and mail order businesses.

Here is a word of advice, next time your wife ask about a new pair of shoes, take her down to the mall immediately. On the return home, swing in the local tackle store and pick up a new rod for the great new technique. It will be hard for her to argue when you tell her how great her new shoes look.

About the author: Jeff Bruhl is a member of the Louisiana Outdoors Writer Association, pro angler, and a pharmacist. His website, www.marshbass.com, covers freshwater fishing across Louisiana and the gulf coast. Each Saturday morning between 5-7 am CST, a bass fishing report can be heard on the Outdoors with Don Dubuc Radio Show (www.dontheoutdoorsguy.com) on 870 AM from the New Orleans station. Jeff has made numerous television and radio appearances on shows like Paradise Louisiana, The Big Fish, and ABC26.com. From tips on youtube.com to weekly reports on his website, his articles and reports provide tips and tactics for bass anglers in the sportsman paradise. Jeff’s sponsors include Abu Garcia, Xpoint hooks, Bud Light, Louisiana Fish Fry Products, Power Pole, Stanley Jigs and Spinnerbaits, Skeeter, Dockside Marine, Rat-L-Trap, and Berkley. For more information about fishing in Louisiana, drop Jeff an email at jeff@marshbass.com.