Luckily for you, finding small-sized bass, crappie, bluegill, and more is easy. You can easily find most of these species in your local rivers, streams, lakes, or ponds. You can find popular saltwater panfish in some areas of the States, too. These include bluefish, flounder, striped bass (also found in freshwater), and sea trout. If you decide on fishing in both saltwater and freshwater, be sure to have a rod with anti-corrosion properties.

Spinning rods that are made of mainly graphite tend to stay between 5-8.5 feet long. You’ll see for our reviews below that most of them fit this description. If you’re using a baitcasting rod, be prepared for a rod as long as 14 feet. 10-14 feet is very typical if you’re hoping to get a baitcasting panfish rod. As they’re so much longer, they can be hard to use, so we recommend starting with a good spinning rod. Then you can consider moving up in length and styles.

Handles and guides differ from brand to brand. Usually, split grips or full handles are used as they are a lot more comfortable to use all day. Higher priced rods will feature more cork materials, whereas low priced panfish rods tend to be constructed of EVA foam.

The price of the rod will determine the strength of the guides, too. Top-of-the-line models could use titanium for their guides and inserts. Some other materials used for cheaper panfish guides are Silicon carbide (SiC), or stainless steel.

There’s never a shortage of fun and excitement when St. Croix creates a new rod, and the Panfish Series Spinning rod is no different. Our top pick rod is designed specifically for the devoted panfish angler. St. Croix has created a rod that's technique specific for panfish, but diverse enough to take on lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.

From the sensitive tip to the premium-grade cork handle, this rod not only performs well, but it looks great, too. St. Croix uses a dynamic blend of SCVI and SCII graphite, so the rod will be extremely responsive to touch and will remain balanced when tackling panfish. The blank is then finished with two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish giving it a beautiful, classic look.

Another significant benefit that this rod has over its competitors is its Fortified Resin System (FRS) during production. This simply means that your rod’s overall strength will be 33% stronger than rods built in traditional methods, as FRS helps prevent micro buckling.

There are eight sizes available within this series, all with a great action and power rating to suit its length. The model we’ve picked for the best panfish spinning rod is the 6’4”, light in power, fast in action one-piece. This specific rod worked wonders on the water and showed us that a rod can be light in power and weight while staying high in performance. 

Panfish may not be the heaviest or hardest fish to reel in, but with the right rod and location, you may catch and cast a lot. You'll need a rod that's ultralight in sensitivity but still up for the task of fishing all day. The Cadence CR5-30 is your safest bet as many already anglers know, the CR5-30 is light, sensitive but extremely dependable in harsher conditions.

This well-known spinning rod is constructed of High-Quality 30-ton carbon matrix graphite, which is incredibly strong without making it heavy. The blank is then finished wrapped in a carbon veil to enhance durability and longevity. It also features SiC guides with durable stainless steel frames and a highly sensitive Fuji reel seat. You’ll feel every vibration from the line, through the guides, and straight to your fingertips.

Depending on the model you prefer, you may get a carbon split grip handle, or a full grip handle constructed from a premium cork and EVA foam. There are 16 different rods available in this series. And they range in sizes, power, and action and on applications, too.  The majority of the rods in this series are panfish approved by Cadence, but the one that stood out for us was the 6’6” light/moderate fast spinner. This model will have you catching bass, walleye, trout, or redfish in a hurry because you just won’t miss a bite. So, try to keep up!

Devoted anglers who love fishing for panfish all year round will know that fishing in ice is different from sunny riverside fishing. Rods for ice fishing are mainly technique-specific, which may lead to buying 3 or 4 various rods for different species or baits. There is one model out there that’s perfect for most panfish species, and that’s the Tungsten Tamer (CI28MLXF) rod by St. Croix.

This 28”, medium-light, ice fishing panfish rod features a carefully engineered rod blank, made of solid carbon. Some other rods in this series feature Solid Glass, Tubular Carbon, Tubular Carbon / Tubular linear S Glass, and Tubular Carbon Fused to Tubular linear S Glass blanks depending on their uses. This is just one of the many ways St. Croix shows their unrivaled technology and performance, even in construction.

You’ll notice a small, comfortable split-grip handle that is constructed of super-grade cork. We found this handle to be very efficient even when wearing gloves. You’ll also see stunning recoil guides with a black pearl finish that will last years, not seasons. Finish this rod with St. Croix’s 2-layer slow-cure finish for extra protection, and you’ve got yourself a killer ice fishing for panfish.

A panfish is a freshwater or saltwater species that’s a big enough catch to be legal, but small enough to be cooked in a frying pan. Some commonly caught panfish are:

Having a good-quality rod and reel setup is crucial. If your rod and reel aren't fully in-line, then you risk your line snapping from the guides. Once you have a compatible rod and reel, you’ll need to add your line.

First, feed the line from the tip of the rod, down through the guides, and onto the reel. Tie the line with a fishing knot and cut off any long, excess line. And then spool the line onto the reel, and you’re all set. If you’re still not getting the hang of it, then consider watching a YouTube tutorial so you can get a good visual representation.

Taking good care and maintaining your rod after each use is essential. Be sure to wash your rod with some warm water, and pay special attention to the guides. Check if there are any damaged parts to your rod and reel. If you want to protect your rod from corrosion on future trips, add some reel grease for extra protection. Once it’s washed and dried, be sure to store it correctly in a rack or a fishing rod case.

Having the right equipment for any job in life makes everything easier, and it’s no different when it comes to catching panfish. You can’t do any wrong once you have the St.Croix Panfish Series rod in your hand.

It’s comfortable, lightweight, and compatible with a range of lines, lures, and gamefish. If another panfish rod from our reviews seemed better for your needs, then go for it!

We loved every rod we tried, and we’re sure you’d love them, too.