If you're looking to purchase fishing rods, then you should know that it's not a one-size-fits-all market. You wouldn't buy a Jaguar if you just wanted to drive the kids to school and go to the grocery store just like you wouldn't buy a Ford SUV for street racing. You have to know your purpose before purchasing the right fishing equipment for the tasks ahead.

Let's take a look at some of the different types of fishing you might want to consider and how that might influence the purchase of your fishing rods.

Inshore Fishing:

If you're doing some inshore fishing, you need to realize what that means: working in shallow water and trying to catch fairly small fish. What you are going to look for in the fishing rods is one that will be heavy enough to pull in decent size fish but you want to choose one that is lightweight enough that you can cast it easily without causing your body to ache the next day.

You'll probably want to look for either casting or spinning rods. These would also be good choices if you're going to be doing bottom fishing, such as for catfish and other fish that stay close to the bottom of watery areas.

Don't confuse these fishing rods with what you would need for inshore fly fishing. For that, you'll still need to purchase fly fishing equipment.

Offshore Fishing:

When you're going to be doing offshore fishing, you're going to want a rod that can handle whatever you throw at it. No matter what type of offshore fishing you're doing you can expect to spend more the fishing rods you'll need than you would for ordinary fishing equipment. For example, if you're going to go trolling then you can expect to pay around $1,000. You may be able to find some less expensive options but you'll want to shop around and pay close attention to the quality of the item before you buy it.

Bottom fishing is another example. While you can use the same equipment as you would for inshore fishing, you'd probably want something a little more durable, especially if you are going to be hunting for big fish. These fishing rods are usually also heavier and less flexible than the ones used for trolling.

Surf and Pier Fishing:

If you're going to be doing fishing in the surf or off of a pier, you will most likely want to look into some fairly specialized equipment. Surf rods are usually designed to help you cast further so that you can actually reach the fish. These rods can also be used for pier fishing as can most types of inshore fishing. However, you'll want to still focus on choosing equipment that feels comfortable for you.

Specific Fishing Rods:

One of the larger challenges you're likely to face is finding these fishing rods at your local store. Nowadays, you can choose an online site.