Finesse fishing can be one of the most rewarding ways to catch bass. This style of bass fishing involves realistic, slow-moving presentations that lure in finicky fish. Whether you’re using drop shot rigs, ned rigs, or small jigs, you’ll want to use sensitive and lightweight equipment.
This guide will discuss the best finesse spinning rods for bass fishing. As a general rule, spinning setups are better than casting combos. Spinning rods offer more sensitivity and pair well with light-weight tackle.
Rods Reviewed (Jump to Section)
Length - The best spinning rod length for finesse fishing is 6’6” to 7’. While longer rods will give you more casting distance, shorter rods will give you more control and balance for lightweight baits.
Power & Action - With a light finesse presentation, you’ll want an equally lightweight rod. Medium-light and light power rods are sensitive and have the ideal blanks for casting small lures. Fast action spinning rods help you detect light bites and allow you to make subtle twitches and movements.
Finesse Spinning Rods
1. Dobyns Fury Series - Best Value Rod
4.5 Stars | 248 Angler Reviews | $128 - $204
The Dobyns Fury Series Rod is the most sensitive finesse spinning rod for the money. Dobyns specifically designed this model for lightweight fishing jigs, shaky heads, and other finesse presentations.
If you’re looking for versatility, the 7’ model is ideal for nearly all finesse situations. The blank is strong enough for casting shaky heads but has enough sensitivity for light fishing rigs such as drop shots. This rod series has great light action rods with fast and sensitive tips.
Rod Components
The Fury series is made with a modulus graphite blank, which is lightweight and high-quality for the price. Dobyns also incorporates fuji reel seats, a Portugal cork grip, and Kevlar wrapping, which improves comfort and performance.
This pole has tournament-level sensitivity and casting accuracy. For the price, it’s hard to beat Dobyns rods for finesse bass fishing. The handle is comfortable in your hand, and the rod has incredible aesthetics.
Dobyns also offers a lifetime warranty, backing up its claims of industry-leading build quality.
2. KastKing Perigee II - Best Budget Finesse Rod
4.5 Stars | 3,262 Angler Reviews | $50 - $75
If you’re looking for an affordable finesse spinning rod, the KastKing Perigee II series has phenomenal performance for the price. This series includes models with a 3-piece design, which allows you to switch between power ratings without buying multiple poles.
The 7’ medium-light and medium power 3-piece model is ideal for finesse fishing. You can fish lightweight drop shots and ned rigs with the medium-light tip and slightly heavier rigs with the heavy-power piece.
Rod Components
Some brands have tried to replicate KastKing’s 3-piece rod design but were unsuccessful. Jointed rods usually reduce performance and keep power from flowing evenly through the blank.
However, KastKing’s joint design creates a seamless transition, and these 3-piece rods perform just as well as the 1-piece models.
The Perigee II is constructed from a 24-ton carbon fiber blank and features KastKing’s patented KastFlex blank technology. This design makes it extremely strong and sensitive, and we found the casting has pinpoint accuracy.
Other notable components include Fuji O-ring line guides, a sturdy hook keeper, and a comfortable foam handle.
If you want to spend less than $100 on a finesse spinning rod, we highly recommend the Perigee II.
3. St. Croix Premier Spinning Rod
4.6 Stars | 583 Angler Reviews | $135 - $192
If you ever have a conversation about spinning rods with experienced anglers, the St. Croix brand will surely be mentioned. The St. Croix Premier Spinning Rod has a fair price, with some of the most advanced technology in the industry.
St. Croix rods are simply fun and satisfying to fish with. The brand has clearly mastered its spinning rod design, as the blank is ultra-thin and sensitive. We love the Premier series because it offers more sensitivity than the entry-end models but only costs a few dollars more.
Rod Components
The Premier rod has so much advanced technology that we won’t be able to cover everything in this guide. So, check out the angler reviews above for more information!
This model is constructed with an SCII carbon fiber blank. SCII technology is St. Croix’s patented approach that allows them to fine-tune the action and power. The Premier has the perfect parabolic curve, tip design, and balance between strength and sensitivity.
Other premium components include Kigan Master 3D guides, a Fuji DPS reel seat, a Kigan hook-keeper, and premium select-grade cork handles. It’s comfortable for long days on the water and simply has a dynamic feeling that other brands can’t seem to achieve.
Lastly, this model comes with a 5-year warranty that ensures you won’t have to worry about damaging your high-end equipment.
4. Fenwick HMX Spinning Rod
4.3 Stars | 135 Angler Reviews | $100
The Fenwick HMX Spinning Rod is another pole that won’t break the bank. This model has similar sensitivity and performance to the Dobyns Fury Series, but we think it has much better styling and aesthetics.
We love the cork handle on this rod, which is even more comfortable than the foam handle on the Fury series. The blank is slim, and overall the pole has a lightweight feeling in your hand.
When you’re using a spinning rod for finesse fishing, you want as much feedback as possible from your line. Bass don’t aggressively strike finesse rigs like they hit reaction-type baits.
The HMX rod delivers crisp feedback that keeps you in touch with what’s going on under the surface.
Rod Components
The blank of this rod is constructed from modulus carbon fiber, which is cross-weaved for additional performance. This design allowed Fenwick to make the blank slimmer without reducing the strength.
With stainless steel guide frames, a cork handle, and zirconium inserts, the HMX rod has all the advanced features needed to compete with high-end rods.
5. Abu Garcia Veritas Spinning Rod
4.6 Stars | 229 Angler Reviews | $97 - $150
With seven fully-capable finesse spinning rods, it’s hard to figure out which one is truly the best model. The Abu Garcia Veritas Spinning Rod has some of the best aesthetics and aggressive patterning out of any rod on the market. This is also stronger and lighter than most other finesse spinning rods on the market.
Abu Garcia’s new Veritas generation is 15% stronger and 5% lighter than the old design. This was achieved using a 30-ton carbon fiver blank and fused with the lightest resin in the industry.
Rod Components
The Veritas rod has many professional-grade components. Built with Titanium alloy guides with Zirconium inserts, this model casts farther than most rods with a similar design. The reel seat is custom-made for the Veritas model and features an exposed-blank design for weight reduction.
We love the EVA split grips, which are comfortable in your hands, and reduce fatigue on your wrists.
Abu Garcia also includes a 3-year warranty. While Dobyns and St. Croix offer longer warranties, 3-years is plenty of time for most anglers, as many people enjoy upgrading their gear after a couple of years.
6. St. Croix Mojo Bass
4.5 Stars | 277 Angler Reviews | $145 - $170
St. Croix produces multiple spinning rods that are perfect for finesse fishing. However, the Premier Series and St. Croix Mojo Bass rods offer the best value for the money. Compared to the premier model, the Mojo bass has many of the same tournament-grade components with similar sensitivity.
The Premier rod has more tip sensitivity; however, the Mojo Bass model has proven to be more versatile. We found the medium-light model has enough strength for fishing a wide variety of baits, and the medium-power model has plenty of sensitivity for finesse fishing.
Rod Components
This model features Kigan 3D guides with slim aluminum-oxide rings. The blank is made with the SCIII graphite construction, which is even more advanced than the SCII technology used for the Premier model.
Fuji DPS reel seats, a premium cork handle, and two coats of flex coat finish give this rod more performance than what’s expected for the price. Like the Premier model, the Mojo Bass comes with a 5-year warranty covering manufacturer defects and certain types of damage.
7. Johnny Morris CarbonLite 2.0
4.1 Stars | 135 Angler Reviews | $150 - $210
The Johnny Morris CarbonLite 2.0 is finally getting the attention it deserves. This pole is a collaboration between professional angler Johnny Morris and the fishing retailer Bass Pro Shops.
After years of competitive fishing, Johnny Morris wanted to design an affordable rod that didn’t have the disadvantages of other budget rods. The result is a series of fine-tuned, high-performance rods that continue to impress.
This CarbonLite series has a ton of sensitivity and is ideal for finesse fishing. A redesigned blank is featured in the second generation, making it stronger, lighter, and more dynamic.
Rod Components
The CarbonLite 2.0 rod is built from an RT4 graphite blank and assembled using carbon coil technology. While we were expecting this thinner generation to be weaker than the predecessor, we couldn’t have been more wrong. This pole is lighter, stronger, and more sensitive than the CarbonLite 1.0.
Other features include Fuji FaZlite guides, an Air reel seat, Winn grips, and a built-in line ID.
Our favorite part of this rod is the combo comes with a custom spinning reel. Together, the rod and reel have perfect weight balance and transfer vibrations seamlessly. This combo also has impressive casting distance.
See a complete list of the CarbonLite reel features here.
