Fishing Rod Eyelets Up or Down? [What to Choose?]

Fishing rods come in many shapes and sizes. Which one you will use depends on fish that you are trying to catch, fishing technique, and rest of your gear like a fishing reel.

Different types of rods have many parts in common, but these parts are positioned in different places.

Are fishing rod eyelets up or down depends on a rod type. Spinning reels have them “hanging” below the rod, while casting rods have them along the upper part. Anglers should choose those that suit their specific needs. Casting rods go with baitcasting or spincast reels, while spinning rods go with spinning reels.

For a beginner, this can be confusing, but using the right gear has a great influence on your fishing success. Most often, beginners choose rods that have eyelets facing down.

The reason behind this is that these rods are used with simple spinning reels, which are versatile, easy to use, and fairly cheap.

Here I will tell you more about the difference, as well how the eyelet position affects your rod.

Which Rods Have the Eyelets on the Bottom? And Which Above?

Fishing rod eyelets position will tell you what type of rod you are looking at. Spinning rods have eyelets on the bottom side.

Reels also hang below, and the line goes through these eyelets, also known as line guides. When the fish is hooked and you are retrieving it, force applied on the line pulls the eyelets down. This is one of the reasons why anglers won’t use this type of rod for really large and heavy fish. Big fish could break off the eyelets.

Most often, spinning rods have less eyelets than casting rods. This is due to the fact that you won’t be fishing for very large fish, so you don’t need so much strength. Additionally, it is cheaper to manufacture them with less eyelets. Spinning rods are usually cheaper, as well as the rest of the gear that goes with them.

Fishing rods that have eyelets along the upper part are called casting rods. They are used either with baitcasting or spincast reels, which are also mounted on the upper side. Complete beginners sometimes use them with spincast reels.

More experienced anglers choose these rods along with baitcasting reels for various reasons. This combination enables precise and distant casting. Baitcasting reels are also faster and that is necessary for certain techniques and lures.

Eyelets positioned above the rod will press against the rod under pressure. Because of that, these rods, together with eyelets, can withstand higher forces. This makes them suitable for very large and heavy fish.

Most often, these rods are more expensive, and also have more eyelets to be stronger.

Fishing Rod Eyelets Up or Down: What to Choose?

Fishing rod eyelets up or down is a common dilemma among beginners. Besides your wishes, you have to consider your experience too, when making a choice.

If used with spincast reels, rods with eyelets up can be managed by almost anyone. Because spincast reels are the easiest to use, anglers often choose this setup for kids.

Beginners should start with the rod that has eyelets facing down. Spinning rods come in many different sizes, and you can choose any power and action. This versatility is great, and it enables you to try out various options. These rods can be used with a variety of lures, baits, and even for trolling.

Rods with eyelets positioned on the upper side and used with baitcasting reels have a bit different features. Because of the reel type, they are suitable for bigger and heavier lures, and larger fish. Baitcasting reels are also faster, and are the best option lures like lipless crankbaits or topwater lures.

Anglers use this combination of rod and reel for a specific purpose, and although the best for certain conditions, it is not as versatile as spinning gear. Also, baitcasting reels are not easy to use, and you will need a lot of practice. Beginners should be focused on fishing more than gear handling and gear problems. When you master spinning rod and reel, you can learn how to use baitcasters and casting rods.

You can also find more about this in my book: NEVER AGAIN WITHOUT FISH, A Beginner`s Guide.

Do You Fish With Eyelets Up or Down?

Fishing rod eyelets should be positioned in a way that it is meant to be. Down on spinning rods and up on casting rods. And no, you can’t simply turn it upside-down.

As already mentioned, it depends on your needs and experience. For a beginner I always advise to start with spinning gear. Rod with eyelets facing down, not too long (around 7ft), with a medium gear ratio, is excellent for practice.

You can use light lures with this light setup, and catch almost any popular fish, like crappie, walleye, and trout. Spinning is a great technique for beginners. Choose light rods and small, light reels. This will enable you to walk around and cast all reel in all day long. It is the best technique to learn how to aim a perfect spot while casting, how to properly work your lure, and when you get a bite, how to land a fish.

Beginner can even invest in a spinning rod and reel combo. It will save you the effort of choosing compatible rods and reels, and you will spend less money.

If you really want to use rods with guides facing up, you should start with spincast reels. Baitcasters don’t work well with light lures and are prone to backlashes, especially if casting into the wind. This can lead to tangles and knots, and a lot of frustration.

Conclusion

Are fishing rod eyelets up or down depends on a rod type. Spinning rods have them along the bottom side, and those are used with spinning reels. This versatile setup is great for beginners and a variety of smaller fish species.

Rods with eyelets along the upper side are excellent for large and heavy fish and are used with baitcasting reels which work excellent with large lures. It is not the best setup for complete beginners, however, you can always use spincast reel with this rod, instead of baitcasting.

As a beginner, chose versatile equipment. That is the best for learning purposes and for gaining valuable experience.