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Owning a collapsible fishing rod can come in handy, especially if you don’t have the room to take a full-size rod and reel with you on your travels. A collapsible (or telescopic) fishing rod packs down neatly and doesn’t take up much room so it is ideal to bring with you camping, hiking, or simply leave in the boot of your car for when a fishing opportunity arises.

One thing is for certain, having a collapsible fishing rod is extremely useful but how do you make sure you get the right one? There are loads of rods on the market that fit this category but quite honestly, most of them are cheap, poorly built, and destined to snap as soon as you hook up to a half-decent fish. So, what is the best collapsible fishing rod? – Luckily for you, in this article we have 4 of the best rods for different uses and applications. Enjoy!

Most Durable Collapsible Fishing Rod – Top Pick

Our top pick is the Daiwa Megaforce Tele-Spin Fishing Rod for its excellent build quality and superior performance. It is a durable spinning rod that will hold up well in most environments and it comes in a range of lengths and casting weights. You can use this rod not only for spinning but baitcasting applications as well so if you are looking for an all-rounder then this is the rod for you. If you want to read more on this collapsible fishing rod, then head to the bottom of the article where we go over it in more detail. If you are looking for something more specific to your needs, then read on…

Best Collapsible Rod and Reel Combo

The Plusinno Telescopic Spinning Rod and Reel Combo gives you excellent build-quality, a balanced setup, and great performance for an extremely reasonable price! This setup is perfect for spinning and float fishing for any fish up to around 20lb in weight (more if you play your fish well). The reel has the capacity to take up to 240 yards of 8lb – 10lb line which should be more than enough for most spinning applications on rivers, lakes, and harbor fishing. The rod has a steel reel seat for anti-seawater corrosion and an EVA fore grip for comfort during casting and fish-fighting.

Overall, this rod and reel combo provides excellent versatility and durability in a lightweight, high-quality package all for under $100. This is the ideal setup to have under a seat in your car, in your backpack when hiking, or to take in a bag on days out. If you are looking for a sensibly priced full kit that packs away small or are looking for a gift for the keen fisherman then this is the combo for you. The only extras you will need are some fishing line and end tackle.

Best Collapsible Fishing Rod for Hiking

The Wakeman Ultra Series Telescopic Spinning Rod and Reel Combo gives you everything you need to catch a fresh fish dinner when out hiking on the trails. This high-quality collapsible rod and reel combo is small and light enough to fit inside your hiking bag or hang neatly on the outside. It is a simple, rugged rod and reel combo that provides great value for money, after all, you don’t want to bring your most expensive rod and reel on a hike! This rod is a cheap worry-free option for catching your dinner or having some fun when you set up camp on the trails. Don’t expect to land anything large with it, but with some skill, you are sure to land a decent trout, bass, or crappie safely.

This is the perfect collapsible rod and reel combination for the budget-conscious hiker that wants the capability to fish when out on the trails hiking. It isn’t the best quality item on the market and if you are looking for a combo that is more versatile and high-quality then we recommend spending a bit extra and going for the Plusinno. However, if you are looking for something cheap and cheerful for the trails that you won’t be heartbroken about if you ruin it on your travels then this is the rod for you.

Best Collapsible Fishing Rod for Bait Fishing

The Blackhawk 2 Collapsible fishing rod comes in multiple variants for spinning, bait fishing, and saltwater applications. Their casting series is the best of the best for bait fishing and you can select the best size for the job in the handy drop-down menu. This is another budget rod that is packed with quality and performance features from butt to tip. Although this rod costs no more than $50 it is incredibly durable and high-quality. This isn’t a combo package and you will only receive a rod, but when it is coupled with a decent reel and you have a balanced setup you will find it feels as if you are using a high-end two-piece bait rod.

If you are keen on bait fishing in fresh or saltwater, then this is the best collapsible rod for you. It comes in many different variants with its casting and inshore casting variants being the best options for bait fishing. You will find that this rod has excellent sensitivity for bait detection but also has enough of a backbone for distance casting and controlling hard-fighting fish. We highly recommend this rod for bait-casting, course fishing, legering, and float fishing.

Best Collapsible Fishing Rod for Spinning

The Daiwa Megaforce Tele-Spin Fishing Rod is a beautiful rod that once extended feels like a proper 2-piece spinning rod. If you love a cork-handle, typically beautiful rod design by Daiwa, and outstanding performance in casting and fish control then this is certainly the best collapsible fishing rod for you! It comes in five different casting weights for all styles of fishing from 0.25 – 0.88oz to 3.52 – 10.58oz which gives you plenty of options for your favored target-species and fishing-style.

I have personally owned one of these rods in 0.70 – 2.10oz and 2.47 – 5.27oz variants and I found both of them had incredible power and feel when casting, excellent bite-sensitivity, and an insanely responsive action when playing fish of all sizes. I used my Daiwa Megaforce rods to target Pike in Europe when I lived in the UK and managed to land Pike (musky) up to 20lb with ease from the banks of a large river. This is my personal recommendation to any specimen hunters out there that have the bug for large predator fishing. This rod certainly doesn’t disappoint and is the closest you can get to a standard 2-piece spinning rod in a lightweight, compact, collapsible form.