Short answer
Grab the free Toy Rod first, then buy the Lucky Rod ($10K), Steampunk ($215K), Ares ($3M) and Bamboo ($12M) as you can afford them. After that, the best rods come free from quests: Ghostfinn, Element, Diamond and Withering.
Free rods to grab first
Toy Rod: like the game and join the developer's group. It's better than the Starter Rod.
Lava Rod: free from the Lava Fisherman at Kohana Volcano, with a 100 kg max weight.
Best value shop rods
Lucky Rod ($10K, 130% luck) is a huge early jump: cheaper than the Midnight Rod but with more luck.
Steampunk ($215K, 175% luck) and Chrome ($437K, 229%) carry you through the mid game.
Ares ($3M, 455%) and Angler ($8M, 530%) are big steps up, and Bamboo ($12M, 760%) is the best rod you can buy with coins.
Endgame quest rods
Ghostfinn (610% luck) from the Deep Sea Quest, Element (1111%) from the Element Quest, Diamond (1300%) from the Diamond Researcher, and Withering (1463%), which needs the Diamond Rod first.
These beat every shop rod, so once you have Bamboo, put your time into quests rather than coins.
Luck, lure speed and max weight
Luck pulls rarer fish, lure speed shortens the wait between bites, and max weight decides whether a big fish snaps your line. For rare hunting, luck matters most.
Numbers come from public guides we cross-check. Games update often, so double-check in-game.
