Where To Find The Viral Leopard Print Fishing Pole (And Is It Worth $180?)

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The hottest new accessory? A leopard-print fishing pole that's going viral. It might seem surprising at first, but it makes sense when you consider that Gen Z is obsessed with fishing, posting all over TikTok under the tag #fishtok. But is this pole the one? Does it merit becoming your go-to, the fishing gear that you bring on vacation? Let's look into it.

The rod and reel in question comes from the brand SheFish, which makes fishing gear marketed to women — in fact, the brand's slogan is "designed for her." And aesthetic design is a focus, with fishing poles available in pink, sparkly lavender, and rose gold, among other colors, and comes with a matching reel. The gear, including the viral leopard-print pole, is available at both Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops.

#Fishtok is raving about the new leopard-print pole, with one content creator calling it "the perfect rods for all my girly girls," while another called it "so cute." However, the $180 price tag has some people skeptical, with one commenter writing, "They are literally regular fishing poles marked up to $150–$180 because they're pretty ... smh."

While some fishing enthusiasts love the design of the leopard-print pole, others don't think it's worth the price tag compared to something more affordable, like one of Amazon's top-selling fishing rods. Some also aren't fans of the fact that the pole they've seen online is a baitcaster, but the SheFish website also lists a spinning rod combo in the same leopard color. Opinions on the brand's quality are split: Some fishing enthusiasts call it both aesthetically pleasing and well-designed, suitable for both beginners and experienced anglers. Others say the poles are needlessly heavy and overpriced.

For comparison, Field & Stream's top-recommended baitcaster combo is the Lew's Mach 2, which can be found for around $190 at sporting goods stores and on Amazon, at the time of writing. The Mach 2 is available with either left or right-hand retrieve and in 7' or 7'3" lengths. The SheFish is a 7' pole, and it seems that it's only available in a right-hand retrieve. Both 7-footers are medium-heavy fast-action rods with similar constructions and specs, at least on paper — although the Lew's reel has one more bearing (9+1 versus 8+1) and a higher drag setting (15 instead of 9.5 pounds maximum). But, perhaps the most important specification is that the Mach 2 only comes in a "brilliant glow green and grey" color. 

Ultimately, the decision on whether the SheFish combo is worth $180 comes down to how highly you value a unique print or color. While pro anglers might not reach for it, the social media response suggests that SheFish's unique aesthetic appeal might encourage some women to try out the sport for the first time, when a boring black pole wouldn't have had the same effect. "I'll go fishing now if I have this," writes one TikTok commenter.