1839 T. C. Hofland iv. 70 The minnow-rod should be of bamboo cane.
1883 382/1 It can be more successfully and safely accomplished with the shorter and stiffer minnow-rod than with the fly-rod.
1996 (Nexis) 4 Apr. b1 Gladwell and Bowen had just made a cast with their spinnerbaits and had to reel them in at knuckle-banging speed... Then, Gladwell grabbed his minnow rod.