Resourceful Rod

Bait is the point of the Resourceful Rod. According to its in-game text, it doubles the effects of all bait and has a 75% chance to not consume bait, which makes every cast cheaper. You get it at Ancient Archives for crafting ingredients, and you need to meet the level requirement.

For all that, the base stats are poor. Luck of 60 ranks 148th of 184 obtainable rods, Lure Speed of 30 is 154th, Control of -0.01 is 163rd of 185, and Resilience of 10 is 129th. The 1,000 kg weight cap is 91st of 117 rods that list one. So the rod does not catch rarer fish by itself. It makes whatever bait you bring work harder.

That is the right way to judge it: pair it with the best bait you can afford, and the numbers on the rod itself matter less. Bait that would be used up after one cast now lasts several, and the doubling effect makes each bait stronger.

Ancient Archives is also where Anchor n' Chain, Elder Mossripper, Dead Man's Rod, Cupid's Embrace and Lucid Rod are sold, and most of them outclass it on raw stats.

Verdict: a good fit for players who burn through bait and want to spend less. If you rarely use bait, skip it, because the rod has little else going for it.