I've gotten it stuck on boulders, tules, tree limbs, dock roofs, power lines, rose bushes, other boats, anything you can think of, and it never fails to survive the abuse of yanking it loose
I use the Raven FM floats for most normal small to medium-sized rivers
There are other types of rods, like fly rods or ice fishing rods, but spinning and casting rods are good for most fishing situations you'll run into when you're starting out
A pair of yoke-colored glass eyes and large, plated brass props complete the package
Fast action rods do not overload (meaning lures that might be slightly too heavy for the rod) very well