Rods

[BottomBouncer]

One more poll for now. You know the drill, pick your most used brand. Thanks again!

[Dave_E]

make rods under different brand names for a lot less $.

[ShoreBoundOne]

All decent brands...but ever since i was a kid and got my first ugly-stick...i been hooked.

Mitch

[Flatheadmaniac]

is St. Croix for ALL species, but there are other brands that i use for certain species too like Off Shore Angler, Daiwa, Fenwick, Fox, Ugly Stik, Cabelas.

[BottomBouncer]

Cool...........thanks for listing the others.

[Ðe§perado™]

I'm with you Dave on this.;)

[lureboy98]

I too use an ugly stick.

[BottomBouncer]

To votes for Uglies and one vote for shakespeare?

[MISFIT]

i'm in the majority;) with others category.which includes all my rods with the exception of 1 shakespeare.most used would be berkley spinning,since most of my fishing is for eyes wipers,and crappies,and1 baitcaster which i use for anything from trolling for eyes to catfishing.add to the above,browning,garcia,quantum and a couple "other" brands.

[mrfish/OH]

I think Berkley owns Fenwick now & some of the blanks are the same. At least when they switched, I saw a Fenwick & a Berkley rod that had the labels messed up. It had BOTH sets of labels on it !:D
I use St. Croix & Fenwick the most. Off Shore Angler is the saltwater division of Bass Pro Shops. They make a nice product and have been improving them too. Sometimes I wonder if the manufactuers are actually making improvements, or they just claim to, in order to get us to buy the "new & improved" version. I'll have to admit, my older style St Croix surf rod doesn't seem as light or throw as far as the newer version. There is about 4 years difference in them. Obviously the older one has been used alot more too. I've had the top section redone once, and last year the butt was re-wrapped. Now it looks just like the new style, with the EVA foam on the top of the grip above the cork. Seems like it throws better too. It's the same piece too, had the same scratches under the finish- had them reworked at the factory- new guides & refinished. Now that it has the upgraded decals, it's hard to tell them apart, except the old top section has a decal on it still. :( :confused:

[cwcarper]

I have quite a few Berkeley rods, a Daiwa, Shimano, Quantum, Ugly Stik, and quite a few oddball brands. I tend to skimp on the rods and go for what's affordable.

[george tinkham]

brand don't matter as long as they are long and lean and on sale.

[Roosterfish]

I think that different manufactures make better rods for different fishing situations (I don’t think that there is a “best” manufacturer, only some manufacturers make better rods for certain situations). Having said that, I mostly use G.Loomis for bass, and St.Croix for striper (although, my Conoflex is my absolute favorite). For bait fishing (my “new” thing) I have a few St.Croix (pro glass, musky, and classic cat), and an Ocean Master surf rod that has preformed very well. Now, I’m thinking about a pair of Carp rods, and looking into Fox or Cabelas Predator. Anyone have any experience with these rods?

[redneck66]

all of my rods are st. croix's or falcons. I favor the st. croix but the falcons are a little cheaper and are still very nice.

[BottomBouncer]

The one things Falcon needs to do is make some heavier big game rods. Those Lowriders are pretty nice, I've thought about getting a couple for my Fin-Nors.

[redneck66]

yeah all my musky rods are st. croix. I use the falcons for bass fishing

[lureboy98]

Well, I have an ugly stick and a berkley, but I use the ugly stick the most. LOL I wasn't sure what brand the ugly stick was, just know its an ugly stick so I voted for other on that.

[redneck66]

ugly stick is made by shakespear

[BottomBouncer]

I never realized how many Loomis users there are.............

[Ðe§perado™]

The rods I have are Quamtum Big Cats and several Abu rods and some Berkley and South Bends. Some may think there not the best , but for me they do a great job.;)

[BottomBouncer]

I only have one expensive rod, but I didn't buy it. Most of my rods are no more than $50.

[Caribou Dreamer2]

Cant go wrong with the ugly stick

[Flatheadmaniac]

"Most of my rods are no more than $50."
Well thers your first problem...LMAO.....LOL :eek: ;) :cool: :p

Heck you got those nice reels and your going to put them on..$50 rods...WOW!
My therory is this...why buy a $300 reel and put it on a $20 rod?
Kind of like driving a $500 car and having a $3500 stereo system in it huh?
I match my gear up..quality & quality....cheap & cheap(well if i had cheap stuff i would:rolleyes: ;) )

Seriously though, you dont need expensive gear to catch fish(but it makes the fishing easier & more enjoyable)

My gear covers all species i fish for from ultra-light to extra heavy, i got into a bad habit of buying a combo thats just for one certain species, no ONE rod & reel that works for everything, but thats just me.
I just like high quality gear, my personal choice!

Here ya go BB....

Whats the most expensive Fishing Rod you own and USE?

Ok i'll go first,
#1 custom Break-a-way surf rod 14'2" made by Hattera's Jacks(i wont tell the price..geez)
#2 St. Croix Ben Doerr Elite surf rod 11ft.....$300+ tax
#3 St. Croix Ben Doerr Surf System rods(i have 4 of them) $210+ tax a pcs.

How many Fishing Rods do you own?

Again i'll start it off..
36

Man i could have started a POLL with those questions..geez:rolleyes: ;)

On another note..G.Loomis..man i cant stand those rods..everyone of them ive picked up feels so cheap, but then again thier mostly made for catching toothy fish(no not musky or pike ) the OTHER toothy critters..lol:eek:

[BottomBouncer]

I usually can't afford an expensize reel and the rod. I think the reel is more important, so I put my money into it. Another reason is that I don't feel my knowledge/fish catching ability requires higher tackle. I'm still searching for a reel/rod that I feel comfortable using for heavier situations. So far my 975 has fit the bill, since I know that I like it I'll buy that 8' inshore I was telling you about. Try to afford school and rent/utilies on a part time budget is a bitchh, doesn't leave much room for goodies.

Total of 17 rods, most expensive being $100+tax

Now for reels, the most is $250, $200, $150, $120, $120, $120, $110, $90, $90, then we start getting into the misc. stuff.

[Flatheadmaniac]

if i was on a college budget i would have what i do now in tackle..

REELS...wow we dont want to go there...i hate to think sometimes about the nice new truck and boat i could have instead of the "tackle" i have now..lol:rolleyes: ;) :D

baitcasters:
Japanese Shimano Calcutta Conquests..i have 3 of them with my 700 costing just a few cents under $400..my Conquest 51 was $330...i also have a 400 size too...GEEZ!

U.S. calcutta TE...i have two of them..price, well you get the idea.

calcutta CT series, i have 3 of them a 51 & two 700

Spinning:
UK shimano big baitrunner long cast cost $180 w/shipping
Daiwa emblem z i have two of them.
Shimano..geez 1 sustain, 3 stradics......Jap. Ultegra, biomaster, twinpower..one of each!

Lures...man thats another bad topic..i couldnt even begin to imagine how much $ i have i them....heck just my 4 tackle bags cost about $500 total,,lol

[george tinkham]

money dont matter,i see many ole boy pull em in on 50$ rod and reels.over 50#.equip sold at walmart .berkly catfeesh pole and lg 30$ spinning line.river feeshin too.

[Flatheadmaniac]

LMAO, yup you can land big fish on junk....but that kind of tackle wont last for years under that stress(IF you catch lots of fish on them)..i KNOW mine will (i catch a LOT of fish)and will be passed on to my boys when they get older!

Like i said the tackle doesnt have to be expensive for most "weekend" anglers thats for sure...but for someone who fishes a lot and for many species junk tackle will loose fish and create more hassel than its worth.

Also the tackle doesnt make the angler..you can take a beginer and give him a high dollar combo and he will fish no better than an expert using junk.
BUT in the RIGHT hands quality gear takes that persons fishing to higher levels ;) and it a LOT more comfortable and a pleasure to fish with..trust me ive own both ends of the scale..if JUNK worked just as good i'd be driving a new 2003 full sized truck pullin my dream 21ft Carolina skiff behind it loaded with cheap wally world or k-mart tackle:eek: :confused: :rolleyes: :cool:

[jmiller]

I chose others, i use strictly Falcons.

[BottomBouncer]

FM........you know better than to say "JUNK" or "cheap" on here.........

[george tinkham]

i don't see where it will take you too a higher level.a 100$ reel will probably last as long as any that cost 8 times more.higher level when you are talking 600 or more for a reel probably means status in most cases,but not all.

[atrkyhntr]

I'm pleadng the 5th!!!
I have 6 children and my high dollar days took a hit LOL :D
You guys are killing me but PLEASE don't stop I am having fun dreaming ;)
I voted St. Croix but gezzzzz I only have 2 hahahaa can we say pre-kids ...

[Flatheadmaniac]

I have been married for 9 yrs and have two boys that are now 7yrs & 8 yrs(soon to be 9 in April), plus a new house and SUV..i know all to well what your saying..but FISHING is all that i do...:D

[Flatheadmaniac]

Ive said this ojn the net a hundred times....those who dont use quality gear..dont get it, never will.
If what you use works best for you..then have at it..what im saying is a $40 abu spinning reel will NOT hold up and perform half as good or as long as say a Shimano sustain..!

For those of us who fish long and hard, they last thing i want to worry about when i hook a big fish on light gear(by that im talking the NORMAL light gear..light line!) i dont want to think to myself and worry.."can my gear take it?"..i KNOW mine will take anything i put through..and it has for many years.
If ya only fish a day or two a week...say april-oct. then yea, stick to the good old tackle...but fr those who fish YEAR round and catch a few thousand fish..buy GOOD stuff or cry about loosin that personal best fish later!

Heck my two boys have better combos than most guys i see wadin local streams, but then again my oldest caught a lot better smallies while wadin than most anglers did last year..because of thier gear..kind of..but mostly because of thier GUIDE;) :D :cool:

[george tinkham]

i do get it,a hundred dollar reel will hold up to anything...when you buy one for 600$ it ain't gonna hold up much better than the 100$...they both will last a lifetime if cared for properly.

[Flatheadmaniac]

$600 reels , YET..but when i do go for saltwater..i'll let ya know how those reels hold up..lol

Closest i can come to that price right now is a nice old STELLA..which will grace my "cat cave" fishing room this year..yup ANOTHER smallmouth reel..lol....only difference is i'll be purchasing a JAPANESE model, not the AMERICAN version.:eek: :cool:

Speaking of "cared for properly" most anglers DONT take care of thier gear like they should for the investment they have made..St. Croix had to upgrade thier surf rods as they were getting so many sent back broken or snapped because of miss use..they added carbon to the butt section and raised the price to keep
keep lower budget anglers(the cause of most of they equipment failures) away from thier line ups...LMAO..i was told this from a St. Croix rep.
Most dont even pay attention to the ratings of thier rods..or consider what they will be using it for when they buy it..instead they buy a rod and try to use it for EVERYTHING..which is not always the best route..but "to each is own"!

[BottomBouncer]

I have a $40 Garcia Ultra Cast spinning reel, before I had other reels that were more species specific I used this spinning reel for everything. Small and largemouth, hybrids, cats, carp, crappie, bluegill...........everything, used it for livebait and throwing lures.

I'm still using it today. Still looks practically brand new(except for the handle). Using the drag as a bait alarm while fishing for carp with 6lb. line...........drag is still as smoooooooth as it was when it was new.

[Flatheadmaniac]

Thought about you when i was at Gander today..LMAO man that store SUCKS bad!

Anyway..yea i have an Energy E5-2(the off white color one) that is atleast 9 yrs old..still looks, feels and works perfect..and ive landed atleast 500(probably more?) smallies on it over the years.

I also have my old original shimano UL spinning reel that i first started wadin with...the reel still looks good..but man those drag washers are paper thin(you can see through them)..the drag will back off when line is pulled off..so its just a memory that sits on the shelf..along with my original wadin rod..5'6" Bill Lewis rattle trap rod....i cant beleive i landed fish on that combo....but then again that was YEARS ago..lol

I can show you my original Abu 6500C3 that i bought..atleast 11 yrs ago that i used for flatheads....yea looks great...but its got this terrible grinding sound coming from the gears and when you shake it sounds like parts that have broke clanging against the side plates..LMAO, needless to say i never cracked it open, its seen its better days...guess them flatheads where too much for that ole workhorse to handle?:eek: ;) :D

[BottomBouncer]

Think about me while in a sucky store........that hurts:( ;)

The best thing about them is you might run into a great deal because some dumbie put the wrong price in the computer.......that happens a lot with them.

[Flatheadmaniac]

i was thinking how you used to WORK for them, but quit because of the way thier store handles its customers and the JUNK(theres that WORD again..lol)that they stock!
Its cool though, we are all getting together to make our annual trip to DUNDEE, Mi. this month..i'll be happy then..lol

[Flatheadmaniac]

are you sure those are tears of laugher....?:eek: :eek: :eek: :confused: :rolleyes: :cool:

[BottomBouncer]

Just F'n with yah. I thought, when I first began working there, that they would have some good stuff. As I began opening the first boxes of freight, until the end, I was disapointed. Do you know that every manager that has worked there, except for the store manager, is gone! I don't believe anyone that started that store is still working there except him.

[Flatheadmaniac]

Sorry BB, my last reply was to a post jim had made on here..but i see he deleted it..LMFAO!

[mrfish/OH]

Yes......are you sure those are tears of laugher
LAUGHTER !!:D :D :D

[george tinkham]

gander is ok and its close.they have clearenced lots of hunting stuff,so i'm cashing in.i need a pair of hiking boots and i see some there at 60% off.i looked some up in cabelas .0ver 100$,gander39$.guess where i'm buyin and i can try them.they aint the best but they got some nice stuff.and i'm always lurkin around there for a bargain.

[MISFIT]

they aint the best but they got some nice stuff.and i'm always lurkin around there for a bargain.ditto on that.i like those sneaky unannounced markdowns when they have rods and reels at 70% off,or mismark some of their stuff:D

[george tinkham]

well i found my best deal on boots at "the ANDERSONS".red wings ,gore tex,600 gram.thin. 73$...well i was hoping to get a pr. under 50 but this was the best i could find...been in all this snow doing snow duty wearin em...dry feet hah hah hah...and i walked the hibernia creek to the boot tops but not over and my feet are dry...hah hah hah...i,m so happy!!!

[Ðe§perado™]

George, that creek that runs on the other side of Hiberia beside Noe-bixby rd. has nice smallmouth in it. Caught several out of there right at about 3-4 lbs.;)

[george tinkham]

big walnut...yup i wade it to the main st. bridge...nice small mouth...

[Ðe§perado™]

We'll hook up this summer and wade for some.;)

[bob oh]

Berkley, Fenwick, Mitchell, Johnson, Abu Garcia and Red Wolf are all owned by Pure Fishing.....
Fenwick is their high end rod maker; Berkley has more affordable rods including the famous Lightning rod series and now the Berkley One series.
Berkley and Fenwick make a lot of good rods. Abu and Mitchell also make rods although I think you can only get a Mitchell rod in a combo.
Of course non of this stuff is good enough for the infamous FHM......

[Ðe§perado™]

I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing Bob.;)

[lureboy98]

Thanks for the good info Bob_oh.

Does anyone use a bamboo pole?

[bob oh]

I forgot Pure Fishing also owns Spider -- of Spiderwire fame :-)

[BobY]

I use a number of different rods, depending on what I am fishing for and how.

2 St Croix - Great rods

Browning - probably made by Quarrow

Daiwa with line counter reels for trolling

Shakespeare all decent rods

My favorites are the St Croix and Browning.

[george tinkham]

i used bamboo fly rods in the 60s...

[Worm Drowner]

I have about 6 St Croix rods ranging from ultra light to muskie casting to fly. I also use a G-Loomis for muskie trolling. I also have an Ugly Stick, a Quantum and a couple of Brownings among others.

[george tinkham]

desperado,big walnut lookin good,i use hibernia minnies for em

[ccavacini]

I've got a St. Croix Avid, but ever since I bought a Gander Mountain Guide Series Walleye rod (on sale, I might add) I've been sold on it.

It's a 6-2 Medium Light weighs less, is more sensitive, and costs less than the St. Crox.

Originally, it was $70, but reduced to 60 (and then I waited for their 20% sale.

If you're ever at a Gander Mountain, pick one up and feel it. Put a Shimano Sedona on it, and it's the perfect pair.

[Airwave(OH)]

They also own BPS Bionic Blade which is identical to the Fenwick side by side. Very nice rods for the money