I've seen Falcon Bucoo and Abu Garcia Vendetta for $80

Ugly Stik has recently released their Elite series (lightest and most sensitive rod they make in the Ugly stik series) casting and spinning rods for $50. If I were shopping for a new rod, I'd buy one of these; you know they are going to be durable, and with them being lighter and more sensitive, they might be the best rod under $50

Here's the options and prices for the Ugly Stik Elite casting rods at Cabelas

THe micro guide H20 rods are a good bang for the buck. I have higher dollar rods that don't fish as well.

To clarify I am looking for a rod under $100. The $80 mark would be ideal as I already have several Ducketts and Omen rods. Was looking to try something a little outside the box is all.
Thanks for all the great ideas.

Two anecdotes:

I happened to catch Roland Martin, arguably the greatest bass fisherman of all time, on his TV program fishing with Gary Yamamoto. They were fishing for dinner, more or less. What rod was Gary using? An ugly stik. Ha!

Then, about two or so months ago, someone performed a rod breaking point test by firmly securing rods at a desired angle, then adding plate weights to see at what static loads they snapped. It seems these particular rods snapped in the 45 lbs. hanging weight range with one exception; the author/tester said that the Ugly Stik never did snap.

These anecdotes don't necessarily mean that it is the best rod out there; it is not. The fact that it can flex so far under such a load may not be desirable when one needs to load a rod up. And, for all I know, Yamamoto may be a paid sponsor.

What it does mean to me is that as cheap as they are, they are likely very good rods for the buck.

Brad

I would totally go with the Abu Garcia Veritas 2.0 7'0 Heavy's. They are awesome in my book. Never broke one and sensitive as could be. Awesome rods for the money. Hard to buy anything else.

I have had great luck out of the Shimano Sellus Rods. 49$ at Dicks and they are good about returns with a receipt. Even after 30 days.

At BPS I like and have used for several years now the BPS Extreme Rods and Reels. Rods now on sale for $79 at $20 off the $99 reg. price.

If the TFO is $99.99, I would go with it. If it hits $100, I guess that rules it out for you, in which case my recommendation's useless.

Coming from someone who has been blessed with many high end rods: In your price range you can get two(+ tax) Allstar rods from Acadamy. Really good rods for their price.

Agree on the Academy Rods, they fish very well and the prices are reasonable.

I got a BPS sale in the mail yesterday. They have 2 deals you might be interested in. BPS Bionic Blade, reg 79.99 on sale for 59.99 and the new white CarbonLite rods on sale starting 79.97 reg. 99.99

Abu Garcia Vendetta for $70-80 will put most anything else near it to shame. If they came in a wider range of actions I'd have more than I do... 7' medium with moderate-fast taper would probably work well for your described application.

I'd look at it in store and then order it from tacklewarehouse personally, their customer service is second to none. The 7' 3" Heavy moderate action might work as well, but typically Abu rods are stiffer spined rods than other blanks I've handled form different manufacturers.

Regardless, the Vendettas have rave reviews, they are light and sensitive as anything you're going to buy without spending more than 4x as much, and strong as nails as well. Also quite handsome matt/satin finish if I do say so myself.

The Veritas line are also very nice cheap rods and are only $99 for the new Veritas 2.0... if oyu can find the old Veritas they can be had for around $79 before, maybe even less now. The 7' 6" Medium Heavy moderate action winch cranking rod is the best cranking rod I've ever personally gotten to use. I am hoping the Veritas 2.0 version of the same rod is as good or better since I just had to ship mine back to tacklewarehouse for replacement after an inexplicable guide wear issue (have 4 or 5 of these that've never had problems, least used one had the tip insert lose a sliver of finished surface and cost me several cranks and fish and time on the water during tourney til I realized and put if down)

Last but not least, nail in the coffin for a $79.99 Vendetta you also get to mail in $12 and get....

http://img.tacklewarehouse.com/PDF/ABUHOOD.pdf#zoom=100

He said he wants to crank with it... so heavy is OUT. He'd be reeling in lips like he was crappie fishing! That's my only warning when I highly recommend Abu's to people, is go light on the power and action compared to whatever you've experienced previously that set your expectations, because Abu's definitions are a goo bit different. That said I have drug telephone poles to the shore with my heavy Veritas spinning rod before!

Go to southwest service center in Dallas and get a clearance rod of the half price rack. You can get a decent Falcon Cara or Kistler for under $100. Or a Falcon Lowrider cheap. The other day they had a Facon original for $35. It was new.

I'd go with the 45 dollar cane pole.