ARE EXPENSIVE RODS WORTH THE MONEY THESE DAYS?

Back in the day when fishing line sucked, the rod is where you got all your feel from. Today I believe the line is where you get all your feel from. SO do you need a $179 rod or more to gain an advantage? Will a good H2O for $59 give you the same results with braid or good flouro? Now this is a poor man talking. If I had a 30 ft boat with a 400 horse engine and 4 power poles on the back of my rig and 5 16 inch Lowrances, then yes I would buy some fancy stuff. But I think it is not necessary these day. If you think other wise I would like to hear your thoughts.

yes worth every penny! lighter weight less fatigue at the end of the day, plus greater sensitivity.

A poor man that lives in Aubrey, Texas. Not hardly.

In my opinion, yes, expensive rods are worth the money. I have multiple G. Loomis GLX's and NRX's and they're worth every penny. The NRX will leave you speechless with it's sensitivity and balance. Those rods really are on a whole different level. I'm in no way saying you can't get things done with a $100 rod. I just believe the overall quality and performance is better in a high dollar rod. For techniques such as a football jig, drop shot, Tx-rig, Carolina rig, anything that requires fishing deep or on the bottom, I believe you need the added sensitivity in a high dollar rod. However, for techniques such as spinnerbaits, cranks, top water, anything that's a reaction bait, I don't think you need a rod that's more than $100. The main thing here is that you get what you par for. It's all about preference and the angler's budget as well.

To ME, they are worth the price of admission. You do NOT NEED them, but when fishing T's adn you feel 2 or 3 more bites because of the sensitivity and land those fish, it could be a check vs. no check. You can catch fish with a broom stick and a kite line, but the added advantage of graphite and fiberglass sure make it easier to detect bites. I am talking experienced fish here, not the stupid ones that bite and take off with the bait and set the hook on themselves. The lighter the rod, the less fatigue you feel on fishing all day. The better the rod, the more you feel (for the most part). Is it needed? NOPE, it is NOT needed, but if you are fishing for money, your competitors will have an added advantage on you with their better equipment. Just my .02 worth. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

I can catch as many bass on $40 rod as a $300. But there is a big difference in sensitivity and weight. Kinda like golf clubs. How much better can they really keep making them be?

I wish I could tell you but I just mostly buy Lightnin' rods on sale.

I think if you're just starting out, a higher end rod will help teach you what to feel(the bottom, grass, sand vs rock, strikes, ect). Personally I couldn't feel the bottom with an oz weight tied on until I borrowed my dads cumara when I was 14 ish years old and the light came on. I could feel everything you could imagine. Since then I've been able to get by without spending more than $200 on a rod. That being said I do have a lot of rods that I should have paid more for that I didn't because of places like here where you can do business with good people and get primo equipment. It all depends on what your needs are and your budget is.

I think not much over $100 is a point of diminishing returns. Are titanium rings with SiC inserts going to help me catch any more fish? Nope. But the cost goes way, way up.

No they are not. $150 rods are plenty sensitive.

I think that if you think you need to keep up with the Jones then don't even try cause in the long run buying what you need is the best choice . If you buy expensive when you don't have the funds would be ridiculous and causing you to go in debt for reasons you don't need . If your an average fisherman like I am just buy a good reel , the best rod you can afford at a decent price but get good line and use extra money for lures or baits . In the long run you'll appreciate it and have more money in your pocket to go fishing .

You will only know the answer to your question when you get the chance to own and fish a high quality rod. I fished a lot of Falcon rods back when they were a pretty good, reasonable priced ($100 range), quality rod and then bought a Kistler LTA ($250). I came to realize just how many bites I had been missing enough so that it earned me an AOY in the club I fished. You are going to own a quality rod for 10 or more years so the difference between spending $50 or $500 kind of averages out. There are plenty of used rods that can lower your initial costs but give yourself the opportunity to find out what you are missing. IF you don't like them you can always sell a quality rod brand on a swap sell board and recoup some of your expense.

I never got the lighter weight less fatigue thinking

They are just a fishing rod, what do they weigh about 15 oz. I can't see a few ounces one way or the other making a difference. If that is the issue you need to hit the gym.

Company's or Rod Makers just keep reeling in the Fish. LOL

The majority of my biggest fish the last few years have been on an Abu Veritas 7'6" MH rod. $99. I compensated for feel by using 20# fluoro with my jigs.

I was worried that I might be catching less fish with cheaper rods, so I put a G.Loomis sticker on each rod and made sure it was facing the fish so they could see it. Problem solved! Catchin' em real good now!

It depends how good and how serious you are. They are very much like golf clubs. Getting a couple extra yards out of a high dollar set of clubs doesn't do you much good if it just gets you farther in the next fairway. It's the fisherman that makes the rod, not the rod that makes the fisherman. That said, if your serious and you have the money they are nice. Is a $350 dollar rod worth the extra $200 over 150 dollar rod? In my opinion, probably not for most folks.

Expensive can be a relative term. I consider expensive around the $200 mark but there are rods that far exceed that. I have rods from $100 to $200 and to be honest the more expensive doesn't outperform the others on any level of criteria(weight, sensitivity, durability). Let's use Kistler just as an example. I have a couple of mag2 that are in the $200 price range. Kistler also makes the Z-Bone that run $500. What is it about that rod that makes it more than twice the price? I think you should get a good rod but but there comes a point where you are probably wasting money. I wish I knew where that point was but for me $200 is my max.

Ha ha, well done. Think I'll do the same.

Another way of looking at it is that less expensive rods are getting much better. There is simply no doubt that the high end rods are at least somewhat better with the diminishing returns.

Why? Because the old adage is true: the things wealthy people have today, the majority of us will be able to afford in 10 years.

So, once upon a time a home with granite counter tops were only found in very expensive homes; now, they are found in mid-priced homes. There are a million examples of manufacturers of high end product first saturating the high end of a market, then beginning to aggressively expand their sales by lowering prices and selling to a broader audience.

A $100 rod today likely has graphite and other components that were on much more expensive rods many years ago when they were first introduced.

Free markets and competition are great things! They still use cane poles in Cuba.

Brad

I can't brag about all the expensive rods or reels I have because I don't have any. I've got 2- 20 yr. old Quantam 1310's and the rest are old Garcia 4600 and 5500 reels mounted on cheap Bass Pro Rods. Caught a 14.19 on a cheap Berkley rod with the 4600 reel. As far as the lighter weight goes I'm in pretty good shape and can fish all day standing up with these cheap rod and reels and seem to be catching my fair share. I've got a TaylorMade driver that weighs 55 grams and a 3 wood that weighs 70 grams and I hit it farther. The only selling point these rod makers have left is lighter and more sensitive and that in itself won't make me spend $300 for a rod. Heck, I wouldn't know G. Loomis if he was riding in the same truck with me. Now I will spend more for a chart plotter with DS, SC and GPS as compared to the paper graph I was using because I know it will help me find'em, but I feel pretty confident I can catch'em with the cheap rods and reels I've been using. My simple answer to your question is no, the expensive rods are not worth the money.

All very good points mentioned on each price point. I don't pay much attention to the weight and fatigue aspect as im sure ill only cast half as much as others during the same time frame. If i made my living on catching then i would prob cast 2x as much but i don't. I have entered small/local tourneys in the past and did it for the fun it.
I keep my rods at 99- or less. I do enjoy the sensitivity of the veritas rods but don't know if the 250- rod would be "better" for me.
Someone above mention the "lightning" rods. I used to use the heck out of those and they were a really good rod for what you paid and caught.

At times keeping things simple did make fishing more enjoyable. I lived in northern Maine as a child and my most enjoyable times fishing...were grabbing an old pair of tennis shoes, my trusty 20- zebco set up, digging for worms and walking up and through the small brooks/creeks fishing for 6-12inch trout. It was a blast and gave me pleasure in truly enjoying mother natures very best and stunning beauty.
Now that pendulum has completely swung the other direction and there are a bunch of rods on my deck with more in the hull and thousands in electronics. Its absolutely frigging insane. Its all my fault as i make those choices. Our fishing "obsession" with bigger, better and more can be debilitating at best. We dissect every lake hump, creek channel and flats and spin the confusion even more by trying to select a lure types and color.

sorry for rambling.... my point to all this is to purchase what you can afford and get what you think will work best for you.

Don't forget to buy the lightest weight reel also to help with fatigue. LOL

Gary Loomis sold his name to Shimano. Even he can't call them G. Loomis anymore. His new company is Temple Fork Outfitters or TFO.

After selling G.Loomis® in 1997 Gary dedicated his efforts into protecting and rehabilitating the fisheries of the Pacific Northwest. His devotion to the fishery helped establish Fish First (www.fishfirst.org), where he serves as President, and the Coastal Conservation Association Pacific Northwest (www.ccapnw.org), where he serves as the Chairman for Washington State.

Although Gary is no longer affiliated with G.Loomis®, his desire to “build the best rods available” remains. He has agreed to share his unparalleled design skills and understanding of modern technology and materials with Dallas, TX, based Temple Fork Outfitters to develop a new generation of affordable high-performance rods.

Like my daddy always told me, "It ain't how long the rope is it's all in how you jiggle the bucket" Best rods, best reels it's all a matter of opinion. If you can't fish, the price of admission don't really matter and neither does the equipment.

Could not have said it better myself!

Gary's new company is actually North Fork Composites. http://www.northforkcomposites.com/

Not trying to be a know it all, but I have started building my own rods, so I am familiar with the rod blank companies...

IMO NO ! I have fished with high end rods and low end rods and I can catch and feel just as many on a low end rod as I can a high end rod. It goes the same for me on reels also. There are some very good rods/reels under $120 that seem to last longer than a $300 rod/reel.

As a guide I can tell you I see guys that bring their high end stuff and I have seen so many just blow up on small to mid range fish. First thing I think about was that was a $200-$300 rod !! Wow ! I don't want one of them.

Any rod can break but I do see more high end rod breaks than I do the low end or middle of the road rods. I also hear a lot about high end rods breaking. All this is just my opinion.To each one is his own choice.

Ken is correct. Gary started NFC and is now involved with TFO.

http://www.tforods.com/company/gary-loomis-story.html

Word for word correct

Thanks for clearing that up Marc, if anyone should know you should because that's how you make your living. Buying a Ferrari won't make you better looking, buying a $1,000,000.00 home won't make you safer or sleep better at night and a $600 rod and reel won't make you a better fisherman. The manufactures job is to make you think it will and they do a great job. Hat's off to'em cause based on some of the post it's working.

Good Advice Marc, any specific low end/middle road rods you recommend? I usually fish with Abu Garcia rod and reels for bait casting and spinning...that has just been what I consider good quality/affordable. I would love to get a lews reel with a favorites USA defender or white bird rod one of these days though.

My most expensive rod is a CarbonLite. I don't really see any difference in that and my H2O Express that I use for TRig/Jig. I bought a bunch of the H2O Express rods when they were 40.00 each. I use their 7' topwater rod for a crankbait and it does a great job. I've had these rods for a # of years and I'll continue to use them. To each their own...

Expensive is relative. I would say a $350 rod has no more of an advantage over a $100 rod. The person holding it is what truly matters. Buy what you can afford, and go fishing. Don't get to caught up in having the latest and greatest. I have personally been on the wrong end of a beating several times from guys who had equipment that didn't meet today's "standards" for being a "pro". It is all about works best for you. Long story short. No. I do not think expensive rods are worth the money.

I fish with NRX rods, Metaniums, MGL's, all high end Shimano. Oh and I fun fish, I only fish a few tournaments a year. I've been in the boat with people that have $50 combos and they have caught more fish than me. I think it's great, use whatever you can afford and makes you enjoy fishing more. I will keep buying high end rods and reels, there is a difference, how much, that is on you. Can't really say I "need" them to fish, but it sure makes it more enjoyable for me. YMMV

My buddy and I were fishing at lake Monticello. We couldn't buy a big bite, but we were catching little guys one after another. I say we, but I really mean he. He had a kistler spinning Rod and I had an H2O $100 rod and we were both throwing a shaky head. We were throwing the same bait on exactly the same setup except for the rod. He was getting killed every cast. Getting constant bites. I couldn't feel anything. He was literally catching 10 to my 1 and he was getting bit every single cast. Needless to say, I don't have any cheap rods anymore.

There are different rods for each application and matching the right application with the right technique is critical. While a lot of people cannot shell out $200-$400 a rod for each application, which is understandable, one may need to acquire them over time. I really think people look at it from the wrong direction, more on that later.

If you are fishing 12 times or fewer a year (club level), then sure, the $100-150 price range is more acceptable and manageable. You can buy these at Academy, Walmart, etc. However, those that fall into this category typically do not have a rod for each technique.

Now take the angler that fishes more than 12 times a year, which includes tournaments on a much larger scale than the club angler. I myself fish 4 trails, weekday working man tournaments, a few jackpots and mix in club. So that is about 26 trail events, including championships, 30-50 weekly working man, 2 or 3 jackpots and 12 club events. So we are looking around 60-80 events per year and this does not include any prefishing only tournaments. This may be extreme for some, most if you count them all up you will be surprised. Why this number of tournaments analogy? Here is why.

I look at the purchase as an investment, both short term and long term. Do I get a return, you darn right I do, both short and long term! I know that in my mind I have the best rod(s) on the market to handle every situation. Now let’s break this down more in how I look at it. So anglers that purchase high end rods will tend to take extra care of them, not that others don’t but it is a fact that when one spends more money on something, the attentiveness of where that money went is higher. With that being said, one has to ask what is the life span of a rod, well that depends on the angler and the rod. I have a few high end rods I have had since 07, almost 10 years old, they were high end at that time and I still use them and they are dedicated to a specific technique. So one must ask themselves, what is the life expectancy of a rod; 3, 5, 7, 10 years? We will just use 3 years for this analogy, but you will get the point. So now the rod, I choose Power Tackles Paragon Series PG104 7-6", website shows $339.

So now for the investment part, most will not look at it from this angle. $339/3 years equals $113/year. Now this has to be broken down even further. How many time do you fish per year? You saw my tourney schedule 60-80/year. So let’s just use 25 times one goes fishing. Okay so $113/25 equals $4.52 every time you go fishing. Can anyone equate this amount to anything? Yeah, this is about the average cost of one bag of plastic baits, maybe a lure, etc. Now you cannot sit there and tell me that you don’t buy something at the tackle shop either in person or online every time you visit. You might not one time, but then when you go the next time you will make up for it on that trip and probably multiple times over. Now this dollar amount is very conservative in my opinion and is probably less for most. If you use my numbers, 5 years and 60 times per year you will get 339/5/60= $1.13 per trip.

So why should I pay more for higher end rods? You pay more because of one, if not more or all of the following:

Reputation
Customer Service
Technology (Sensitivity)
Warranty Replacement

So are higher end rods more advantageous? You darn right they are, if you are using a rod that is more sensitive than your partner or competitor(s), then in the overall scheme of things you are going to catch more fish. You will feel more bites, land more fish, which in the end means more top finishes and more money. An avid angler wants every advantage they can get to perform at a consistent and higher level.

So in my mind I do look at it as an investment. You pay money to an insurance company to ensure your auto and home just in case something happens and everyone knows not all insurance companies are the same. The same goes with rods, they are not all the same. I want a rod that I can count on when it is called upon.

So if you have been on the cuff about getting a high end rod, I would highly recommend you trying out Power Tackle Rods Paragon series or the new Pow-R Point Series, these new rods are the bomb. So shoot me a pm and I will give you a code that will allow you to get a discount on your purchase.

Here are some of the Pow-R Point Series Rod Specs that will be on the website soon:
Model Number-Specs-Applications

PLM675 7’4” Hvy/Fast, 17-25# Flouro,20-50# Braid, 1 -2oz
LPC 675

PLM 570 7’4” Med./Hvy/Fast, 10-20# Flouro ½ -1 oz
LPC 570

PLM 470 7’2” Med./Hvy/Fast, 10-20# Flouro, ½ .-1oz
LPC470

PLM580 7’6” Hvy/XtraFast, 17-20# Flouiro, 20-30# Braid 1-2 oz
LPC580

PLM1100 7’7” Dbl. XHvy/Fast, 20-40# flouro, 30-65# braid, 1-5 oz.
LPC1100

PLM970 7’7” Dbl XHvy/Mod.fast, 20-40#Flouro, 30-65# Braid 2-5oz.
LPC970

TVS570 Spinning 7’4” Med. Hvy/Fast. 8-20# Flouro, ¼-3/4 oz.

PLM= Blank thru Palmer
LPC=Low Profile Casting

Go to http://www.www1.powertackle.com/ for all the Paragon Series of Rods
If you want to discuss further, just give me a call, number is in my sig.

I have some Falcon's and Carbon Light's and they are great rods for the price, but I bought one of the Lew's rods at Walmart for around 40 bucks, I really like it, it's light and fairly sensitive and I've been using it for topwater's and cranks.

I'll pay a bit for a worm/jig rod because the extra sensitivity absolutely helps. But otherwise, I've got a mix of $40-$75 rods for everything else. BPS crankin stick, Berkley lightning rod, etc. are just fine for spinnerbaits, cranks, whatever.

Involved with TFO, yes, but not "his company". His line of rods is called Edge. http://www.edgerods.com/ Check them out they have some very innovative designs.

I forgot about the new Edge Rods. They look pretty nice. I like them better than the TFO rods.

I have 2 high end dobyns rods that were 260 and 6 powells that were 150 and I don't feel a differences. I think its all the reel you get

There are overpriced rods and quality rods. Quality rods are definitely better all they way around than your average rods. What cracks me up are the rods in the $250 to $300 range where the components consist of a $60 blank, $15 to $35 for ten or eleven Fuji/Alconite guides and a tip, $10 or so for a reel seat and another $15 or so for some grips.

There really isn't a difference, only in price

Agree with this. Can't for the life of me understand why a guy would pay megabucks for 'the extra sensitivity' for chunking and winding....crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, etc. There are even companies that sell glass and composite rods to DECREASE the sensitivity for this type fishing. A $60 Academy 6'6" med rod is light enough to help with the fatigue issue and will load up plenty to heave it as far as you want to.

For worming, or other soft plastics, extra sensitivity is an advantage. 1 or 2 higher dollar ($100-$200) rods on the deck for that type fishing would be nice.

Actually, most rods now days only weigh plus or minus about 4 ounces and reels weigh in the neighborhood of 6 to 8 ounces. Weight is the primary thing that affects sensivity. You need to handle some of the most popular 100$ rods and compare them for feel. Some feel noticeably lighter than others.

I may be wrong, but I think there is a point of significantly deminishing returns in the cost of rods. By that, I'm trying to say a rod that cost twice as much may only give you 10% more sensitivity. But, for a quality rod that won't snap on a hook set and that has good sensitivity, I do think $100 is pretty much the threshold. Prices above $100 are where you get less and lest for more and more money. Just my 2 cents. If you are a T fisherman, a little more sensitivity may be worth the cost. To each his own.

I will add, if I'm buying an expensive rod - it's a powertackle! I've had nothing but good confident results out of the one I own! It's worth it to me. I guess you can say cost is relative to what you consider is affordable at the time. I'm making more money now, compared to 2 years ago. I can afford to spend more and I choose the very best (in my opinion). Power tackle fits what I feel is the best for me. I'm clumsy with guides, and they offer recoil guides! Less failures for me being hard on my equipment. So buy the best you can afford at the time and don't worry about the hype!! I've caught a ton of bass on a crappie rod!

I make a rod 7'2" MH Fast rod that weighs 2.3oz put it on an Aldeberan that's 4.7oz and have a setup that weighs 8oz with a full spool of line.. cutting the weight of a decent setup in half really does make a difference.

Sensitivity is a stiffness to weight ratio. The higher the modulus of the graphite and the less mass there is to absorb a vibration, the more efficient a rod will be at transferring vibrations.

Higher sensitivity equals feeling more bites. Feeling more bites is putting more fish in the boat. Period.

For those who haven't fished a super high end rod and have an opinion on this subject literally can't feel what they are missing.

The sad thing is not all rods are created equal when it comes to price, there are a myriad of factors that go into it. Marketing and branding is a big one. Certain H20 Express rods that I have fished are debatably equal to a rod double it's price point with a highly recognized brand.

To answer your question, high end rods are absolutely worth the money. You have to be honest with yourself about how much it's worth to you. Because as long as you are happy with it, who can say anything.

All rods are made pretty much the same. Some have better blanks and better guides. They all use one peice blanks and fugi guides for the most part. I catch a lot of big fish and you would be suprised i dont spend more then 75 dollars on a rod. Every one is a 1 peice rod IM8 material and fugi guides. I use p_ line only and lews reels. I have had all the real expensive rods out there and all i did was spend money I could of saved. Next time your at the store lower a 300 dollor rod and touch the floor as lite as you can and try a 100 dollar rod. Then you will see what i mean

^^^^

Touching the floor with a tip is not going to be an effective way to test the sensitivity of a rod. For one, you know the tap is coming and your brain tells you to feel for it.

The most sensitive rods are the lighter rods with very light guides and very hard inserts. Even further, the reel seat on some actually are designed to amplify the vibrations transmitted from the tip. These are not "blank through" type seats. Those are good...not great. Blank through designed seats, on better rods, are tightly matched in diameter to make the rod big end fit tightly with very little epoxy. Blank through on cheaper rods actually are insulated with excessive epoxy (bad) or even double side tape (worse). This works in the same way that Mercedes and Dynamat work. They take vibrations and turn it into heat via friction. The best designs only have enough very hard epoxy to hold the two rod components together. Also the tolerance is very tight. Very little epoxy needed to fully join the parts. Less epoxy equals more sensitivity.

Rod blanks is a continuation of this....very tightly controlled tolerances on how much resin and scrim is used does impact the costs. Making the rod blank stronger per gram by using a very exact amount of resin and curing processes that slowly cure the rod are better....and more expensive.

Guides.....same thing. Lightest designs cost more. They are not necessarily stronger and more abuse proof. They are stiffer and lighter. Percentage wise the titanium and carbon guides are a lot lighter. Add in Silicon Carbide or Torzite inserts(again very hard and very light) and the costs can go up pretty quick.

I know of a Japanese company right now that is experimenting with Beryllium frames to get them even lighter than titanium or carbon...and stiffer, but the costs on these guides will be outrageous! There is actually a radiation hazard involved with the manufacturing of Beryllium. Haha.

Well....


I guess to answer the question.

I don't think the differences in rods in excess of $200-$300 is noticeable to the average angler. I think they are all pretty design specific. Some are even just expensive for exclusivity purposes alone.

I can't tell a difference in a $200 rod designed for t rigged plastics and a $500 rod for the same purposes. I can, however, tell a pretty significant difference between a $75 rod for the same technique and a $150 or so rod for the same.

End the end.....but what you want.

Same arguments are made about boats all day. A $50,000 new latest greatest boat with a new 250 out back doesn't catch more than a $5,000 beater boat. Yet....it's getting close to the norm to see them even at a "working mans" tourney on a 200 acre lake!! First place wouldn't even fill the fuel tanks on the boat....yet a lot feel they are needed to win. Lol.

I think in the end, we should just be glad that there are almost endless choices available.

an expensive rod makes me try harder,..!!

Steez I am impressed. That is the best and most informative post on anything I have read on TFF. I'm still not going to buy any of these high dollar rods or reels but at least I now know more about rod building and some of the processes. For me the genius involved in the new chart plotters with the side scan, down scan and GPS features are much more impressive and helpful than a $300-500 rod and I don't mind forking up the money for one. The day I caught the 14.19 I was using a $35 Berkley rod with a 4600c Garcia reel that I bought used at Southwest Parts. The fish was suspended in 25 FOW. As you know big fish don't hammer a lure like a 2-3 pounder does and I had no problem with the bite. I was also using 20 Trilene XT which is not the most sensitive line either. Anyway I enjoyed your post and was the best on this subject of all the others.

well said ----+1

KVD, EE, and many others have won a lot of $ using (relatively) 'cheap' rods - BPS rods (edwin) and quantum (kvd).

Well first of all thanks for all the info. Lot more than I expected lol. Out of respect for all that took the time to post I read all of them.

After reading this I believe I have confirmed what I always suspected, THESE days a middle of the road rod is all you need. If a $400 rod makes you feel better fishing thats great. I have numerous rods that are getting close to that 15 year old mark that I still use. All Stars that I paid $59 for back in early 2000s.

I still believe the line gives you the feel these days MY OPINION. Most of all the rods i pick up have little sticker on them that say MADE IN CHINA. Distributed here but made over seas.

Awesome stuff thanks for the info!!

Depends on what you are using it for. I have several JWR NRX's. Nothing better for bottom bumpin. For spinner bait or crank bait-think there is better value on less expensive rod.

Another point. Just because you have a very light rod doesn't always mean you have a good rod. Take a Carrot Stick for example, very light but will snap like a toothpick.

I didn't know that, I never got into the carrot stick craze.

My PB was on a Berkley Lightning Rod. I caught 2 7lbers one day as a kid using my grandfather's heavy saltwater baitcast setup. It had about 15 yards of some thick braided line and then a huge bird's nest that stopped any more line from going out. I used a flycast motion to cast bread out and catch bluegills. Big bass enhaled the bluegills twice in one day.

I like to use more expensive rods and I think they help but they are just a tool, not a guarantee.

It all depends on what matters to you. I like to catch as many fish as I can and as big a fish as I can. If you are throwing baits that require a sense of "feel" then a more sensitive better quality rod is better than a lesser quality one. If the fish are really active it may not matter as much what you use but when the bite is very light, the more sensitive rod makes all the difference in the world and will help you catch fish that you might not have felt with the less sensitive rod. Higher quality rods also are usually better balanced which in my opinion also helps you feel the bite better. You can now find rods sensitive enough for "feel" baits in a $150-$250 range in my opinion. A rod less than $150 I would not use for "feel" type baits although It might be fine for moving baits.

Most of the rods owne are 120 to 200 dollars rods. Some on sale I'm sure were 250 ish.

Good enough for me. I've never use any real hi dollar rods.

Right now at Academy Sports you can buy Abu Garcia Veritas rods for $99.00 in store . Couple rod combos under $100.00 with a Pro Max reel/rod combo . Like I said if you have the fundings and feel like you need to spend high $$$ then do so . If your an average fisherman under $150.00 is a great deal . If your pro and have sponsersthere is probably all free fish equip .

I've used everything from Jimmy Houston rods to G Loomis...

I think the word "sensitivity" gets thrown around way too much when talking about rods. The most important factor is getting the action and stiffness that you're looking for.

If holding a fishing rod and making casts throughout the day makes you tired, you might want to consider taking up something else.

If you keep contact with the line somehow during your retrieval, I feel like that's all the sensitivity that you need. (I keep my left index finger under the line, some guys actually hold the line with their free hand)

Unless I'm getting them for free or being paid to use them, I'm not spending over $150 on a rod. I've had 6 DDs this past year on Duckett rods, so take that for what it's worth.

I think what you buy should be based on what you can afford. I have 26 rods in my boat that range from $39 to $200. I buy a rod based on a special need. Different rods perform differently with the same Action (L, M, MH, H, EX). If your second car is a Hummer then spend what you want on a rod. But it doesn't make much sense to buy a $300 rod and not have the money to go to the lake to use it.

Also I agree. Today- It is more about the line than the rod. IF you don't believe me take 3 of the same exact rods. Put 15lb Mono on one, 15lb Fluro on one and 50lb braid on the other and put a 1/4oz jig on all of them. Make a short pitch, pull the line tight, close your eyes and have some one softly blow on the line outside of the tip. You wont' feel anything with the mono, but will feel some with the Fluro and will feel a lot with the Braid. Spend you money on the reel and the line.

I use $99 Falcon Bucoos. Light, sensitive and strong. Personally, there is no need for me to spend more than that. These rods are great quality, especially for the price.

Yes. I believe some are worth the $$$.

Most of the responses here are based on peoples wallet and not a true test between an average rod vs. a high end rod.

How many of you tried using tungsten and can not go back to lead?

Try using a bonified high end or custom rod in the $400 or more range (and not a hiked up $400 Loomis label) for an 8 hour day or two or three, then switch back to a Bucco or Veritas, or whatever.

Japanese rod and reel companies will hands down be the better buy. Wether you spend 45.00 or 450.00 for a rod or reel...Why? The culture of building quality products at a fair market price over an American company who's only target is making sure there P&L is in the black no matter how many times you return there rod or reel in. If a customer of ours buys a rod from us and has to return it multiple times due to manufacturer defects I'm not doing business with said company anymore. That's how we protect our customers..."Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer's sake, for your daughter's sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me." -Tommy Boy

Someone remarked in here that the rods of today are much better than those from back in the day. That I have to agree with, for example an H2O med hev 7ft 6 in rod for $59 is as good as any rod on the market 15 years ago. You add better line to the combo and your fishing with some pretty good stuff. I would rather invest in more expensive line than more expensive rods and reels. The PROS get their stuff for free to promote new stuff and get those watching to buy it. Believe me when I see guys like Bill Wilcox with all the Johnny Morris rods and reels laying on his boat deck I am jealous. He fishes for a living so I get it. I was a mechanic for 30 years and used harbor freight tools instead of Snap On and Mac. There was never anything I could not fix. As an engineer in the Navy for 6 years, the Gov did not own any expensive hand tools either and we where responsible for keeping 10s of millions of dollars worth of equipment running. And we did!

The only plus $100 rod I own is an Okuma Guide Select swimbait rod - and it was $109.00 on the auction site. I still have and use my All Star WR1's & WR2's - maybe it's a confidence thing, but with Tatsu spooled up, I can feel just about anything. My crankin' rod is an H2O Composite Cranker that I got on sale for $39.00. For my finesse fishing, I use a Berkley Series One spinning rod (which are back in production). Now I have tried the more expensive rods, but end up going back to what I have. Now if I just had my Browning Boron pistol grip rod back, I would be complete...

No

You look closely and Bill still has some of his Quantum stuff on.

I think it depends on the type of fishing. I don't think it would make much difference fishing shallow water or throwing top water baits or spinner baits.

I do think it matters when fishing deeper water, I have some really nice set ups that I use when throwing football jigs, T-rigs etc in deeper water. I am actually always looking for any piece of equipment that will really help me feel the bottom, feel the structure, help me work my way through some old trees or an old brush pile in deep water.

I even think it makes a difference on deep diving crank baits, I like to be able to feel everything and detect the most subtle bite. Whoever said hooksets are free has not spent much time in deep water throwing jigs and crankbaits.

i used this $20 walmart special tonight

[img]http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics...7_5824320475019[/img]


to land a few over 3 lbs including this

[img]http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics...7_6400874429805[/img]


long story but my normal gear is in my truck in the shop. My normal rod/reel combo's are all less than $200, and my most consistent set up was a 60 combo from bass pro shops. I think it depends on how you use your stuff. I used a buddy's 600 set up once, pretty sweet but didnt see THAT much difference.

Sharp hooks or dull?

Dime store mono or fluoro?

Zebco or Shimano?


We've all caught fish on a budget rig at some point in our lives, but ultimately migrate to equipment that better suits our needs.

I can still catch fish with a dull hook on 30 year old mono spooled to a Zebco 303 that's been sitting in a barn or decades, but I will catch more on better equipment.

A rod is part of that equipment and just as important as any other component.

Folks used to use 2 liter bottles as duck decoys and they shot ducks. Don't see much of that these days but some days you still get skunked with a truckload of modern decoys. Doesn't mean you should have downed a truckload of Pepsi on the way to the blind. Also doesn't mean you wasted money on your decoys.

If you simply want to catch fish, it doesn't matter much what you use. If you want to give yourself the best shot at maximizing your time on the water, quality equipment, including the rod, will help you do just that.

All my rods and reels are cheap. But i suck at fishing.

In my opinion it depends on what you are looking for.
You can find modestly priced rods that will fish great.
What I have noticed is that better quality rods and the component that go into them will maintain top performance longer.
Cheaper guides will rust or bend or get worn out or the inserts fall out.
Cheaper grips will fall apart.
Cheaper resin or cheaper epoxy on the guide wraps will fail.

The benefits of better equipment may not mean that it will be more sensitive or catch more fish. It means that you will have reliable equipment day in and day out.
If you fish casually once a month or less you can get plenty of life and use from modestly priced equipment. If you fish more often in harsh conditions go for better quality.

The same applies to reels. Most reels feel great when new. Fish them hard and you can feel the difference pretty quick between the $50 reel and the $200 reel. I have rebuilt $50 reels into better reels by changing bearings and gears and the results are very noticeable.

nope

I started fishing again after a 10-15 years away. Bought a $120 dollar setup at Bass Pro, and used two of my older rods and reels. I restrung them all with mono, I could definitely tell a difference in the newer vs older rods. Then started fishing with an old friend who never stopped fishing, he has all the good stuff. One day while fishing he was helping me rig my bait and told me to fish with his rod for a minute while he finished rigging mine. I made about 3 casts and was like man! I can feel everything on the bottom! It was unreal! Turned out it was a G Loomis rod with flouro. He had a mix of different rods and reels, so after I told him how nice it felt he let me use one of his nicer Dobyns rods the rest of the day which was still much better than my rod but not as sensitive as the G. Loomis. That was last year, I now use my 3 cheap rods for friends to use and have purchased 6 new Dobyns rods with Abu Garcia reels. I could not justify spending the money on the G Loomis and Shimano setup he had, but could definitely justify spending the money on a nice higher end setup! As for the line, I agree it makes a huge difference when coupled with a high end rod and reel. Now I have several really nice setups for all types of fishing. Most have flouro, 1 has mono and two have braid. I still plan on buying 1 G Loomis for soft bait trig and crig, but for the most part, I'm happy with what I have.

If you think they are then they are. Personally I feel bad enough when I break a $50 rod so I'm not going to spend the money on one that cost much more than that. I've used several high end rods and always end up coming back to my so called cheap rods. I still catch fish and I'm competitive, so I'll save my money for gas and entry fees.

My two favorite rods are a Berkeley series one and a Power Tackle. One was $80 at Walmart several years ago and the other was considerably more last year. They each have their place. Open water bottom contact applications I go with the Berkeley. When it comes to flipping nothing compares to the Power Tackle, it's made a believer out of me.

Best post so far lol!

Yes they are worth it if the bite is light and you want to catch more fish, but it depends on what price point you call expensive.
I no longer spend over $250 for a rod. You can find good enough quality for any technique in a $150-$200 range.

Exactly

good morning,

i really like the BPS bionic blade.........got a bunch of them......price point $100....micro eyes....

caught fish all over TEXAS, louisiana and mexico.........the old one are white, new ones are red........

just saying.........

good luck,
PURA VIDA,
bluebonnet2

Most subjective question ever and tons of great responses in this thread already, but completely depends on the type of person you are (quality over quantity) Broke as shiiiiii at the moment and not satisfied with anything other than a dobyns extreme. Nothing like the feel of a high end rod end your hands. With that said a $50 walmart combo will still catch em just fine all day every day. Point being its a slippery slope that you and only you have to decide if you're ready to dive into the deep end.

$150 is my max. To me I cant justify paying more than that on a stick.

For top waters and moving baits. Not so much for bottom baits yes. Nrx 873 crr/ ci4 chronarch combo is a pure joy for t rigs. Got both second hand for about half cost. Or else I wouldn't know

Kind of where I stand as well...not knockin anybody that spends more...another question for the custom rod makers on here: how little can one spend to get a decent "knock off" of an NRX?...

Years ago, I upgraded to Cotton Cordell rods (about $40 at the time)from my old ugly stiks. On a guide trip with Lonnie Vandergriff oRay Roberts in the late 80.s he kept admonishing me for missing strikes that I neither felt or saw. He handed me a 7' black Falcon original lizard dragger,and we began to load the boat. Falcon was brand new at the time, and state of the art. I went out the next day and bought three, because I didn't want anyone in my boat to be without one.
NOW SINCE THEN, I have purchased Loomis, Shimano, and several other higher end rods. Looking back on it, I've only gotten marginally more sensitivity in anything above the Falcons. A waste? I dunno--Some people drive a Mercedes and others a Chevy--both do the same thing.

Overall final answer....YES they are worth the money and one good way to save money is to buy good quality equipment that is used but still in great shape.

Rods and reels give diminishing returns on quality for your investment. For me right now it's $150 ea where I like them and seems like going above that just doesn't give much for my money.

Just spent the last month buying rods and reels on EOY deals to get back to where I have 10 freshwater and 5 saltwater combos I like.

Usually it's Shimano reels and Falcon Lowrider rods on discount when they are available. It's getting harder to find them discounted.

If you are on a more limited budget the Academy Mettle Reel with the XPS Rod will get it done. The Mettle reels are arguably the best reel value out there. Plenty of choices out there.

Well.....linking with another thread "southwest service"....try going there and looking at the half price rack.

I picked up a Steez XBD frog rod and a NRX off of it for $490. And they threw in a spool of InvizX.

I've got comfortable with Falcon Cara's. Way back when I moved from Falcon originals to Lowriders. For 5 years now, I have bought only Cara's. I'm still using a few original series, though, and Lowriders....that's why I buy Falcon...they last....and of course they're made/assembled in the great state of Oklahoma.

You rarely see a used true high end rod for sale by someone, because once people get them they don't want to get rid of them. To me it's not about trying to keep up with the most expensive or latest and greatest but I will spend money on something that is more sensitive and can help in anyway when Fishing deeper water.

awesome. It might just be me, but I can't feel the difference in a 150 rod and 500 rod. I agree the materials are better but just hard to throw down that kind of cash

Coincidence?

For bass fishing, I prefer to use my rods in this order:

St. Croix Legend - 3.18 oz
Falcon Cara - 3.96 oz
All Star Titanium - 4.64 oz

My preferred reels are Shimano Chronarch Ci4s. The lighter overall combo weight, to me, makes a really noticeable difference. I got all my rods on sale so it was well worth it.

There are quite a few high end rods on Bass Boat Central fairly regular.

The more I fish and learn (including talkin' to the big sticks), the more I'm convinced that rod (first) and line (second) are huge factors -- along with your personal hookset strength and style -- that affect the success of our fishing.

It's pretty tough now to find a bad rod, and easy to find darn good rods -- but REALLY good rods are amazing. You may not need it and my amazing rod might not feel the same for you, but find the one that speaks to you and you will know what I mean.

Whatever you do, do NOT pick up a NRX they carry an infectious disease!
called BUY MORE careful!

I hear ya, but people will pay $300.00 for a Yeti cooler that cost $30.00 dollars to make too, makes me wonder.