Rod Or Reel?

[zwhiten12]

I know the whole setup is important, but should you invest more in the rod or more in the reel? Thanks y'all!

[Darren.]

This has been hashed out a lot. I like a good reel with a good drag system, good gears. It'll last a long time.

 

Same could be said of a good rod. I give the nod to the reel. I think.

[LgMouthGambler]

My median is $200 for a reel, $100 for a rod. With that being said, even the rods in the $50-75 are great.

[Dwight Hottle]

Most guys go 2 /3 on the reel & 1/3 on the rod. On better combos I like to go 50/50. A good reel deserves a good rod.

[zwhiten12]

My median is $200 for a reel, $100 for a rod. With that being said, even the rods in the $50-75 are great.

What sets those 150+ rods apart from the 50-75 dollar rods? Thanks!

[Teal]

Darren is right, it is very debatable. But my opinion is to buy a quality reel and then buy the best rod that fits the remaining budget. I want a reel made with quality components that will last a long time with proper care. Reels have alot of moving parts and ive been on the losing end of trying to save money by spending less on reel to 'get me by'

[Teal]

What sets those 150+ rods apart from the 50-75 dollar rods? Thanks!

The weight of the rod, better blanks, better guides.

[zwhiten12]

Darren is right, it is very debatable. But my opinion is to buy a quality reel and then buy the best rod that fits the remaining budget. I want a reel made with quality components that will last a long time with proper care. Reels have alot of moving parts and ive been on the losing end of trying to save money by spending less on reel to 'get me by'

That's exactly how I feel, i feel like I just need to spend the minimal amount to get by, but I don't want to regret it later...

[Southfork]

I'm the opposite of the majority here. 

 

I spend a lot more on rods than reels.  The way I look at it, I'm buying that rod for life, all my rods have lifetime warranties.

 

I've been spending more on reels lately, but I'm much more comfortable putting down a lot of cash on something with a little piece of mind.

 

I do have one exception tough, and that's my catfishing rods.  I spend way more on the reels than I do rods there.

[Rangerphil]

I think it depends on what technique you are doing. A great rod will change your fishing forever!

[retiredbosn]

I agree with ranger, bottom contact presentations demand the best rod, reaction presentations demand more from the reel. My set-ups are evolving, my crankbait rod cost 59 the reel 200, bottom contact a 100 reel on a 150 rod.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

What sets those 150+ rods apart from the 50-75 dollar rods? Thanks!

 

Given a specific budget I would give more money towards the rod.

 

I have rods from $30Ugly Stiks, $50 BPS, $70 Clarus, $100 Premiers then mid $150 Smoke, Avid, LTB, then my highest-end rod a St Croix Elite will use any side by side on a given day.

 

A couple things that I find with the mid to higher is you get a better sense of what the lure is doing on the bottom. I form like a picture veiw in my mind due to the added sensitivity of a rod like a senko amongst the weeds or rocks. I can feel the wiggle of the senko as I twitch it, as it just tip overtop a rock or falls out of a weed I dont get this with my under $100 rods.

 

With moving baits you feel a difference in the crank even with the slightest bit of moss/weed gets in the hooks and changes the retrieve action of lure. If you are on top of or in the weeds the feel is better once again can sort of form a picture of the lure in those weeds.

 

The best benefit, that I dont see mentioned much, is the fight with better rods. I get much more feedback and enjoyment of what the fish is doing, where its heading or direction its going like if its coming up to jump, nose down headed for cover. I can feel it rolling(catfish) can feel bass its body wiggling flexing substantially more vearing left to right. Just the fish's power is transmitted at a higher degree making the fight all that much better.

 

 

This is my view on what a person gets out of better rods. I wouldnt say they are needed just something different that adds to the hobby of fishing.

[jignfule]

I lean towards putting the $$$$$$ on the rod and I fish with Calais and Sustains

[zwhiten12]

Given a specific budget...

I want to buy a nicer rod, but I just can't get the thought of somehow breaking the rod and being out that much money where as if I bought a cheaper rod it wouldn't be as big of a deal.

[Darren.]

Given a specific budget I would give more money towards the rod.

 

I have rods from $30Ugly Stiks, $50 BPS, $70 Clarus, $100 Premiers then mid $150 Smoke, Avid, LTB, then my highest-end rod a St Croix Elite will use any side by side on a given day.

 

A couple things that I find with the mid to higher is you get a better sense of what the lure is doing on the bottom. I form like a picture veiw in my mind due to the added sensitivity of a rod like a senko amongst the weeds or rocks. I can feel the wiggle of the senko as I twitch it, as it just tip overtop a rock or falls out of a weed I dont get this with my under $100 rods.

 

With moving baits you feel a difference in the crank even with the slightest bit of moss/weed gets in the hooks and changes the retrieve action of lure. If you are on top of or in the weeds the feel is better once again can sort of form a picture of the lure in those weeds.

 

The best benefit, that I dont see mentioned much, is the fight with better rods. I get much more feedback and enjoyment of what the fish is doing, where its heading or direction its going like if its coming up to jump, nose down headed for cover. I can feel it rolling(catfish) can feel bass its body wiggling flexing substantially more vearing left to right. Just the fish's power is transmitted at a higher degree making the fight all that much better.

 

 

This is my view on what a person gets out of better rods. I wouldnt say they are needed just something different that adds to the hobby of fishing.

I can certainly appreciate where you are coming from. That's a good breakdown. While I stated reel as my pref, I don't discount the importance of the rod. I also have Ugly Stiks to Compres and now a Premier. There's a pretty big difference in feel there which plays a big part in fishing vs catching.

[Teal]

Most of your nicer rods have good warranties or lifetime warranties.

[zwhiten12]

Most of your nicer rods have good warranties or lifetime warranties.

That's a good point! Thanks!!

[Arv]

150 - 200 on a rod, 100 - 150 on a reel. If I had the money, I'd be throwing out 4-500 on a rod. I think its the most important. But don't forget quality line as well.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Given a specific budget...

I want to buy a nicer rod, but I just can't get the thought of somehow breaking the rod and being out that much money where as if I bought a cheaper rod it wouldn't be as big of a deal.

 

Certainly understandable.

Buy from well respected companies and know their policies.

One like Shimano that has over-the-counter Lifetime warranty. Even with that there can be certain stores that wont take them after certain time. You need to ask store of purchase how they will take care of issue.

Most have a charge depending on company for warranty claims for Lifetime rods.

I unfortunately have used St Croix warranty twice.  Sent broken rod(my fault) in and $20 and they took care of me.

[kickerfish1]

Typically for me $100-$500 for the reel and $150-$300 on the rod. I generally spend equal on both equal on both although I have a few higher end reels I have invested more in. Typically bottom contact rods are likely going to see more cash thrown at them compared to cranking, topwater, jerkbait, and spinnerbait rods.

With gear in this range I am getting longevity, lighter weight outfits, lifetime warranties on the rods, and pretty good sensitivity not to mention smooth reels with good casting distance and drags. To me I don't like to cheap out on anything, as when I have in the past, I just don't get many years out of the product despite good care and maintenance.

[38 Super Fan]

About 50/50 for me, but on my spinning setups I'll go with a less expensive reel, I feel like I can get away with a good spinning reel for about half of what I'll pay for a casting reel.

[SirSnookalot]

It's all about the fish!  There a various schools of thought and numerous articles about what's most important.  More expensive rods may be lighter and to some that's important, do they really cast farther, more sensitive and handle bigger fish?  I'm sure some will say yes, I would too just to justify spending $300, in reality I say no.  Same for reels, does my stradic really handle a 8# bass any better than my $30 reel in a bubble wrap with the handle sticking out, to justify it to myself yes, in reality no.  

 

I don't mind spending a significant amount money for larger harder fighting fish.  A good fisherman I may be not, but certainly not out of my mind, $300 reel and $300 rod to catch fish that average a few pounds at best and a few that might go 10+.

[LgMouthGambler]

What sets those 150+ rods apart from the 50-75 dollar rods? Thanks!

 

As Teal stated, better blanks and guides. With that said, I can tell you that I could fish just about any presentation with no problems using a Berkley Lightning Shock rod. I can say that because I have done it for a long time, I had to give them up due to the cork, it just gives me the heebies when I touch it now for some reason. I had no problem mounting a Curado or Chronarch on one and throwing jigs or any bottom contact bait. I could feel everything, but it wont slap you in the face the way a $200 rod will Im sure. I have found that I can feel everything just fine with a $100 Shimano Compre, and dont need to go any higher than that for a rod. My theory is that a reel is going to take a beating, and is going to be the machine behind job. If you want a good machine to perform flawless, your gonna need to spend some $. $150-200 is expected for a good reel. Now dont get me wrong, the PQ is a great reel for $90, but it aint no Revo S, Curado, or Chronarch. As for the rod, well lets just say you can slam it in a car door and its all over with, lol.

[ww2farmer]

I generally spend more on rods than reels.

[DaveT63]

Given a specific budget...I want to buy a nicer rod, but I just can't get the thought of somehow breaking the rod and being out that much money where as if I bought a cheaper rod it wouldn't be as big of a deal.

The higher end rods most all come with some sort of lifetime warranty. So if it breaks, you aren't out all that money. That helps make the higher price easier to justify for many people.