What's More Important: Reel Or Rod?

[tcbass]

When it comes to shooting and hunting is that old adage is that it's better to have a better scope than the rifle. The reason for that is that most any rifle from a known manufacture will shoot accurately enough for hunting but a scope needs not only perform well but must also be durable. So that means it's more important to have a high quality scope than a high quality rifle.

Is the same true for rod and reels? Is one more important than the other?

[David D.]

In my opinion, a poor reel on a quality rod will be harder to successfully fish with than a quality reel on a poor rod. In that sense, the reel is the more important if the two.

[Hogsticker]

Be prepared. This could get real long. I think you will see a 60/40 split in favor of rods. For me, the only time a rod becomes more important is with bottom contact. I'm a line watcher so not to big of a deal. I enjoy fishing with a quality reel, so that gets my vote. I can catch fish with an ugly stick. A crappy reel that doesn't cast fair with a sloppy drag can make your day terrible. On the flip side its nice to fish a balanced rod with quality components and nice workmanship. At the end of the day just give me a high quality line and all is good.

[Tywithay]

If I'm using baitcasters, I'd rather have a quality reel. I've used poor quality baitcasters that basically made me swear off of them for years because it was so frustrating. The rod doesn't make nearly as much difference for me, though I like using nice rods as well. Give me a $30 rod and $300 reel over the opposite, anytime.

[einscodek]

I was gonna say the entire setup which is.. but thinking more.. the rod would have to be the most important.

I could put up with any reel as long as it had capacity but I really need the right rod to impart the action and to chuck that lure the distance I need and for it to be light enough and sensitive enough I dont wear out during a trip.

[Grantman83]

I would have to say a rod. A whimpy, non sensitive rod will lead to missed bites, poor hooksets and lost or never hooked fish.

Reels are important no doubt, but you can catch fish cheaper reels more easily if you have a great rod to give you an advantage

[Tywithay]

I was gonna say the entire setup which is.. but thinking more.. the rod would have to be the most important.

I could put up with any reel as long as it had capacity but I really need the right rod to impart the action and to chuck that lure the distance I need and for it to be light enough and sensitive enough I dont wear out during a trip.

Can't chuck for any distance if your crappy reel backlashes unless the brakes are fully engaged.

[ww2farmer]

For bottom contact......the rod, for reaction baits the reel...just IMHO.

[Bankbeater]

Both are important.  You can't use a reel without a rod, and without a reel, a rod is just a short crappie pole.

[Montanaro]

Reel

Buy a cheap real then realize changing settings doesn't have any effect and you continuously birds nest....

[BrianinMD]

I think its depends on what kind, spinning its the rod, for a baitcast setup the reel is more important.

[jhoffman]

There nothing like a bad braking design to ruin my day. When you can contact the spool through the entire cast and still birdsnest, you know youre dealing with junk.

[Fishes in trees]

Anyone who knows anything about this subject, knows that there is only one answer to this question.  The answer is  YES - rods & reels are important.

 

One  MORE important than the other?  I dunno.  I don't think that you should let any one opinion or group of opinions make that decision for YOU.  You make that decision for yourself and allocate your resources that way that YOU see fit.  If you ain't happy with the results, then change.

 

Rods & reels work together as a system.  You get to decide how to construct the system.  I'd recommend that you do your own research and make your own judgements and make your own purchasing decisions and not let a group of opinions tell you what you OUGHT to have.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Neither is insignificant but in as far as presenting the bait and getting/staying hooked up the rod plays a larger role over all. The rod is your main fish fighting tool as well. It's important to keep your reels working at their best though. For deep cranking, a good casting, powerful reel with a low IPT is a good investment. It's easier on you over a long day and helps keep the bait in the strike zone as long as possible. 

[masterbass]

I think the real question is what would you rather have:  a $300 rod or reel?  I don't think it's realistic to believe anyone would put a $30 reel on an nrx or a metanium on an ugly stick.  So I'd rather have the $300 rod.

[WIGuide]

Although I think both are really important, if I had to choose, I'd rate the rod a little better especially if you're only buying one. If the reel works, you can get by with using it on a higher end rod. 

[Felix77]

Another vote for the rod.  Sensitivity and the ability to impart action is mostly rod based for me.  Hard to judge because it is a system.  Especially when you add the line to the equation.

 

 

This is like the "Golf ball" vs "the clubs" debate.  If you suck at golf it doesn't matter.  

[SirSnookalot]

I think the real question is what would you rather have:  a $300 rod or reel?  I don't think it's realistic to believe anyone would put a $30 reel on an nrx or a metanium on an ugly stick.  So I'd rather have the $300 rod.

I'll just throw this out.  I have a good bud fishes nothing but Van Staal, one of them is mounted on a $29 Soujourn, he loves it and I own one as well I like mine a lot.

 

My priority depends on what I'm fishing for, for smaller fish I'm not overly critical, just a good all around package works for me.  I don't do much bottom fishing so sensitivity is not extremely important to me and I don't have much problem landing the fish.

The majority of my fishing is targeting medium sized fish 10-50#, the reel gets my nod.  I can't move most of these fish, they're moving me and all I can do is tire them out.  That's where a good drag on a reel comes into play.  I only use "fairy wands"..........just read that on another post and I'm still wiping the coffee off my monitor.

[BassinLou]

Given the question, now that I have many years of experience under belt, I would have to say both are equally as important to me. The entire set up is a tool. The perfect combo of rod and reel makes for a tool that can be light and efficient but at the same time strong and powerful. It's challenging chucking baits all day on a heavy set up. Your arm feels like it wants to fall off at the end of the day. Now use a very nice rod with today's materials and a nice reel  that are lighter today than previous reels of the past , and your arm will not feel has tired and beat up. Also take into the account the technology going into both pieces of equipment. There are several rods and reels out there that are great pieces of equipment for a lesser price point. 

[lmbfisherman]

In bottom contact I'll spend more on a rod than a reel.  For all other areas I spend more on the reel. 

[aavery2]

To me it is not about one or the other, it is more about a balanced system.   The important thing to understand is how they work together, rod, reel and line.   If you have a weak link in the system your fishing will not be as enjoyable as it could be. 

A good comparison is hot rods, whats more important, engine, transmission, rear end or tires.    They must all work together to get the most  out of the car.       

[hatrix]

I would say if on some sort of a budget get a good reel and a decent rod not a top of the line one. In the end the reel could last you a life time and you still have a half way decent rod for other applications. On the other hand if you blow your load on a really expensive rod and get a crap reel you will still have the rod forever but once you make upgrades that reel with probably never get fished.

If you already have good casting reels in the say $150-250 range IMO those are generally plenty good enough for any fishermen. Then I would drop the money on super nice rods.

Also by the way it was me who called them "fairy wands" lol

That is just how it feel after throwing huge rods with giant baits for hours. I pick up a rod to throw a chatterbait or pitch a tube or something and I think omg this is like nothing. It's all light and flimsily and feels weird for a minute. I almost forget what I'm doing for a minute. I have to get my feeling back for baby lures.

They are just totally different animals

[SirSnookalot]

Also by the way it was me who called them "fairy wands" lol

That is just how it feel after throwing huge rods with giant baits for hours. I pick up a rod to throw a chatterbait or pitch a tube or something and I think omg this is like nothing. It's all light and flimsily and feels weird for a minute. I almost forget what I'm doing for a minute. I have to get my feeling back for baby lures.

They are just totally different animals

I understand your feeling, you are using a huge rod to catch maybe an 8# bass with a 60 second battle, and I'm using a med/hvy fairy wand to catch a 70# tarpon (which I did 2 days ago) that takes about 30+ minutes to land..........yeh those fairy wands are pretty flimsy.

[Hyrule Bass]

for me its the reel. a crappy reel can completely ruin your day of fishing. where as a rod, unless you break it, wont near as much ruin your day of fishing. which is why my money goes towards the reel and i will slap any reel on an ugly stik. most you rod guys talking about feeling the bottom and bottom contact, who cares when most of you are probably fishing from a boat with electronics that you can use to see whats on the bottom and show you if there are fish there. and to be honest with you, i can feel the bottom just fine with a cheap old ugly stik, feeling is in your hands more so than anything, it is one of your senses like seeing and hearing. certain materials may conduct that feeling better, but its so slight that it isnt worth paying $200-$300 more for. and youve also probably been fishing that same spot for years as part of your milk run, you should know whats there. i would definately say the reel is more important

[DeBassin619]

There have been a lot of good replies, but I'll give my stance.   The question is.. what's more important? not are both are Important?!!  I think we all agree that if we could choose to have $150+ reel and a $150+ rod.. we would  opt do that.  I think most would agree that most of the time you get what you pay for.  There are exceptions such as  garage sales, clearance items, ebay etc.  There are also rod and reel manufactures  that do happen to pump out a quality retail product of around $100 dollars when it should be given a $150-200 price tag.  But it's hard to determine those in our overly marketed world.

 

If you ask me which I'd rather fish with it's  a  $150 plus reel..  I do like the feel and drag setups on those machines BUT My vote goes for the ROD as the MOST IMPORTANT.  many people have listed problems associated with cheap reels such as Drag, Birds nest and casting distances.  The drag is perfectically understandable.  There is not much you can do with cheap hardware, but to lube, oil, and clean those parts.   But the other two (Birds nests, casting distances) can be improved on by using line conditioner, spooling the line correctly, knowing how to properly adjust the casting control, drag, and tension knobs, using quality line and using a longer rod. 

 

a quality Rod is what gives you the feeling if there is a fish on the line, the power to get the fish in the boat and the comfort of being able to cast all day without paying for it in the long run. 

 

The main thing is being able to spot a good deal when you see one and know what all those features listed for each the rod and reel translates into what you get out of it in a fishing situation.