Top Spinning Rods

[Tywithay]

There aren't too many duds as you approach the $200 mark. At that point it becomes an exercise in what balances with your reel, and what feels comfortable in your hand.

I would mostly agree with that. The only $200 rod that I felt was absolutely an inferior product was the Loomis GL2. Felt the same way about the new IMX for $300. I paid $200 for the IMX, was still disappointed. For the most part, they're all good rods; some certainly perform better than others though.

[Hogsticker]

Aprw1..From what I've heard, you don't want to see St. Croix blanks without the paint.

[Capt.Bob]

Have you used many other rods under $300 to compare them to the Avid? I can think of a few off the top of my head that I have that I like better than my Avid, and they cost less than the Avid. My $300 Orochi XX rods are so far ahead of it, it's not even close. I would say they compare favorably to the Legend Elite; even though my Elite is one of my favorite rods.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like St Croix a lot, and have several. They're hardly the best "bang for your buck" rods out there anymore. You're paying for a made in the USA rod with a nice warranty, more so than high performance; though they do perform well.

Many St Croix rods I am happy enough with the way their built, but if you like a blank and components are the problem, that LE could have been built for the same money a factory rod will run you or very close! I have tried many, got tiered of disappointment, some soon enough to return, others to late and a few took 4 or 5 years to show like the Techna AV and HCG and HMG, the flex coat get's milky or the guides become loose, a couple broken for no reason, even the higher priced GLX that after twice returning it for delamination in about a 3 year period, sold it, the IMX just as you said, fish it once and if you know what to expect from a Avid it's pure disappointment. The GL 2 and 3 line absolutely no sensitivity. I found the same with most Loomis rod's to sour me from more attempts, I have never used an Avid I was disappointed in, but any other rod Shimano, Diawa, Garcia, Loomis, Pfluger, Fenwick, Browning, or blanks like Rain Shadow I have never been happy with everything as well as I have with Avids at their price. with many it's disappointment may come down the road with, long term durability, casting accuracy, customer service, always something lacking I didn't experience with the St. Croix.

 

Personally their are Avid blanks I prefer over Legend Elite Blanks and vice versa. But through my experience and  in lakes, reservoirs, small rivers to big, Great Lakes to a little Ocean Flats and backwaters once in a great while, I see's how they hold up from a non commercial point and a commercial environment,  in a real world Salmon, Stealhead, Northern Pike, Muskie, Walleye, Flathead Catfish, Buffalo carp, you name it. Lake Erie perch fishing will surprise you what may hit, tight lining straight down in 3'ers on the bottom you need a fairly sensitive stick, but it better be able to take abuse, it may be a 7+# Drum or a 30# Catfish, and anything in between. With the Avid it is still being used, along with 5 or 6 that are over 15 years old had that abuse often and weekly, and has landed anything from Gobie the Sheaphed and big Cats, the Avid took what I can't count on other Ultra light light and Mediums to take, fishing Lake Erie for 30 years where you are never surprised what hit's, Salmon on Lake Michigan and it's tributaries where obstacles are many with fish on that have an attitude, in over 30 years, these were my testing grounds. When I found Avid as well as Legend Elite, I was only ever once disappointed in a purchase. That was a 7' MHXF cranking blank I had built for Saltwater Flats and Backwaters as well as Pike to Salmon. I had it built by a "discount professional rod builder", but a couple years later when I had my rod builder and repairman look at it (a world champion carver as well) who is a true craftsman and know pretty don't mean function, he explained everything the guy did wrong, new eyes and relocated,  handle, seat, and 70 buck's later, it is like the LE I just had him build, SPECIAL! But in nearly 60 years, I have never been happier with any of my rod purchases than those from St. Croix.  

 

You may have different values and needs you place on your rods, for me after 60 years I am done being disappointed, and have found I never have been with an Avid, they always seem to do what I expect a rod costing over 200 bucks to do and exceed my expectations, and have never payed 200 bucks for one! I have never had another rod do that from the beginning and keep doing it. I am getting ready to build a rod for the 1000 Ci4+ and I am pretty sure it will be built on a 6'6" LF Avid blank, at 1.1 oz the weight and sensitivity are excellent and the speed of the blank better suited for what I want than the LE which is a little faster, you have to know exactly what you as an individual wants out of a rod. For this rod the Avid blank would be hard to beat, and since I have a world class rod builder that will put it together for the same money an Avid sells for retail, maybe a little cheaper, I'll make sure I am not only satisfied, but will be delighted,,,,,,,,and since I am using a St Croix, it will be for LIFE!!! Like I said maybe not for others but it will take years to know with most that are made today and come close, Avid has been doing it for decades!! I'm getting to old for disappointment's and to old to roll dice!            

[NorCalBassn_PJ]

I'm a little late to this spinning rod opinion party haha. But I love my Powell Endurance Series spinning rod. 7'3", ML pwr, X-fast action, 1/8th-1/2oz lure rating, 6-12lb test line rating. Awesome for almost any spinning rod application really. Has a lot of reserve power despite the ML pwr rating. I've used it for tubes on tube jigs. Weighted and non-weighted wacky rigged senkos, and dropshot. It could be used for a few more techniques than just those though. Just overall a very crisp feeling rod and it's served me well. And it's definitely within that price range mentioned. My most sensitive spinning rod I own (so far anyway haha). Need to get used to doing more true finesse-style fishing with dart head worms and dropshot as well. Especially for my home lakes.

[NorCalBassn_PJ]

I'm a little late to this spinning rod opinion party haha. But I love my Powell Endurance Series spinning rod. 7'3", ML pwr, X-fast action, 1/8th-1/2oz lure rating, 6-12lb test line rating. Awesome for almost any spinning rod application really. Has a lot of reserve power despite the ML pwr rating. I've used it for tubes on tube jigs. Weighted and non-weighted wacky rigged senkos, and dropshot. It could be used for a few more techniques than just those though. Just overall a very crisp feeling rod and it's served me well. And it's definitely within that price range mentioned. My most sensitive spinning rod I own (so far anyway haha). Need to get used to doing more true finesse-style fishing with dart head worms and dropshot as well. Especially for my home lakes.

[NorCalBassn_PJ]

Sorry didn't mean to post that twice haha my mistake ^