Elite Pros And The Rods

[Jrob78]

Pure Fishing has access to the best rod materials available, the rods the Elites use are custom built to their specs, not off the shelf.

Tom

 

If you are a pro sponsored by XYZ company most of the tackle is state of the art with few exceptions. Part of being sponsored is testing new equipment not available to the general public, some things fail some work exceptionally good, you compete using what works best and that rarely comes off the shelf regarding rods and reels. Elite anglers sponsored by Pure Fishing, or any other rod or reel sponsor, are using state of the art tackle, it's the process how new tackle is proven before introducing it to the public.

Tom

Saying guys are using rods custom built "to their specs" and "prototypes for testing purposes" are two completely different things.   It would serve no purpose for the company to give anglers custom equipment that the general public will never get.  Prototypes are completely different and that does happen but it's for products that will eventually be off the shelf.

[DTack]

The 3M material was used by other companies and changes needed to be made, that is a fact.  

There is a lot of testing that goes on.  The majority of FLW tour level pros and Elite pros use off the shelf tackle.  (read: MAJORITY).  There are certainly exceptions...   Even those with great sponsor packages are using stock equipment that you or I can buy.  

KVD was given as an example... he is in a league and a world of his own.  Not many companies are making things specific for one angler.  It's just NOT worth the time.  

Lots of pro-staff are used for testing, definitely true.  Not a ton of them are using their test products in a tournament first thing.  That's how companies find out what works though and they are definitely used for testing.  

[Silas]

I could care less what the pros use

. Most of time it's a money thing.

"follow the money " is a motto these days.

[Batson]

This is a very interesting subject.. The question really is, do pros use custom rods or sponsored rods?

A: You will never get a pro, unless you know them personally, that will talk anything other than they use sponsored rods on their boat. 

 

Truth: Every pro has custom rods on their deck. Their main focus on tournaments is winning. 

How many pros(bass,Flw) actually fish with high end rods and reels? In the last few years Ive seen some move from megabass to Abu rods,reels. Im  no way knocking those that buy or use the high end stuff heck if I could afford it I would too. Love to own a Evergreen, Megabass or a few GLX. Mike Ike went from a steeze to Abu. Not knocking them but seemed like a downgrade to me. Gotta be the money! Thoughts?

they are all a mix. Not every pro likes the most high end. Also different pros fish differently. Keith Combs ( Team RainShadow, BASS Elites, 3 Time Toyota Texas Bass Classic winner ) fishes as a power fisherman with crank baits and football jigs etc.. Where as Anthony Gagliardi ( Team RainShadow, FLW, 2014 Forrestwood Cup Champion ) is more of a sight and finesse fisherman with tubes, senkos, etc.. 

 

I think about this sort of thing too.  Look at the Golden age guys, (Hank, Roland, Bill Dance, etc.)  NO way their rods were anything like the quality/performance of a mid range or even $100 rod today.   BUT they still caught the heck out of them. 

 

To some extent it is the money, to others it's pro staff discounts that allow them to load up on stuff so they can afford to pursue the Pro tour dream.

 

I know of rumors that say Mr XXXXX pro is sponsored by "Zebco" but his rods are really NRX blanks custom painted to match a "Zebco" rod.  Those may have some basis in reality, but it's hard to believe it's widespread.

This happens all the time. Pros use what ever rods, either customs or sponsored, they need to win. But you will get them every time stating they use what ever rod sponsor they have to on the podium. 

 

I know JVD uses NRX rods. Ish uses Steez rods and reels. The majority do use not-so-high end rods though, maybe because of the durability issues and they are much rougher on their tackle? Another factor could be rod companies would rather push their rods that the general public can afford? 

 

There is no question that a top tier pro can flat out catch fish with almost any grade rod. But I'll bet they are meticulous about their line, their knots, hooks and the more important aspects of presentation like the right depth and speed of their lures rather than the rod bling or modulus rating. It's just more fun to try out the latest and greatest gear though! 

This is true .. But remember every fisherman fishes differently 

 

Pure Fishing has access to the best rod materials available, the rods the Elites use are custom built to their specs, not off the shelf.
Tom

You should check to make 100% sure. I can't tell the real info

 

I get that, I'm just saying that all of the sponsored pros I know are using off the shelf stuff, with some JDM or products from other markets mixed in. Nothing is custom made, for them at least.

 

Im sure there are guys who have their rods custom made as well, but from what I've seen it's not standard. 

How do you know? You can't sum "All pros" when there are at least 350+ pros between BASS Elites and FLW. 

 

I saw video where KVD was asked this question.  His response was, the reels he uses are supplied to him by Quantum and all of the parts are replaced and upgraded as he sees fit by his team.  His rods are a trade secret. 

 

Of course.. If I was KVD, all rods I use are Quantums'

[CWB]

Not sure about brands but one thing i've noticed is most use parabolic action rods. When they set the hook, even on smaller fish and when flipping, the rods are bent from tip to but. Maybe I'm seeing things.

[JGBassinAL]

This is a very interesting subject.. The question really is, do pros use custom rods or sponsored rods?

A: You will never get a pro, unless you know them personally, that will talk anything other than they use sponsored rods on their boat. 

 

Truth: Every pro has custom rods on their deck. Their main focus on tournaments is winning. 

 

I know a couple pros sponsored by mainstream manufacturers that have some Rainshadow blanks on their deck  

Most of the time the only people who know are them and the person who built it.

[dolomieu]

...the rods the Elites use are custom built to their specs, not off the shelf.

 

Negative. The Elite pro I know gets an allowance of X dollars from Abu, which he can spend however he sees fit, but it's all off the shelf stuff, except for maybe the occasional prototype. 

[jtharris3]

Edwin Evers uses BPS Pro Qualifier casting and spinning reels. He seems to do just fine with a $99 reel.

[MI.Kayaker]

Not sure about brands but one thing i've noticed is most use parabolic action rods. When they set the hook, even on smaller fish and when flipping, the rods are bent from tip to but. Maybe I'm seeing things.

[MI.Kayaker]

I believe that is a result of GoPro style wide-angle cameras

[ww2farmer]

I used to buy used St Croix rods that came from Elite series pro Brian Snowden, they were nothing more than off the self Legend Tournaments, with the exception of his name on them. Brian gets "x" number of rods per year from St Croix, uses them for a season, and then sells them at a deep discount. He and I had a mutual friend who was one of the first people the rods were offered to, and he in turn let me in on it. In this case, there was nothing "special" about any of the rods. They were the same things you or I could buy in any store. Is that the way it is with all touring pro's.................I doubt it, but it's also idiotic to claim that all of them have some kind of special stuff that we never will see. Some probably do, most probably don't.................and put me firmly in the "I don't give a crap what they have/use" camp.

[DTack]

Truth: Every pro has custom rods on their deck.

Not truth.