Cabela's Rods

[Brett's_daddy]

What do you guys think of Cabela's Tourney Trail or Pro Guide rods for a beginner baitcaster? I'm thinking the 7ft. heavy rod with fast action. Right now the Pro Guide is like $49.99 and the Tourney Trail is on sale for $32.

[Bluebasser86]

There's better bargain priced rods out there for sure. 

[Brett's_daddy]

Care to provide examples?

[Bluebasser86]

Shimano Sellus, Berkey Lightning Rod Shock, Academy Ethos to name a few. 

[robster80]

academy ethos definitely

[SMITTY0045]

Ill have to agree with the ethos. It is a great rod for the price and performs like a $100 rod for about $60. You could also look into the Abu Garcia Vengence

[greentrout]

.I own several of the Pro Guide rods. Used it today.  Best rod on the market for the dollar hands down. I'd get the Tourney, Half price. Great deal. Don't like it. Give it back to Cabela's.  They are easy to work with. Nothing to lose.

 

The Old School Basser...

[Turkey sandwich]

It's been posted everywhere, but if you want to try microguides, St. Croix has Rage Rods on sale in the bargain bin for essentially half off at $89. Great blank, unique grip, and microguides. It looks like they're upgrading their Mojo line to replace it and selling off stock.

[d-camarena]

Tourney trails are great rods. I have 2 and love them. Specially at that price. Id jump on it

[smalljaw67]

I think Cabelas house brand rods are one of, if not, the best house brands out there. The pro guide and tourney trail will work fine, I have a tourney trail I got for my wife and it is a good value rod, not super performance but better than an ugly stick. That said, labor day sales will be coming shortly, if you can hold out a little bit you may be able to grab a Fish Eagle 50 for around $50 or if you can spend a little more you may get an XML for $75, the XML are great rods, especially when you get them on big sales.

[greentrout]

I think Cabelas house brand rods are one of, if not, the best house brands out there. The pro guide and tourney trail will work fine, I have a tourney trail I got for my wife and it is a good value rod, not super performance but better than an ugly stick. That said, labor day sales will be coming shortly, if you can hold out a little bit you may be able to grab a Fish Eagle 50 for around $50 or if you can spend a little more you may get an XML for $75, the XML are great rods, especially when you get them on big sales.

Good advice. The Pro Guide is a better bass rod than the Ugly Stick. Having said that, I used to fish with a gentleman who used the Ugly for bass fishing and he used worms most of the time. Caught plenty of them. Own the old Fish Eagle II with CX2 graphite, color green and still going strong. Those rods rivaled 100 dollar plus rods in its day. 

 

The Old School Basser...

[Sonik]

I use a 7' ML Tourny Trail for dropshot and splitshot rigs. I got it in the combo with a Pflueger President for $70 on sale.

[MrBigFishSC]

I don't use house rods. That's not because I'm elitist just that I have good experience with certain makes and stick to them. You can always ask who makes the rod but rarely will you get a correct answer. There are a number of quality rods out there you just have to try and see. I can't stand to buy a rod then learn it doesn't fish the way I want or expect. Some people are junkies who need 20 setups. I prefer 6 that are top notch so I can enjoy fishing rather than compromising.

[Subaqua Adinterim]

Consider also the Field and Stream Elite TecSpec rods.  I recently purchased one at Dicks Sporting Goods  25% off of the $80 regular price.  You can check out the description at the DSG site.

 

It has micro guides and 36ton graphite blank.  Lighter than the Veritas that I have, with a better handle and better feel  - a very good value.  So far it has been my favorite to use paired with a Pflueger Supreme spinning reel. 

 

I compared some of these "house brand rods" as you would call them, in the store with "big brand name rods" and some have many of the same features for half the price.  I am guessing that in many cases these are both made by the same manufacturer and just labeled differently, similar to a  food product that you buy in the grocery store.  For example, frozen Green Giant carrots are the same as XYZ store frozen carrots, you are just paying more for the national brand label. 

 

I have no affiliation whatsoever with any type of equipment maker, so the above is just based on my own observations.

[kickerfish1]

The only Cabelas rod I have ever liked of theirs after owning about 5 or 6 rods is the their XMLti series. I bought one for $95 years back (1/2 price of retail). Looking at their website they seem to be discontinued or not made at this time. That is unfortunate because they were great rods. Didn't care for the XML rods, Fish Eagle rods, Magtouch, etc.

[LunkerFisher]

I have a tourney trail spinning (6ft medium) which was my first rod, and it's caught me a lot of fish. For $30-$35 you can't go wrong.

[basswrangler83]

I own 2 tournament trail IM7 casting rods, both MH, one 7' and one 6'6", both great rods. They retail for $60 but got them both on sale at different times. I'd definitely buy another one.