Do you use different rod brands and why?

[ww2farmer]

Yes.............no one is paying me to exclusively use their rods, so until that happens I spread it around. As of right now I have custom rods built on MHX and Batson blanks, as well as Berkley, Abu Garcia, Fenwick, BPS, Cabela's and Gander Mtn. rods. 

[Catt]

Do you use different rod brands?

Yes

Why?

Cause I wanna!

[MIbassyaker]

I don't own or make use of a ton of different rods -- I count 10 currently in the rack to my right, 3 of  which I'm not using anymore, just haven't gotten rid of. Right now I see Shimano, St. Croix, Cabela's, No8, Fenwick, Berkley, Shakespeare in there....when I decide I need a new one, the brand I end up buying depends mostly on timing and chance -- it will come down to what brand has a particular kind of rod I need and can find at that time that looks/feels good, especially if I can get a model on sale that would normally be above my price range.

[Fishinthefish]

The problem is I love NRXs but nrx casting rods dont have a ml for when the bass or walleye im hunting want little bitty baits. So i have dobyns extreme championship ml rods for that. But i dont like the back bone in nrxs for large treble hook rods so i use st croix bass tournament rods for thosem its honestly all preference.

[soflabasser]

I get rods more based on what I will use them for and how they preform than for just getting a rod since it is well known brand.For example my second favorite lure rod is worth less than $20 yet it has caught me lots of large bass.

[tomustang]

7 hours ago, Fishinthefish said:

The problem is I love NRXs but nrx casting rods dont have a ml for when the bass or walleye im hunting want little bitty baits. So i have dobyns extreme championship ml rods for that. But i dont like the back bone in nrxs for large treble hook rods so i use st croix bass tournament rods for thosem its honestly all preference.

What's wrong with the 822 DSR or the slightly weaker SYR?

[Fishinthefish]

5 hours ago, tomustang said:

What's wrong with the 822 DSR or the slightly weaker SYR?

I only use casting rods for the most part especially from the nrx line. and also do a lot of bank fishing and don't like using anything under 7ft. I prefer 7'4 and up but finding a ml rod that length is well difficult

[Bankbeater]

I look for the rod that will fill my need.  Brand doesn't come into the picture.

[tomustang]

1 hour ago, Fishinthefish said:

I only use casting rods for the most part especially from the nrx line. and also do a lot of bank fishing and don't like using anything under 7ft. I prefer 7'4 and up but finding a ml rod that length is well difficult

legend Elite 7'6MLXF can fit that bill, You might be able to get the blank and turn it into a casting rod.

 

[rawjuice]

Unless youre sponsored by a company, there is no need to stick with only one, i feel you just limit yourself at that point. 

[SMITTY0045]

Besides on my reels (I love my Revos), I really am not brand loyal at all. I am more concerned about finding the right length and power for a certain technique and then seeing who has a rod that fits that

[kickerfish1]

Yes, for many of the reasons stated in this thread.

-I am not sponsored so I spend my money where I choose

-I have the attention span of a 2 year old and get bored with one brand easily

-Closeout prices and big sales make it intriguing to try new brands and models

-I prefer to match rods and reels aesthetically 

-Too many good manufacturers in the marketplace. If this wasn't true there would only be a few companies left in business

-Unless you see if the grass is greener you will never know what you might be missing 

Now I could probably figure a 3 or 5 brand rotation that I could use but I just don't see it happening. As far as reels go I am more grounded to Shimano and Daiwa.

[Murrica]

My OCD want me to have matching rods and reels.  I don't though just for the simple fact I can find the same feel in my Abu Veracity in other rod brands that I have tried in the med/mod.  Same with my frog rod that is a Cabelas Tournament ZX it just loads and feels right.  That is why I have always found it hard to ask which brand and which power is right for which situation sure its a great guideline to follow but it doesn't always stand true what 1 likes and what another likes are 2 different things.  One day when I pick up a rod and reel sponsor everything will match  .

[Grantman83]

All different brands though I do have my favorites.  I just can't help myself with trying new stuff.  Right now my favorites are the lews custom speed sticks...they are awesome 

[Big Bait Fishing]

i use two brands of blanks , Phenix for my spinning and baitcasting , and St. Croix for my swimbait rod ... have'nt needed to look elsewhere for blanks , St. Croix makes the absolute best blanks for throwing big swimbaits ! one of these days i might even add a Legend Elite custom for another swimbait rod ...

[blckshirt98]

I'll buy/use what I can find on sale.  I don't have to worry about sponsor nor have a specific brand loyalty, though for spinning reels I am partial to Shimanos.  I will however stick to manufacturers with stellar reputations and reviews for customer service and quality.  "Buy cheap, buy twice" applies.

[tholmes]

Although all of my baitcasters are the same brand, I'm all over the map with rod brands. I have ABU, Berkeley, Fenwick, Quantum, BPS, and several others. Even an Ugly Stik. They all suit me for their intended purpose and that's all that matters.

Tom

[BrianinMD]

I buy what feels good to me for the purpose I am buying it for, no single brand will over that. Currently have Dobyns, Falcon, Abu, Shimano, St. Croix. Reels are the same way. It is a matter of finding what best works for you, for what you want it to do.

I do get a kick out of the "Brand x makes the best rods for whatever technique", while its great they work for you that doesn't mean it will be good for anyone else.

[BassNBarry]

On December 30, 2015 at 9:43 AM, tander said:

I am probably in the minority but I guess I am brand loyal. I use Falcon rods and Lew's reels on all my baitcasting gear, My theory, no matter which combo I pick up, it is basically going to feel the same. Too old to change.

I keep it simple for the kind of fishing I do, and prefer a quality all-around rod. Use Falcon Cara 7' MH rods and Lew's Tournament Pros and new TPG reels;  use St. Croix and Abu spinning reel on my 1 Finesse rig. I also like consistency on combos, but more importantly, these rods do a terrific job for what I want them to do. Lots of folks can make a strong case for their fave rods. For me, it's a case of finding something I like for how I fish then, staying with that rod/combo until there is a compelling reason to try something else.

[WIGuide]

I fall into the minority here. I'm trying to get all my rods switched over to St. Croix's. Since power and action aren't a standard across the industry, it makes it easier for me to buy a rod sight unseen if I stay within one brand. (I live in the middle of nowhere so getting my hands on any specific rod can be impossible.) I've tired other brands and have been let down by their performance, but I've fell in love with every Croix I've bought and when I bought them for a specific purpose they've always excelled. Their factory is also only about 2 hours from my home so if I need to handle one of their rods before I buy I can do that as well as just taking my rod there if it needs to be serviced.