Help with rod/reel arsenal

[euroshowoff]

Hello all, i'm wondering if i can get some help on my current gear, and future gear. Let me know if the rod/reel combos below are setup adequately. Also, i'm looking at replacing the $20 gander mountain rods with something a little more sensitive, and under $100. I mostly fish out of a boat around a lot of docks and in the Potomac river. Also recently got into kayak fishing. I find myself catching most fish with my plastic swimbait setup, and lost a few on my carolina rig setup. 

1. 6'6 BPS Tourney Special Rod/Reel MF combo, 12lb Pline fluorclear. Currently have a chatterbait on this rod and mostly use it for crank baits. 

2. 6'6 Berkley Lighting rod MHF with a Daiwa Lexa 100HL, 15lb Yo-zuri hybrid. Currently using this for my carolina rig setup. 

3. 6'6 Gander mountain vortex rod MH with a Daiwa Lexa 100HL, 15lb Yo-zur hybrid. Currently using this for my weighted swim baits/t-rigs worms

4. 6'6 Gander mountain vortex rod MH with BPS pro qualifier 15lb yozuri hybrid. Currently using this with a spinnerbait. 

[Puggz]

You'd do well upgrading all your rods, your reels seem ok for now.  Unfortunately under $100 makes it a challenge so what I recommend is to take the one you like the least and give it a decent upgrade.  Fenwick Aetos, St. Croix Avid or Avid X, Dobyn's Savvy.

IE replace your #3 with a SS 703C for example.  You'll love the upgrade.

 

 

[euroshowoff]

Thanks. I figured the vortex rods were going to be the first rods I needed to upgrade. Looks like most of the rods you mentioned are north of $100. Looking to stay south of $100..but i guess you gotta pay to play. 

[d-camarena]

Shimano sellus is a great rod for under 100. Also the h20 express rods are really good

[fishnkamp]

I totally love the idea of a larger upgrade done one at a time. Dobyns and Powell would be my first choices, but if it does not fit your budget than that is fine we need to get a little creative. I fish with certain baitcasting rods that do a good job and cost less than $100 and I fish with some other rods that cost more than $300.  Here are some more affordable suggestions. Falcon Buccoo rods fish very well. I use a 7 foot Medium moderate tapered rod for throwing rattle traps, crankbaits, and it could easily throw spinnerbaits. This rod even says Trapmaster on it. They retail for $100 and can easily purchased for $50 at some WalMarts. There are some other actions and tapers to choose from for other purposes in this series.    The next rod I would suggest is a Quantum Escalade.  I fish a 7 footer that rates as MH Fast. It can handle lures weighing 1/4 to 1 1/2. This can handle plastics, jigs and carolinas easily. This can be picked up at Dick stores or directly from Field and Stream online. It says it retails for $100 but is always on sale for $50.  Abu Garcia Veritas rods catch a lot of fish around here among my friends. Sometimes they can loose a guide ring but that has not happened to me. I fish a 7 ft HVY for deep jigs and a 7 ft MH for frogs.  They have been great for their purpose.  They retail for $100 and can easily be found for $75. The 7 foot Medium is also a great crankbait $ trap rod.  The next rod I can suggest is to go to your local Gander Mountain. They have a rod series called the Gander Mountain Tournament Series. If you look online you will only see three possible rods. Gander Mountain does not show rods online if they are not in stock at the main warehouse. The stores may have more models. This is fact because I wanted to get my wife a spinning rod in that series, it did not show up online but was in stock in my local store. Check a few out. They retail for $79.  They feel terrific but I have not fished with one yet.   One rod I fish that cost $129 (which is above your budget I know ) is an Abu Garcia Ike Series rod. He has designed 15 different  rods and I fish his 6'4" jerkbait rod which is fantastic, very light and sensitive. Just in case you up your budget.  One last, thing make sure you add one high quality spinning rod that will let you throw light baits like sencos,light texas rigs, unweighted worms, drop shots, and Ned Rigs.

 I see you fish the Potomac so if you are anywhere near Baltimore ( or interested in coming up here) we could meet and let you cast some of these rods. I run mostly Diawa reels on them along with a few BPS Extreme reels. You are welcome to switch your reels onto them and cast them to see if you like the combo before you spend any money.

[euroshowoff]

Wow thanks for dropping knowledge, your posts are always well informed. 

I'll have a look at the rods you mentioned. I happened to buy my son an Abu Garcia Ike little dude rod and he loves it. Maybe I should get a matching rod  

I think the gander mtn rod you mentioned is on sale for $49 currently marked down from $100.

[trick worms]

*** and ethos from academy are good rods for under 80

[JigMaster4]

I have a fenwick HMG, priced at 99.99 but I got mine for $80 or so on sale, it is a great rod that I highly recommend.