Brand Loyalty?

[jsh32]

How many people have a large amount of loyalty to a certain rod/reel/line/lure brand? Ive been trying to find a certain brand for all my stuff so that I know what I have and how it reacts to a certain situation. For example I tried out a few different brands of reels and really like Diawa Tatula CT's, in fact 3 of my 5 baitcasters in rotation are not Tat CT's. I have been looking for a good rod company that makes quality rods at the $200 and less price range. Just bought a Diawa DX-Bass rod for light T-rigs and Weightless plastics and I really like it the small amount that I have actually got to use it.

 

So basically how loyal to a brand are you? What would make you switch? Any suggestions on a rod company that makes quality rods in my price range(preferably cork handles, made in the USA, large selection of models)?

 

TIA 

[d-camarena]

Im also trying to find that one company i can stick with for rods and reels. I used to be all abu garcia but a couple reel failures put me off. Lately ive been fishing shimano rods and reels and really like them. I just wish they made xh swimbait rod

[bigturtle]

I buy whatever I feel is good, and at the moment I like Daiwa for reels, Megabass and MajorCraft for rods.

[Junk Fisherman]

I am brand loyal to Daiwa and Dobyns.  I started using Daiwas about 15 years ago and have stuck with them.  I know that others make great reels but I have had great success with Daiwa so why change?

 

In terms of rods, I was a Loomis and St Croix guy for a number of years until I bought a Champion spinning rod a couple years ago.  It was clearly more sensitive than my St Croix Avid. 4 Dobyns later and I am continuing to turn my rod arsenal over to Dobyns.  Their spinning rods are great and the 703 Champion I have is nearly as good as my GLX and it's $100 cheaper.  

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I dont have any unconditional loyalties to any brand they dont pay me enough. What I take a liking to I will buy. Dont think any one brand can cover all areas. 

[fishnkamp]

I do not have one brand, but like some models from several rod companies. My favorites for what they do is an Irod IRG 703CC and a Falcon Bucoo Micro Trap Caster for cranks, traps, square bills etc.  For 1/4 to 3/4 bottom contact baits it is a Powell Max 683CEF.  For Frogs it is a Dobyns DX 705C.   As a general rule I really like the Dobyns, Powells and Irods best. They develop rods that are designed to do certain jobs and tell you what they are best for. I also really like the Abu Garcia Ike series jerkbait rod I purchased about a year ago. 

If I had to go with just one I would probably go with Dobyns or Irod. I own 3 Irods and they all feel good.

[tander]

31 minutes ago, jsh32 said:

 Any suggestions on a rod company that makes quality rods in my price range(preferably cork handles, made in the USA, large selection of models)?

 

TIA 

 

Check out Falcon Lowrider Rods. They are made in USA, have cork handles, and the cost is $160. I own three, great rod IMHO.

[jsh32]

Ive been looking at Falcon. I like them and powell the most right now I think. But I have never help either of them. Next time I can get to a store that carries them, Ill try to take a reel with me and see how they feel and look and all that good stuff

[Knightiac]

Not too long ago I realized most of my soft plastics are Berkley, mostly the Havoc line. Subwoofer, grass pig, beat shad, bottom hopper, juice worm, the jerk, chigger craws, I think that's all of them LOL. 

[Angry John]

i have a lot of favorites but only a few loyalty brands.  I like daiwa for reels and maybe thats because i fish there high end stuff.  I am sure if i spent as much on a shimano they must be good to.    

For rods i like Dobyns and st croix the most for quality selection and customer service.  

For hard baits strike king and lucky craft have what i need between them and DUO for that Japanese feel.  Duo is my high class baits and you get JDM quality without the megabass funds.

braided Line is suffix all the way.  I like the performance braid the best but 832 is also in the rotation.   

Flourocarbon is either sunline or P-line 100%  The only real sunline i buy is sniper.

Hooks are gamy or owner only.

Soft plastics are a free for all and my bag is mixed with bps stick-o's netbait packa craws keitech swimbaits, and the list goes on.

Large swimbaits are the same way, ms slamer hudds black dog shell cracker and punkers Mattlures hard gills and more.

Jigs are serbert outdoors only.  He will make you exactly what you want or need and his normal selection is way above average!!!

 

[RoLo]

The older I get, the less brand loyalty I have.

Nothing is carved in stone; the wise consumer will stay abreast of the ever-changing market scenario.

 

Roger

[Yudo1]

With reels, I use only daiwa/shimano.  With rods, I'm more open to multiple brands although right now I'm mostly loomis, kistler and megabass. 

[Columbia Craw]

I think i'm more brand satisfied than brand loyal although the performance and service I have experienced from my preferred rod brand have been as good as could ever hope for.

[MIbassyaker]

Some brands show up in stores near me so I can handle them, others don't. Some brands I can get at a discount occasionally, others I can't. If I can have a look at it in person, like what I see, and I find a way to get it at a discount, I'm sold.

 

It's probably just by accident of opportunity, but this has made me gravitate toward Berekley, Fenwick, St. Croix, an unmentionable number, Pflueger, Daiwa, & Lews. And since I am familiar with these brands and their features, I end up looking to these brands first when I'm in the market for something.

[mwh33]

I mainly use Daiwa and Shimano reels. Other than that, I have 1 okuma reel.

 

As for rods, I mostly use 3 brands: Dobyns, G. Loomis, and Megabass. I have a few other rods sprinkled in, but only a few.

 

Lures I don't have as much brand loyalty. I do prefer Megabass, Lucky Craft, Strike King, Gare Yamamoto, Zoom, Rapala, Reaction Innovations, Keitech, Dirty Jigs.

[DaveT63]

For rods its mainly St Croix and G Loomis.  For reels, I like Shimano and Daiwa, although I'm close to ring out a Lews.

[ww2farmer]

When they start paying me to be loyal, I'll be loyal. No one brand offers everything I want or like to use

 

I have Abu, Daiwa, Pfluger, Lews, Quantam, and Shimano reels

 

Berkley, Abu, Falcon, St Croix, Fenwick, Shimano, custom built and Kistler rods

 

I use VMC, Mustad, Berkley, Gamakatsu, Strike King terminal tackle

 

Power pro, Seaguar, Spiderwire and Berkley line

 

Berkley, Yum, Strike King, Zoom, Robo worm, Netbait, BPS, Big Bite Baits, z-man soft plastics

 

Strike King, Storm, Booyah, Berkley, crank baits, lipless baits, jerkbaits, topwaters, and frogs

 

Strike king, Booyah, Boss, Terminator, outkast, z-man  jigs and other skirted baits

 

I have a tracker boat, a minn kota TM, a jeep for a tow vehicle and Lowrance electronics

 

And Hanes or fruit of the loom underware.

[bigfruits]

nope. i fish st croix, loomis, megabass. would love to try dobyns and kistler.

 

youd think i was brand loyal if you saw my shimanos but i keep trying other stuff and coming back.

[lonnie g]

I would consider warranty ,and what ever feels good in your hand. keep on reading and learning ,theses guys have great knowlage, great ideas! never know what you might like after you feel it

[CTBassin860]

1 hour ago, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

I dont have any unconditional loyalties to any brand they dont pay me enough. What I take a liking to I will buy. Dont think any one brand can cover all areas. 

This

[Darren.]

To one brand, no. To several, perhaps.

 

Reels: Shimano, Daiwa with the nod going to Shimano, 

but I appreciate the design, ergonomics, engineering

of both.

 

Rods: St. Croix, Shimano, Bass Pro, others... Whatever

feels the best to my hands are on the menu, quite frankly.

[rippin-lips]

I'll only buy reels from Daiwa or Megabass which is just a Daiwa that's been worked over. Reason for that is the large amount of aftermarket support available. You have so many options for spools,handles, and other cosmetic parts. There's 12 spools just from Zpi in the 001 size. Not to mention the ones they'll be releasing soon. There's also the limited aspect of it all. There's reels that not a lot of people will have due to limited numbers available or the price tag. As for rods I'm wasn't brand loyal but now all my rods are Megabass. The reason for that is they just flat out work for what I want in a rod. I'm sure there are others out there that will too and if I would of tried those first I'd have a stable of those instead. 

[jsh32]

I guess since I started this I should chime in on the few things I have found that I like to use the most of the brands I have.

 

Rods: I have Daiwa, Lews, Shimano, and Abu. Edge going to my one Daiwa here, but still looking..

 

Reels: I have 3 Daiwa Tatula CT's, a Lews Mach 1 and a Lews CarbonFire. Forgot how much I liked that Mach 1 until i threw it the other day but I like my Tat CT's better so I'm gonna stick with the Daiwas for the T wing and feeling for now.

 

Cranks: Squarebills I love the SK KVD 1.5 and have a few of the 2.5, haven't tried many others but have been very happy with what they give me. Medium divers I haven't really used all that many of them, but I do like the Rapala lures I have and I'm looking to try some of the new Wiggle Warts soon.

 

Soft Plastics: I love the Yamamoto Senko, I know they cost more but I started with the Dinger and the Senko has out-preformed it in every pond I have fished. I like the BPS Stik-Os when they go on sale for like $15 for a 50 pack. I like Zoom for brush hogs and lizards. I also use SK for craw style baits and trailers, but not super set on them yet (If I do well this year I will be though). I also plan to pick up some of the Z-man TRD's and other Ned Rig style baits soon. 

 

Frogs: Ill let you know when I can finally get one to walk like I want lol.

 

Line: Fluro is Seaguar all day. Braid Im leaning towards the sufix 832 but have some P-Line I got on sale from TW this year I wanna try out. Mono I really don't use as much as I should, so I'm not loyal to any brand there but I have a lot of Berkley mono (Its most available where I am)

 

Dont have a boat so who knows what company is gonna take all my money when it comes to that down the road but I love my Ascend FS12T kayak right now and am looking to get a fishfinder for that, leaning towards Garmin for that.

[RichF]

Def not 100% loyal to 1 brand but I do like to stick to only a few, but that's mainly because I'm anal and like my stuff to match.  

[MassYak85]

I'll defend a brand if I've had good experience with it but I don't ONLY buy one brand of anything.