Durable Rods

[ErikmonBillsfon]

I am new to baitcasters and need to get a bunch of rods to force myself to stop using spinning setups. Now I can admit I beat on my gear and am looking to even sacrifice a little bit of performance and sensitivity for durability. I was hoping with some of you guys with a bunch of experience with different brands if you have noticed any tough as nails blanks. 

 

Currently looking for a frog rod and a light swimbait rod ( 1-4oz ) both around $150 each give or take. I currently have no favorite brands when it comes to reels or rods just lures. Last year I threw kietech, structure rage bugs, and every kind of top water. This year I want to learn how to throw jigs, swim baits and glide baits. 

 

Basically I want to know if it's worth it to get a 200$ rod with it breaking if there's a 120$ that's tough as nails and will help me learn. Maybe the best option is just to find a rod with a good warranty. 

 

Thanks for any help lots of trust and respect to you guys

 

Edit looking for 150-200$ a peice but have no problem paying 100$ for a durable Rod that works just as well

[new2BC4bass]

Ugly Sticks are pretty tough.  Most high end rods are going to be made out of stiffer (and I guess more brittle) materials which is why they are more sensitive.  Buy a rod made from IM7 or IM6 material and it should give you a little of both...sensitivity and strength.  Course I could be wrong as I've never made it a habit to study rod materials.  I've got a Redbone Hurricane that I feel would qualify for the type of rod you are looking for.

[roadwarrior]

[J Francho]

Stay away from micro guides, if you're tough on gear. 

[Dwight Hottle]

Look seriously at St Croix. They have one of the best warranties in the business & make good quality rods at all price points. 

[Angry John]

Higher end equipment will have higher modulus graphite and not be a durable.  How are you rough on rods?  Are you stepping on them or rolling them up in car windows?  If you want a blank that is very durable you may want to check out some of the glass cranking rods.  The blank will put up with more abuse than any graphite rod ever would.  There are also a lot of hybrid blanks that will do better.  Guides I would go with double foot.  This will increase your weight but single foot guides will bend and break a lot easier.  As previously stated the ugly stick is about as durable of rod your going to find!!!

[fishnkamp]

Take a good look at the Abu Garcia Veritas rods. Again not the micro series but the regular guides.  The blanks are pretty sensitive, and hold up pretty well.  I have fished with a Veritas 7 foot MH for frogs. Mine is an original not the Veritas 2 that are on sale now. They actually have a specific frog rod now. That rod could double as a rod to pitch and flip with also.  It lists as a 7'6" mh and should fit your needs well at $79.

As for a swimbait rod there is a 7'9" heavy Veritas 2 that rates for baits ranging from 5/8 to 3 ounce baits.  Since all Veritas rods run about 1/2 to 3/4 power heavier than they say, that rod would probably work fine. Otherwise I would look at a Dobyns Fury FR795SB rod. It lists for 1-5 ounce baits.

 

If you need a rod for crankbaits, spinnerbaits, rattle traps etc and another for jig and texas rigs then take a look at the Berkley Lightning Shock rods.

Right now you can get them for around $30 from Walmart or around $50 from places like Tackle Warehouse. Walmart only carries certain models at certain times. It is a crap shoot with them. 

 

During October thru December I chase stripers here on the Chesapeake Bay.  As the bay temperatures cool the stripers enter the rivers where I can go chase them with my bass boat.  I need to fish 4 rods with different rattle trap type lures to cover different water depths and to present different baits with different sounds.  So you will find 2 high end rods  (my regular crankbait rods that cost $160 each) and two Berkeley Shock rods. I catch just as many fish on the shocks as I do on the other rods. 

Consider getting a 6'6" medium rod. It is a great rod for fishing treble hook baits like crankbaits, rattle traps, and even reaction baits like spinnerbaits and chatterbaits.

Consider a 7 foot MH for your jigs and texas rigs. 

As for reels I prefer the Diawas. For $100 you can get a Diawa Tatula CT shipped to your door from an online source. That is a very nice reel. That in an 8-1 would be awesome for your frog rod.

As for your reel on your swimbait rod most guys go with the older round style reel for larger line capacity.  Take a look at a reel like a Shimano Cardiff

[ErikmonBillsfon]

I was looking at the IROD genisis which are 150 for the swimbait and frog rods. Also looking at dobyns fury or the abu garcias mentioned above. Thanks for the help and suggestions. I have heard great things about St Croix and their warranty program too I remember now. Appreciate the responses to a very vague question. 

[WIGuide]

Think of it this way, the higher modulus the graphite that goes into the rod, the less user error it's capable of handling. This doesn't mean it's less durable, but it's designed to be used and take forces in a specific way. Something like high sticking or doubling a rod over to pull a lure free of a snag with a high end stick will lead to breakage, where a lower modulus will handle more of that abuse. If used correctly, there will be no difference in longevity or durability, if you're not going to use them correctly, you're better off buying an el cheapo rod that you're ok with losing money if it breaks.

[fishnkamp]

The Powells and Irods are great too. I own some made by each of them.

[IndianaFinesse]

An ugly stick is the most durable rod on the market.. Probably isn't what your looking for though.