Choosing Rods & Reels

[Quarry Man]

I was wondering if you guys like to stick with the same rods and reels, either brand or specific line of rods or reels by a particular company. I use mostly Daiwa reels, with the exception of a Shimano spinning (Ci4+) an Quantum casting (plan to sell). I really like the stradic. May end up buying more in the far future. As far as rods go, I have used mostly cabbalas tournament zx rods and *** NV and OMNs. I also have a carrot stix. For line i use power pro and suffix 832 for braid, bps mono, and seaguar floro. Will stick to those line choices. Also, i will likely stay with the aiwa reels for casting. I like a lot of rods, particularly ones with cork. I began with 100$ rods and 175ish $ casting reels. Now I have begun to buy more expensive gear. I notice a difference and plan on getting fewer but nicer setups, that i know ill use.

 

I have:

 

7'1" ML Spinning (drop Shot)

7' M Spinning (Swimbaits)

7'1" M MOD Casting (Trebles)

2x 7'3" MH (Texas and all-around)

7' xh casting (jigs)

 

looking to add a  bfs setup,

6'6" rod for jerks and docks

7' mh for spinnerbaits and swim jigs

7'6" (m)h for flipping

 

what rods should i add next? what am i missing? how do you like to buy rods and reels? Is it ok to stick to daiwa casting? And can i use various rods? should i stick to the 100 $ rod and 200 $ reel casting and 200 $ rod 100 $ reel spinning rule? or should i get more expensive stuff thats good quality? What else?

[Angry John]

For a jerkbaits and squarebills the avc66mf is hard to beat.  See them for sale on th e forum now and again.  If you use smaller topwater baits like Sammys and poppers it's great for those also.  One of my most versatile rods.  I run a daiwa sol or alphas on it to stay daiwa

[Quarry Man]

1 minute ago, Angry John said:

For a jerkbaits and squarebills the avc66mf is hard to beat.  See them for sale on th e forum now and again.  If you use smaller topwater baits like Sammys and poppers it's great for those also.  One of my most versatile rods.

 

is this the st croix avid casting 6'6" Medium fast? for 200?

[Angry John]

That's msrp but I have 3 out of 15 rods I have paid msrp on.  Picked mine up on the auction site for 108 shipped

[Bucky205]

31 minutes ago, Quarry Man said:

I was wondering if you guys like to stick with the same rods and reels, either brand or specific line of rods or reels by a particular company. I use mostly Daiwa reels, with the exception of a Shimano spinning (Ci4+) an Quantum casting (plan to sell). I really like the stradic. May end up buying more in the far future. As far as rods go, I have used mostly cabbalas tournament zx rods and *** NV and OMNs. I also have a carrot stix. For line i use power pro and suffix 832 for braid, bps mono, and seaguar floro. Will stick to those line choices. Also, i will likely stay with the aiwa reels for casting. I like a lot of rods, particularly ones with cork. I began with 100$ rods and 175ish $ casting reels. Now I have begun to buy more expensive gear. I notice a difference and plan on getting fewer but nicer setups, that i know ill use.

 

I have:

 

7'1" ML Spinning (drop Shot)

7' M Spinning (Swimbaits)

7'1" M MOD Casting (Trebles)

2x 7'3" MH (Texas and all-around)

7' xh casting (jigs)

 

looking to add a  bfs setup,

6'6" rod for jerks and docks

7' mh for spinnerbaits and swim jigs

7'6" (m)h for flipping

 

what rods should i add next? what am i missing? how do you like to buy rods and reels? Is it ok to stick to daiwa casting? And can i use various rods? should i stick to the 100 $ rod and 200 $ reel casting and 200 $ rod 100 $ reel spinning rule? or should i get more expensive stuff thats good quality? What else?

 

I don't have a loyalty to a particular manufacturer, if I see a good deal on a quality rod or reel that feels good I'll buy one,  but I won't hesitate to take it back if it doesn't fish well.

[Bent]

I'm in a similar position, I have a handful of setups with various brands of rods and reels and I'm still in the process of figuring out what I like and don't like.  I would recommend setting a rod and reel budget for the rest of the year, and allocate your spending within that budget according to just a few criteria:

 

1. Will I use these techniques often?

2. Is sensitivity important for these techniques?

3. Do I need a specialized reel for these techniques (light weights for BFS, high line capacity for big swimbaits, maximized casting distance for deep cranking, etc.)?

 

Start with a roughly $250 setup (e.g. Dobyns Fury and Daiwa Tatula CT) as your baseline, and move up for each yes from the questions above (how much is up to you).  Buy nicer gear for the things you do the most.  Spend more on sensitive rods for bottom contact presentations.  Above all else, don't spend money on something you already know you will want to replace.

[Mike L]

When it comes to rods and reels I look at what I need first, then sprinkle in some what fits, add a little what I want and then go get it. 

 

I only have brand loyalty to hooks and line.

 

 

 

Mike

[LxVE Bassin]

My preference for reels are Daiwa and Lew's. My preference for rods is St Croix. Even though I have my brand preferences I own rods and reels from other manufacturers. My biggest thing when buying rods and reels is getting the best bang for my buck. I am a bargain shopper so my brand preference goes out with a quickness if I find a sweet deal. Always keep an open mind.

[AC870]

Dunno if any of you have tried the Hammer rods. I just got one and they rock. Light and strong. Gonna change out my whole set for them. Everything else feels like junk. 

[dsqui]

6 hours ago, AC870 said:

Dunno if any of you have tried the Hammer rods. I just got one and they rock. Light and strong. Gonna change out my whole set for them. Everything else feels like junk. 

Man I keep hearing good things I gotta get my hands on one of these 

[CroakHunter]

Most of my combos are 250 Or less. With 1 being 280. And that is my jig rod. I love fishing jigs which is why I bumped the budget up a bit. Wish I would've told myself not to spend so much on a treble hook combo and spinnerbait/chatterbait combo because I realize I don't need a super Awesome combo to do these things. But out of all my combos a 145 dollar one is my absolute favorite. Its my finesse jig rod with a daiwa tatula ct. Really really think about what you need over what you want. If I would have I wouldn't have 10 combos and fish 4 of them the most while the other collect dust

[lmbfisherman]

On 2017-06-06 at 6:20 PM, Angry John said:

For a jerkbaits and squarebills the avc66mf is hard to beat.  See them for sale on th e forum now and again.  If you use smaller topwater baits like Sammys and poppers it's great for those also.  One of my most versatile rods.  I run a daiwa sol or alphas on it to stay daiwa

That Avid is my favourite jerkbait rod, I also use it as a swim jig rod. Only one I kept from the St Croix I used to own.  Never tried a square bill.

[Fishes in trees]

I am into getting rigs for specific situations/fishing styles/ what have you.  Rod brand doesn't matter so much to me - reels I stick to Shimano.

Looking at you list of gear, you might need a Ned Rig, you might need some drop shot rigs, Finesse & Bubba Style.

 

I have dedicated spinner bait rods, a dedicated Buzz bait rod, several dedicated crank rods.  

I have a dedicated wacky senko rig - currently a MH 7' spinning stick.  You might want a shaky head rig.  A spinning rig specifically to throw light weight diving cranks, like 5 size shad raps is a very fun toy and some days you can wear them out on that bait.

 

My point is that rather than buying a rod & reel and then trying to figure out what style to fish with it, approach the problem from the other end, i.e. figure out what style you want to fish and get a rig that meets that specific need.

[AC870]

I'd add to buy quality on the front end if you can. I got back into fishing a little more seriously 3 years ago. Bought low end on front end (didn't know I was going to fall in love with it like I have) and I've regretted it. You're money ahead to buy good stuff up front. 

[Boomstick]

I just started fishing this year, along with my boys. Since I've been buying so much gear at once, money was obviously an issue. We will upgrade over time. In fact this weekend, I'm going to buy myself a spinning rod (going to try the Mitchell combo, if I don't like the rod it doesn't matter because it's the same price as the reel at Cabela's currently and I know I like the reel) and a higher end bait caster for bass, and maybe another Cabela's Whuppin' Stick combo since they're on sale for $30 because an extra rod never hurt.

 

I tend to buy what I like the feel of.

[Trench_Panda]

For about 15 years I've been very loyal to Quantum baitcaster reels and haven't had any issues. I just take care of them, don't throw them around, and maintain them with reel oil on the bearings almost once a month. I've been using Berkley 6'6" MH rods even longer and have chosen them up until the last 2 years. I tried Abu Garcia Veritas Rod, and Veritas 2.0 6'9" MH and they were okay, maybe a little stiffer than I liked. Then went back to a Berkley E-Motion 6'9" Medium and loved the flexibility of the "Medium" rod. I had tax money to burn this year and decided to try Quantum Rods. I bought 3 Tour KVD rods; (2) 7" Mediums, and (1) 7'10" Medium Heavy. They have been the best rods I've ever used, since I only fish for Bass and get the occasional Northern they work amazing. The 7'10" is perfect for those deep diving crankbaits, and somehow last weekend I was trying the Strike King 8.0 for Smallmouth on the Mississippi River here and I got a bite, set the hook, and SNAP! It broke about a foot above the reel seat. I thought the fish must have been HUGE to hit THAT bait and break THAT pole. I reeled it in by hand and it weighed 1.98 lbs... Sending in for warranty now. Getting a new one in a week. Just a bad batch or defect. Still won't stop me from buying their products.

[J Francho]

My general preference is for St. Croix rods or customs build on their blanks, and Daiwa baitcasting reels, and Shimano spinning.  Due to my work here, testing and reviewing gear from our sponsors, I have been using a wide range of brands for the past couple years.  Almost all companies are making great stuff at each price point - especially that %150 rang, in both rod and reel.

 

You can't really go wrong.

[fishnkamp]

Lets turn the question around a little

I believe that between your two spinning rods you have the ability to fish most finesse baits. These will include drop shots, grubs, tubes, small texas rigs, lightweight jigs, and things like paddle tail swimbaits.

Your ML rod will handle other baits like ned rigs as suggested.

You have many of the techniques that baitcasters do well covered.

 

The type of water you regularly fish should determine what your next rod choices should be. For instance, in almost 40 years of fishing rives, relatively shallow lakes, and ponds I never needed a flipping stick or a punch rod. Heck, I rarely ran into the need to own a dedicated frog setup.  Those conditions just did not present themselves often. That is not true since I settled next to the Chesapeake Bay  and fish its rivers. Places like the Potomac river and the Susquehanna Flats provide bass plenty of heavy grass to live in. Now frogs, floating worms, buzzbaits, and punch jigs do end up on my deck.

The difference between my crankbait rod and my jerkbait rod is mostly the length of the handle. So if you fish water that a jerkbait is useful look at a rod like the Abu Garcia Ike series 6'4 jerkbait rod or something like it. 

 

Since you already have a couple of 7'3 mh rods lets look at shorter rod that would offer some multiple techniques. One of my favorite rods is a Powell Max 683CEF.  It has been updated to a MAx 3D version now. I love this rod for its versatility. Being a little shorter it has a unique feel and performance.  Check out the review of the rod on Tackletour. I use mine as a spinnerbait. swimjig, rod but it can do much more.

Another option would be a Dobyns Sierra 684C.  I believe these rods could fit a bunch of your needs. I like the shorter length when fishing rock bluff walls, docks, and along a rip rap wall as well. I still use it for swimjigs on open flats so do not think I mean its uses are limited to up close work only. If you need a flipping stick well there is no substitute for one.

 http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpowell683cxfast.html

[Quarry Man]

6 hours ago, J Francho said:

My general preference is for St. Croix rods or customs build on their blanks, and Daiwa baitcasting reels, and Shimano spinning.  Due to my work here, testing and reviewing gear from our sponsors, I have been using a wide range of brands for the past couple years.  Almost all companies are making great stuff at each price point - especially that %150 rang, in both rod and reel.

 

You can't really go wrong.

 

do you use shimano spinning reels with st croix spinning rods? i like my ci4+ fa a lot, was gonna get another one and was looking at st croix avid x and legend tournaments, but their under labeling of power scares me

1 hour ago, fishnkamp said:

 

Since you already have a couple of 7'3 mh rods lets look at shorter rod that would offer some multiple techniques. One of my favorite rods is a Powell Max 683CEF.  It has been updated to a MAx 3D version now. I love this rod for its versatility. Being a little shorter it has a unique feel and performance.  Check out the review of the rod on Tackletour. I use mine as a spinnerbait. swimjig, rod but it can do much more.

Another option would be a Dobyns Sierra 684C.  I believe these rods could fit a bunch of your needs. I like the shorter length when fishing rock bluff walls, docks, and along a rip rap wall as well. I still use it for swimjigs on open flats so do not think I mean its uses are limited to up close work only. If you need a flipping stick well there is no substitute for one.

 http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpowell683cxfast.html

 

you have pointed me in the direction of those rods several times. i am super interested. i bought a max 3d but it was out of stock. i am looking at that max in a casting rod, and the dobyns in a spinning. 

 

will likely stick to

 

Daiwa casting reels

Shimano spinning (stradic ci4+)

Some cabelas rods i already own and like (tourney zx)

*** rods

and other rods in the future

[fishnkamp]

Where sre you located?

 

[Quarry Man]

1 minute ago, fishnkamp said:

Where sre you located?

 

 

SEPA

[fishnkamp]

Have you ever been to Susquehanna Fishing Tackle. It used to be near the big mall on route 30 near Lancaster.  It is now closer to Columbia PA.

They carry a lot of different brands including Powell. That is where mine came from.  However if you were willing to take a ride down to Anglers Express , which is located in Hunt Valley MD. they stock Powell, Dobyns, Irod and many more brands. Both shops are worth the trip.  That would let you handle the rods and see what you like.

I am lucky Anglers Express is about 20 minutes from my house.  If you look them up they are very close to the MD State Fairgrounds. If you ever came down for the MD Bass Expo that ran from the 70's to around 2010 then you went right past the Padonia Rd Exit to get there.  Eric is the owner and has built an awesome store in less than 2 years.  SFT is great as well but has had 30+ years to grow.  I was fishing with them and shopping in their original shop back in the late 80's and early 90's.  Basically ever since. Their newest shop is about an hour from my current home

[J Francho]

10 hours ago, Quarry Man said:

do you use shimano spinning reels with st croix spinning rods?

 

Of course.  I have three OG Stradic CI4 and an older wood knob Stradic.

 

@fishnkamp recommended SFT.  Very nice people, and they usually have everything you'd ever want in stock.  Think TW "East".