"Favorite" Rods?

[fishwizzard]

I think a lot of the issue comes down to one's level of risk-tolerance. 

 

There are rod companies who have been making quality rods for literal generations and while they all have the occasional miss-step, they have their reputations for a reason.  There are valid reasons to not like their stuff, but it's hard to seriously argue that about the quality they put out in general. 

 

Then we have the million rod companies that have come up in seeming the last 3-4 years.  I am sure some of them are run by people who have a passion for quality and innovation and are really trying to build the next classic.  But I am also sure that some of them are run by people who order prebuilt OEM rods by the container-load and just slap some stickers on them.  

 

So it comes down to how willing one is to roll the dice with their money.  Try something new that might be overpriced at best and garbage at worst, but might also be the next great new innovation in bass-annoying technology or stick with something safe but maybe less exciting? 

[webertime]

My buddy is sponsored by them.  I've repaired 3 of them when he needed work done asap.  I'd say they're not that different from a Veritas, Fenwick, Lews, BPS or rods like that.

 

As always with rods: light, strong, cheap... pick 2...

[NYWayfarer]

20 hours ago, lmbfisherman said:

Yeah, it's pretty shameless.  I can't watch Roland anymore.  

LOL! Roland has been pimping fishing stuff for decades. Some of those products he was spot on about like GYBC Senkos and Megastrike

 

Oooo wee son! Still love the watching the Great American Fisherman, now on YouTube.

20 hours ago, lmbfisherman said:

Yeah, it's pretty shameless.  I can't watch Roland anymore.  

LOL! Roland has been pimping fishing stuff for decades. Some of those products he was spot on about like GYBC Senkos and Megastrike

 

Oooo wee son! Still love the watching the Great American Fisherman, now on YouTube.

[lmbfisherman]

2 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

LOL! Roland has been pimping fishing stuff for decades. Some of those products he was spot on about like GYBC Senkos and Megastrike

 

Oooo wee son! Still love the watching the Great American Fisherman, now on YouTube.

LOL! Roland has been pimping fishing stuff for decades. Some of those products he was spot on about like GYBC Senkos and Megastrike

 

Oooo wee son! Still love the watching the Great American Fisherman, now on YouTube.

It's got to stick on the wall some time. 

 

For some reason it gets on my nerves more lately.  Probably getting old and cranky.  

[newyorktoiowa57]

The favorite defender and big sexy LFG models have a $30 price premium for the name of a youtuber on it.

[michaelsrex]

On 3/17/2019 at 11:30 PM, FishTank said:

Not yet.  I have yet to see one anywhere.  By the looks of it, it maybe a really nice rod for the money, not big on foam grips though.  I think if I were going to get a rod from Megabass, I would probably be looking at the Orochi XX or a Destroyer.   I would need to see one of the Levantes in action before I would even think about it.  I did see that Tackle Warehouse has the old ones clearance out for $119.40.

I just received a new levante Diablo and am blown away at the craftsmanship. It's also extremely light. I haven't had a chance to do much in the name of sensitivity 

[rosshilk]

I personally won't buy anything related in anyway to the Googan Squad. They're no more fishing professionals than I am. I would much rather buy products specifically designed by professional fishermen who are not Youtube stars. 

[lmbfisherman]

2 minutes ago, rosshilk said:

I personally won't buy anything related in anyway to the Googan Squad. They're no more fishing professionals than I am. I would much rather buy products specifically designed by professional fishermen who are not Youtube stars. 

Although I'm no fan of the Googan Squad, I also don't care much either if it's designed by a pro fisherman.  I don't jump on the latest bandwagon lures, baits, rods, reels ..etc just because they say so. 

[J Francho]

4 minutes ago, rosshilk said:

I personally won't buy anything related in anyway to the Googan Squad. They're no more fishing professionals than I am. I would much rather buy products specifically designed by professional fishermen who are not Youtube stars. 

You're missing out on a TON of great baits.  Just because some pro is sponsored by a company doesn't mean they had any input in the design process.  Some of the best lures were designed by weekend warriors just looking to catch a fish.

[MickD]

If you can make a rod in a showroom "wiggle" by shaking it, it's a pretty crumby rod.  Avid blanks are a good value, attractive in price, very high performing, so I expect the Avid rods are too.  I'm glad I got into rod building where I have thousands of blanks to choose from and can configure them any way I want.  And don't have to worry about grip/reel seat failures that plague many OEM products.  I can also get cork that has not been filled, so I can see its real quality.  To exaggerate a little, not that much, It appears that if the filling of cork goes any further on OEM rods, the grip will be more filler than cork.

[punch]

57 minutes ago, rosshilk said:

I personally won't buy anything related in anyway to the Googan Squad. They're no more fishing professionals than I am. I would much rather buy products specifically designed by professional fishermen who are not Youtube stars. 

Sorry, I want to deep dive on this for a sec. This is an very odd mindset because I'm sure that MANY of our favorite baits were designed by fishing amateurs. Professional fisherman don't make great inventors/designers... they are great at catching fish. 

 

Average joe off the street who's an engineer/designer with a manufacturing background could easily design a bait that's way better than one made by a Bassmaster Elite angler. 

 

Googans, much like pro anglers, partner up with a company and just test the baits that other (more qualified) people design through the R&D process. Then they give their input/notes, then when the final product is done they slap their name on it and cash a check. 

 

Not like ANY of these, googans or pro's,  guys are sitting in front of CAD software and designing molds. 

 

To succeed in any retail market, you gotta be great at marketing and branding. Googans ability to brand and market is pretty astonishing for how young they are. When they have bigger lines for autographs & pictures at the BPT kickoff event than the pro anglers (true story).. you know they are kiling it. 

 

At the kickoff BPT event there was pro anglers that WALKED PAST the Googans meet & greet line and nobody stopped them to talk or take a picture. 

 

[Largies4Life]

I'm not for or against the Googan Squad in any way, but when their products cost nearly the same as other big brand companies like SK Rage, I'm willing to at least give them a shot. Sure it's the same patent, but there's a lot that goes into making these baits outside of the Googan Squad. All I'm saying is, you can't judge their products just based off your personal opinion of Googan Squad guys themselves. Same goes for any other lure...It's like me saying "I'm not buying any Zman products because B. Lat is sponsored by them and I'm not a fan of him." (Not true, just using it as an example.)

[sully420]

Let's be honest most people select fishing gear based on cost and confidence. I like abu reels, Duckett rods, and strike king baits and rapala cranks. I would have no problem using googan baits or favorite rods ect. Very rarely have I seen a specific soft plastic out fish another. I mean is a Rodent going out fish a sweet beaver? The insight I value from bass resource users generally pertains to consumer service and value for the money assessments. Fish what you have confidence in and what you can afford the rest is just marketing and styling Imo.

[NYWayfarer]

On 3/20/2019 at 11:53 AM, rosshilk said:

I personally won't buy anything related in anyway to the Googan Squad. They're no more fishing professionals than I am. I would much rather buy products specifically designed by professional fishermen who are not Youtube stars. 

What is the definition of a professional? “Engaged in a specific activity as ones main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.”

 

Fishing is The Googan Squads profession.  Don’t count them out because they are YouTube stars. Everyone has to start somewhere.