New Season, New Rods!

[Ineedanewscreenname20190512]

Sooo… my last trip last year ended before it even started. While I was loading up my buddy's truck, I set my rods up against his tailgate, threw my bag in the back seat, and hopped in the passenger seat... COMPLETELY forgot to move my rods. Next thing you know, we back out of the driveway and all I hear is the cracking of three of my rods as we ran em over.

 

Anywho, I am looking into completely restocking my rod inventory. I have always stuck by Abu Garcia and Lew's, but am open to looking for some other options. I'm game with spending between $100 - $200, but not feeling the whole "I'm gonna spend $400 on a new rod" kinda thing. Just in case I forget them behind the tailgate again haha.

 

What is your favorite Rod? What would you recommend?

[GeekOutdoors]

4 hours ago, Zallordian said:

Sooo… my last trip last year ended before it even started. While I was loading up my buddy's truck, I set my rods up against his tailgate, threw my bag in the back seat, and hopped in the passenger seat... COMPLETELY forgot to move my rods. Next thing you know, we back out of the driveway and all I hear is the cracking of three of my rods as we ran em over.

 

Anywho, I am looking into completely restocking my rod inventory. I have always stuck by Abu Garcia and Lew's, but am open to looking for some other options. I'm game with spending between $100 - $200, but not feeling the whole "I'm gonna spend $400 on a new rod" kinda thing. Just in case I forget them behind the tailgate again haha.

 

What is your favorite Rod? What would you recommend?

Were you able to salvage reels?

[NathanDLTH]

I’m a Daiwa fan, having multiple Tatula Elite series and they do the job well, if you’re not afraid of buying used these can be had at decent prices along with the Cronos and Zillion series. All three are great rods. I’ve had the opportunity to fish a Kistler and ALX, I’d recommend them as well. 

[new2BC4bass]

The new Villain 2.0 is getting excellent reviews.  Light and sensitivity is said to be beyond its price point.  You can still find a Fantasista Regista for around $200.  Not many models left though, but it has a $500 retail list price.

 

For other brand...I bought 2 ALX Zolo rods on sale for less than $170 each.  Very nice.  I like my Okuma Helios if you can find some.  No experience with the new Tatulas, but the originals are a favorite of mine.

[jakkbauer]

8 hours ago, Zallordian said:

Sooo… my last trip last year ended before it even started. While I was loading up my buddy's truck, I set my rods up against his tailgate, threw my bag in the back seat, and hopped in the passenger seat... COMPLETELY forgot to move my rods. Next thing you know, we back out of the driveway and all I hear is the cracking of three of my rods as we ran em over.

 

Anywho, I am looking into completely restocking my rod inventory. I have always stuck by Abu Garcia and Lew's, but am open to looking for some other options. I'm game with spending between $100 - $200, but not feeling the whole "I'm gonna spend $400 on a new rod" kinda thing. Just in case I forget them behind the tailgate again haha.

 

What is your favorite Rod? What would you recommend?

F to your rods

[Ineedanewscreenname20190512]

3 hours ago, GeekFisher said:

Were you able to salvage reels?

Yes, reels are good. Two casting / One spinning

2 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

The new Villain 2.0 is getting excellent reviews.  Light and sensitivity is said to be beyond its price point.  You can still find a Fantasista Regista for around $200.  Not many models left though, but it has a $500 retail list price.

 

For other brand...I bought 2 ALX Zolo rods on sale for less than $170 each.  Very nice.  I like my Okuma Helios if you can find some.  No experience with the new Tatulas, but the originals are a favorite of mine.

Duly noted, I've too heard great things about the Villian 2.0s

[Frisbie385]

Dobyns and Cashion Rods

[Fishes in trees]

When it comes to reels, I'm  Shimano guy.  When it comes to rods I roam the close out aisles, for the most part.  My rods cover the spectrum, from inexpensive to pricey, only a couple were bought at full retail.

The one rod, currently on the traveling team that I paid full price for is a Falcon Bucoo Trap Caster.  7'long, enough tip, enough backbone, it lets me throw lipless cranks a long way.  I have 7 or 8 Fenwick rods, HMG or AETOS,  Every so often I break one and Fenwick has a generous replacement policy on the upper end rods.  I have a few Kistler rods, the dark blue and olive green ones (Argon & Helium I think), that I bought when the KCK Cabelas got out of the Kistler business several years ago.  I still have a 7'3" Wild Black Carrot Stick, I'm the only guy I

know who hasn't busted all their original carrot sticks. 

I'm not adverse to trying many of the other brand mentioned in this and other threads, but they aren't readily available in the KC Metro area as far as I know.  ( I can't bring myself to order fishing rods on-line, I have to touch and feel it first prior to purchase)

Oh, yeah, this winter I got a 7' Med Action Berkley Lightning Rod and it throws square bills great.

[bunz559]

I've been sticking to my Dobyns line up for the last 2 years. They've served me well. They're a bit out of the $200 price range for the XP and Extreme series. But I do have a Fury and Sierra series that do good as well. 

 

I'm looking at expanding my line up but going to try the Megabass and Shimano rods now. Will probably pickup an Levante and Expride sometime this year. Would really like a jerkbait/top water rod (Levante) and a new deep working rod (Expride).

[MrSmitty]

Another for the Dobyn's camp.  The Champion series can be found online (new) for around $190 or so.  

[webertime]

~$100 range. Uribe Riverside, blows Furys out of the water.

~$150 range. Tatulas from Daiwa

~$200 range.  Megabass Levante 

[5by3]

Alx zolo, shimano zodias, Dobyns fury/champ are all good rods as others have mentioned. Heard a lot of praise for cashion and hammer rods too but have never used them personally

[FishTank]

It would be a couple bucks over you budget but the St. Croix Avid series has been great for me.  This would be the three I would pick.

 

Spinning> 6'8 M X-Fast - Soft plastic (weightless), spinner baits, and light jigs

 

Casting> 7 MH Fast - General purpose, topwater, jerk baits, jigs, and weighted softplastic (has worked for everything)

              7 M Mod - Crankbaits

 

[Chance_Taker4]

21 hours ago, Fishes in trees said:

I have a few Kistler rods, the dark blue and olive green ones (Argon & Helium I think), that I bought when the KCK Cabelas got out of the Kistler business several years ago.  I still have a 7'3" Wild Black Carrot Stick, I'm the only guy In know who hasn't busted all their original carrot stick.  

 

I have two Wild Orange and one Wild Black that I have not broken. As for Kistler, Trey just released a new, updated version of the Argon which I own one and it is amazing. I would highly recommend Kistler. In your range you could go with the Argon or the Magnesium 2. Both are great at the price point.

[LCG]

Just bought two bps carbonlite 2.0 rods this spring. Light, sensitive, comfortable. Got them on sale. Worth checking out. Haven't had them long so durability is to be determined but I have heard many positive things about them. 

[Deeare]

I grabbed a kistler klx during their 21% off sale.   I was able to get it for $200.   I really love the klx.   Super light and Great sensitivity.  And I have multiple gloomis, megabass, dobyns and st croix.  

 

Whatever you buy don’t pay full retail!!!!   Wait for a sale.  

[Allen Der]

I really like St Croix's Premier line as a good all around rod.  They dont get a lot of love around here probably because they arent necessarily targeted at the bass market with technique specific lengths and actions like the mojo bass, avid x and legend bass. If I only had 3 rods, I'd do Premiers in 6'6 MF spinning, 7' MF casting and 7' MHF casting.