Quality rod vs reel

[cookieman]

full days gone by. Must not be interested in an answer

[NYWayfarer]

55 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Sounds kinda straight forward to me ?

 

He is asking which should he spend more on a reel or a rod!

 

The budget could be $100 or a $1,000, I'm picking buy a quality reel first & be done with that part of the combo.

 

Quality reels when properly maintained will last many years while a quality rod can break on day one... believe me...been there done that!

One of the posts I wish I can love more than once.

 

i had a rod break in a door frame to my garage before I could use it once. Never had that happen with reel. I can’t imagine a scenario where that would happen with a reel.

 

i can only imagine when someone says “they don’t have. Lot to spend” they are talking about purchasing something in the $30 to $70 range. That’s in the range I like to spend on rods regardless of the fact that I have rods that cost way more. Thats my assumption and if I am wrong it’s up to then OP to tell me so.

[MN Fisher]

I'm with @Cattand @NYWayfarer. While having a great rod can be a plus, it's the reel that's going to last longer. I've retired reels that went through several rods each. So put the money into the reel.

 

For me, as I upgrade my rigs - no matter the budget, be it $100 or $300 - 1/3 is for the rod, 2/3 for the reel. That's my 'rule of thumb' and my Fuego rig follows that to the 'T' - $55 rod, $100 reel at retail.

[fvogel67]

18 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I'm with @Cattand @NYWayfarer. While having a great rod can be a plus, it's the reel that's going to last longer. I've retired reels that went through several rods each. So put the money into the reel.

 

For me, as I upgrade my rigs - no matter the budget, be it $100 or $300 - 1/3 is for the rod, 2/3 for the reel. That's my 'rule of thumb' and my Fuego rig follows that to the 'T' - $55 rod, $100 reel at retail.

My first question is what several rods did your reel retire

and what is this magic reel

Second, You've obviously never fished with a high end rod.

IMO if I lent You my St Croix Legend Elite it would def change your mind.

Unless You've fished with an higher end stick You can't give that advice

[MN Fisher]

Just now, fvogel67 said:

My first question is what several rods did your reel retire

and what is this magic reel

I don't remember the exact rods - but the reels that outlasted the rods are my old Pflueger 640 and Cardinal 562. Both are 40-some years old and I could still use them, but right now they're sitting on a shelf.

 

2 minutes ago, fvogel67 said:

Second, You've obviously never fished with a high end rod.

IMO if I lent You my St Croix Legend Elite it would def change your mind.

Unless You've fished with an higher end stick You can't give that advice

Never had the money to own a high-end...anything. Also never fished with someone who had one...so I can't say. All I know is that I catch fish with my 'budget' equipment, and that's the name of the game.

[Catt]

2 minutes ago, fvogel67 said:

My first question is what several rods did your reel retire

and what is this magic reel

Second, You've obviously never fished with a high end rod.

IMO if I lent You my St Croix Legend Elite it would def change your mind.

Unless You've fished with an higher end stick You can't give that advice

 

I have 2 Calcutta 100As that are both probably over 35 yrs old & still use em daily.

 

They have outlasted G. Loomis rods, St Croix rods, Falcon rods, Shimano rods, Fenwick rods, CastAway rods, & Lighting rods.

 

So yes I qualify to give that advice ?

[fvogel67]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

 

I have 2 Calcutta 100As that are both probably over 35 yrs old & still use em daily.

 

They have outlasted G. Loomis rods, St Croix rods, Falcon rods, Shimano rods, Fenwick rods, CastAway rods, & Lighting rods.

 

So yes I qualify to give that advice ?

Your missing the point

[Catt]

1 minute ago, fvogel67 said:

Your missing the point

 

Aint missing nuthin ?

 

Your St Croix is an excellent rod but subject to break as easily as a Lighting rod.

[fvogel67]

9 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I don't remember the exact rods - but the reels that outlasted the rods are my old Pflueger 640 and Cardinal 562. Both are 40-some years old and I could still use them, but right now they're sitting on a shelf.

 

Never had the money to own a high-end...anything. Also never fished with someone who had one...so I can't say. All I know is that I catch fish with my 'budget' equipment, and that's the name of the game.

I have plenty of "Budget'"Reels and rods on my rack and also many high end rods and reels.

Unless You have fished with higher end offerings I'm thinking you can't give a valid opinion

4 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Aint missing nuthin ?

 

Your St Croix is an excellent rod but subject to break as easily as a Lighting rod.

LOL

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, fvogel67 said:

Unless You have fished with higher end offerings I'm thinking you can't give a valid opinion

My opinion is that whether it's high-end or budget - they both catch fish...and that's all that's needed. You want to gift me with a high-end St Croix or Dobyns rod...I'd love it. Being on a fixed income, however, means that I'll never be able to afford it myself.

[fvogel67]

 

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

My opinion is that whether it's high-end or budget - they both catch fish...and that's all that's needed. You want to gift me with a high-end St Croix or Dobyns rod...I'd love it. Being on a fixed income, however, means that I'll never be able to afford it myself.

Your right friend...Tight Lines

[Catt]

1 minute ago, fvogel67 said:

I have plenty of "Budget'"Reels and rods on my rack and also many high end rods and reels.

Unless You have fished with higher end offerings I'm thinking you can't give a valid opinion

 

LOL

 

After my original investment for those Calcuttas my entire budget for the last 35+ yrs has went to rods.

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

26 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Aint missing nuthin ?

 

Your St Croix is an excellent rod but subject to break as easily as a Lighting rod.

Seriously? I would hope that purchasing a Higher end stick would give a little more in the durability dept.

 

I just bought my first Dobyns, a Fr 765 flip in the hope that tip inserts, rod snaps, ect would be some what mitigated.

 

I could care less about weight/sensitivity when the rod is in half or an insert breaks. Man this is tough, I come from a salt water back ground and that was sometime ago(like twenty years) and I never have had a problem with rods snapping.

 

If this Dobyns snaps like my KK did (casting a hollow bodied frog), I guess it'll be an Ugly stick for me.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Hewhospeaksmuchbull said:

If this Dobyns snaps like my KK did (casting a hollow bodied frog), I guess it'll be an Ugly stick for me.

If you do go there - skip the Ugly Stick and go to the Diawa Aird-X. I've got three so far and my remaining Ugly Stick is slated to be replaced by an Aird-X this Yule.

[Catt]

4 minutes ago, Hewhospeaksmuchbull said:

Seriously? I would hope that purchasing a Higher end stick would give a little more in the durability dept.

 

G. Loomis rods break as easy as any rod, they are graphite, & graphite breaks.

 

[Tony johnson]

i would say reel... unless your fishing big tuna west coast style(stand up no harness) then i would go rod... at that point the rod kills the fish and reel just gains line/provides drag. my best fish is a 110 bluefin i caught off san diego on a diawa bg 40 single speed star drag with 40lb leader. I had 10 lbs of drag but what killed the fish was my 8ft custom wrapped cal-star gf800h and 53 mins of pain

 

edit: This is on a boat with 20 other anglers so no backing down or chasing a fish when there are a few hooked up at a time

[Bigassbass]

Shimano Sedona reel is one of the best for the money buy a 3000 if you're chasing bass, you can always spool it with lighter line and catch crappie easily!   75.00 at big box stores if you're not afraid of online shopping you'll beat that price easily.

[Fried Lemons]

If you’re buying entry level then definitely spend more on the reel. Past that I believe the rod gets you more bang for your buck. There is much more to a rod than durability. If that were the main concern then ugly stiks would be one of the best rods on the market.

[JustJames]

I’m with @CattI would invest in reel first then rod.

With reel at least higher price ones, you would get smoothness, better drag smooth system, not BS max drag, trouble free and worry free and better ergonomic and better material and tolerance.

With rod higher price rod, you might get lighter and better components but not durability. Also sensitivity is very subjective, in the hand of experiences even a cheap Walmart rod they still can feel fish bite, but $1000 rod in a hand of others might feel like broomstick. 

 

With all these, I don’t have any high end reels or rods. I believe in comfortable, light weight, color and budget. 

[Falkus]

The way I spend on my fishing setup: 

 

Combo on ROD/REEL is set like 60%/40%

 

Example:

ROD: Gloomis NRX873 

REEL: Shimano CORE 50 MG7 with 7.7 gear set.