Opinions: The Most UNDER / OVER rated Rods & Reels

[Columbia Craw]

It's no secret what my rods of choice are but I am always looking at other product.  I love the "stuff" I guess.  Two models I've been been looking at and playing with surprise me at their price points.  They are the Fenwick HMG and the Diawa Aird.  I'll add the Diawa Tatula as well but primarily the spinning models.  I still hold to the Dobyns Fury being the best value rod out there.

 

As far as reels go, Okuma makes some very good spinning reels.  There are so many great options in casting reels right now it's crazy. See the Lews Tournament MB selling for 79 bucks was a shocker. I have one and it's one fine do a lot reel.  If I could have had access to the product now thirty years ago, things would have been very interesting.

[moguy1973]

4 hours ago, Mobasser said:

I think Berkley rods are under rated by many. I've owned a couple over the years that were very good.

I will agree with this.  I have had a couple Berkley Amp spinning rods in the past and they were really sensitive and a nice rod for how cheap they are.  I currently use a couple Berkley Lightning rods that work well for my kind of fishing also.

55 minutes ago, stratoliner92 said:

    Big Disappointments - Abu Garcia RevoSX and OrraSX spinning reels, I've got 2 of each model and one of each model has had issues.

 

    Nice suprises - Abu IKE Finesse Series spinning rods, 6'10" med/light is a fantastic dropshot rod. I've got 3 now?. Also the 2018 Diawa Tatula 7' med/mod (graphite) cranking topwater rod, great action for 1/2oz treble baits

         

 

 

I'll agree with Abu reels being disappointments also.  I have a Revo S that had bearings go out after about 5 fishing trips.  Abu rods are a different story as one of my favorite rods is a 2nd gen Veritas.

[Bandersnatch]

I haven't fished my new Expride 7'3 XH yet but as someone who has rods that cost twice as much I was blown away by how it feels. I can't believe it's capable for 2oz, it's weighs nothing. 

 

Only disappointment I'd say would be the new revo rocket. For the msrp  price point I expected a much more refined reel. 

[Jaybert]

I have 2 6’6” shimano compre spinning rods a ml and a m.  Probably 12 years old plus both of them. $100 or less rods back in the day.  Underrated rods I think.  I have newer Loomis rods today that are awesome but those compres still get certain jobs done well every year. Pretty light and sensitive I saw little difference between them and a 1st gen E6x I bought at nearly triple the cost.  

[NathanDLTH]

8 hours ago, Mobasser said:

I think Berkley rods are under rated by many. I've owned a couple over the years that were very good.

Had an E-motion and it was a great rod, guides were the only downfall there, but a great rod for the value. 

[kayaking_kev]

Shimano FX cost about $15 and if you want a good cheap glass rod for cranking, I would recommend it. I even hooked a couple 10 lb+ catfish while panfishing on it and it held up great, lots of parabolic bend to them.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Most underrated rated rod and reel is a 25$ abu garcia from the bay along with a 25$ original uglystik from the bay ...

[Shimano_1]

I think most lews reels are the most underrated. Specifically the tournament pro lfs. Also the okuma helios reels are fantastic and never get much love. Rods, most store brands. Basspro carbonlite,  cabelas tournament zx rods are wonderful sticks for the money.  Honestly over rated to me, shimano slx reels, daiwa tatula sv. Neither of these reels did much for me. Just shows people's opinions vary because most of what I've said certainly isnt the popular opinion.  Oh and Loomis rods have always seemed highly over rated in my opinion.  

[.ghoti.]

My most underrated pieces of gear are an Okuma Helios rod and reel. The combo is a very nice, light weight pleasure to use. 

 

My most overrated pieces are three Daiwa Steez rods. I got all three for less than half list price. And, it the prices paid, I am very happy with them. Had I paid full price, I would be very disappointed with all three. 

[dodgeguy]

2 hours ago, Shimano_1 said:

I think most lews reels are the most underrated. Specifically the tournament pro lfs. Also the okuma helios reels are fantastic and never get much love. Rods, most store brands. Basspro carbonlite,  cabelas tournament zx rods are wonderful sticks for the money.  Honestly over rated to me, shimano slx reels, daiwa tatula sv. Neither of these reels did much for me. Just shows people's opinions vary because most of what I've said certainly isnt the popular opinion.  Oh and Loomis rods have always seemed highly over rated in my opinion.  

Yeah I had a buddy who fished glx Loomis with powerpro and constantly grooved guides. My Bass Pro Rods never had that issue.

[Rook]

If my 50 and 65 year old garcia conolon rods and Mitchell reels ever wear out I might buy something else to compare them to. But it looks like they're gonna out last me so I'll probably never know which is the most over and under rated rods and reels.

[FishTank]

2 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

Yeah I had a buddy who fished glx Loomis with powerpro and constantly grooved guides. My Bass Pro Rods never had that issue.

Not to get dragged into another discussion about this but I have 4 GLX rods, 1 IMX, and 1 crankbait rod (844C x2, 803C, 783C, CBR785) .  All are 12 years old or older. I have used braid (either power pro or suffix) on all at one point in time.  The 844C IMX has had braid used on it for 14 years.  With exception of the original 803C with recoil guides, which I broke and Loomis sent me the newer version (the new one was a let down by the way), all the guides are like new.  The the second to the top recoil guide did grove after 5 years of use. 

 

As far as under rated reels and rods......  Fenwick, Okuma and some of Abu Garcia's...  Reels.... In the bass fishing world....Okuma and Penn

 

Over rated reels.... I think there are two ways to look at this.  One, the reel under performs and is over hyped.  Two, the reel costs way more than what you can actually get in return.  Both of these are open to the user's interpretation.   So under perform and over hyped, KastKing maybe (or whoever is over marketed this year).  Expensive and little return, Shimano Stella.  Love the different ones I have tried but I don't see myself dropping $700+ on a spinning reel.  Also, maybe the Revo MGX line but when on sale, different story. 

 

Over rated rods.... This is a tough one.  If the rod communicates to you and it does its job, then how is it over rated....so I guess any rod that snaps like a twig, the company doesn't back it up, and it costs a small fortune.  In this day and age, rods and the company warranties have come a long way, both the expensive and cheap.  

[kayaking_kev]

My personal favorite rod all time and the rod I have caught the most fish on is a Ugly Stik Gx2, and a 6'0 Medium 2 piece at that. Whether throwing a whopper plopper for smallies or T-Rigs for LM, it's been good to me. Most of my 500+ bass this past season were caught on one. I had *** mile river trip where I caught 41 bass on a plastic worm, in current nonetheless, all recorded on video, and plenty of videos of 20+ catches throwing a whopper plopper with it. I paid full price for the first one I bought, but then found the same exact ones on clearance for $9 and bought all 3 they had.

 

This past Black Friday I bought 12 new rods, including 2 Dobyns Xtasys, and a Extreme, and I'm sure I will like them better, but until I'm able to fish with them, the Gx2 is still my favorite. I still didn't find a rod out those 12 new ones, that match the action of the Gx2, so now I'm looking to get a Dobyns 704cb Glass.

[PhishLI]

I like my Curado K, but I don't love it. I'm surprised whenever someone on these boards inquires about "which reel as a good all-arounder"  or " first baitcaster" and people recommend the K. It's not a good lighter bait reel, IMO, so how is it a good all around reel? Its unpredictable at about 3/8 ounce and can be tough to dial in there with less than aerodynamic lures, and worse below that weight. The external adjustment dial stinks in every way and I don't like the thumb bar height, especially compared to the Chronarch. That said I enjoy using it when I'm throwing 1/2oz baits. It's a nice reel there and above. Very smooth and long casting. I'm keeping it but I should've just gotten another Chronarch. No complaints at all with that one. It does everything very well. So yeah, I think the K is over rated/hyped.

[BassCats]

Most underrated reels: Quantum

 

[FryDog62]

Most underrated/best value rods are:

 

•Abu Garcia Vengeance and Daiwa AirdX.  $50 rods that are a great stick and value for the price point.  
 

Most overrated rod:

•Any Medium/Heavy or Heavy action St. Croix rod.  I fished them with absolute loyalty for 25 years and accepted them as the best.  And they are a good quality rod, with a good warranty.  But when I finally/reluctantly picked up other manufacturers rods I learned how heavy, thick, cumbersome, tip-heavy and poorly balanced the heavier SC rods are.  I still have a few mediums, but I totally bought into the heavy stuff for years. Had a cabin in Wisconsin (not far from SC factory) for 27 years and every bait shop carried them, and I bought them (A LOT of them).  However, once I ate the forbidden fruit and picked up a similarly priced Tatula, Loomis, Megabass, Kistler, ALX, Phenix, etc... it was a whole different league of equally powerful rods that were also light and balanced.  
 

•Most underrated reel:

On the spinning side, a Pflueger President is well-regarded already, but is best value I’ve found.

 

•Most overrated reel is the Daiwa Zillion SV TW.  It’s a good reel, but the Tatula SV TW is $100 less and almost every bit as good.  

 

 

[chubaka]

Most overrated reel: Shimano Antares DC. Just did not perform to my expectations. Very underwhelming.  Sold it for a Daiwa Tatula SV :) 

[PhishLI]

3 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Daiwa AirdX

I picked up a 7' MH 2pc and a 7'3" MH on sale at a local B&T to have as knock around rigs that I could chuck in the truck and not be so worried about them. I'm really careful with my "good" stuff. But once I fished with them I came to appreciate how good they really are. A steal at the asking price. Caught tons of fish on them. Both wear rod socks now.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

The original Quantum Smoke rod is my most underrated rod also Okuma Helios rods.

Overrated my LTB rod Cumara rod and for sure Kistler rod, Fenwick elite tech bass rod was a disappointment as well.

 

Pinnacle Deadbolt Classic baitcaster reel and Daiwa RG-AB spinning reel feel those were underrated.

Stradic FI FK and CI4 and CI4+ spinning reels overrated.

Daiwa SV105 and Tatula SV overrated baitcasting reels.

[humbleangler]

I would say anything solid NOT made by Shimano, Daiwa, Megabass, or St. Croix, is underrated, lol...I own products from 3 of the 4 and they are all awesome, but it would be hard to argue any brand has the vocal following these have. Full disclaimer, when I'm looking for something "high end," I typically lean toward these brands along with a few others myself.

 

In all seriousness, on the low end, Berkley Cherrywood rods are very underrated...sure, the components are value driven and super basic, but they are rock solid and the rods are surprisingly well balanced and responsive for $25...seriously, $25...If your budget is tight, there really isn't an equivalent option in my opinion. 

 

Okuma in general is underrated...I'm sure there are some stinkers in their lineup, but I haven't come across one yet. The Celilo rod (discontinued?) is one of my all time favorite light/ultra-light panfish/trout rods. The Epixor XT (I have the 40 size) blew me away for $50. Hell, even their big box store brand stuff like the Stratus V (I believe exclusive to Dick's) has impressed me at the price point. I picked one up on "sale" (although they never seemed to come OFF sale) for $25? $30? just to throw on an old pond hopper backup rod that needed a reel and I found myself reaching for that setup way more often than I imagined. 

 

Pflueger...My favorite reel in my entire arsenal is the Patriarch XT baitcaster (I own 3 now). I love everything about it. It weighs nothing yet somehow manages to take abuse in stride, casts a mile, handles light(ish) lures well, brakes are phenomenal, and on and on...Pflueger does have their following, but most seem focused on their President spinning line. I admit the $250 price tag is steep, but you can find deals often and although I'll probably get heat for this, the honest truth is that I would STILL take the XT over a similarly priced Curado, Revo, or Tatula SV.

 

I find lower end Lew's (anything below the Tournament MB) to be overrated. There are plenty of Shimano/Daiwa guys that scoff at Lew's in general, which I strongly disagree with as I think the MB is one of the best all around reels on the market today under $200. They have plenty other rod and reel offerings above that $120ish price point that are also very good...However, I have been thoroughly unimpressed with anything below that level...I'd take a $70 Abu Black Max combo over the Mach 1 (rod AND reel). 

 

St. Croix is overrated in my opinion...they make great products and remain an industry leader for a reason...very strong, very sensitive rods...however, I just don't find they balance as well as some other brands that get much less attention. I've only ever owned a Premier and I like it, but find myself reaching for other offerings more often. Mojo's seemed very heavy when handling in the store and although the Avids felt nice in hand, I just didn't think they were worth the price tag...maybe I would have felt differently fishing them. 

 

My 2 cents...

55 minutes ago, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

The original Quantum Smoke rod is my most underrated rod also Okuma Helios rods.

Overrated my LTB rod Cumara rod and for sure Kistler rod, Fenwick elite tech bass rod was a disappointment as well.

 

Pinnacle Deadbolt Classic baitcaster reel and Daiwa RG-AB spinning reel feel those were underrated.

Stradic FI FK and CI4 and CI4+ spinning reels overrated.

Daiwa SV105 and Tatula SV overrated baitcasting reels.

Completely agree with the Daiwa RG-AB...love mine. 

[Bluebasser86]

Underrated; Okuma rods and reels you never seem to hear about, but they're excellent from top to bottom. I've got reels down to a cheap little Stratus? (white spinning reel bought on clearance for $20), that I use a ton for walking ponds and creeks and the thing has been really impressive. Then my normal starting lineup with my TCS rods and reels, all the way up to the Helios SX casting reel.

 

Overrated; Any rod or reel that cost as much as a car payment.

 

 

 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

I have a Pflueger President,  great reel. Didnt know anybody else knew about it ?

 

I figured since it wasnt a revered Shimano or Diawa it wasnt worth mentioning on this site. ?

[MN Fisher]

5 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Daiwa AirdX.  $50 rods that are a great stick and value for the price point.

I've got 4 Aird-X rods and I've been pleasantly surprised by them.

12 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

I have a Pflueger President,  great reel. Didnt know anybody else knew about it ?

My best of last year was caught on my President BC...my UL spinning reel is a President-25. Diawa and Pflueger are my reels of choice.

[islandbass]

On 1/17/2020 at 11:50 AM, Bird said:

My wallet may not be as fat as some but my frugal ways must count for something. Lol

 

Best for the money across the board:

#1  Lews 

#2. Kastking 

 

Is it coincidence that I fish both ?

Nothing wrong with that, bird.  Fish don’t know what we’re fishing with anyway.

 

To the topic, I can second Okuma rods. I have used the celilo series for my UL and heavy salmon fishing and the value is just incredible. 
Lamiglas. Loomis schloomis, lol. Their high end stuff is as expensive as the high end brands we know so I’m being specific to the lowest class of bass rods. Again, excellent value, bang for the buck. It also seems stores sell them for less than the MSRP which helps. 
 

 

[Catt]

Underrated reel

Abu Garcia Black Max; my has one he got for free, it's about 8 yrs & still performs flawlessly. 

 

Underrated rods

Castaway, All Star, & H2O XPRESS Ethos