Opinions: The Most UNDER / OVER rated Rods & Reels

[ike8120]

2 hours ago, alexabrown252 said:

I realized that fishing reels must be expensive. My cheap ones fail quickly.

Expensive reels also fail,

[redmeansdistortion]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Inexpensive and cheap aren't equivalent. You just have to get the right inexpensive reels. There are a number of spinners under $100 that have proven themselves over time as well as a number of baitcasters under $150. Ask here about the affordable ones that will last. I know I have a few that would be considered 'budget' reels that have served me well.

The longest lived reel I've ever owned was a 30 size Shakespeare I got as part of a combo with a 6' M rod sometime in the early 90s.  I think the combo ran something like $40 at the time.  That was my main fishing rig for a good 5 years then I started making my own money and went higher up the food chain.  That combo went overboard while fishing a canal in Lake St Clair about 20 years back.

[snake95]

On 1/19/2020 at 8:42 AM, Catt said:

Underrated reel

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

@Catt do you mean the round 3600 from a while back or the more recent low profile?

[new2BC4bass]

On 1/22/2020 at 12:48 AM, Quarry Man said:

Underrated- 

 

Berkley Lightning Rod - great cheap rod, good blank and grip and guides for the price. I dislike the reel seat.

 

Cabela's Arachnid Casting Reel - discontinued Daiwa made for Cabala's reel, upgraded tattle type r. reason you can't find em is because I buy em all. sucks that they don't make them anymore.

 

Falcon rods - imo most underrated company in the industry. not the most flashy company but man they produce some great rods.

I have a Lightning spinning rod that is over 45 years old.  I did quit fishing for 23 years.  This is the only rod I kept of my old ones.  It and the Penn 430SS make a fine combo.

On 1/18/2020 at 11:22 PM, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

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

I have one older Smoke.  Light.  But handle is very short.  Nice otherwise.  Liked my Medium Helios enough to go buy a second.

On 1/19/2020 at 12:16 AM, humbleangler said:

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.

 

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

I have 3 of the older blue XTs.  Last one cost $65 in very good condition.  First one's brakes are probably set lower than any other reel I own.  Set up with braid for use in slop.  Currently 2 are on reserve.  I like my MB.

 

Brother-in-law is still using the RG-AB I bought him a few years ago as a birthday gift.

 

 

I missed the quote about Falcon rods being very under rated.  I especially like the older Experts.

[Tizi]

Under-rated reels:  Daiwa Fuego CT and LT

Under-rated rods:  Daiwa Tatula XT

Under-rated combo:  Shimano SLX (for $129.99 this is the best deal going in my opinion)

 

I stick to medium level gear for the most part.  Most expensive reels I own are Tatula SV TWS and rods are the Tatula line.

[redmeansdistortion]

33 minutes ago, Tizi said:

Under-rated reels:  Daiwa Fuego CT

I'd say the Fuego CT is rated perfectly.  Not over, not under, just right.  What a bargain for what you get, especially when you can find them on eBay and Amazon for $75-ish.

[swhit140]

On 1/22/2020 at 9:00 AM, Spankey said:

Over rated, under rated I guess that’s all in the eyes and hands of the beholder. 
 

I like the St. Croix sticks I use. I fish the Premiere series spinning rods and Premiere Crankbait Rods. My Avid Spinning Rods I fish all plastics on them. Don’t own a St Croix that is a grade higher than them. No need for me to really. They could be over rated. I wish they were a bit cheaper in price. I don’t know. I like my results with them and I like their warranty. Over all the years I’ve used it twice but they took care of me. No $$$$ out of my pocket. Had to pay shipping one way but that was easy. Rod went back, I got a new rod. Register your stuff, save the headache later. 
 

Abu Garcia Rods. Have been fishing a few of them. “Veritas” series. I am way More over pleased as to how that is going. I like them. I like what they put out as a Moderate action rod. 
 

Shimano. I’ll always be a Shimano guy. Have always been able to get a partS if I needed it or just wanted to replace something. I somewhat recently had a issue with a 3000 NASCI. Just did not feel right after short usage. Called them, boxed it and sent it to the person they told me to. Few weeks later a new 3000 NASCI is on my doorstep. 
 

Daiwa I feel just about the same way.  I’m still using a Tournament SS from the 80’s. I rebuilt it. Big deal. At least it was made with the ability to rebuild. Still use it on the river fishing grubs for Smallies. The higher end Daiwa spinning stuff is good. 
 

You couldn’t give me a Quantum reel. I’d give it away or sell it for cents on a dollar. Their Customer Service sucks. Parts source is terrible. Had A simple issues with a reel that I really did like. Their answer was to send it back with what ever the $$$ amount was and they would sent me what was an upgraded reel. I wasn’t going that direction. I machined a part and fixed it myself. I’d just never go the Quantum direction again. 

I had 1 Quantum reel, it didn't last a season. Never buying another Quantum reel.  I have a Diawa that probably has 15 years of use still going strong.

 

[Bankbeater]

I have to go with BPS rods being underrated.  Especially the older ones like the extremes.  You can't beat them for moving baits.

[Manly Studson]

9 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

I have to go with BPS rods being underrated.  Especially the older ones like the extremes.  You can't beat them for moving baits.

I agree. I’ve had positive experiences with BPS rods. Even when I’ve broken them (smash with a car door) the return was hassle free.

[PhishLI]

On 1/31/2020 at 4:51 PM, redmeansdistortion said:

What a bargain for what you get, especially when you can find them on eBay and Amazon for $75-ish.

I wade fish tree lined lakes at night alot and like to carry 4 setups when the terrain allows for it  It's never pitch black out, so it's not like I'm blindly reaching for different rigs, therefore I'm not claiming I'm pseudo blind testing anything. While this could probably be said of a number of $100 dollar reels, I sure don't feel a $200 difference when I'm switching from the Fuego to a $300 reel and back down the line. BTW, $300 has been my self imposed limit, for the moment anyway...My buddy got an Aldebaran the other day. I held it. The monkey is whispering. That said, I certainly appreciate the nuances of my more expensive reels, but the real world gap in performance is not striking, IMO. 

 

It took me time and some frustration, but once I adjusted my casting mechanics to the point that I can run the spool loose and the brakes very low, between 4-6, I really came to appreciate this reel. It does so much well from throwing light to heavy baits with lower effort. If the wind turns on, just a few clicks up on the dial and everything's peachy. Very valuable at night. My two samples are still remarkably smooth on the retrieve after two seasons. Like you said "a bargain". I'd add "super bargain" to that.

[Cityangler7]

On 2/1/2020 at 8:54 AM, Bankbeater said:

I have to go with BPS rods being underrated.  Especially the older ones like the extremes.  You can't beat them for moving baits.

I have the older green BPS  extremes, picked them up on sale for $60 bucks when they were getting discontinued, they are light , sensitive and hold up well.

[newyorktoiowa57]

Underrated: Diawa Legalis LT, BPS Bionic Blade

 

Overated: Any expensive rod for moving baits

[gilkeybr]

Overrated:  The DC braking system.  Its a fine braking system.  But its not significantly better than a traditional system in my experience.

[PourMyOwn]

On 1/31/2020 at 9:15 AM, snake95 said:

@Catt do you mean the round 3600 from a while back or the more recent low profile?

That round reel was the first baitcaster I had that I liked using with braid. Early braids didn't always lay on the spool well, but that 3600 was different. Wish I still had mine.

[Steve S]

On 1/18/2020 at 4:05 PM, kayaking_kev said:

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.

6’ light power ugly stick was my first and still my most used rod. Love it for pond fishing with Ned rigs

[Mobasser]

Under rated reels? Any older Japanese made Shimanos.

[Bdnoble84]

On 1/17/2020 at 3:13 PM, garroyo130 said:

$25 ... last I checked they were in the clearance cage

Not sure how cheap were trying to go but for a low end light crank rod, the Lightning rod (not shock) in medium-moderate is excellent!

Along those same criteria lines, I have an ugly stick lite casting rod in medium action that is super forgiving and gets a crank attached regularly. Not sure how the new elites compare.

 

for 10$ more I’ll pick up a fenwick eagle. Or look at the cabelas line.