MacOSU496 Posted June 13, 2020 Posted June 13, 2020 I am setting up a jigging rig and need a 6’6” MHF rod that is under $60 to pair with my reel. Any suggestions?? Bass Pro was running a sale on the Bass Pro shops Tourney Special rod but now they are back up to $49.99: https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-100187207 Are they worth it for that setup of what other options are there at that price point??!! Thanks! Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted June 13, 2020 Global Moderator Posted June 13, 2020 Only have a couple experiences with the Tourney Special rods, none of them were good ones. The H20 rods from Academy are great rods for the money and can be had in that price range. Not sure if they have a 6' 6" MH/F though. The Daiwa Arid is another I'd highly recommend if there's a rod with those specs. 1 1 Quote
Mbirdsley Posted June 13, 2020 Posted June 13, 2020 Berkly lighting rods are a good rod for 50 bucks untill you can afford somthing better . I dunno If they come in a 6ft 6 rod though 1 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted June 13, 2020 Super User Posted June 13, 2020 5 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said: The Daiwa Arid is another I'd highly recommend if there's a rod with those specs. Yes there is...Diawa Aird-X 6'6" MH/F (AIRX661MHFB) is what I'd go with. 1 1 Quote
Fin S Posted June 13, 2020 Posted June 13, 2020 I've got a couple of Ethos Nano rods I got from Academy. They can be found on sale from $50 to $70. However, a 6'10" is the shortest you can get in a MHF (on sale for $70 right now). At that price, you'll have to compromise somewhere (weight, durability, etc.). The Nanos are light and have a pretty good blank, reel seat is not great but serviceable, eyelets are a little bendy. I have a 7' MMod baitcaster that I've had for two years, and I've broken two guides off. However, I've not used a rod cover with it nor been particularly careful with it. 2 Quote
Super User NYWayfarer Posted June 13, 2020 Super User Posted June 13, 2020 Kastking Perigee II Lew’s Laser SG1 Lew’s Hank Parker Speed Stick Great rods in that price range. 1 1 Quote
Ogandrews Posted June 13, 2020 Posted June 13, 2020 I don’t really have any recent experience with rods in that price range but I’ve heard some great things about the aird-x rods from Daiwa. Quote
Born 2 fish Posted June 13, 2020 Posted June 13, 2020 I bought the 7’3 mh arid x it’s more of a moderate I think I like it but I think the 7 heavy would have been better. Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted June 13, 2020 Super User Posted June 13, 2020 6 minutes ago, Ogandrews said: I don’t really have any recent experience with rods in that price range but I’ve heard some great things about the aird-x rods from Daiwa. I can vouch for them - 4 of my 10 rigs are on Aird-X rods and I've been very pleased with them. Just now, Born 2 fish said: I bought the 7’3 mh arid x it’s more of a moderate I think I like it but I think the 7 heavy would have been better. Ya, but he's looking for short rods - my experience with Aird-X's is that the shorter rods are closer to the stated power/action. 1 Quote
MacOSU496 Posted June 13, 2020 Author Posted June 13, 2020 10 minutes ago, MN Fisher said: Ya, but he's looking for short rods - my experience with Aird-X's is that the shorter rods are closer to the stated power/action. Yea, I do most of my fishing either wading in creeks or in a kayak...so the shorter rods are easier in those situations. 6’6” is def the highest I want to go. I occasionally go on a boat but not very often. Quote
michaelb Posted June 13, 2020 Posted June 13, 2020 The Abu vengeance is MH and 6’ 9” and is a very nice budget rod. 1 Quote
Glaucus Posted June 13, 2020 Posted June 13, 2020 The Fenwick Eagle at $60 is one of the best budget rods. Daiwa Aird-X > Fenwick Eagle = Berkley Lightning (spinning Eagle, casting Lightning) >>>>> Cane Pole >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Abu Vengeance 1 Quote
MacOSU496 Posted June 13, 2020 Author Posted June 13, 2020 6 minutes ago, Glaucus said: Daiwa Aird-X > Fenwick Eagle = Berkley Lightning (spinning Eagle, casting Lightning) >>>>> Cane Pole >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Abu Vengeance I have read that the new Berkley Lightnings have that plastic reel seat and it breaks on a lot of them after a few fish. Quote
Glaucus Posted June 13, 2020 Posted June 13, 2020 4 minutes ago, MacOSU496 said: I have read that the new Berkley Lightnings have that plastic reel seat and it breaks on a lot of them after a few fish. It's more sensitive than an Eagle but definitely not as well built. Daiwa Aird-X are the best. 1 1 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted June 13, 2020 Super User Posted June 13, 2020 10 minutes ago, Glaucus said: The Fenwick Eagle at $60 is one of the best budget rods. Daiwa Aird-X > Fenwick Eagle = Berkley Lightning (spinning Eagle, casting Lightning) >>>>> Cane Pole >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Abu Vengeance Ya, but you still got the Aird-X rated higher than the Eagle, buddy. Unless you got your symbols switched around. 1 Quote
Super User Bankc Posted June 13, 2020 Super User Posted June 13, 2020 I had a Tourney Special. Lost it last weekend. It was okay. It was a MH/fast 7'. The line guides were crap. The rod was a bit stiff and not as sensitive as I'd like, but it wasn't too bad. Especially for the money. But you could do better. When I went to replace it, I got a Tourney Pro 2, which is a lot nicer, but out of your price range. I have to use 2 piece rods, which always limit my selection. What I recommend is a Kastking Perigree II. I have one of them, and it's as sensitive as the Tourney Pro 2, but a fraction heavier. It also came with a MH and M tip, which is really nice! The only issue I have with it, is theres a mark to align the two rod sections that's off. It still aligns straight, you just have to ignore the mark. Otherwise, it's a tremendous value and a really good rod, regardless of price! 2 Quote
Ogandrews Posted June 14, 2020 Posted June 14, 2020 10 hours ago, MacOSU496 said: Yea, I do most of my fishing either wading in creeks or in a kayak...so the shorter rods are easier in those situations. 6’6” is def the highest I want to go. I occasionally go on a boat but not very often. I do a lot of kayak fishing and use musky rods up to 9’3” with no issues, with most of my bass rods being in the 7’3-7’10” range. Never really understood using short rods in a kayak, always found them more of a disadvantage than an advantage. Quote
zell_pop1 Posted June 14, 2020 Posted June 14, 2020 Fenwick Eagle all the way, nice rod for the money. Quote
plawren53202 Posted June 14, 2020 Posted June 14, 2020 On 6/13/2020 at 8:16 AM, Fin S said: I've got a couple of Ethos Nano rods I got from Academy. They can be found on sale from $50 to $70. However, a 6'10" is the shortest you can get in a MHF (on sale for $70 right now). At that price, you'll have to compromise somewhere (weight, durability, etc.). The Nanos are light and have a pretty good blank, reel seat is not great but serviceable, eyelets are a little bendy. I have a 7' MMod baitcaster that I've had for two years, and I've broken two guides off. However, I've not used a rod cover with it nor been particularly careful with it. Was in Academy a few days ago and was looking at rods even though I have no business buying a new baitcasting setup LOL. The Ethos Nanos rods really caught my eye and, for as much of an evaluation as you can do standing in a store, seemed to be a really solid product for the money. Quote
NOC 1 Posted June 14, 2020 Posted June 14, 2020 If you bump your budget up to $70 you could check out one of the Falcon HD series. Most of the other ones named are just cheap fishing rods...the Falcon is merely inexpensive. It's better than it's price point. 2nd best that I know of at that price are probably the Fenwick Eagles. The Berkley Lightning feel good, but the materials and builds are cheap. But, it would be good as long as it holds up. Some do and many don't. 1 1 Quote
garroyo130 Posted June 14, 2020 Posted June 14, 2020 5 hours ago, plawren53202 said: Was in Academy a few days ago and was looking at rods even though I have no business buying a new baitcasting setup LOL. The Ethos Nanos rods really caught my eye and, for as much of an evaluation as you can do standing in a store, seemed to be a really solid product for the money. Theyre great rods. I picked up an Ethos HD (non-Nanos) with the intention of using it as a jig rod myself but found it a tad on the light side. In my opinion the MH is more of a Light MH. I also feel the regular Ethos HD is a better rod than the Nanos being that it comes with Fuji reelseat/guides. Quote
Glaucus Posted June 15, 2020 Posted June 15, 2020 2 hours ago, NOC 1 said: If you bump your budget up to $70 you could check out one of the Falcon HD series. Most of the other ones named are just cheap fishing rods...the Falcon is merely inexpensive. It's better than it's price point. 2nd best that I know of at that price are probably the Fenwick Eagles. The Berkley Lightning feel good, but the materials and builds are cheap. But, it would be good as long as it holds up. Some do and many don't. Eagles are great and Lightnings are poorly built, and nobody says Aird-X rods are cheap (best of it's class by most accounts, by a large margin) and yet you say "most"? Just call it what it is. It's basically Berkley sucking as far as build quality. 1 Quote
Super User BrianMDTX Posted June 15, 2020 Super User Posted June 15, 2020 You can get a Fenwick HMX for $79.95 or $79.99 from a few places online. Darned shame this wasn’t asked a few weeks ago. Sportsman’s Guide had them for $53.99 on sale. I bought a 7’ MF casting and a 6’ 6” MF spinning rod. Too good a deal to pass up. Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted June 15, 2020 Super User Posted June 15, 2020 4 minutes ago, Glaucus said: Eagles are great and Lightnings are poorly built, and nobody says Aird-X rods are cheap (best of it's class by most accounts, by a large margin) and yet you say "most"? Just call it what it is. It's basically Berkley sucking as far as build quality. Preach it brother! I will re-iterate what I've said elsewhere. Aird-X fishes well above it's price-point. I've got four now of ten rigs. I have one other rod I might want to upgrade, and I'm still looking at an Aird-X to replace it. 1 Quote
kayaking_kev Posted June 15, 2020 Posted June 15, 2020 On 6/13/2020 at 11:17 AM, NYWayfarer said: Kastking Perigee II Lew’s Laser SG1 Lew’s Hank Parker Speed Stick Great rods in that price range. I 2nd the Hank Parker Speed Stick for $40 from Walmart, I always recommend that one, great sensitivity for the price. 1 1 Quote
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