Better backup combo for the money?

[plawren53202]

To date I've been a mainly bank angler. I usually carry 1 baitcaster and 2 spinning rods.  I'm going to start fishing buddy tournaments with a guy who has a boat, and also going to be doing some coangler dates on BFL or similar. I know that at the very least for starters, I need to have another BC because I've got to have at least two of each type of rod to account for disasters as well as have quick change options on the deck. Obviously I recognize that the ideal situation is to have several of each, but I'm at a point where the budget is tight and every last penny counts (especially if I'm going to be factoring in entry fees, sharing gas $ for the boat, etc.).

 

My jack of all trades BC  has been a Dobyns Fury MH/F and a Lew's Tournament MP. I like this combo a lot, and I'd love to just go out and pick up another one. Unfortunately the budget requires me to come in quite a bit lower than that. My ideal budget price point would be $120 for the combo, which I recognize is pretty low. 

 

I've tentatively landed on Academy options as the best quality at this price point: the H20 Xpress Ethos HD rod, again as a "jack of all trades" in MH/F, and an H20 Xpress Mettle M3. Even at regular price (I'm going to be starting this soon so I can't sit around and wait for sales) this gets me in at just over my budget, at about $130. I haven't used either of these but they seem to get good reviews and I liked the feel of them a lot in the store.

 

Anyone else have any suggestions for a similar balance of quality at my price point? I just want to make sure I'm not missing thinking of anything. And, please work off of regular prices because as I said I unfortunately don't have time to sit around and wait for a sale (which I did with my current BC combo, I got the Fury for $99 on sale and the MP for $99 on sale).

[PhishLI]

Go on ebay and grab a Quantum Icon PT for $50. Best budget buy for me in a long while. For real. Solid. Great caster and smooth. No complaints.

[JRingo]

Bass Pro - pro qualifier 2 is 119.00.   Might be good option for you.

[new2BC4bass]

8 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Go on ebay and grab a Quantum Icon PT for $50. Best budget buy for me in a long while. For real. Solid. Great caster and smooth. No complaints.

This and an Aird X.  Beats your $120 limit. 

[MN Fisher]

9 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Go on ebay and grab a Quantum Icon PT for $50. Best budget buy for me in a long while. For real. Solid. Great caster and smooth. No complaints.

 

23 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

This and an Aird X.  Beats your $120 limit. 

Personally - I'd go Pflueger President and Aird-X. I have this combo and it's been very good to me.

[garroyo130]

11 hours ago, plawren53202 said:

I've tentatively landed on Academy options as the best quality at this price point: the H20 Xpress Ethos HD rod, again as a "jack of all trades" in MH/F, and an H20 Xpress Mettle M3. Even at regular price (I'm going to be starting this soon so I can't sit around and wait for sales) this gets me in at just over my budget, at about $130. I haven't used either of these but they seem to get good reviews and I liked the feel of them a lot in the store.

Are you looking online or in-store at Academy? Ive noticed they frequently have their H2O rods on sale in-store only. I picked my Ethos HD up for $39 and change. 

[plawren53202]

55 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

Are you looking online or in-store at Academy? Ive noticed they frequently have their H2O rods on sale in-store only. I picked my Ethos HD up for $39 and change. 

Good suggestion...last time I was there a few weeks ago they were regular price, $69, but I'll be sure to check.

[garroyo130]

6 minutes ago, plawren53202 said:

Good suggestion...last time I was there a few weeks ago they were regular price, $69, but I'll be sure to check.

Not sure if you're scanning them or not but often they will have a tag with full price and nothing to indicate a discount until you scan it at one of those self scan stations. 

[plawren53202]

43 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

Not sure if you're scanning them or not but often they will have a tag with full price and nothing to indicate a discount until you scan it at one of those self scan stations. 

Well that's good to know. Definitely was not scanning the price but I will start!

[new2BC4bass]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

 

Personally - I'd go Pflueger President and Aird-X. I have this combo and it's been very good to me.

List:  $60 reel vs $120 reel.  Carbon frame vs aluminum frame.  Don't get me wrong.  I have a few Pflueger reels and think you get very good value for your money.  Mostly due to a family situation I have not been out with my Icon yet.  I have had a few conversations with PhishLI and that is why I got my Icon.  A review I read commented on how non-temperamental the reel is, and that he had treated it hard and was impressed with how well it held up.  Both mechanically and cosmetically.

 

You can get a right hand 7.0:1 for $50 from Walmart Online.  Even with tax this is a tad cheaper than what I paid.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

List:  $60 reel vs $120 reel.  Carbon frame vs aluminum frame. 

If you're heading into $100+ territory - Fuego CT or Pflueger Supreme. I have two Fuegos, and a Supreme on a MH/F Aird-X...which is my prime spinner/chatter/buzz/jig rig.

[new2BC4bass]

Sorry I wasn't very clear.  The Icon lists for $120, but can be found for $50 because it is being discontinued.  A quick search turned up a best price of $45 for the President.  Personally I'd opt for the $120 reel for the extra 5 bucks.  I love closeouts.  Got a Curado 51E for $98 shipped (list $200). 

 

My Daiwa reels outnumber every other brand I have so you won't get any flack from me for recommending one. 

[MN Fisher]

Good deal there - I got my Supreme 7.1 for $62 on Amazon. Just got to keep an eye out.

[new2BC4bass]

21 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Good deal there - I got my Supreme 7.1 for $62 on Amazon. Just got to keep an eye out.

  Pflueger had a nice sale about a year-and-a-half ago.  I believe it was $60 Supreme XT, $80 Patriarch and $100 Patriarch XT.  Basically 60% off list.

[MN Fisher]

Just now, new2BC4bass said:

  Pflueger had a nice sale about a year-and-a-half ago.  I believe it was $60 Supreme XT, $80 Patriarch and $100 Patriarch XT.  Basically 60% off list.

I check FFO occasionally...a couple months ago I wish I had the cash as they had a Patriarch for $105...non re-furb.

 

I did get my second Trion from there - for $19

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, new2BC4bass said:

Personally I'd opt for the $120 reel for the extra 5 bucks.

More than just the savings over retail I recommended the Icon PT for what you get. You get a gear train build that Shimano doesn't offer until the Curado K, or Daiwa until the Zillion. It's beefier than Lew's P2 reels because they do not include a second bearing above the ARB on the driveshaft. A plastic reel without any of those features wouldn't be my first choice.  None of that would matter if the Icon has poor fitment, but it's tightly built. No gaps between it's sideplates and frame, etc. I've been dragging high resistance billed wakes and swimbaits through tough terrain with mine for months and it's still very smooth. Just like the Fuego CT, if I only had a pile of Icon PTs I'd be just fine.

[NavyVet1204]

5 hours ago, JRingo said:

Bass Pro - pro qualifier 2 is 119.00.   Might be good option for you.

I got one of these in a combo with a an Abu Garcia Revo SX in 7.3:1 and absolutely love it and all for $159.99 at BPS.

[plawren53202]

16 minutes ago, Shimano_1 said:

Shimano slx combo for 139 i believe if you can swing that. Cant be beat in my opinion for the money.  200 combo new for 139 on alf

Thanks, I should have jumped all over that one (plus an additional 10% off code because I have never ordered from them) a few weeks ago when it first came out but this tournament opportunity hadn't come along yet. As of today unfortunately all they have are 7'5" and 7'10" H options and I really want to go with a MH for this. ☹️

[Shimano_1]

Understand that. I fish heavy action rods more than any other but if that doesn't suite you then definitely get what you want! Good luck!

[Koopster]

46 minutes ago, plawren53202 said:

Thanks, I should have jumped all over that one (plus an additional 10% off code because I have never ordered from them) a few weeks ago when it first came out but this tournament opportunity hadn't come along yet. As of today unfortunately all they have are 7'5" and 7'10" H options and I really want to go with a MH for this. ☹️

Since you've got a MH/F, having a heavy is a great option, especially a H/F.  As I've fished more and acquired more rods, If I had it to do over, I would have mixed up my rod variety a bit more.

 

For your 2 BC rods, having a MH and H is a great pair of rods, in my opinion.  You'll be happy you have a Heavy/Fast if you fish frogs or jigs in heavy cover.

[plawren53202]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm halfway there; I found a Daiwa Fuego CT on sale on Walmart's website for $79 so that's on its way to my local WM via free 2 day shipping. I'd had my eye on that reel for a while and that's $20 less than most places list it for, so I felt like that was a solid deal on a well-liked reel.

 

So that leaves the rod. I could still go up to $60-70 and be within the ballpark of where I needed to stay (hopefully I have enough spare line in the garage to spool it and don't have to buy a new spool LOL). Here are my contenders so far that are in that ballpark range, rods that I've heard good feedback on and seem to feel good in the store: H2O Xpress Ethos HD; Daiwa Aird-X; Shimano Sellus. Based on my good experience owning a Dobyns Fury I would include a Dobyns Colt in that list as well, though it doesn't seem to get the same love that the Fury does.