New Falcon Cara coming soon.

[dodgeguy]

Here ya go. Merry Christmas !!! Per Jason Christe on Facebook.

[Jig Man]

Direct from China?

[dodgeguy]

Don't know. Most rods are made there anyway. I would prefer made in USA.

[Jig Man]

They used to be made in Arkansas, but I was told they switched to China.  

[dodgeguy]

We were also told they weren't going to. Make them anymore.

[Tywithay]

I've seen no mention of made in the USA anywhere and I imagine it would be advertised if they were. I hate those tiny nubs on the butt. Horrible for two handed casting. 

[jimmyjoe]

1 hour ago, dodgeguy said:

I would prefer made in USA.

 

   ^^^^^ This ^^^^^   Absolutely.      jj

[jbrew73]

I love when people type from their presumably China made devices about not buying China made goods.       Come on people we would prefer if all items were made in the USA but they aren’t .  Get off your high horse and fish.

[zell_pop1]

1 hour ago, jbrew73 said:

I love when people type from their presumably China made devices about not buying China made goods.       Come on people we would prefer if all items were made in the USA but they aren’t .  Get off your high horse and fish.

Asian companies can make their products in Asia,  i do not expect Daiwa or Shimano to be US made.

US companies should be made in the US. I bet the price of the Cara is close to if not the same as the US manufactured ones. I will just buy St Croix instead.

[jimmyjoe]

2 hours ago, jbrew73 said:

I love when people type from their presumably China made devices about not buying China made goods.       Come on people we would prefer if all items were made in the USA but they aren’t .  Get off your high horse and fish.

 

   Not a high horse at all. If a dog bites you on one leg, are you going to give him the other leg, too? I would rather resist something undesirable rather than just totally give in to it. But that's just me.       jj

[dodgeguy]

1 hour ago, zell_pop1 said:

Asian companies can make their products in Asia,  i do not expect Daiwa or Shimano to be US made.

US companies should be made in the US. I bet the price of the Cara is close to if not the same as the US manufactured ones. I will just buy St Croix instead.

Who makes rods in Mexico. LOL !!! 

[zell_pop1]

I do not buy the ones made in Mexico, but at least that is a St Croix owned and operated factory unlike Falcon or Fenwick or All Star that is  just a Communist Chinese blank with an American name.

Now if all you can afford is a Fenwick Eagle/Daiwa Aird type rod then fine. 

[fishindad]

15 hours ago, jbrew73 said:

I love when people type from their presumably China made devices about not buying China made goods.       Come on people we would prefer if all items were made in the USA but they aren’t .  Get off your high horse and fish.

Relax. No ones on their high horse. It's not like people have a choice when it comes to phones since none are made in the US ? and the same goes for computers/laptops although not all are made in China. People can make all the excuses they want to buy rods from China but as long as there's still companies producing rods here in the US, there's nothing wrong with folks going out of their way to support them.

[dodgeguy]

12 hours ago, zell_pop1 said:

I do not buy the ones made in Mexico, but at least that is a St Croix owned and operated factory unlike Falcon or Fenwick or All Star that is  just a Communist Chinese blank with an American name.

Now if all you can afford is a Fenwick Eagle/Daiwa Aird type rod then fine. 

As far as I know Falcon owns their own factories. I could be wrong but I don't think so. As far as I know they manufacture their own blanks.

[GReb]

I’ll be buying several assuming they will be in the $250 range. I’ve been really impressed with the Expert line made overseas and won’t hesitate to buy a Chinese Cara too. 
 

I find it funny everyone here bashes Falcon for their Chinese rods but rave about Dobyns

[NOC 1]

1 hour ago, dodgeguy said:

As far as I know Falcon owns their own factories. I could be wrong but I don't think so. As far as I know they manufacture their own blanks.

IIRC they used to make their rods in the US using ARK blanks also made in the US. Now, I believe they are making them in the US from Chinese blanks as ARK no longer sells blanks. 

 

The problem is that there are very few companies making good blanks in the USA and even fewer who sell those blanks in any kind of quantity. In fact, at this point, I can't think of any that do.

 

So, I'll ask all those who are so against the foreign suppliers, where would you suggest that smaller companies like Falcon buy blanks? Or, is it just tough luck for small American companies like them?

[jimmyjoe]

5 hours ago, NOC 1 said:

I'll ask all those who are so against the foreign suppliers, where would you suggest that smaller companies like Falcon buy blanks? Or, is it just tough luck for small American companies like them?

 

 

   I really don't know what the total palette of options were for Falcon. I don't know whether they could have made an acquisition, or cut a deal with some other entity, or what.

   Probably, all of you don't know those details either.

   And I admit that in this business atmosphere, it was probably a sink-or-swim situation.

 

 

 

  

[Columbia Craw]

I had a Falcon Low Rider and Cara several years ago and they were very good rods.  One more option for anglers.

[NOC 1]

5 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

   I really don't know what the total palette of options were for Falcon. I don't know whether they could have made an acquisition, or cut a deal with some other entity, or what.

   Probably, all of you don't know those details either.

   And I admit that in this business atmosphere, it was probably a sink-or-swim situation.

 

I don't think that you have to know specifically what Falcon's options are or were. They are about the same as just about everyone else's that are trying to make rods in the US. I say that because unless you are St. Croix, or TFC, you really don't have many options aside from an inconsistent supply of various spec blanks from several companies.

 

St.Croix stopped selling their blanks wholesale. TFC keeps taking orders but reportedly aren't actually delivering the rods in any predictable way. There are a few other smaller companies making blanks in the US but they are focused on selling small retail to builders. How would a small outfit like Falcon acquire a rod rolling company to begin with unless they buy one in Viet Nam or China. That is do-able for Shimano or Diawa but not for a tiny American company. That is the point...there is hardly anyone making rods here in the USA and most of what few there were are either gone or failing.

 

Boycotting small American companies that have no choice or say in the matter won't fix the problem. If you want to boycott, maybe you should be boycotting the huge multi-corporations that are behind the global economy. They like it because it benefits them and they don't give a rat's rear end whether guys like us buy Falcon rods or not. Maybe you should be boycotting Apple, Chevrolet, Amazon, Pet, Nestles, GE, Con-Agra and etc.

 

Maybe, and it's a big maybe, some of this could be turned around if people voted for politicians who are for American manufacturing, but that is a long-shot at best. Nations have become pretty much powerless against the global corporations. Which of course, is one the things that multinationals like best about the global economy.

[swhit140]

 

20 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

Who makes rods in Mexico. LOL !!! 

I think St Croix Bass X rods are from Mexico if I remember correctly. That was the worst rod I've felt in hand. 

 

[gim]

9 minutes ago, swhit140 said:

 

I think St Croix Bass X rods are from Mexico if I remember correctly. That was the worst rod I've felt in hand. 

 

Their mojo series are also made in Mexico. The triumph series are made in China I think.

[jimmyjoe]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

The triumph series are made in China I think.

   Mexico.

[GReb]

I’ve sold all of my St Croix rods. The LTB is a fine stick but I prefer other brands that sell for much less. I’m sure their top of the line Legends are wonderful but we’re talking $400-650. If that’s the price for a great USA made rod then most people are out. 
 

The NFC rods I own are also fine. I like my falcons better though. I’ll continue experimenting as I like trying new equipment. Cashion is on my radar

[NOC 1]

2 hours ago, GReb said:

I’ve sold all of my St Croix rods. The LTB is a fine stick but I prefer other brands that sell for much less. I’m sure their top of the line Legends are wonderful but we’re talking $400-650. If that’s the price for a great USA made rod then most people are out. 
 

The NFC rods I own are also fine. I like my falcons better though. I’ll continue experimenting as I like trying new equipment. Cashion is on my radar

I tried to like the St Croix rods. I bought 2 LTB rods and really don't care much for them. They are built well, finished nice and use good materials and all that but they just don't feel good to me. They seem kind of lifeless, thick and stiff, and tip heavy. I think they are quality rods, but not at all my style.

 

Maybe the the Legends ARE great rods, but I've already spent almost $600 on St.Croix and am not too keen on spending $600 on another one on the chance that they are somehow a different style of rod. Not when I can spend that on a Steez rod or a Megabass and know that I'm going to like it...or half that on a Cara.

 

 

[TOwens]

On 7/25/2020 at 9:49 AM, Jig Man said:

They used to be made in Arkansas, but I was told they switched to China.  

The graphite blanks used in the Cara line were sourced from Arkansas(Mr. Loomis). They quit supplying them probably 2 years ago. This new line is from China. It’s probably a good rod but I would look at Cajun Rods. They offer a US made graphite shaft and each rod is tested prior to putting on your hardware to match based on the flex test. I’ve got the old Cara and a Cajun road and I choose the Cajun road. It has great distance and control