Recommendations for ultralight spinning rod<$ 100.00

[Randy Price]

Like the title says I'm looking for an affordable ultralight spinning rod for bluegill/crappie fishing.  TIA.  Randy 

[MN Fisher]

Two I use and am very happy with for crappie hunting

Okuma Celilo - about $50

Daiwa Procyon - about $80

[Eric 26]

I’ve been using 2 BPS panfish elite rods. A 6’-8” ultralight and a 7’2” light powered version. They have Fuji reel seats and Fuji guides, they’re priced at $79.99 but maybe they’ll be on sale this weekend. They also come in a good selection of lengths and power in my opinion.

[thunderblack]

Lamiglas X11 7' UL is a killer rod. 

[Randy Price]

Just now, Eric 26 said:

I’ve been using 2 BPS panfish elite rods. A 6’-8” ultralight and a 7’2” light powered version. They have Fuji reel seats and Fuji guides, they’re priced at $79.99 but maybe they’ll be on sale this weekend. They also come in a good selection of lengths and power in my opinion.

@Eric 26, which do you prefer the ultralight or light powered?

[galyonj]

21 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Two I use and am very happy with for crappie hunting

Okuma Celilo - about $50

Daiwa Procyon - about $80

 

? I've got a couple Celilos and really like them.

[JustJames]

What lure or weight do you plan for bluegill and how big are crappies in your area?

Now affordable some of nice UL JDM are under 100, you will have to know which one and where to buy.

I love my 4 pieces Daiwa Presso 5’6 UL for both spices. It cast 1/64oz trout magnet and can handle 12” crappie with lot of fun. 

 

[bulldog1935]

The traditional American UL is a short para taper.  It has a fast tip, flexy through the mid and butt, and narrow lure weight range. 

The longer rods they're making now are progressive taper, with more fish-turning power in the butt, softer tip, and if you can find one with a fast mid, will get the widest lure weight range and longest cast distance with light lures. 

Been doing this for awhile, fishing Japanese Rockfish rods more than a decade. 

[Eric 26]

1 hour ago, Randy Price said:

@Eric 26, which do you prefer the ultralight or light powered?

I know this is so cliché but I enjoy both equally, with that said if I were to only keep one it would be the light powered rod. I prefer a slightly faster rod, but with that said it’s still a panfish rod. Both are capable of and have thrown three of my favorite panfish/dink bass lures equally well which are Northlands slurpy pre rigged boot tail (1/32 oz), an inline spinner (1/32oz) and a favorite of mine the Creme mini rattle traps, not sure about the weight on these. I use 4 pound monofilament on both rods and both protect the line equally well, in fact I was using the light powered rod a couple trips ago and hooked into what in my estimation to be a couple pound largemouth and the rod handled her well until she was able to spit the ultra tiny treble hook. Sorry for the long winded response but I hope it’s helpful. PS here’s one of my dinks on the aforementioned inline spinner?

[the reel ess]

Are you looking for extreme sensitivity? You can buy UL rods for around $20-30 at BPS/Cabela's or Academy. These come to mind. You'd probably prefer a faster action for bass than you would for crappie and bream. I find that a moderate action allows the bass to shake the lure faster than the rod can react. They make slack in the line this way. Many times I've fought a good bass for a long time while it took drag only to lose it.

 

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-micro-lite-glass-spinning-rod

[the reel ess]

@Eric 26 I agree that a light is the better compromise if you're after everything from bluegill to bass. It suffices from the creek to the lake.

 

[mrpao]

I have multiple ultralight and light rods from different manufacturers. I have pretty much just been finesse and ultralight fishing for the past two years. I hardly pick up my casting setups anymore.

For the money i would suggest the kuying teton. There are several different models to choose from and probably one to match what u are looking for. 

I have the 6'4" ultralight and the 6'6" light model. Both are great rods. The 6'4" ul model is a little whippy but not too bad. The 6'6" is a nice fast action rod. 

My other rods i can compare the kuying teton to are Daiwa procyon 7' light, daiwa presso 6', 6'6, 7'. 13 fishing omen panfish 6'9, okuma celilo 6', 6'6".

Daiwa spinmatic 6' ultralight, rapala 6'6" extreme ultralight. Shimano PA 6'10 ULM, Shakespeare micro light 5'.

Plus probably more. 

For the money i feel the kuying's are a great rod. Plus you can buy them with an extra tip, in case one breaks.

 

[QED]

Daiwa Presso UL. Very light in weight as well and many length options.

https://daiwa.us/products/presso-ultralight-rods

[VolFan]

+1 on the Celilo if you’re just wanting a solid panfish rod for a lower price point.

[Randy Price]

Thanks guys for all the replies.  Now I just have to see what's available locally.  A few shops are really low on rods at the moment.

[N.Y. Yankee]

People will laugh me out for this but I have a 7' Ugly Stick UL. The second gen with the cork grips. It's a fantastic rod. I think they still make that model. I got mine at Wally world for 49 bucks.

[papajoe222]

I have a BPS Micro Lite that I've been using for years. It handles a wide range of baits up to 1/4oz. and I believe it is still offered.  Very sensitive and the cork is still like new.

 

I just checked their site and it is still offered in different lengths. The 6ft. graphite version is $59

[islandbass]

On 8/30/2022 at 6:35 AM, MN Fisher said:

Two I use and am very happy with for crappie hunting

Okuma Celilo - about $50

Daiwa Procyon - about $80

That okuma is a solid choice and I love mine. I have the 7’ model and if I’m not mistaken they can range between 6’ - 8’. 
 

I totally second MN’ okuma recommendation. 

[MN Fisher]

11 minutes ago, islandbass said:

That okuma is a solid choice and I love mine. I have the 7’ model and if I’m not mistaken they can range between 6’ - 8’. 

Ya, I have the 702L and the 762UL

 

4'6" to 8'6" is the length range.

[islandbass]

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya, I have the 702L and the 762UL

 

4'6" to 8'6" is the length range.

Thanks! I wasn’t even close, lol.

[JMac603]

Late to the game here - I love my TFO trout-panfish rod. $99. I prefer longer rods so I have the 7' light which fishes more like an UL to me. Caught a 2 1/2lb Pickerel on it on 2lb test...such a fun fight. 

[CrashVector]

On 8/30/2022 at 8:30 AM, Randy Price said:

Like the title says I'm looking for an affordable ultralight spinning rod for bluegill/crappie fishing.  TIA.  Randy 

 

 

I bought a Pflueger Trion combo from bps.  I LOVE that thing.  So much so that I went and bought a second one in medium light.

 

Now, in my kayak panfishing, I have both.  For $70, they can't be beat imo.

 

They're both graphite, so I can feel a light crappie bite on either one.

 

I caught a 7lb bowfin on the medium light a week ago.  

 

I tend to use the UL for jigs/small beetlespins, and the ML for corks/spoons.

 

If I had to pick, I'd say I have more fun with the UL.

 

[Dreveal]

I would add another vote for TFO rods. I have a 7' and 6'6" (2 piece). Really like them both.

[Chet C]

Wally Marshall Speedshooter

[Eric 26]

@Randy Price curious to know if you ever picked up the ultralight, if so what did you get? Sorry if I missed a post saying so already.