What technique should be your best rod

[Functional]

i went on a kick of finding sensitive rods under $300 for jig/trigs/shaky heads and found out that with casting I can get away with a $130-140 rod and the right line (mono or floro) without feeling like I'm losing any sensitivity. With Spinning where I cant keep a finger on the line during even a slow retrieve I found a more costly and sensitive rod matters more.

 

Likewise, moving bait and topwater I can get away with $100 rods.

 

I choose more expensive (typically) to save weight, better balance (usually) and get some of the handle configurations I prefer for the technique I'll be using them for. I prefer some type of cork or EVA (still prefer cork) at the top reel seat and a lot of lower cost options that fit my power/action/length requirements dont have that and push me into a higher end rod. You also get some nicer cork compared to some low cost options that are just cork wrapped. 

 

If I was on a budget and I could only spend good money on one rod it would be a spinning bottom contact followed by a casting bottom contact that I could use for jerkbaits also. Anything else I feel I could live with less costly rods. 

 

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

On 12/26/2022 at 10:27 AM, Darth-Baiter said:

  I think in general, light equals more money.

 

 

On 12/26/2022 at 10:31 AM, ETnbasser said:

Thanks RW Exactly!!! I feel like the best thing expensive rods is weight, or lack thereof.

 

On 12/26/2022 at 10:32 AM, Deleted account said:

 Sure, a lot of higher end rods are geared towards increased sensitivity and lighter weight, 

 

On 12/26/2022 at 10:41 AM, Darth-Baiter said:

the perfect rod for $50..anyone would buy it.  that is the obvious thing.

 

but like golf clubs and mountain bikes...lightweight costs more money.  

 

 

 

18 hours ago, ETnbasser said:

True, but it’s not necessarily about sensitivity alone, light weight rods are typically more expensive 

 

5 hours ago, Catt said:

 

 

Expensive doesn't necessarily equate to light weight or sensitivity.

 

 

My thought, reading through this thread for the first time, was finally mentioned with Catt's post. Expensive actually doesnt correlate to light  weight.

There are many $150-$200 rods that weigh in less than the high end $500-$600 offerings based off actual weights listed by end users. Quantum Smoke, Okuma Helios, Phenix Feather, Powell Enduance, St Croix Victory. Many of these are in the 3.2-3.5oz range for 7' medium to medium heavy powered rods. 

Ive tried and tried to find a lighter better balanced rod with equal power and length to my favorite rod (cost $150) but cant even in the high-end range of rods.

Its just great marketing that gets people duped into believing the more you pay the lighter you get.

[Skunkmaster-k]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

And interpretation!

 

Many newbies struggle interpreting what they're feeling. 

That’s a good point. I thought my first bass was a minnow bag half full of mud. She held on to my worm till we looked at each other 10 foot from the bank 

[Aaron_H]

6 hours ago, Catt said:

My personal opinion sensitivity has more to do with who is holding the rod. 

 

Well my mom always said I was a sensitive kid.

[Darth-Baiter]

1 hour ago, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

 

 

 

 

 

My thought, reading through this thread for the first time, was finally mentioned with Catt's post. Expensive actually doesnt correlate to light  weight.

There are many $150-$200 rods that weigh in less than the high end $500-$600 offerings based off actual weights listed by end users. Quantum Smoke, Okuma Helios, Phenix Feather, Powell Enduance, St Croix Victory. Many of these are in the 3.2-3.5oz range for 7' medium to medium heavy powered rods. 

Ive tried and tried to find a lighter better balanced rod with equal power and length to my favorite rod (cost $150) but cant even in the high-end range of rods.

Its just great marketing that gets people duped into believing the more you pay the lighter you get.

I do admit, I wasn't committed to this discussion to quote so many responses.    wow!!

 

it was just a thought of how I imagined things "in general".  not in absolutes.  my personal financial budgets govern more than anything else, and what I consider high end is not the same for everyone.  

[Deleted account]

47 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

 

Well my mom always said I was a sensitive kid.

So were they dolls or action figures?..

[Lucky6]

Arguably bottom contact is where higher end pays off the most in conventional bass fishing... But to each their own.

 

One of my most expensive setups is a Douglas Sky G Fly rod paired with a Lamson Force reel - 7.5 ounces fully loaded with Rio Tech. Trout line and articulates line finer than any other wand I have ever cast, while radiating sensitive sub surface strikes - mostly use this for trout but it is fun for wooly buggers to bass as well.

[JMac603]

For me I want to have my nicest setup be my finesse setup. I'm biased here as I truly love finesse fishing, but there is an argument to be had here. Throwing a small tube or a ned, they can pick them up and spit em fast. Also they can suck em down and get gut hooked really easily if you're not feeling everything. It's rare that I throw heavy jigs or t-rigs but when I do, I don't need a super sensitive rod so generalizing and saying "all bottom contact presentations need a sensitive rod" doesn't apply for me. 

 

[WIGuide]

One thing to keep in mind, it's fishing....there are no hard right or wrongs, but rather what works for you. It's your money, and spend it where you see fit. 

 

Personally, my higher end rods are more bottom contact related. I feel I get more out of the added sensitivity, but if there are techniques you fish a lot more than others, there's nothing wrong with sticking money there either. If I only used one technique 50% or more of the time, I'm not going to drop a ton of money on something that rarely gets used unless I have some sort of unlimited budget. 

[Revival]

12 hours ago, JMac603 said:

For me I want to have my nicest setup be my finesse setup. I'm biased here as I truly love finesse fishing, but there is an argument to be had here. Throwing a small tube or a ned, they can pick them up and spit em fast. Also they can suck em down and get gut hooked really easily if you're not feeling everything. It's rare that I throw heavy jigs or t-rigs but when I do, I don't need a super sensitive rod so generalizing and saying "all bottom contact presentations need a sensitive rod" doesn't apply for me. 

 

Although finesse presentations, wouldn’t tubes and Ned rigs still be in the bottom contact category?

[Scud_Muffin]

The whole point of spending money on a rod is enjoyment in using it and thus excitement about fishing. When I love something I just love it. Why do I need a reason more than that to spend on enjoyment? 

[TnRiver46]

I only use one technique haha. I use fiberglass 6’6” spinning rods that cost $13-$15 most of the time 

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

4 hours ago, Revival said:

Although finesse presentations, wouldn’t tubes and Ned rigs still be in the bottom contact category?

The point to the ned rig is the less you feel the lure the more you catch.

[flyfisher]

Whatever you feel like spending it on really.  For me I gotta find the balance between cost and performance and how I like to fish.  My "best" conventional set ups are my jig and weightless soft plastics rod because I like to fish those the most.  My "best" fly rod is my 7wt that when I got it was well over a grand all in but it is the best rod I have casted for its purpose.  

[JMac603]

10 hours ago, Revival said:

Although finesse presentations, wouldn’t tubes and Ned rigs still be in the bottom contact category?

They are. I tried to be clear in saying I don't need sensitivity with all bottom contact but invest in better equipment so I can feel as much as possible with finesse presentations. Speaking only for me. What I mean is I want sensitivity when I throw finesse but don't look for sensitivity when throwing heavier bottom baits. Not all bottom contact baits are equal in need for sensitivity in my book. 

 

6 hours ago, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

The point to the ned rig is the less you feel the lure the more you catch.

And again, it's all preference. Some guys like short rods for ned rigs...I prefer a longer rod for em. Just like I prefer to feel everything. I hate performing surgery on a fish to get a 1/32 jig out of their gut. 

[Deleted account]

9 hours ago, Scud_Muffin said:

The whole point of spending money on a rod is enjoyment in using it and thus excitement about fishing. When I love something I just love it. Why do I need a reason more than that to spend on enjoyment? 

You don't, but then you are just chasing a state of mind, me, I chase fish, and purchasing and owning equipment is just a mean to that end. I don't think of my Calais or Calcuttas any differently than one of my Mettles or Black Max. 

[TNBankFishing]

On 12/26/2022 at 11:12 AM, ETnbasser said:

I was involved in a conversation this weekend regarding what technique should be your absolute best/most expensive rod. I was completely shutdown when I suggested it should be the technique that you a) fish most frequently and b) enjoy the most. The general consensus was it should ALWAYS be bottom contact!! I said “ what if I don’t fish jigs or t-rig as much?” They said doesn’t matter, should still be your best rod hands down. I had to walk away on that note. I always see statements in forums saying “don’t spend money on a spinnerbait rod, or a topwater rod, or jerkbait etc” Well if one fished one of these techniques 70% of the time because one enjoyed it why shouldn’t they get the best rod they could for that technique? 
So, what technique is YOUR best rod? Not interested in what specific rod, but what technique. 
Most of my rods are approximately the same cost but I am looking into higher end for spinnerbaits, topwater and crankbaits because that’s what I fish most. 
 

My topwater and jb rods are $400+ because they are light and balance well.  
 

Gear price doesn’t matter all to much once you’re above the $50 dollar mark. The diminished returns on a $600 stick compared to a $200 one is often hard to justify. 
 

I have an enthusiast mindset where I buy and sell a lot of high end gear each year as I try new brands or models. Very few rods are “untouchable”, but the ones I do tend to keep long term are often $300+. 

[Buzzbaiter]

3 hours ago, JMac603 said:

Just like I prefer to feel everything. I hate performing surgery on a fish to get a 1/32 jig out of their gut.

With Neds I tend to watch my line more than actually feel the bites. Same with stickbaits and dropshots (to a slightly lesser degree). I let the line be my bobber. I haven’t had many issues detecting strikes or having fish swallow the hook

[Bankc]

Everyone has different preferences, different approaches, and different needs.  There's no one right answer that applies to everyone.  

But if I had to make a broad statement that would best suite the most amount of people, I would say that the bottom contact rod should be your best quality rod.  

[Fishin Dad]

On 12/27/2022 at 1:07 PM, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

 

 

 

 

 

My thought, reading through this thread for the first time, was finally mentioned with Catt's post. Expensive actually doesnt correlate to light  weight.

There are many $150-$200 rods that weigh in less than the high end $500-$600 offerings based off actual weights listed by end users. Quantum Smoke, Okuma Helios, Phenix Feather, Powell Enduance, St Croix Victory. Many of these are in the 3.2-3.5oz range for 7' medium to medium heavy powered rods. 

Ive tried and tried to find a lighter better balanced rod with equal power and length to my favorite rod (cost $150) but cant even in the high-end range of rods.

Its just great marketing that gets people duped into believing the more you pay the lighter you get.

Hey Quake, just curious what your favorite rod is?   I agree, you can find great balanced and light rods in that $150 range.  

[LrgmouthShad]

On 12/27/2022 at 3:46 PM, Deleted account said:

So were they dolls or action figures?..

I always preferred bionicles

 

 

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

11 hours ago, Fishin Dad said:

Hey Quake, just curious what your favorite rod is?   I agree, you can find great balanced and light rods in that $150 range.

The first gen Quantum Smoke rod specifically 7' medium fast. The new smoke rods arent the same

[Fishin Dad]

2 hours ago, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

The first gen Quantum Smoke rod specifically 7' medium fast. The new smoke rods arent the same

I have heard that from others too.  Thanks.  There are some gems out there that aren’t $500.   

[DanielG]

There are some of us out here who have one spinning and casting setup that is sort of as generic as we can get it. We used to use bamboo poles as kids (Ya, I'm that old) and what we have now is nirvana in comparison. Purely recreational fishermen and by that I mean it's an activity but not an obsession. I'm trying to think of some activity that some people do that is like how some people fish and can't currently come up with anything. Like having two dozen fishing rods and 300 lures, many that have never gotten wet but the entire thing is taken on the boat each time. Very interesting to see and read about this here.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

On 1/3/2023 at 9:40 AM, DanielG said:

There are some of us out here who have one spinning and casting setup that is sort of as generic as we can get it. We used to use bamboo poles as kids (Ya, I'm that old) and what we have now is nirvana in comparison. Purely recreational fishermen and by that I mean it's an activity but not an obsession. I'm trying to think of some activity that some people do that is like how some people fish and can't currently come up with anything. Like having two dozen fishing rods and 300 lures, many that have never gotten wet but the entire thing is taken on the boat each time. Very interesting to see and read about this here.

Radio control be it cars monster trucks airplanes heli drones boats. You can have them just for fun in the yard/lake/air or go full competitive racing. You can have one or some have hundreds. You can upgrade them with pretty parts to make "shelf queens" basically a static model that never gets used for fear of it getting scratched.