What do you want your rod to look like?

[Scott804]

What is your favorite rod aesthetically? Do you care how your rods look, or just care about performance? 

[Hulkster]

I like the looks too. 

 

for instance, I love the look of the IMX Pro rods. the black blank with the green trim is sharp. 

 

I hate the purple look of the older Mojo Bass rods. The new ones are almost black I think lol

 

with each new upgrade the Mojo's get less purple lol

[LrgmouthShad]

I like split cork but it’s not that big an issue. I have 4 iRods and they are EVA grips. I appreciate the rods themselves enough that grip doesn’t matter 

[gim]

I don’t care much what they look like as long as they aren’t neon or pink. All of mine are dark in color. The dark purple mojo doesn’t bother me either.

 

Really no preference on split grip cork or full cork. I own and use both.

[NorthernBasser]

Feel/performance is #1, by a wiiiide margin. But yeah, it's a bonus if the rod looks nice. Especially with the cost of some of these rods nowadays.

 

The Shimano Expride B may be my favorite rod. It's a great performing rod but it's also an absolute beauty. Very simple, yet classy. 

[WRB]

I like understated and over preforming rods and reels.

Tom

[bulldog1935]

these look right

[SproDD79]

Sensitivity is the priority,  I second NorthernBasser with the Expride B, they are a straight up winner for sure. I would add the Zodias to the list as well, I think they look great and I find them to be plenty sensitive. Honorable mention going to the Daiwa Rebllion spinning rods.

[Big Hands]

The opposite of this. 

 

Except for the cork. I like cork better than EVA.

[Columbia Craw]

[Catt]

Long, skinny, tapered on one end!

 

I don't care as long as it doesn't have EVA grips. I do like a "split" reel seat like this.

 

[djhands]

I really like the looks of my megabass arms and also my hedgehog stinger 

[padlin]

Scuffed up shows I use them a lot, like my canoe, I’m good with that. I do like dark colors and cork, and I do occasional clean the cork.

[galyonj]

Black on black on black. Goes with everything, easy to accessorize around.

[Mobasser]

I like straight cork grips. Understated, traditional colors on rods.

[Darth-Baiter]

Kayak fishing is fairly brutal on rods and reels.  They all end up looking kids tattered anyways.  Performance over rides all.   My combos don’t need to match.  Whatever.  
having said that, I avoid white rods. They gets too nasty looking.  Yuck. 

[bulldog1935]

naah, there's nothing brutal about kayak fishing - how you take care of your tackle is a choice.  

 

 

@MN Fisher yes, form follows function, and buying for function and build quality, you may get the form.  Since you have it, you can match it.  

[MN Fisher]

Performance above all - looks definitely secondary.

 

Of course saying that, there are visuals that turn me off - bright colors, tie-dyed reels...nope...don't care how well they perform, they cause eye strain for me.

[Dwight Hottle]

I like the look of unsanded blanks & carbon fiber handles. Simple but understated. 

[TOXIC]

I want performance and durability.  The amount of time some guys spend in safeguarding their rods and reels, placing them on deck, putting them in sleeves, transporting them, etc., is too much of a mind bender for me.  I don’t abuse my gear but to me it’s more of a tool than a fashion statement.  I have a Ned rod that I had to do an on the water tip repair and I was fully intending to fix it properly but I have yet to get to it.  I reaffixed the tip that pulled out of the wrapping with some braided line and super glue.  Looks terrible but fishes just a good.?

[king fisher]

I like the way my rods look when giant bass have them bent almost to the point of breaking. 

[Bankc]

Anything but camo.  Especially those neon camo colors.  Not that I hate camo in general, it just makes no sense on a fishing rod.  Kind of like a giant spoiler on the back of a FWD car.  Outside of that, I don't even care about cork vs. EVA grips.  All I really care about is performance and price.

 

Though, I will say, I do give a few bonus points to rods with a bit of cork or foam in front of the reel seat.  I have few rods that just have threads there, and they're a bit uncomfortable.  Not a deal breaker, but it does make a difference.  

[Darth-Baiter]

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

naah, there's nothing brutal about kayak fishing - how you take care of your tackle is a choice.  

 

 

@MN Fisher yes, form follows function, and buying for function and build quality, you may get the form.  Since you have it, you can match it.  

  okay, Mr. "Paints with a wide brush".     

[FishTank]

Performance first. When it come to getting both performance and looks, I like Megabass Valkyrie or the Evoluzion.  The Valkyrie to me is one of best looking rods out there. It's not NRX sensitive but it brings in the fish. Plus if I just want to take one rod, the 7'1" H will fish just about anything from 3/8 - 2oz. 

[roadwarrior]

There is no reason to sacrifice beauty for performance.

CTS, St Croix, G.Loomis, Batson, Lamiglas and Megabass are some of the rods I like.

 

https://ctsfishing.com/about/