Grades of graphite rods

[jbmaine]

Hi, I'm looking to pick up a new spinning rod and have been thinking about the shimano Crucial, compre, or clarus. It seems the only big differance between them is the grade of graphite used. The more $$ you want to spend the higher the "IM" is. I don't have any place around here to go and feel hands on what the differance is so I was wondering if any of you could give me your opinion on the advantage of higher grade graphite. Like many, I'm on a budget and don't want to spend more than I have to, but will if it's worth it. I'm looking to use this rod as a general purpose rod, to throw a little bit of everything.

Thanks for your input.

JB

[Maxximus Redneckus]

The more u go up the lighter and more sensitive the rod will be and also more brittle i own the clarus in 5 diff models i use it for multi purpose  1 spinning rod and  4 bait-casters i can handle any lures for bass fishing with these ...And these have a lifetime warrenty even the 40 dollar convergance wich is also a great multipurpose ...

[Cephkiller]

the_Conceited_ReDnEcK is correct.  If you like to fish sot plastics or jigs, the higher dollar rods are well worth it.  If you are throwing topwater, spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, etc. (i.e. reaction type baits) then then less so.

[DRat]

There is a huge differance in rods. Most high end  makers have thier own blend of resins and graphite. I up graded to Loomis IMX rods about a year ago. ( yes it costed me some extra overtime at work)( one day maybe I can go up to GLX) Now I will never use anything  but them. I was amazed.  You really do get what you pay for.

[Garnet]

I have owned every grade of rods from $25 to $800 customs.

I also get the deal on any grade rod and reels.

And cost is not really a factor if it's what I need to win.

I use Clarus  Spinning css 66x and css68x for a little meater stick with 2000 or 2500 reels except for tube dragging then it's a 4000 reel.

I also own clarus 6,66 and 6-10 baitcasters.

Garnet

[jbmaine]

Thanks everyone for the responce. At this point It seems that the less expensive rod would do me, especially for  general purpose use.

                                            Thanks again

                                                             JB

[Hot n Tot]

Thanks everyone for the responce. At this point It seems that the less expensive rod would do me, especially for general purpose use.

                                          Thanks again

It's up to you and your wallet. High end rods are much more enjoyable to fish with. Compare a GLX to a mid-range shimano rod, and you will quickly feel a significant difference. If you are happy with  lower to mid-range rods, more power to you. But once you fish a Loomis GLX or St. Croix Legend Elite, you won't want to lay them down. I have GL3s and Premiers I don't use much because I'm getting spoiled with the high end stuff. If you are happy fishing cheaper gear, like I said more power to you :                                          

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Thanks everyone for the responce. At this point It seems that the less expensive rod would do me, especially for general purpose use.

                                          Thanks again

It's up to you and your wallet. High end rods are much more enjoyable to fish with. Compare a GLX to a mid-range shimano rod, and you will quickly feel a significant difference. If you are happy with lower to mid-range rods, more power to you. But once you fish a Loomis GLX or St. Croix Legend Elite, you won't want to lay them down. I have GL3s and Premiers I don't use much because I'm getting spoiled with the high end stuff. If you are happy fishing cheaper gear, like I said more power to you :                                          

Some of the Cheap gear has a better warranty then the high end stuff and a lot of it is more durable also. High end to me only means lighter and lighter = brittle.dont get me wrong when im wormin or jig fishing i like a lighter rod too but other then that i can do everything else with a reg grade rod IMO when it comes down to it a rod and reel weighing less then 7 oz together i prefer a ultra light spinning rod with 4 lb line .When im baitcasting i dont mind having a rod &reel weighing 12 to 15 oz together . Holding too light of a rod and reel makes me hold my arms the wrong way and they get fatigued.

[Raul]

Clarus rods are great deal for the money, yup they are not the most sensitive, they are not the lightest but for the applications I use mine they do a great gob, I know they are not going to break if I have to horse fish out of heavy woody cover and if they break ( something that hasn 't happened ) I just can go a purchase a new one knowing it 's not going to cost me an arm.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I've said it once and I'll say it again.

High performance = High maitenance

Low end rods are great for durability and toughness.  Why, they contain more glass or other type of rigid material.  Thus gives it more weight.  

From Gary Loomis "I can build a rod that you cant break but you wont want to fish it"

Higher end rods are more pleasure to fish with.  Lighter, actions are usually better, and just overall better feel.  

I am not saying there are not good to great rods that are lesser in price because there are.  Warranty is one area that most companies can cheapen up the rod.  Put a 1 year warranty on something and that there can cut the price dramatically.  When buying a rod, boat, motor, roof, car, truck, house, what ever it is imo its worth a little more to pay for service after the sale.

here is one that I find odd.  Not to point anyone out or say there is something wrong with it.  Just to me it doesnt make sense

Truck  30-40k

boat   20-30k

motor 10-20k (maitenance per year) $500

All above is high performance

Fishing rods and reels maybe 1k

I just havent found out how to rationalize spending 50-75k for a fishing setup then going out and buying lesser equipment since that is what makes the fishing experience the best there is imo.  IMO nothing is worse then going out and having fishing equipment failures from cheap tackle.  

I look at high end as an investment.  Your rod might cost 200-300 dollars but will you need another one. Probably not.  Cheaper rods say 100  how often do we change our minds on them.  Oh this rods old and crappy 2-3 years later.  So you drop another 100 on another one and put the old one in the closet.  Up to 200+ tax.  2 years later I snap it in a car door.  Crap gotta go buy another 100 dollar rod.    You guys see where this is going.

Just my opinion though.

[jbmaine]

the higher end rods sound good, except for the "brittle" part. Any rod I use will be serving multible uses at this point. I can't afford to buy too many setups right now. Most of the lakes we fish have multible species in them so we may fish for bass in the AM then spend some time trolling for lake trout. Also, our gear bounces around in an aluminum boat ( not a bass boat). I didn't realize high end rods were easier to break, having found this out it seems better to stick with something like the clarus for now.

                                                                                   Thanks

                                                                                         JB

[Maxximus Redneckus]

the higher end rods sound good, except for the "brittle" part. Any rod I use will be serving multible uses at this point. I can't afford to buy too many setups right now. Most of the lakes we fish have multible species in them so we may fish for bass in the AM then spend some time trolling for lake trout. Also, our gear bounces around in an aluminum boat ( not a bass boat). I didn't realize high end rods were easier to break, having found this out it seems better to stick with something like the clarus for now.

                                                                                   Thanks

                                                                                         JB

 I have  quite a few of them and i put them through there paces never had one break but really nice to know if it does it has a over the counter LIFETIME warrenty and im only 30 mins away from a place that has shimano rods i just bring my broken one in and waaalaaaa  i got a brand new one, no questions asked!!!

[islandbass]

For Shimano Rods, there is a little more to the graphite used for each series. For the most part, the guides improve (ie, they get lighter and more more durable, per say)

Convergence - IM6, Fuji Aluminum Oxide Guides

Clarus - IM7, Fuji Aluminum Oxide Guides

Compre - IM8 Fuji Hard Loy Guides

Crucial - IM9 Fuji Alconite Guides

The rule of thumb is the higher the modulus, the less graphite is needed to create a rod with the same characteristics of a graphite of lesser modulus. This translates to a lighter rod of thinner diamemter and as a result, more sensitive. THe IM# in and of itself is meaningless. A rod made of IM6 by a good rod maker can still be a very sensitive rod.

I have been told that lighter guides contribute to a better overall feel and can enhance sensitivity, but to be honest with you, I think these weight differences are probably in grams and since I am not an expert, I am not certain I could really feel the difference.

I settled on a Clarus model after a lot of personal debating between it and a compre for my two-piece rod that will serve me as my trunk rod. It feels okay, but I'll tell you that my crucial feels way better. It's kind of hard to go backward! I am considering returning it for the 2-piece Compre, but the other side of the coin is that I don't know if I want an $89 rod kept in the trunk only to have it stolen. A $59 rod being stolen is far easier to swallow.

-ib

 

[Pa Angler]

Here's my .02, I use the BPS Johnny Morris spinning rods and I really like the action and sensitivity of these rods an excellent buy when on sale. One thing I've learned in life according to the human mind if it costs more it has to be better and I'm not saying all the high end rods mentioned here in this post aren't excellent rods buy keep in mind as far as marketing goes a brand name will add 25% to 40% more to the price for same quality of a no name you put a G Loomis name on a Johnny Morris rod and it's a $200+ rod and people will brag what great rod it is and that's a fact. The power of suggestion has an *** effect on the minds of the consumer. I have fished with my friend's GL and it's a great rod but the J. Morris rod was right there with it. I also have a St Croix rod an excellent rod in it's own right but the J. Morris stands right with it. Just my .02