Does It Really Matter To You? 2024

buzzed bait reply :

i see a lot of discussion from guys about matching up colors of rods and reels and was just wondering how widespread that is? it never ever even once crosses my mind when building a set up. i am strictly concerned with performance/price and not about the matching part. just curious if you guys are that OCD about matching up colors or like me are you strictly concerned with performance?

thanks.

fishballer06 reply :

Not me.

rippin-lips reply :

I'm more performanced based but I do like it if the combo works well together. If I'm spending my money on it then I want to like everything about it and enjoy using it. That includes the color. It's not a total deal breaker if it doesn't though. However if I don't like how something looks I probably won't purchase it because once again it's my money and I want to enjoy it. Example I'll never buy a red or yellow vehicle. Even if it's a good price. So I guess for me it does play a part in my purchase it's just not my main concern.

A-Jay reply :

Totally a personal preference deal.

I think I'm sort of old school in that I look at my fishing gear as "tools"

So bright colors are generally a turn off for me.

Just like a bright Orange Hammer or a Green Crescent Wrench.

They'd work fine, but I just would not enjoy using them.

A-Jay

SDbassin reply :

I'm also more concerned about performance than looks. Even though when I played football, I was one of those guys that thought "the better you look, the better you play" but no so much with fishing. I just want something that performs well, and will keep performing long after I purchase it. I look for what will perform well for the way I fish, and what feels "right" in my hands

FloridaFishinFool reply :

Performance tools only.

Rod and reel decorating does not matter. Zero interest in it.

Mike2841 reply :

I'd prefer that they do match, but it's not a deal breaker

roadwarrior reply :

Absolutely!

I am even particular about the color coordination of the line.

The performance of my equipment is never in doubt. I expect

my gear to reflect my attention to detail which includes just

about everything.

K_Mac reply :

I don't give a rip about matching colors or colors in general when it comes to tackle (not including terminal tackle). If someone wants coordinated colors to match their fishing attire or anything else it is ok with me. Just don't try to explain it to me; I will not get it.

crankbank reply :

Performance based, if they happen to match colors- then cool. But I will not sacrifice a product of greater value because it won't look good with the matching rod/reel.

Alonerankin2 reply :

I guess color matters in many aspects, I like black, green, carbon or slate grey rods.. I absolutely abhor, white rods, orange, etc.. So in that aspect, Guilty as charged...

Hogsticker reply :

Both! Agree with Road Warrior 100%. Custom rods that match my reel and dress up parts. It makes me feel great! I wouldn't buy a rod or reel that does not perform to my expectations so that's a no brainer. Call me a nerd if you like, it won't remove the smile from my face. I've spent my money on worse things.

Blues19 reply :

I do like how some rods or reels look over others and I think some combos look cool together, but Its not the most important factor. Performance and comfort are tops for me, however if I need a tie breaker I may look at how a rod and reel look together. I have 2 Veriatas/Revo S combos that look pretty rad together, however I am considering switching some stuff around so they are not together.

One thing I really like about things like that are how they stand out in the rod box. A white rod and reel stand out A LOT against all the blacks blues and greens, so i can easily find the White if I need it quick.

S Hovanec reply :

I am THAT particular . Not many colors other than black, silver or gold go with the blue/green paint job on the SCV blanks. IMO, the red on a CI4 looks ridiculous on a scv. Kinda like a Christmas themed setup.

SenkoGuru reply :

Well, I would like it if my Rod and Reels matched but I have 19 White Rods with Black and Red Reels so I guess the short answer is No, it doesn't really bother me that they don't match. The thought has crossed my mind before that I wished my reels were White though.

S Hovanec reply :

Red white and black look good together. I did a couple white rods last year. One wrapped in candy apple red with black trim and one wrapped in black with red metallic trim. Any black/red reel would be perfect on them.

Scott F reply :

I once was having a custom spinning rod made. As I usually do, I gave the reel to the guy who was building the rod so he could balance the combo. The reel was a Quantum Energy with the titanium finish that some refered to as a holo or holographic finish. The rod builder said he could match the guides and reel seat to the reel so I had him do it. It did look pretty nice together. First and only time I ever paid any attention to matching the colors on my fishing gear.

buzzed bait reply :

interesting all the different takes on it....

though i do not care about coordinating i will agree with those that say no to a white rod. not sure what it is about them, but i'm not a fan either. BUT if someone gave me one, i'd fish it!!

i'm just not too worried about matching it up, but from reading some other posts around the site it looks like others take the colors to an extreme.

To each their own....

Fishes in trees reply :

I've got a couple of blue rods (Kistler, Fenwick AETOS) and I like them. I've got a few green rods (BPS, Kistler, All Star) and they are good rods, IMO. The older All Star rods were a burgundy/brownish color and I liked them a lot. That being said, I would never buy an orange rod or a yellow rod - color would be the deal breaker - just don't like the looks of them. I'm not sold on the white rods, either. Thankfully, assuming I don't break any, I think I am set for a few years as far as rods go, so I don't have any agonizing rod purchase color decisions to make.

Senko lover reply :

I like a good looking combo. I don't prefer white rods, but I like them if they have the right reel on them. Just personal preference.

Dylcook91 reply :

No I don't really care...just as long as they contain red, and or black

BadBassWV reply :

Sure I care, if I ain't catching at least I'll look good trying.

lmbfisherman reply :

For me it's not a breaking point. Performance is key, but I do enjoy it more if the combo matches up well. I do like the White rods though, I think they are more cheery than my Shimano rods, but I won't go out and buy all White Rods just because.

Alpha Male reply :

Lets not kid everyone. looks are important to everyone. performance is first and foremost but looks matter too. I do have a St. Croix LTB rod and I have to tell you I never even considered looking for a blue reel. I think my Revo Premeir accents that rod quite nicely. I also have a little brand rocognition So put my tatula on my Daiwa S-class rod.

thats just me though

ytail reply :

I think people do that for their own personal pleasure, pride and joy. Like you do, I care more about performance / quality of my rods and reels but in doing so I gain a bit of personal pleasure and pride as I fish with something I love and trust. another thing I like is to follow the annual ICAST Conference closely and acquire new 'toys' if I like some pieces I see... a lot of joy by doing so for me. It is just that People are very different and do many interesting things of their choices. JMHO.

On 1/16/2015 at 2:09 AM, buzzed bait said:

i see a lot of discussion from guys about matching up colors of rods and reels and was just wondering how widespread that is? it never ever even once crosses my mind when building a set up. i am strictly concerned with performance/price and not about the matching part. just curious if you guys are that OCD about matching up colors or like me are you strictly concerned with performance?

thanks.

Choporoz reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 5:18 AM, Alpha Male said:
Lets not kid everyone. looks are important to everyone. performance is first and foremost but looks matter too.

I'd like to think that's just not true. I'm with Buzzed. Someone in search of a specific rod or reel based even a little bit on color amuses me greatly.

roadwarrior reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 5:49 AM, Choporoz said:
Someone in search of a specific rod or reel based even a little bit on color amuses me greatly.

You don't have to sacrifice anything to buy complimentary gear.

Matthew2000 reply :

This is for kids or people with to much money.

Blues19 reply :

I like the look of the white rods. I like the yellow and orange rods too. I just like things to stand out compared to others. That being said, Im not going to get one of those rods, if I prefer a black or dark green rod. Appearance brings us in, but its not the selling point. I do however think ***'s Trick shop for Tricking out their Reels is pretty awesome!!! Again, its not the selling point, but if you can make the rod and reel look good together, why not?

Robert Riley reply :

Only time it matters to me is when I buy reel grips.

thehooligan reply :

I make my reels look how I want them to, if I have a rod laying around that pairs well then that's an added bonus...

thehooligan reply :

And btw, I wouldn't call it being ocd. When you spend $1000-1500 on a combo I'd prefer them to look good together.

BadBassWV reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 6:25 AM, thehooligan said:
And btw, I wouldn't call it being ocd. When you spend $1000-1500 on a combo I'd prefer them to look good together.

Exactly......If you show a picture of a nice looking reel the first thing people say is, Nice looking reel I've got to get me one. Haveing never even thought about how it will work. You have to look good doing it!!!

Cgrinder reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 6:02 AM, Matthew2000 said:
This is for kids or people with to much money.

Yeeeah. No. Not really.

Sam reply :

Buzzed, as you wrote, the color of the rod and the reel make no difference.

It is the performance you want to attain out of the set up for the specific application.

Now I did go out and buy a two Skeet Reese yellow rods to match with my Ardent propel and gold LSU baitcaster but it is OK to do that.

Sharp looking setup, too.

You can look really kool fishing a color coordinated rod, reel, shirt, pants, socks, cap and PFD even if you never get a bite.

rippin-lips reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 5:49 AM, Choporoz said:
I'd like to think that's just not true. I'm with Buzzed. Someone in search of a specific rod or reel based even a little bit on color amuses me greatly.

Someone in search of a specific CAR or TRUCK based even a little bit on color amuses me greatly.

How is that statement any different?

Choporoz reply :

It isn't?

Choporoz reply :

OK that was a little flippant, but largely true for me. But, of course it is much different. You can get the identical car in many different colors. Most reels/rods not so much. So to choose based on color, you almost have to compromise on something else if color is important to you.

Matthew2000 reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 6:28 AM, Cgrinder said:
Yeeeah. No. Not really.

So you think throwing away 300$ on a rod you don't like but thought it would be great because of its color isn't a waste of money ?

Alpha Male reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 6:44 AM, Choporoz said:
OK that was a little flippant, but largely true for me. But, of course it is much different. You can get the identical car in many different colors. Most reels/rods not so much. So to choose based on color, you almost have to compromise on something else if color is important to you.

its after the fact. for a rod I narrow it down to power and action then find the reel seat i like and then i find a couple of rods that match and see what they look like. and sometimes i end up thinking its beautiful after it have it. one example is my fenwick elitetech smallmouth rod. i thought it was ugly at first, then I went to cabelas with a reel and it has by far the most amazing reel seat on a spinning rod ever. now that I own it i like the greenish-gold color. BTW its paired with a white and red Quantum accurist.

Alpha Male reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 7:03 AM, Matthew2000 said:
So you think throwing away 300$ on a rod you don't like but thought it would be great because of its color isn't a waste of money ?

listen...NO ADULT is going to sacrifice performance for looks. like roadwarrior said you dont have to sacrifice quality for looks. there are plenty of options in the "$300" dollar range and you would be hard pressed to find a dud.

TorqueConverter reply :

I didn't care about aesthetics until I ended up with a matching rod and reel and then everything changed. There's something about a well dressed rod and reel combo that gets me. I was like this in my paintball days where parts had to match colors or be of complimenting colors. If you're gear is just tools then it's not going to matter to you but once you cross the line into tackle enthusiasm then it changes IMO.

Matthew2000 reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 7:08 AM, Alpha Male said:
listen...NO ADULT is going to sacrifice performance for looks. like roadwarrior said you dont have to sacrifice quality for looks. there are plenty of options in the "$300" dollar range and you would be hard pressed to find a dud.

The guy who runs my youth club who is like 50 did that with one of those Jan Craft rods for 500 he just didn't like it like I don't like some rods and you don't. I said nothing about a dud just said they may not like it.

K_Mac reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 5:18 AM, Alpha Male said:

Lets not kid everyone. looks are important to everyone. performance is first and foremost but looks matter too. I do have a St. Croix LTB rod and I have to tell you I never even considered looking for a blue reel. I think my Revo Premeir accents that rod quite nicely. I also have a little brand rocognition So put my tatula on my Daiwa S-class rod.

thats just me though

Looks are certainly important in many things. How a plastic is rigged matters. Lure color sometimes matters. How a crankbait moves matters. Line color may matter. Many things matter in fishing. The color of my rod or reel simply do not matter to me. Really. I am not kidding.

Jrob78 reply :

If I'm building a rod I ALWAYS consider what reel will go on the rod and try to coordinate the colors. If I'm buying a rod or reel, the color isn't a deal breaker unless it will absolutely clash with it's mate. There is nothing at all wrong with wanting your gear to coordinate.

rippin-lips reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 7:03 AM, Matthew2000 said:
So you think throwing away 300$ on a rod you don't like but thought it would be great because of its color isn't a waste of money ?

I'm pretty sure he didn't buy the Gan Craft soley for it's color. He just ended up not liking it. These things happen. *** black looks good and is said to perform nicely but I don't like the trigger on the reel seat. So I sold it to buy a different rod. It was a waste of money but color played no part in it.

Matthew2000 reply :

Bought it because it looked cool is what he told me and he bought it online. The guy gets a new ranger every year that's not that much of a loss to him.

ww2farmer reply :

Not in the least....I used to be "only shimano reels can go on shimano rods" or insert rod/reel name guy. Now I don't care either. I use Abu rods, Daiwa casting reels, and Pflueger spinning reels. To me it's all about best value for my $$

Bigbassman43 reply :

The looks doesn't matter to me.

JGBassinAL reply :

I don't match up rod color to reel color buuuttttt.......I get colored trim on all of my customs, usually blue, red, or green. I have Curado E's on the ones with green trim, Curado I's/Chronarch E's/Curado E's on the ones with blue trim, and Chronarch Ci4+/Cores on the ones with red trim. Then I have Hawgtech handles with the same color nut retainer and knob caps as the trim on my rods. They all look pretty great to me! To me it's easier with customs. For instance, I knew I wanted to use a Chronarch Ci4+ for my new jig rod, so I had the rod built with red trim. Then I ordered a Hawgtech handle with red nut retainer and red knob caps. And...cork knobs to match the split cork grip

Cgrinder reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 7:03 AM, Matthew2000 said:
So you think throwing away 300$ on a rod you don't like but thought it would be great because of its color isn't a waste of money ?

Buying a $300 rod for color alone while ignoring all other features is silly, yes. However that isn't what the OP was asking. The question was about matching rod and reel and your response was that matching was only for children and those who spend their money frivolously. That's the part I took issue with.

Matthew2000 reply :

my mistake I should have elaborated a bit more on that one.

FishTank reply :

I don't buy gear that matches color or brand but I can see how some people might want to.

I think sometimes it is a matter of taste. When I head to a lake, I see a lot of guys with trucks that match their boat. At first glance this may seem odd and overkill, but it's kind of cool. With that in mind, buying rods and reels to match doesn't seem that far fetched. Part of the fun of fishing is buying gear and equipment. If someone increase their fishing fun with matching gear, I say go for it but I hope for that person's sake that they don't forget functionality when buying equipment.

5fishlimit reply :

Look good, feel good. Feel good, fish good.

John G reply :

I figure that if I stick with Loomis rods, I can ALWAYS buy a Shimano reel that matches it perfectly.

Catt reply :

I don't own any but I've seen some custom painted & engraved reels that looked awesome!

bigturtle reply :

I am very picky about rod color, but dont give a d**n about reel color, as long as the reel is not a mirror finish like the shimano antares.

god that reel is ugly....

Turtle135 reply :

Never even thought about matching colors until I read this thread. I just looked around my place and noticed all the rods I actually use are black (so part of my unconscious decision making process may be in play when I am selecting a rod). My reels are all different colors. I have a tendency to purchase reels based on brand, then price point,

S Hovanec reply :

When you're dropping $800+ on a combo, you're not sacrificing any performance at all to match the rod and reel.

Angry John reply :

I like a setup that looks good together. I run a lot of black rods like the old avids so the reel can be any color and really it matches right? I have some black reels I put on my colored rods st Croix legend. So that's easy. But I love my done up Sol on my dobyns DX. It looks great and fishes good to. Did I give up performance, I think not and I did not pay more to have them match. I I am a sucker for orange though. Fish what makes you happy. I enjoy rods and reels but have a yak vise a boat. Some might claim to use setups worth more than your boat, is crazy but I don't care about that either. So does that mean I now have to drop 5k on a hobie? I fully understand painted reels and custom rods. Color of thread most of the time does not cost more. Eve a few bucks in a custom project is really nothing. So yes!

buzzed bait reply :

i think i can agree that if i were building a custom to pair with a particular rod i would opt for some options to somewhat match them up. aside from that i just don't get worked up about color. same can be said for me and the color of my baits. have like 3 colors of plastics, 3 main colors of jigs and maybe 4 different patterns/colors in hardbaits.

bass1980 reply :

It absolutely matters to me. The gears in the price range that I am buying now are all really good performers so matching it just makes it all come together. When paring up combos of course I'm not just going to pick two that matches blindly. Both reel and rod have to be what I'm looking for, looks may sway my decision.

We are all different and there's no right or wrong in this hobby.

K_Mac reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 11:36 AM, bass1980 said:
We are all different and there's no right or wrong in this hobby.

Exactly. I am as confident with my mismatched combos as Roadwarrior is with his carefully coordinated ones. It's all good.

Blues19 reply :

Brands match colors of rods and reels to show anglers "Hey, this rod and reel go together, Get both!" Like with the Revo S and Veritas, or SX and Veracity. Or Wright and McGill using yellow and black, and how the Okuma Helios rods and reels use Green and black. Some people like that they have these rods and reels that can match up, some dont care either way.

SenkoGuru reply :

I'll be honest I am thinking about buying a *** ***. It wasn't really about the color, I just wanted one of their reels but once I seen the White one I knew it would look great on one of my White Ice Rod's. I didn't buy the Ducketts because they were white in color I bought them because after years of buying different rods and not being happy with them, the Duckett's were the best I found. They are simply fantastic Fishing Rod's, it was just a big bonus that they are white in color and TBH my Black and Red Tatula Type-R's doesn't look to bad sitting on them..

John G reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 10:13 AM, bigturtle said:

as long as the reel is not a mirror finish like the shimano antares.

god that reel is ugly....

Just for you newb!

ColdSVT reply :

Function over form for all day every day

If a combo happens to look cool thats just a bonus...that being said my ch ci4/*** combo looks awesome and so does my lews tp/ ltb. The ltb is just straight pretty lol

cyclops2 reply :

I like dark non showy equipment. Except seat cushions !! White only.

HoosierHawgs reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 2:18 AM, rippin-lips said:
I'm more performanced based but I do like it if the combo works well together. If I'm spending my money on it then I want to like everything about it and enjoy using it. That includes the color. It's not a total deal breaker if it doesn't though. However if I don't like how something looks I probably won't purchase it because once again it's my money and I want to enjoy it. Example I'll never buy a red or yellow vehicle. Even if it's a good price. So I guess for me it does play a part in my purchase it's just not my main concern.

This!

kikstand454 reply :

I have tons of mismatched stuff. I have red rods with green reels on them. Lol. Its ugly. I also have some nice black matching stuff and a new white on white rig that looks great. But honestly I think it comes down to - matching stuff up is great If you have the money to do so.

Example-

I have decided to use my old 100a Cardiff as a deep crank reel. But I need a rod. The only thing that champagne color matches really is black. There's plenty of black rods. ... but what if I can get a veritas winch for $35? I'm not going to hesitate. I could care less. The rod and reel would individually be exactly what I want performance wise and the price is right.

But if said rod came up and I got it and then thought.....eh. .... that Cardiff doesn't look right on here...... and then decide to save up for a white - or black obviously- cranking reel, then that is spending unneeded money on matching color. I already had a reel that would do the job- but I spent money on aesthetics. Its nice if you have that extra 50-150 bucks to factor aesthetics in.

Obviously if you're going to already spend that money. ...then its nice to make things look good. Ex: I have a little black pinnacle on a veritas, but I'm not thrilled about the reels paddles. If/when I get some paddle grips- of course I'm getting the black/white camo!

WIGuide reply :

The color of rods and reels isn't what I'm looking for when I pick out a combo. I'm going by performance first and if they happen to match up that's great. If not, oh well I'm not thinking the fish are going to notice anyway!

adam32 reply :

I'm not a fan of flashy colors or rods and reels that look more like toys.

My favorite combos for looks have to be my chronarch 50mg on an older loomis imx rod, and my avid spinning rods with daiwa ss 1300s. To me that's what rods and reels are supposed to look like.

*Hootie reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 9:39 AM, John G said:
I figure that if I stick with Loomis rods, I can ALWAYS buy a Shimano reel that matches it perfectly.

Problem solved.

Hootie

AQUA VELVA reply :

I tend to stay away from ''Fruit Loop'' colored equipment, fishing or otherwise.

Alpha Male reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 9:14 PM, ColdSVT said:

Function over form for all day every day

If a combo happens to look cool thats just a bonus...that being said my ch ci4/*** combo looks awesome and so does my lews tp/ ltb. The ltb is just straight pretty lol

I think any reel looks good on a LTB. I use a revo stx and a less tp.

SirSnookalot reply :

Only catching fish matters !

I do draw the line at camo.

Joedodge reply :

Chrome dont getcha home!

*Hootie reply :

I enjoy these threads. They seem to be able to make everybody mad.

Great stress reliever. It's winter and everybody is bored to pieces....lol.

Hootie

Tywithay reply :

If I have a rod or reel sitting around and it needs a partner, I'll look for similar colored mates. If I don't find one to my liking, I won't sacrifice price or performance for the sake of a nice looking combo. This problem has mostly been alleviated for me by going custom. Get performance and make it look any way you like.

OkobojiEagle reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 2:20 AM, A-Jay said:

Just like a bright Orange Hammer or a Green Crescent Wrench.

They'd work fine, but I just would not enjoy using them.

A-Jay

Actually I like my tools to be so butt ugly that nobody would even consider stealing them. As far as rods/reels, they get oh so much prettier with a 5lb smallie hanging from them.

A-Jay reply :

On 1/18/2015 at 3:43 AM, OkobojiEagle said:

Actually I like my tools to be so butt ugly that nobody would even consider stealing them. As far as rods/reels, they get oh so much prettier with a 5lb smallie hanging from them.

oe

So does my scale ~

A-Jay

powerduster reply :

Never thought of doing it, and I probably never will. Not sure if this is ssmewhat related, but I don't really like too much color on or foam on reels. It looks like a kid's toy.

Bluebasser86 reply :

It's nice when they match, but I'm a function before form kind of guy.

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