What is your guys favorite rod brand? Not for the price just overall favorite
Phenix & St. Croix rod blanks - excellent blanks along with excellent customer service !!!
Phenix blanks - spinning & casting blanks
St. Croix blanks - swimbait rod blanks
croix
Fenwick for spinning Dobyns for casting.
Fenwick for spinning Dobyns for casting.
St. Croix
Shimano / Jackall
My three favorites are,
1: G Loomis,
2: G Loomis,
3: G Loomis.
Yeah, I know, I'm the guy who buys whatever hooks are on sale...lol.
Hootie
Fenwick
St. Croix
Kistler and lews
Dobyns and lews
G. Loomis
St.Croix
MB for versatility
Dobyns for a few apps
Loomis and the older Shimano Cumara and Cumulus
Falcon
Megabass
Am I the first person to say Powell??
St. Croix and G Loomis
ABU St Croix and lews
Dobyns
My favorites are St Croix, Loomis, Kistler & Megabass.
On 11/14/2015 at 12:28 PM, pgersumky said:Phenix & St. Croix rod blanks - excellent blanks along with excellent customer service !!!
Phenix blanks - spinning & casting blanks
St. Croix blanks - swimbait rod blanks
Do you work for Phenix?
I know I'm the only one, but Carrot Stix all the way.
G Loomis, St Croix
Powell
St. Croix.
All Star
I do love my Major Craft rods, but seriously, how bout them Tatulas? Powerful, sensitive, lightweight, well built, technique specific rods with great components, and easy to come by for less than msrp with a 5 year warranty makes them incredibly hard to surpass. They're hard to pass up, too. That's why I've got 4 and counting.
St Croix
Alright, G. Loomis
G Loomis, St Croix, Dobyns
Falcon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is all......
I have more St. Croix and Lamiglas than anything else, so I will go with those two.
Falcon.
On 11/14/2015 at 10:24 PM, MidwestF1sh said:Am I the first person to say Powell??
You won't be the last.
Powell rods here.
Kistler, St. Croix, Major Craft.
On 11/14/2015 at 11:14 PM, WPCfishing said:Do you work for Phenix?
not at all , from fishing for quite a few years iv'e come to discover what is better than others !!!!
this day and age there is no room for comprimising on investments i make in fishing products , Phenix has rod blanks that fit to the style baits and techniques i use , their customer service is excellent , they answer all my questions about their rod blanks including weighing rod blanks & measuring rod blanks for me when i ask them too with no hesitation , the very definition of customer service ..
anyhow , again , no i don't have any affiliation with Phenix Rods but just a loyal customer ....
St croix
Falcon
On 11/15/2015 at 10:02 AM, pgersumky said:not at all , from fishing for quite a few years iv'e come to discover what is better than others !!!!
this day and age there is no room for comprimising on investments i make in fishing products , Phenix has rod blanks that fit to the style baits and techniques i use , their customer service is excellent , they answer all my questions about their rod blanks including weighing rod blanks & measuring rod blanks for me when i ask them too with no hesitation , the very definition of customer service ..
anyhow , again , no i don't have any affiliation with Phenix Rods but just a loyal customer ....
That's great.. It's not easy to find all that in one place. A big credit to Phenix and to you for your passion.
On 11/15/2015 at 12:03 PM, WPCfishing said:That's great.. It's not easy to find all that in one place. A big credit to Phenix and to you for your passion.
thanks , can't wait to get a Phenix K2 765 (7'6'' H/F) , these blanks are ridiculous !!!
with the blank weighing 1.9 oz. , build weight for the rod should come in at 3.25 oz. !!
Dang. Looking at mine, it appears I have Berkely and Daiwa, mostly, with a Quantum and BPS or two.
I have some ideas about what I need next. Been shopping and will likely have to go custom.
Josh
This post should of had a pole to see the total amount of the major companies.
St Croix for the win!
I am a fan of the MHX rod blanks for custom built rods............lots of bang for the buck.
Off the shelf rods, it's hard, for the money to beat Pure Fishing's line up..Fenwick, Abu, Berkley, etc.....all offer excellent performance for the $$. Are they the best made rods with top shelf components? No, but like I said, they are are, for the money, IMHO, tough to beat.
I feel Megabass and a few others would head my list.............if I could only afford them. Fenwick, Tatula and my Powell Endurance are some favorites. Believe it or not, but I have some Quantum rods that I enjoy using. My only Hurricane Redbone is a lot of rod for the money. Especially since I got it for $75 new. I'd gladly buy a few more at that price.
St. Croix
Well I have a lot of BPS, St. Croix, and some old Daiwa rods. I like all of them as long as they can hold a fish.
Dobyns champion! All day
Kistler
For me its Daiwa, but I do want to try phenix some time
G. Loomis fan boy checking in!!
Most of my rods are GLoomis, but I have a couple of Shimanos, several Lightning, a Bosco, a Veloce, an Abu ( Fantasista Regista ). I owned other brands too, I´m not closed to other options, if I like it ---> I´ll keep it, if not ---> I sell it.
There´s lot of good stuff to try, manufacturers have put a lot of effort in improving so if you don´t try you are not going to know.
G. Loomis for me. They have a vast array of lengths, powers and actions to cover everything from pan fish to saltwater fishing. St. Croix is right there as well, I just don't like painted blanks.
I have more St Croix (7) than any other, so I guess they are my favorite. Next is Daiwa and Setyr(6ea). Everything else is a one of; Kistler, Airrus, Fenwick, Pinnacle and Dobyns. I like them all, except that Dobyns Champion. Don't like it at all. It's good for swatting snakes, and that's about it.
Megabass & Jackall
I enjoy my Dobyns in the Champion and Champion Extreme lines. They've done a good job for me landing plenty of fish ranging from 5-15lbs. A few of them are in my gallery to look at. We all have different likes and needs in our rods and these fit mine. I think it is important to find a system for certain baits that works well for you. Try to listen to people who consistently another site and see if their recommendations work for you. The way I do things may be 180 degrees from the way someone else does and they may still put them in the boat just as well. There are a lot of good options out there to pick and choose from. All of mine are one brand and that is because they work for me. Try to find what fits you best and just enjoy fishing with it.
you can put me down for my NRX right now thinking about adding a kistler & Megabass this spring
Am i gonna be the only one to say Duckett or Castaway?
Shimano rods
I don't really have a favorite although most of my rods are G Loomis, Shimano and Falcon. I have some other stuff mixed in. I like Batson and Calstar for the salty stuff.
Tigerodz! Custom rods at a GREAT price. Built on Rainshadow blanks (Sponsor). Everybody should try AT LEAST one.
Right now it would be Powell or irod for me
I'm split between Loomis and Croix. The last few I've purchased have been St Croix's.
On 11/18/2015 at 6:17 AM, DTack said:I think it is important to find a system for certain baits that works well for you. Try to listen to people who consistently another site and see if their recommendations work for you. The way I do things may be 180 degrees from the way someone else does and they may still put them in the boat just as well. There are a lot of good options out there to pick and choose from. All of mine are one brand and that is because they work for me. Try to find what fits you best and just enjoy fishing with it.
well said !!
My favorite is St. Croix hands down. There's lots of great rods out there these days, it's definitely a buyers market, but I just love their offerings.
I have 3 St Croix, 1 Kistler, 1 Abu Garcia and 2 Ducketts in my normal rotation. I like them all but i am really starting to like the Ducketts. They will probably be the brand I go with when i decide to replace or get some new sticks.
I used to buy almost all Shimano but not so much a fan after they changed their warranty to 1 year and when I went to their HQ in Irvine in person the guy I spoke with made it seem like I was at fault for testing the tip of the rod that snapped like a toothpick. It wasn't a high stick curve either, I was just pushing down gently on the tip of the rod about 1-2 inches from the end with two fingers. I've seen tackle shop employees test rods out by pushing them down much more firmly on the carpet.
Anyways now my favorite rod brand is Phenix (by a long shot), followed by St. Croix, though I do still have all of my old Shimanos with lifetime warranties which I'll still use.
On 11/19/2015 at 6:00 AM, blckshirt98 said:I used to buy almost all Shimano but not so much a fan after they changed their warranty to 1 year and when I went to their HQ in Irvine in person the guy I spoke with made it seem like I was at fault for testing the tip of the rod that snapped like a toothpick. It wasn't a high stick curve either, I was just pushing down gently on the tip of the rod about 1-2 inches from the end with two fingers. I've seen tackle shop employees test rods out by pushing them down much more firmly on the carpet.
Anyways now my favorite rod brand is Phenix (by a long shot), followed by St. Croix, though I do still have all of my old Shimanos with lifetime warranties which I'll still use.
that's crazy ! , i also went to the irvine HQ to have a clarus rod warrantied , the guys at the counter gave me a hard time and didn't want to honor their warranty , the only reason they did is because '' Bantam 1 " ( shimano project manager or something, used to be a rep on here when they had a shimano tech section ) posted in a PM that they will warrantee it !! after that incident i will never buy anything shimano , ever ...
Any rod that does the job and isn't overpriced.
Dobyns, they hook a brother up. Not to mention Gary tells me what to buy haha
On 11/19/2015 at 1:39 AM, JGBassinAL said:Tigerodz! Custom rods at a GREAT price. Built on Rainshadow blanks (Sponsor). Everybody should try AT LEAST one.
AMEN! He makes some great stuff over there! Thank you for the shout out!
Carrot Stix rods
Falcon for me.
G Loomis for Bass
Sage for Fly Fishing (trout & steelhead)
Tackle Industries for Musky
Croix and Dobyns
Whenever the rods price point exceeds $200 you can and should look into a custom build researching current rod blanks, guide trains, handles etc and above all customer satisfaction plus warranty. Off the shelf rods always make compromises to satisfy a wide range of users. Have the rod built exactly the way you want it with state of the art materials/ components.
Been doing this the past 35 years.
Tom
On 11/23/2015 at 5:15 AM, WRB said:Whenever the rods price point exceeds $200 you can and should look into a custom build researching current rod blanks, guide trains, handles etc and above all customer satisfaction plus warranty. Off the shelf rods always make compromises to satisfy a wide range of users. Have the rod built exactly the way you want it with state of the art materials/ components.
Been doing this the past 35 years.
Tom
I agree, but would even say the $100 mark is when you should start looking at custom. You could conceivably get the exact same components (or equivalent) in a $100 rod; add the cost of building it, and come out at about the same price, but end up with a much better rod.
It has been stated several times by some of the builders on the forum that it would be difficult to build a custom rod for less than $150. In addition to components and materials you have their shipping costs and rod building charges. These two alone equal a minimum of $75 ($25 for shipping and $50 for them to build it). I would bet anything you couldn't get a custom rod $100 unless the above to variables are far less... IE free shipping or they build it for basically for fun.
I could never get a custom rod quote for under $150 for something "decent". As WRB noted once you get to the $200 point a custom rod is more in play.
Loomis for bottom contact and Megabass for versatility
On 11/19/2015 at 7:41 AM, soflabasser said:Any rod that does the job and isn't overpriced.
...and feels good in your hands...
Powell
St croix,duckett, phenix are my starting 3 but recently picked up some tatulas and are liking them alot
Kistler Rods and by far. They have a ridiculously huge selection.
On 11/23/2015 at 5:15 AM, WRB said:Whenever the rods price point exceeds $200 you can and should look into a custom build researching current rod blanks, guide trains, handles etc and above all customer satisfaction plus warranty. Off the shelf rods always make compromises to satisfy a wide range of users. Have the rod built exactly the way you want it with state of the art materials/ components.
Been doing this the past 35 years.
Tom
Amen Tom!
On 11/23/2015 at 5:41 AM, Glenn said:I agree, but would even say the $100 mark is when you should start looking at custom. You could conceivably get the exact same components (or equivalent) in a $100 rod; add the cost of building it, and come out at about the same price, but end up with a much better rod.
Yes very true!! Look at you!
On 11/23/2015 at 7:31 AM, kickerfish1 said:It has been stated several times by some of the builders on the forum that it would be difficult to build a custom rod for less than $150. In addition to components and materials you have their shipping costs and rod building charges. These two alone equal a minimum of $75 ($25 for shipping and $50 for them to build it). I would bet anything you couldn't get a custom rod $100 unless the above to variables are far less... IE free shipping or they build it for basically for fun.
I could never get a custom rod quote for under $150 for something "decent". As WRB noted once you get to the $200 point a custom rod is more in play.
Unfortunately its the builders that are at fault on this.. But in their defense, it takes roughly 2+ hours per rod, and that is if your humming and run into no problems.
But that being said.. Here is one of our vendors: http://www.getbitoutdoors.com/rod-building-kits/complete-rod-kits/complete-casting-kits.html
They have a whole kit for under $50.00 Im sure that a rod builder could build a bass kit for under $75.00!! So there $125.00
That link provides no information? The message "Whoops are bad" shows up
I'm a big St. Croix fan. But I must admit that there are plenty of brands I haven't tried yet, Dobyns being one of them. So I want to try more before I truly dedicate myself to the brand.
5 Denali
2 Castaway and Abu Garcia
I would have to say Daiwa and Falcon
Been getting a few Fin-Nor rods from a local discount retailer. Bought the first one for grins and giggles, but I'm starting to like them a lot.
Solid and tough. The fast action MH has been a great rod.
JDM
Phenix
All Loomis
Suprised at the amount of Croix's I have 2 and they are nothing special but they are just the Avids maybe I need to try one of their high end models. For me Loomis,MB,EverGreen,Phoenix and I want to try Major Craft and something on a Rainshadow blank, which I guess will have to be custom. Someone mentioned Tigerodz, is that just a custom builder?
8 St Croixs, 1 Shimano, 1 Dobyns.
All Shimano reels.
St Croix and Dobyns.
I haven't owned any high end GLoomis, but I'm sure they would fit in there if I did.
St Croix
Abu Garcia and St Croix
Falcon for me. I do have a couple of older US made Castaways that I still use because I've spent some money getting new guides put on.
Never broke a Falcon and the one or two little issues I've ever had with a rod they repaired without hassle. Also I've been able to get a couple of discontinued Caras for a great price directly through them.
I have them all except loomis,and any of the new stuff thats came out in the last 5 yrs.that bein said my fav isnt a brand its a 5'6" pistol grip med action...
I dabbled with quite a few different offerings, especially the low end models of shimano, fenwick, and wright and mcgill. I really like my fenwick spinning rods, specifically the elite tech smallmouth rods (which are no longer made).
St. Croix was my first venture into mid level rods.. I have a couple St. Croix fly rods that I LOVE. Their rods are high quality, and I can personally vouch for their warranty process, but they're generally not well balanced. My fishing buddy got into Dobyns rods, and after trying his I got a couple of my own. Im currently trying to shift most of my bass setups to Dobyns. I wish I could try a few Loomis models, but that's an expensive game to play, and Im really impressed with Dobyns rods so far.
Spinning: Torn between St. Croix and Fenwick.... best handle/grip on the market goes to Bass Elite so slight edge to Fenwick!
Casting: Duckett White Ice
I own at least one Shimano, Powell, Irod, Dobyns, St. croix, Duckett, Falcon, Castaway, Allstar, temple Fork, Megabass, Phenix, Abu, and 13. I like the Irod for swimbaits, Powell for bottom contact, Dobyns for crankbaits, and Megebass for versatility. I hate my Criox's and Duckett. The rest all have their place in my Arsenal.
If I didn't have a St. Croix addiction, I would be able to pay mortgage payment.
I like tec spec arsenal by field and stream (i think it's a Shakespeare )
I like the Academy H20 express that I have
I also like Berkley's line of various cheap rods for the money
I like my pflueger spinning rod
I am disappointed with my bps carbonlite rods for more than one reason but the line selector on the end of the handle pops off way too easy and then your handle sucks on your $100+ rod- that reason alone i won't buy another.
I was a huge fan of Dobyns but now I'm switching over to St. Croix.
On 12/22/2015 at 11:14 PM, Jon G said:I was a huge fan of Dobyns but now I'm switching over to St. Croix.
NIce ~
I think you'll be happy.
And though I hope you never have to use it but in the unlikely event you find yourself in need of some St Croix Customer Service ~
Chances are you'll be very satisfied.
A-Jay
On 12/22/2015 at 11:18 PM, A-Jay said:NIce ~
I think you'll be happy.
And though I hope you never have to use it but in the unlikely event you find yourself in need of some St Croix Customer Service ~
Chances are you'll be very satisfied.
A-Jay
I'm very pleased with them. Before I got into bass fishing 9 years ago I was an avid fly fisherman and my brand of choice was St. Croix. Once I got into bass fishing I played around with other brands but not much with St. Croix. Around last year I purchased an LTB and had acquired a couple more throughout the year. I've been so satisfied with them I've made the decision a month ago to switch out my Champions and Champion Extremes with St. Croix. Actually, as we speak the FedEx truck is on it's way with my new Legend Elite.
Falcon Abu and Daiwa
Right now I have been buying mostly St Croix.
It's hard to choose just 1. Ducketts are use the most but I have no problem with my croixs or phenix,
St. Croix, nothing else to say, just ask anyone who owns them
On 12/11/2015 at 10:34 PM, Bass_Fanatic said:I own at least one Shimano, Powell, Irod, Dobyns, St. croix, Duckett, Falcon, Castaway, Allstar, temple Fork, Megabass, Phenix and Abu. I like the Irod for swimbaits, Powell for bottom contact, Dobyns for crankbaits, and Megebass for versatility. I hate my Criox's and Duckett. The rest all have their place in my Arsenal.
Hmmm... you hate your Croix rods?? Send them to me and you'll feel better!! Curious as to what you don't like about them.
On 12/26/2015 at 3:31 AM, JDJ said:Hmmm... you hate your Croix rods?? Send them to me and you'll feel better!! Curious as to what you don't like about them.
The just don't feel right in my hands. Tip heavy
On 11/24/2015 at 1:24 AM, kickerfish1 said:That link provides no information? The message "Whoops are bad" shows up
So here's a suggestion...Click on "Rod Building Kits" in the menu up top, then follow the URL map ... viola. Your post made me expect to see some motocross content or similar.
Phenix & Lamiglass. I love my Dobyn's, but I'm not in love with them. If that makes sense.
As I don't have a huge collection, I would says that
I've had some great luck and enjoyment with my
BPS Carbonlites.
However, my Croix Legend Tournament Walleye rod
is far and away my new favorite in terms of sensitivity.
Amazing rod.
Abu for the price and the winch series rods and St. Croix for quality and customer service along with value.
+1 to the St Croix club. I don't have tons of brand experience but I've used my share and will always love my St Croix rods. My LTB rod is the perfect rod for what I do.
I see my custom rod builder ALX is offering his over the counter rods on TW, check them out!
Tom
Kistler
Ugly stick
There are so many fantastic rods on the market that it would be difficult to make a poor decision, really. Ergo, for me, I will choose to exert the tiny amount of influence I have by forcing myself to fish only Made in the USA rods going forward. Trouble is, while several companies offer rods assembled in the US, very few and far between are any companies that offer currently a born, bred, corn-fed 100% USA rod. It's embarrassing that we've lost our manufacturing supremacy, and I'd gladly pay 3x for gear that doesn't carry a made in Korea, China, Thailand, Japan (JDM is special, WHY?), or Mexico sticker... My firearms aren't made in Asia -- so, why can't I say the same about my bass fishing gear?
I'd love to take the same stance with my reels; however, I'd end up relegated to a spool of US cotton on my thumb, unfortunately.
Just my $0.02.
Got 3 ugly sticks.They are cheap but tough.They're all I need.
.
St. Croix, Lews, Airrus
My best is a Falcon LowRider. I know they get more expensive, but I don't know why.
I just bought the Cabela's Tourney 7'3" Hvy/Fast ZX frog rod for $100. I'll give a review when I've had a chance to use it. I'm going to use it for a pitching rod as well. It' feels like a winner.
Powell or Dobyns...close call for me. I like both a lot! Loomis is right up there too but I haven't owned enough of those to say for sure.
Megabass
dobyns champions are hard to beat in my opinion.... granted i haven't tried them all, but tried enough to know they're exactly what i want in a rod!
Like a broken record
St. Croix, Loomis, Falcon
Loomis/Megabass/Dobyns
On 1/22/2016 at 6:02 AM, skno said:Like a broken record
St. Croix, Loomis, Falcon
If it's a broken record, it's for a good reason! St Croix all the way.
falcon
Powell
I've owned many. Surprisingly the Abu Garcia IKE rods fell right into my wheel house. I have two now and another on the way.
I also like the Daiwa XT and Team rods.
Spinning - Fenwick Aetos/St. Croix Avid X
Casting - Dobyns Campion
Trolling - Shimano Talora
Muskie - St Croix Legend Tournament
Dobyns, but probably my favorite rod of all time was a castaway rattle trap rod that I can't find anywhere anymore. Bait was hanging over the side while I was backing down the ramp and snagged on the dock...snap! Talk about heartbroken!
On 2/12/2016 at 5:03 AM, WPCfishing said:I've owned many. Surprisingly the Abu Garcia IKE rods fell right into my wheel house. I have two now and another on the way.
I also like the Daiwa XT and Team rods.
I have 4 of the IKE series rods myself, I really like them. The actions and backbone to tip ratios seem to be spot on for what I was looking for. The 7'3 m delay series is a dream for cranking.
Carrot Stix and when I have time making a custom rod out of an MHX Blanks.
I like 4 brands that I like fishing with. Shimano, G Loomis, Fenwick and the BPS Carbonlite.
On 2/13/2016 at 9:45 PM, Head423 said:I have 4 of the IKE series rods myself, I really like them. The actions and backbone to tip ratios seem to be spot on for what I was looking for. The 7'3 m delay series is a dream for cranking.
Good to hear you like the Delay rod. What size baits does it perform best with?
On 2/14/2016 at 12:07 AM, WPCfishing said:Good to hear you like the Delay rod. What size baits does it perform best with?
Been throwing 1/4 oz crank a lot and it throws them well but when I throw the 1/2 oz it bombs them plenty far for me
On 2/14/2016 at 1:05 AM, Head423 said:Been throwing 1/4 oz crank a lot and it throws them well but when I throw the 1/2 oz it bombs them plenty far for me
So the rod will easily handle 1.5 square bills to 15' divers?
My 2 favorite rods I own are a shimano and a croix
Ugly stick.
Daiwa, St.Croix
In the past, I haven't invested a lot in rods. I've been content with Berkleys and the Field And Stream rods. Admittedly, I throw quite a bit of small crankbaits and such, so I didn't need that much sensitivity and tip action, but now I'm wading into soft baits more and more, and wanted a good, sensitive rod to go with my new Curado I.
In checking them out, I liked Shimano rods, Abu Garcia Veritas 2.0s and the Duckett line up.
Dobyns Champion
Cajun custom rods
G Loomis
St. Croix
Fenwick