Looking for spinning rod advice $150-250 range 2025

Hopslam reply :

Thanks for checking this thread, I'm in the market for a new spinning rod to pair with a pflueger president LE. I only use spinning gear, and already have two rods for general applications. Looking into the 6'9" Fenwick Elite Tech Bass MF Medium, a Fenwick Aetos, Phenix M1, a few St. Croix, maybe an Abu Garcia in this price range. I have never used a Fenwick or Abu Garcia and have read mixed reviews. Any input on these rods or what you would buy in the $150-250 price range would be appreciated. I have used the St Croix mojo bass, premier, and a few legend tournaments. I really want to try Fenwick or an Abu Garcia but I don't want to spend the money and wish I would've bought a St Croix. Are the Abu as sensitive as advertised? Fenwick's sensitive and well built?

Thanks!

Yudo1 reply :

Fenwick makes some really nice rods. The aetos is a great choice IMO.

Hopslam reply :

Thanks for the reply Yudo!

Fishin' Fool reply :

In that price range I would look at the St Croix Avid X and the G Loomis IMX. Through Monster Fishing Tackle website you can get the IMX for under $200.

Hopslam reply :

Thanks for the heads up I haven't looked at the Loomis rods at all.

Fishin' Fool reply :

Actually it looks like Monster Fishing Tackle raised their prices because the old sale price I had the rod under $200 now it's about $20 more.

dsqui reply :

dobyns rods i was a big st croix fan for along time but honestly there rods have gone down hill IMO. also there lower end rods dont have warranties like they used to. this year i decided to switch companies andam very impressed with the dobyns line up

Fishin' Fool reply :

I had a bad experience customer service experience with Dobyns but saying that they build nice rods. One day a DX 743sf may find a way into my rod collection.

Hopslam reply :

Anyone use the *** 13, or Abu Garcia rods?

Fishin' Fool reply :

On 5/13/2016 at 8:23 AM, Hopslam said:

Anyone use the *** 13, or Abu Garcia rods?

Actually I might have something for you. I bought way too many rods this offseason. I got an Abu Garcia Villain 6'9" medium light fast action spinning rod on sale at BPS. The regular price is $179.99 but they had them marked down to $80. If you're interested to pay me $80 + shipping. I used it once. Abu Garcia ML is equivalent to most rod M. Let me know if you're interested.

kickerfish1 reply :

ALX Maestro is the best I have used at that price point that isn't discontinued.

Darren. reply :

I'm infinitely impressed with the Legend Tournament
series from St. Croix, and I only have one spinning
in the 6'3" range (in the LT).

If I had another $250, I'd drop it on a second LT from
St. Croix no question.

Just me, tho.

buzzed bait reply :

what techniques do you want to use the rod for?

Weld's Largemouth reply :

Get a shimano zodias it is probably the nicest spinning rod i've seen.

roadwarrior reply :

avidone1 reply :

On 5/13/2016 at 7:31 AM, Fishin' Fool said:

Actually it looks like Monster Fishing Tackle raised their prices because the old sale price I had the rod under $200 now it's about $20 more.

am I missing something? when I saw IMX rods for $220 I jumped....but the Monster site I'm looking at shows all IMX bass rods for 295.........can you point me in the right direction?

Fishin' Fool reply :

On 5/13/2016 at 11:18 PM, avidone1 said:

am I missing something? when I saw IMX rods for $220 I jumped....but the Monster site I'm looking at shows all IMX bass rods for 295.........can you point me in the right direction?

You have to click on the link that says email price. Also sign up for the mailing list and save another $25 with a discount code.

blckshirt98 reply :

I would say Phenix M1 but the last guy on the forums that got an M1 based on forum responses had his snap on the second cast But I'd still go with an M1!

smalljaw67 reply :

I'm a Fenwick fan, if you are looking for a rod under $200 then look at an Aetos, the 7' medium power fast action is very sensitive and very light. I like the St. Croix Avid X at the $200 mark, but it uses micro guides which could cause problems if you like using braid with a leader.

Hopslam reply :

Just left my local tackle shop and browsed around for a good hour. Looked at the elite techs, and a few others but ultimately decided on a 6'6" M Fast Fenwick HMG and a Pflueger Purist in the 30 size. They pair up excellent IMO, and I can't wait to try it out! Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm sure I will check out some of the other rods in the near future!

avidone1 reply :

On 5/13/2016 at 11:52 PM, Fishin' Fool said:

You have to click on the link that says email price. Also sign up for the mailing list and save another $25 with a discount code.

I can't imagine a better rod for under 200 than the g loomis IMX rod for 195.00 from monster. It is really a superior rod at an outstanding price.

Yudo1 reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 4:45 AM, Hopslam said:

Just left my local tackle shop and browsed around for a good hour. Looked at the elite techs, and a few others but ultimately decided on a 6'6" M Fast Fenwick HMG and a Pflueger Purist in the 30 size. They pair up excellent IMO, and I can't wait to try it out! Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm sure I will check out some of the other rods in the near future!

Nice!

NeeaAdifferentScreenName-97244 reply :

On 5/13/2016 at 7:32 AM, dsqui said:

dobyns rods i was a big st croix fan for along time but honestly there rods have gone down hill IMO. also there lower end rods dont have warranties like they used to. this year i decided to switch companies andam very impressed with the dobyns line up

Can you elaborate on the aspects of the St. Croix rods that you feel have gone downhill? I am pretty invested in their SCII Mojo Bass line due to the sales caused by the introduction of the SCIII models. I personally don't have any complaints, but my experience isn't that vast either.

Thanks for your time!

On 5/13/2016 at 10:16 AM, caskey_b said:

St. Croix guy here....

Cant go wrong with the Avid and LT series from St Croix

Lifetime warranty on the rod from the 2 models listed above... PHENOMENAL customer service.

I own several Legend tournament rods and really like them....

If you can fork over another $200ish on your budget, the new 2016 Elites are the best St. Croix rod to date...I own 2 and they are phenomenal rods!!!

but the Avid and LT series you will be MORE THAN PLEASED with

Would you mind expanding on the things you like about the Avid and LT series compared to the lower line stuff from St. Croix, specifically their Mojo lineup? I love my St. Croix stuff, but really cannot afford the higher end rods, and have been rounding out my arsenal with the recent sales on the Mojo rods...

Thanks!

Fishin' Fool reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 5:20 AM, avidone1 said:

I can't imagine a better rod for under 200 than the g loomis IMX rod for 195.00 from monster. It is really a superior rod at an outstanding price.

I got me a NRX 872s for under $370 on that deal

On 5/14/2016 at 5:20 AM, avidone1 said:

I can't imagine a better rod for under 200 than the g loomis IMX rod for 195.00 from monster. It is really a superior rod at an outstanding price.

And thank you for the record I've mentioned this deal to several people looking in the $200 range for a rod and didn't get much feedback at all. I think it's a steal at $200.

PatrickKnight reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 6:41 AM, Fishin' Fool said:

I got me a NRX 872s for under $370 on that deal

And thank you for the record I've mentioned this deal to several people looking in the $200 range for a rod and didn't get much feedback at all. I think it's a steal at $200.

How would you say the IMX stacks up against the Megabass XX series?

Fishin' Fool reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 8:35 AM, PatrickKnight said:

How would you say the IMX stacks up against the Megabass XX series?

I got nothing for you there. People love their JDM rods, they seem to have more of aesthetic quality to them. I think some on here buy JDM to simply admire them. One day maybe I'll have that much money

avidone1 reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 6:41 AM, Fishin' Fool said:

I got me a NRX 872s for under $370 on that deal

And thank you for the record I've mentioned this deal to several people looking in the $200 range for a rod and didn't get much feedback at all. I think it's a steal at $200.

I guess if you never fished one then you can't know how good it is. I'm doing a lot of inshore fishing for snook, redfish etc. lately and was hoping they would have this deal on he progreen series. but no luck, I guess it's too new a rod for them to be giving em away just yet LOL....But thanks for turning me on to that site, it's a regular stop now for the bait monkey train..WOOOOWOOOOOOOO

Fishin' Fool reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 8:59 AM, avidone1 said:

I guess if you never fished one then you can't know how good it is. I'm doing a lot of inshore fishing for snook, redfish etc. lately and was hoping they would have this deal on he progreen series. but no luck, I guess it's too new a rod for them to be giving em away just yet LOL....But thanks for turning me on to that site, it's a regular stop now for the bait monkey train..WOOOOWOOOOOOOO

No problem. Really it's all @EllisJuan fault. He was the one that posted the sales on here in the winter.

dsqui reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 6:21 AM, TurbineTech said:

Can you elaborate on the aspects of the St. Croix rods that you feel have gone downhill? I am pretty invested in their SCII Mojo Bass line due to the sales caused by the introduction of the SCIII models. I personally don't have any complaints, but my experience isn't that vast either.

Thanks for your time!

Would you mind expanding on the things you like about the Avid and LT series compared to the lower line stuff from St. Croix, specifically their Mojo lineup? I love my St. Croix stuff, but really cannot afford the higher end rods, and have been rounding out my arsenal with the recent sales on the Mojo rods...

Thanks!

when i say st croix has gone down hill comes from my experience building rods. when u buy a blank and compare it to the ones they manufacture and they give u guide spacing that is completely different then the ones they manufacture u start to really notice differences in there blanks. pair that with the fact they no longer stand behind them like they did in years past. now on the flipside to taht when you can get a mojo scii for 80 thats a decent rod but for a little more money you could get a dobyns or denalli or 13 which are quality rods with lifetime warranties for as little as wat 20 more in the price tag to me its a no brainer but to each is there own. at one point in time i had quite a few mojos that i am replacing now slowly with dobyns. also i have broke quite a few mojos over the past few years almost like they break down over time. most of them where purchased the year they first came out

PennBass reply :

On 5/14/2016 at 3:30 AM, smalljaw67 said:

I'm a Fenwick fan, if you are looking for a rod under $200 then look at an Aetos, the 7' medium power fast action is very sensitive and very light. I like the St. Croix Avid X at the $200 mark, but it uses micro guides which could cause problems if you like using braid with a leader.

I don't have any complaints with the micro guides but maybe that's cause I tie the FG knot and use rather light line. I feel that the Avid X is a bit tip heavy though, but might just be me.

Dan_the_fisher reply :

I have a avid x 7' medium with a 3000 size Ci4 reel on it I love, I feel it is a amazing rod for the money, i do prefer it over the Shimano loomis imx's by far. If you have a field and stream near by you can go feel the st criox and loomis rods to compare.

Mark888 reply :

My go to Spinning rod is a 7' medium fast action Fenwick Elite Bass Tech. LOVE IT!

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Looking for spinning rod advice $150-250 range 2025

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