Rod purchasing philosophy? 2024
no39 reply :
I'm curious to see how others make choices in purchasing rods. What guides your decision in choosing and purchasing a rod? I believe rods are most the fragile things we carry on boats and have seen a few destroyed. So the idea of shelling out 250+ for something that can be ruined with an errant cast, livewell lid, careless foot step, tungsten weight, or any of the other various hazards founds on boats is rather unnerving. For me, the rod has to have two particular qualities. First, the rod has to on the light side in its tier. Secondly, it has to be cheap enough as to not ruin my day WHEN I break it. That being said, all my rods on veritas that were heavily marked down when the "new" ones came out. So, I'm not really bothered when they explode as I boat flip a 2 lb fish or when I close a lid on the tip of one.
Turkey sandwich reply :
I just tend to be more careful and buy from companies like St. Croix that I know will back their products. If you're abusing your gear/not keeping it organized/boat flipping most of your fish, it's on you, man.
Paul Roberts reply :
I highly value my rods and I spend time in making the decision. Some people value their reels more. Not me.
Primarily, I want sensitivity. Not all highly sensitive rods are the most expensive, but I must check out a rod first-hand before I'll buy one sight unseen. However, it's possible to buy top dollar rods sight unseen and get something usable. I've bought a couple such rods sight unseen. I don't break my rods. They're too valuable.
everythingthatswims reply :
I won't buy one online unless I have held one before or it's marked wayyyy down on TW
paul. reply :
criteria 1 - it's gotta feel good in my hand (light, not tip heavy, etc.)
criteria 2- it's gotta excel at its designated purpose, but be able to do at least one other thing well in a pinch.
criteria 3- it's gotta be on sale. i am a firm believer that no rod or reel on the market today is worth the "regular" price.
blckshirt98 reply :
1) It has to be on sale.
2) It has to have a good warranty.
3) It has to have good word of mouth/reviews.
Lots of rods are hard to find locally to feel in hand or at least for me not worth the effort to seek out to feel, but I'll buy rods if I see enough positive things online about them.
Fishinthefish reply :
Sensitivity first and foremost.
bigturtle reply :
In order from the things i consider first, to last:
- Does it do its intended job? ie, is it sensitive enough, light enough, and strong enough.
- Does it look aesthetically appealing? ie, not enigma, duckett, skeet reese, or anything similar. Im going to be fishing with it, and if I hate looking at my rod, Im not going to use it no matter how good it is.
- Does it come with at least 2 years of warranty? I have only broken rods by fishing them, and if they are defective, it shows in the first 2 years.
- Is the reel seat to my liking? I like reel seats that expose the blank, have a long trigger if its a casting rod, and has a comfortable locking/screw cap so it doest hurt my finger when i hold it a certain way.
- What the handle material is. I love cork, but good, dense EVA are ok as well
- Is it a full grip handle? I prefer full grips over split grips.
- Hook keeper? Nice to have, but if not, il put my own on.
- Is it a JDM imported rod? Would i have to spend $50+ and a few months to have it replaced/repaired for warranty.
- Price. My budget, when I do decide that I actually NEED a new rod, is extremely flexible.
Catt reply :
Full cork
I have to have it in my hand with reel attached & lure tied on
Do not give my rods names that way when I throw worms with my jig rod it does not get confused!
BassWhole! reply :
I don't buy or use things that I'm afraid to put through the paces. I'm not going out of my way to destroy tackle, but I'm not babying it or treating it like works of art. something brakes, it gets replaced end of story.
Team9nine reply :
On 3/3/2016 at 11:49 AM, no39 said:I'm curious to see how others make choices in purchasing rods. What guides your decision in choosing and purchasing a rod? I believe rods are most the fragile things we carry on boats and have seen a few destroyed. So the idea of shelling out 250+ for something that can be ruined with an errant cast, livewell lid, careless foot step, tungsten weight, or any of the other various hazards founds on boats is rather unnerving. For me, the rod has to have two particular qualities. First, the rod has to on the light side in its tier. Secondly, it has to be cheap enough as to not ruin my day WHEN I break it. That being said, all my rods on veritas that were heavily marked down when the "new" ones came out. So, I'm not really bothered when they explode as I boat flip a 2 lb fish or when I close a lid on the tip of one.
Might I suggest that you look into the Ugly Stick line of rods from Shakespeare. Sounds like they are the perfect rod for your situation, and they're the #1 selling rod in the country . 
-T9
ww2farmer reply :
Versatility..............I have limited room in my boat. I don't need/want 15-20 rods for each and every technique. 4 casting rods, and 2 spinning rods cover 90% of what I do most of the time.
Hogsticker reply :
That's easy. Build or have built. No guessing needed. Right tool for the job every time. Take care of your gear and pay attention.
Steveo-1969 reply :
Because I primarily fish bottom contact presentations my #1 criteria is the most sensitive rod I can afford. I now have one spinning and two casting combos that I'm very satisfied with and the Rod Monkey hasn't been whispering in my year for the last year! They were expensive (by my standards) and I handle them more carefully than I would a newborn baby, but they get used every time I fish.
I don't understand why some people will by an expensive rod and then not use it because they are afraid of breaking it. "Looking for a cheap rod to use for bank fishing rather than my expensive rod". Really? Rods are made to be fished with!
However, if you ARE afraid of breaking your rods then buy a rod that won't break your heart if it uh... breaks.
Felix77 reply :
I personally don't buy expensive rods (> $100). I typically hunt for "last season" rods which are less than $100. If it upgrades a rod which I currently own then I buy it. My collection currently consists of Skeet Reese, Abu Garcia and Rhapsody (local club manufacturer).
Works for me. 
junyer357 reply :
Im slowly replacing my older, lower end rods with better mid to higher range. ($190-250) rods. I try to be very careful and take care of my equipment, and look at it as investments. Each rod has a cover, and it is on rod unless im using it. I have several rods that are 20+ years old and still in use regularly and work well.
I just can now afford to slowly improve them with newer ones with better sensitivity and lower weight. I really appreciate the quality of the better rods, the lighter weight especially. I can feel it in my shoulders more when i go back to using an older, heavier rod. I also feel the better sensitivity helps me detect bites and subtle changes better. Both of these make it more enjoyable to fish longer and more productivly.
Fisher-O-men reply :
I have a $200+ rod that I paid $100 for but that is the extent of my splurge on rods. I keep my eyes open for deals and I have never broken a rod. Guys tell me I do not know what I am missing. That could be, but I'll never know! So, I'm good! And I have zero Ugly Sticks!
EllisJuan reply :
On 3/3/2016 at 11:49 AM, no39 said:I'm curious to see how others make choices in purchasing rods. What guides your decision in choosing and purchasing a rod? I believe rods are most the fragile things we carry on boats and have seen a few destroyed. So the idea of shelling out 250+ for something that can be ruined with an errant cast, livewell lid, careless foot step, tungsten weight, or any of the other various hazards founds on boats is rather unnerving. For me, the rod has to have two particular qualities. First, the rod has to on the light side in its tier. Secondly, it has to be cheap enough as to not ruin my day WHEN I break it. That being said, all my rods on veritas that were heavily marked down when the "new" ones came out. So, I'm not really bothered when they explode as I boat flip a 2 lb fish or when I close a lid on the tip of one.
I buy from G Loomis and St. Croix. Both have a great replacement program for accidental damage. ~$100 and a new rod is at my door in a couple day. Life is too short and leisure time is too limited to not fish with what I want.
MidwestF1sh reply :
Buy the beat you can happily justify. I was like a lot of guys and buy $100 rods. I made the mistake of buying one nice $200 ROF and it was so much nicer I never wanted to put it down. Now all I own are 3d Max's and dobyns champion. Warranty is a big plus!
Kevin22 reply :
On 3/3/2016 at 11:49 AM, no39 said:I'm curious to see how others make choices in purchasing rods. What guides your decision in choosing and purchasing a rod? I believe rods are most the fragile things we carry on boats and have seen a few destroyed. So the idea of shelling out 250+ for something that can be ruined with an errant cast, livewell lid, careless foot step, tungsten weight, or any of the other various hazards founds on boats is rather unnerving. For me, the rod has to have two particular qualities. First, the rod has to on the light side in its tier. Secondly, it has to be cheap enough as to not ruin my day WHEN I break it. That being said, all my rods on veritas that were heavily marked down when the "new" ones came out. So, I'm not really bothered when they explode as I boat flip a 2 lb fish or when I close a lid on the tip of one.
I am very happy in the 100-120 range, I feel that range includes quite a few rods that are excellent for the "fun" fisherman. I also got in on the closeouts of the 2nd gen veritas (before 2.0) and have been quite pleased. I did break one which leads me to the next point.... WARRANTY! Warranty is very important to me. I want a rod with enough of a warranty to fish a couple seasons with ease, I feel if i get two seasons out of a rod I probably got my moneys worth of fun. So 2 years of a GOOD warranty is a minimum. Abu and daiwa have been the best so far. The veritas I broke was 1 yr 6mo old and they replaced it no questions asked. All I had to do was send in a picture of the break and the serial number, and send them a $10 check. They replaced it with a 2.0 model.
Three other key points that I NEED in a rod are; sensitivity, lightness, and a good action for what I need. I can find everything I need in a rod in the $100 range. I also try to keep all of my rods in the same range and feel. I passed up a dobyns champ that was dirt cheap simply because I knew I would favor it over my other rods and that would put me at a disadvantage. So keep that in mind. For the "same feel" aspect, I want to be able to pick up any of my rods and switch between another without issues. So all my rods have to feel similar in the grip and overall weight. Spending 20 casts to get used to a rod is 20 wasted casts.
J._Bricker reply :
As stated by pretty much everyone on this thread, I believe in buying the best equipment that you can afford. IMO, quality equipment adds to the enjoyment fishing and is the byproduct of one's hard work. Better quality does make a difference, how much may depend on the rod and technique. eBay, the fishing flea market, various tackle websites, even the consignment bin at the local tackle shop allow you to acquire quality for less than retail.
faygo1979 reply :
I am more ad hoc with my purchases of rods. Most of my fishing rods are in the 100-200 range and almost off of them are different brands. This is because for the most part I have not found my perfect style yet. I really don’t pick based on warranty or anything like that But I do have to say pure Fishing is very easy to work with on the rods that I have broken.
I have started looking for rods with guide rings rather than chrome or stainless, they seem to feel smoother with braid. I prefer full handles to spit grips but not enough not to keep me from purchasing a rod. And I am not a fan of the really small microguides. Anything smaller than size 5 is too small for me. The rest is up in the air.
I actually started building my own rods just because my tastes seem to be a little more unique than what I can find at bass pro shop.
Damn Yankee reply :
I am willing to bet most folks have had at least one lighting rod at some point.If you are tough on your rods they may be a good option.
Allen Der reply :
On 3/4/2016 at 6:46 AM, Damn Yankee said:I am willing to bet most folks have had at least one lighting rod at some point.If you are tough on your rods they may be a good option.
a lightning rod is one of the 3 rods I've ever broken. they seem very brittle to me
I think there are 2 schools of thought if you're semi-serious and don't have unlimited budget.
1. you take care of your equipment and plan to keep it a long time so you buy a few high end rods with lifetime warranties
2. you like new things every couple of years and buy a bunch of $150 and under rods. if you break one it's just an excuse to buy a new rod
no39 reply :
Lots of interesting posts. I enjoy seeing others though processes on things. Thanks for the suggestions. I've only personally broken one rod and that rod had 4 seasons on it. Eventually everything breaks down with enough use. Most of my rods have guides or hook keepers missing, but that's just free weight reduction. I know durability and weight aren't usually to traits one that coincide, so I sacrifice longevity for comfort. Personally, I don't think I'm too particularly hard on gear, I think I'm honest with it.
It seems sensitivity is a trait that is highly sought after, but how does one empirically measure such a characteristic? I bought the veritas rods thinking they were fairly light but there's a huge variance between them. I weighed identical rods and one weighed nearly 3/4's of an ounce more than the other. So, if I can't even trust a company's specs on weight, I'm not going to trust them on their claim of having high sensitivity, something I can't even measure. I've tried rods that were touted for their sensitivity, but I was never really wowed. I was admiring their design and build quality, but never noticed any marked improvement over my garbage rods. In fact, I preferred using a veritas over a orochi xx when used for pitching. Simply, for the fact that it was noticeably heavier. For me less weight=speed=efficiency.
Robert Riley reply :
I have a system for my rods, each one serves a specific purpose. So currently, my fish frogs on my jig rod, but it's too fast, therefore my next investment is a frog rod. At this point, having 7-8 rods, I intend to buy rods for only a specific purpose.
tbone1993 reply :
On 3/4/2016 at 9:26 AM, Robert Riley said:I have a system for my rods, each one serves a specific purpose. So currently, my fish frogs on my jig rod, but it's too fast, therefore my next investment is a frog rod. At this point, having 7-8 rods, I intend to buy rods for only a specific purpose.
He isn't kidding. He's got a spreadsheet going with his setups that are ready to go.
Fishin' Fool reply :
Good deals are my kryptonite.
Master Bait'r reply :
My philosophy varies with the wind, but I basically always have to feel like I got a good deal and/or value- and that is wholly personal. I work hard and I buy what I want.
I have both MB Destroyer and NRX rods and both are worth every penny of the great deals I got on them. My En-vee rods I paid full retail for and would again in a heartbeat.
Mike2841 reply :
Buy one of each until I find "the one." I like fishing with the higher quality rods, doesn't help me catch more fish but I like having quality gear. I buy what I can afford, and try to find what I want on sale.
byram bassturd reply :
Best that I can afford. Never enough time to get out and enjoy my favorite sport. Nice gear definitely ups the enjoyment factor when I'm on the water...
WI_Angler1989 reply :
I fish out of a canoe or on shore. And don't get me wrong, saying I fish from shore is not a bad thing. I've been fishing some local waters the entire time I've fished and know spots that are honey holes from the bank.
That being said, less is more for me. I have 3 rods as of now. I've used some less expensive rods: Shakespeare, Abu Garcia, Pfleuger combo rods. I love St Croix rods. I jave always loved them and im from WI a d like the "local" aspect.
Versatility is key. I have a rod for finesse and bottom bouncing baits; 1 rod for spinners, small cranks, topwater and grubs; 1 rod for jigs, frogs, jerkbaits and any heavier lures. The more a rod can do, the better.
Honestly I would like another rod but it wouldn't be practical to lug 4 around most days.
primetime reply :
I have been accumulating rods from the time I was young, so I just have way too many, but I keep buying a new rod or 2 each year when I find a deal on a lighter rod that is maybe a new size etc...
I have been buying Gander mountain Rods the last 2 years and love them...I buy the $100-$120 versions on sales for $40, and I think the New Green ones are on sale right now...I am a sucker for Combos as well...I found that Lews white Combo earlier this year for $79 in a heavy action, so I sold the rod and kept the reel since I found an HMG flipping stick for $60 I had to buy...
The Berkley Lighting Rods are good quality for the price, so are the Dicks field and stream rods when on sale, BPS Extreme have been great to me for over 15 years, Bionic Blade is good as well on sale...I love the Gander rods, light and strong, I picked up a deal last year on the trade in and walked out with a rod that I liked over the *** for $30, super light, and so far I love it...Tackle Warehouse also has deals super low at times on high end rods that are often hard to find...I picked up a Team Daiwa 6' Med Heavy baitcaster for jerkbaits, skipping baits that I love at something like half off....You can google best new bass Rods under 100 bucks anbd all major magazines and bloggers make lists which help..
Bassin Magazine just rated the Kast King Stealth baitcaster best Buy and best new technology out of 10 reels this year and they also had a rod that was rated above a few expensive versions. With all the awards they are winning, Reviews, and the fact they also sell Abu Garcia and Daiwa reels on their site and are an authorized dealer, 3 year warranty, tough to beat that company right now....Bringing Jobs to Long Island, More than *** has brought to Florida but In Fisherman has been raving about all their products and that is a legit magazine on Long Island...I like how they started the company..4 Kids graduating from Syracuse Did a project on how to make high end fishing gear affordable, and now they bagged Icast, and several other top awards, you tube breakdowns, and they hand out samples....The specs for Eposeidon are accurate online, and they are very knowledgeable when you call them...I plan on getting some of their carbon fiber rods for under $60 when I visit NY in the Spring....Good to always update technology when on sale, and companies like *** are making quality gear at good prices as well..the Candy Apple series is ok, but the Blackout rods are top rated for 79 plus they do many House brands, so is Eposeidon recently....Check them out for sure..you can get rods for $50 and under that are top quality....
S Hovanec reply :
My criteria for new rod acquisition:
1. Is it a dropshot rod?
2. Is it a St. Croix?
3. Is it pretty?
skno reply :
My new rod criteria is ............................... it has to be St Croix ! 
WIGuide reply :
I pretty much buy what I want if I can afford it. I don't baby my equipment, but I don't abuse it either. Getting in good habits of keeping things organized. Don't put your rods in positions where a hatch can shut on them, don't slam them against the boat after you miss a fish, don't leave them where you can step on them. Not saying accidents can't still happen, but they are a lot fewer and further between. Learn how to handle a rod and not boat flip every fish you catch, take some steps to keep them from getting beat up like using rod gloves when you put them into the rod locker to prevent them from beating on one another or getting guides caught on other rods when you pull them out.
As far as things I consider when buying a new rod is is it something I'm going to use; will it fit in my rod box (limited on length), and I also try to stick with one company. Since I found one that I really like, when I buy a new rod I don't have to have hands on it because I know what to expect. Being that I live in the middle of nowhere, that's actually quite helpful.
Fishes in trees reply :
The last few years I haven't bought very many rods. The few I have purchased have been Fenwick AETOS. Prior to that I purchased a couple of Wild Black Carrot Stix. One I use for jig style baits and the other slightly shorter one I use for throwing spinner baits. I haven't broke them yet. Everyone I know who bought a carrot stick - no matter what color or model - they're all broke now.
shaggydog reply :
On 3/4/2016 at 2:07 AM, EllisJuan said:I buy from G Loomis and St. Croix. Both have a great replacement program for accidental damage. ~$100 and a new rod is at my door in a couple day. Life is too short and leisure time is too limited to not fish with what I want.
have you even fished a nrx yet. I mean on the water not in the yard
EllisJuan reply :
On 3/5/2016 at 9:37 AM, shaggydog said:have you even fished a nrx yet. I mean on the water not in the yard
Yep. Twice. Caught two on it this afternoon.
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