Which rods to invest in? 2025
IowaBass15 reply :
Hey everyone, I have a question about rods. I really want to invest in quality rods. Right now I have a Duckett Ghost, Dobyns Savy, *** black *** (older model and two Denali J2's. I like my rods for the most part but I want to start investing to a single brand line up with a good warranty program. I am also a full time college student that works full time so I don't have the money for those $400.00 g loomis'. I just fish recreationally right now (Although its everyday its not raining for hours at a time) but I am going to start fishing competitively this year. I love fishing. I am nothing short of obsessed and really want to convert to a single quality brand. I would like to keep the rods around $200 dollars.
Chance_Taker4 reply :
It is very hard to say one specific rod brand because each manufacture excels in different rod setups. However if I was forced to have to fish one brand only my brand would be Enigma. It is a new company that doesn't get a lot of love because people think they are ugly. But I like the look of the Phenom Titanium and Aaron's edge. They cover every type of rod you would need. Limited lifetime warranty. Light, sensitive, and I love the microwave guides. These rods are $120 for the Aaron's Edge and $150 for the Phenom Titanium. Plus a non titanium version of the Phenom is getting released this year.
EllisJuan reply :
If I am going to long term marry one rod manufacturer (that is not G Loomis) it is going to be St. Croix. Their customer service is solid and they have a good accidental damage replacement policy. I am confident I could cover every rod I need $200 at a time from the Avid line and be happy.
IowaBass15 reply :
On 3/10/2016 at 12:34 PM, EllisJuan said:If I am picking one rod manufacturer (that is not G Loomis) it is going to be St. Croix. I could cover every rod I need $200 at a time from the Avid line and be happy.
would you prefer the avid series compared to the cheaper g loomis' such as the e6x or gl2s?
EllisJuan reply :
On 3/10/2016 at 12:37 PM, IowaBass15 said:would you prefer the avid series compared to the cheaper g loomis' such as the e6x or gl2s?
Yes. I have owned them both and to me where G Loomis starts to separate from St. Croix is the GLX and NRX lines. Up to that point, I think St. Croix makes a better rod for the money. For me, from what I have owned, it goes something like;
Loomis NRX > Loomis GLX > St. Croix Tournament Bass > Loomis IMX = St Croix Avid > Loomis E6X = St. Croix Premier
The separation between the Loomis NRX and GLX and the rest is pretty large, both in performance and price.
Robert Riley reply :
Buy the $350 Dobyns then. I fish mostly dobyns, their Savvys are great, and the Champions are even better. Plus they have so much variety in the same line.
Mosster47 reply :
I'm a Phenix UMBX and Lamiglas guy. Phenix uses great blanks and Lami's are absolute work horses with everything you need and they are built like tanks.
IowaBass15 reply :
On 3/10/2016 at 12:34 PM, Chance Brown said:It is very hard to say one specific rod brand because each manufacture excels in different rod setups. However if I was forced to have to fish one brand only my brand would be Enigma. It is a new company that doesn't get a lot of love because people think they are ugly. But I like the look of the Phenom Titanium and Aaron's edge. They cover every type of rod you would need. Limited lifetime warranty. Light, sensitive, and I love the microwave guides. These rods are $120 for the Aaron's Edge and $150 for the Phenom Titanium. Plus a non titanium version of the Phenom is getting released this year.
I've always wanted to hold one because I myself really like them as well. Maybe I'm biased because Aaron martens is who I usually root for lol. I wish there was a retailer here that carried them.
Darren. reply :
Another St. Croix vote here. But I have fallen for
their Legend Tournament series. Gosh they are
soooo crisp. I used their upgrade service when I
sent my Avid in for replacement.
If I had $250, I'd get another one.
curtis9 reply :
I'd look at either st croix or dobyns at that price range. Keep an eye out for sales. Both rods are typically include in holiday sales, and St croix has a lot of sales and rebate offers through gander mountain.
buzzed bait reply :
i'd go dobyns champion rods myself, trying to add more to my rotation right now. otherwise, st croix is hard to beat, just buy them 1 power less than you think you need since they're all a little heavier than advertised from my experience.
Chance_Taker4 reply :
On 3/10/2016 at 9:09 PM, IowaBass15 said:I've always wanted to hold one because I myself really like them as well. Maybe I'm biased because Aaron martens is who I usually root for lol. I wish there was a retailer here that carried them.
That was a main issue for me to but I not the bullet when I'm black Friday that ran a deal buy a rod and get them Phenom free before they released. I'm glad I did I'm slowly moving my Denali and 13 rods over to Enigma.
fishindad reply :
My vote goes to Falcon Bucoo. Made in US, very light and sensitive for the price point and I fish mainly Legend Extreme, GLX, Dobyns DX, Falcon Cara.
If I was your age and a student, and interested in tournaments fishing, I would get the Bucoo Amistad, Trap Caster, Swim Jig, and Finesse Jig rods - all for under $500. That would cover everything bass with the exception of one finesse spinning outfit.
Raul reply :
On 3/10/2016 at 12:24 PM, IowaBass15 said:Hey everyone, I have a question about rods. I really want to invest in quality rods. Right now I have a Duckett Ghost, Dobyns Savy, *** black *** (older model and two Denali J2's. I like my rods for the most part but I want to start investing to a single brand line up with a good warranty program. I am also a full time college student that works full time so I don't have the money for those $400.00 g loomis'. I just fish recreationally right now (Although its everyday its not raining for hours at a time) but I am going to start fishing competitively this year. I love fishing. I am nothing short of obsessed and really want to convert to a single quality brand. I would like to keep the rods around $200 dollars.
You get a $400 GLoomis rod because you want it not because you need it. I didn´t get to purchase my first GLoomis rod until about a decade ago, that means that for 3+ decades I fished with something else and those were Berkley Lightning Rods, actually, 99% of all the 10+ lbers ( which are just a few ones 
) I have caught were caught with LRs.
Having expensive gear is nice but as Catt likes to say: "catching fish is between your ears and not between the folds of your wallet".
Choporoz reply :
I'm NOT trying to be antagonistic, but I am curious....please take no offense...Unless you're committed to a strict sponsor contract, why the compulsion to 'choose' to use only one brand (of rod or reel or anything else?)
If it were me, at your age/stage, I think I'd prefer to get a range of brands. I'd get rods from a few different companies now so I can compare personal experiences and preferences long before I get set in my ways and decide to 'settle' for just one.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 1:01 AM, Choporoz said:I'm NOT trying to be antagonistic, but I am curious....please take no offense...Unless you're committed to a strict sponsor contract, why the compulsion to 'choose' to use only one brand (of rod or reel or anything else?)
If it were me, at your age/stage, I think I'd prefer to get a range of brands. I'd get rods from a few different companies now so I can compare personal experiences and preferences long before I get set in my ways and decide to 'settle' for just one.
This is exactly what I was thinking. Any company will stand behind their product if there's a problem or won't be around long. Warranty is the last thing I'd base a purchase on. If a brand has a liberal replacement policy all that tells me is that I'm over paying for the original. If you're bent on all one brand St Croix has one of the most robust quality lines
IowaBass15 reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 1:01 AM, Choporoz said:I'm NOT trying to be antagonistic, but I am curious....please take no offense...Unless you're committed to a strict sponsor contract, why the compulsion to 'choose' to use only one brand (of rod or reel or anything else?)
If it were me, at your age/stage, I think I'd prefer to get a range of brands. I'd get rods from a few different companies now so I can compare personal experiences and preferences long before I get set in my ways and decide to 'settle' for just one.
I think its my OCD to be honest. I do this with not only fishing gear, like using he same brand of jig, or plastic but in shoes. I generally only buy one brand of shoe. I would only buy one brand of truck, etc. I definitely see where you are coming from and of course take no offense it's just something that tens to happen. If I really like something I stand behind it.
On 3/11/2016 at 1:16 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:This is exactly what I was thinking. Any company will stand behind their product if there's a problem or won't be around long. Warranty is the last thing I'd base a purchase on. If a brand has a liberal replacement policy all that tells me is that I'm over paying for the original. If you're bent on all one brand St Croix has one of the most robust quality lines
The main reason I am worried about warranty is I would much rather spend the 75 dollars loomis or another company charges and receive a new rod no questions asked, then to have to buy another rod completely. But I do conquer with what you are saying.
On 3/11/2016 at 12:51 AM, Raul said:You get a $400 GLoomis rod because you want it not because you need it. I didn´t get to purchase my first GLoomis rod until about a decade ago, that means that for 3+ decades I fished with something else and those were Berkley Lightning Rods, actually, 99% of all the 10+ lbers ( which are just a few ones
) I have caught were caught with LRs.
Having expensive gear is nice but as Catt likes to say: "catching fish is between your ears and not between the folds of your wallet".
d**n it that quote made me rethink my entire life haha. 
On 3/10/2016 at 11:04 PM, fishindad said:My vote goes to Falcon Bucoo. Made in US, very light and sensitive for the price point and I fish mainly Legend Extreme, GLX, Dobyns DX, Falcon Cara.
If I was your age and a student, and interested in tournaments fishing, I would get the Bucoo Amistad, Trap Caster, Swim Jig, and Finesse Jig rods - all for under $500. That would cover everything bass with the exception of one finesse spinning outfit.
I actually almost ordered a few when TW had them for 69 dollars! I hate not being able to hold one before I buy something and now its to late but still fair priced of course.
blckshirt98 reply :
If all my rods burned down to the ground and I had to start from scratch today, I'd go all Phenix and St. Croix, with more Phenix rods than St. Croix rods. Both companies make rods that I currently own and fish but Phenix has a lifetime warranty on all their rods, and, I'm in their HQ area a couple of times every year so no need to ship rods in a tube if something ever happened. St. Croix lifetime warranties are at a higher price point, but they also have a nice upgrade program if you do ever break a rod. I used to be a Shimano guy because of their OTC warranty but their new (lack of) warranty on rods means I'll never buy a Shimano rod again.
If Phenix and St. Croix both went to Shimano 1-year warranties I'd probably stop using St. Croix, but would still use Phenix. If the entire industry went to 1-year warranties I'd go Phenix 100%. Their M1/Elixir/Crankbait rods have been absolute iron workhorses for me that should have snapped in half ten times over already.
Warranties seem like a silly reason to base brand selection on but I like to know that "it's there" and not be something to worry about. If you've ever had to go a period without medical insurance when changing jobs you might know what I mean. Those few weeks when you know you have no coverage you're just a little more careful and weary; and if I'm fishing a rod where I know if I break it I'll need to replace it, that caution/weariness in the back of my mind takes away from my fishing experience some.
Raul reply :
On 3/11/2016 at 2:01 AM, IowaBass15 said:d**n it that quote made me rethink my entire life haha.
12 ft and 6.5 HP of pure bass fishing awesomeness:
Ladies and gentlemen I give you ------> "LATINASESINA" ( the killer bathtub )
I don´t need more than that and it has seen more biguns than other dudes 17+ ft bass boats. I have done certain improvements to it ( like putting artificial grass carpets on those bench seats and forward platform because they can get HOT !!! )
Choporoz reply :
Like DVT, I'm a little puzzled by the emphasis on the warranty. My $30K 2015 car has a 3 year warranty. My wife's 2014 $1700 camera came with a 12 month warranty (and is in the shop for its second post-warranty service.)
I've broken two rods in nearly 50 years of fishing. One was on day one and the store took it back the same day. The other was only 3 months old....and the break was entirely my own high-sticking fault. (Note: it just happened to be a rod from a 'major' company that was sold with NO warranty....That is one purchase where maybe I should have been paying a little more attention....no warranty may have been for a reason. But I harbor no ill feelings towards the company and would buy one of their other, warranted rods any time.)
Just seems to me that if a rod is from a reputable company and doesn't break within first few long days of fishing, it is probably going to be with me for years and I won't ever think about the warranty even if and when it may eventually break.
Raul reply :
I´ve broken 3 rods in my life and 2 of those were because of my very own stupidity and I didn´t go begging around for the company to honor the warranty, you do something stupid it´s your problem kemosabe.
Me being married to a single brand ? nope, variety is the spice of life and you can´t find out that there might be better options for you if you don´t try, I´ve owned Silstar, Berkley, Kunnan, GLoomis, Shimano, St Croix, Kistler, Olympic/GraphiteLeader & BPS, have tried several models and after a while I have chosen the brands/models and styles I prefer, I´m not going to say those brands I didn´t prefer were bad, I just didn´t like them for one reason or another.
Bass Turd reply :
I think what IowaBass15 is saying he will have total confidence with the same brand lineup. I think that's great that he recognizes this. I'd rather have total confidence that my cane pole will catch Bass every time vs a $200 rod that I'm just not quite sure about....
0119 reply :
I can see your concern for a warranty. I broke Shimano Cumara's just by looking at them when they first came out. St. Croix rods one my favorite have lost me due to their new peculiar styling. I'm not a rod ***** my type of fishing style( inshore, crawling through mangrove jungle) isn't conducive to delicate Uber graphite blends. The 3 St. Croix issues I had were not blank breakage but loose seats and guides breaking. I can't say I found St. Croix always fully customer oriented. I'm very pleased with Loomis' lower tier models and see them as good or better than the Avid.
blckshirt98 reply :
I look at warranty because I like the thought of "I'll never have to buy this rod again for the rest of my life". I'll fish it now, I'll fish it when I retire. 30 years from now when I'm retired if I fall and snap the rod in half I won't have to spend $225 of my retirement money on a replacement rod.
Brand wise I've become mainly a Phenix convert just because every rod of theirs I've fished has been light, sensitive, and indestructable. St Croix has also delivered but I think they run a little stiff.
SMITTY0045 reply :
Another brand I would consider is Kistler. They make some great rods and I have been considering switching all of my rods over to them as well. I would also recommend Daiwa ( great quality rods that will last forever), and as everyone else has pointed out, you can't go wrong with St. Croix
strikefc34 reply :
I switched over to all Dobyns and never looked back. Mostly Champions with a few DX's mixed in. In all honesty if you like your Savvy I'd highly recommend the Fury. For a $109 its a lot of rod. My co-worker didn't want to swing for the Champions so he bought a bunch of Furys, 705cb, 733c, 734c, 735c and a 703sf. I've fished with all of his rods and can honestly say the Fury is a dam nice rod. Plus the no questions asked warranty is second to none.
basseditor reply :
I own 50-plus rods from many major brands. I'm in the process of acquiring all Kistlers now. I will be selling several Lamiglas and maybe a Loomis. Maybe some others too.
The other rods I'm giving to my brothers
Molay1292 reply :
Rods as an investment are a loosing proposition, never get out of them what you paid. Lots of good rods on the market and like many have already said, I don't think that I would feel so compelled to stick with one brand. Choose the best rod you can afford for the technique you want to fish, it will give you a lot more enjoyment than all of your rods looking the same. I would stick with the name brands that have a history of good quality and support. St. Croix, Dobyn's, G Loomis, Falcon to name a few.
EvanT123 reply :
The best investment I made in rod s was learning to put them together myself. Sure I still buy some factory ones it's hard for me to pass up a good deal. Like a Loomis imx for $115 or st croix premier for $65. Read up a little on rod building and you soon realize most of these companies are selling you hype.
Draethe84 reply :
Consider the Daiwa rods like the New Cronos that is being released this year, the Tatula range rods, Lexa rods, Tatula XT and The Zillion rods when theyre on special... all brilliant rods for the money and have quality guides that last ages.
Fishes in trees reply :
I try to tell myself that I'm not one brand oriented and it is true that I have several different brands of rods that make my starting line up. Given that, the last 5 rods I've purchased were Fenwick Aetos or HMG. I have 3 Falcon rods that are in the starting line up. The Bucoo trap caster is one. This rod holds the distinction of being the only rod I've paid full retail for in a long time. I have a Falcon Eakins Jig Special and a Bucoo version of the Eakins Jig Special . I'd buy more Falcon rods if they were readily available near where I live - but they aren't.
IowaBass15 reply :
Well since this post I've bought the new *** 2 on sale at gander for 69 bucks and a falcon bucoo micro. I'm going to take the advice and keep testing different brand and buying the best I can until I make good money when I graduate and have the ability to not worry about price as much.
BrianSnat reply :
Shimano Crucial is a really good rod for about $150. St Croix Premier is very good too and is in the same price ballpark.
fishindad reply :
On 3/15/2016 at 9:29 PM, IowaBass15 said:Well since this post I've bought the new *** 2 on sale at gander for 69 bucks and a falcon bucoo micro. I'm going to take the advice and keep testing different brand and buying the best I can until I make good money when I graduate and have the ability to not worry about price as much.
Good decision. We all like getting new tackle and trying out new toys. But, don't get the mindset that your fishing success depends on the brand of rod you use or the price tag. You will know when a particular rod feels "just right" in your hands. And don't think you need an NRX/K2/Legend Xtreme to be a good bass fisherman. If that were the case, every pro on tour would fish with them. Rods and reels are just tools.
offsidewing reply :
These threads are fun! St Croix if I had to choose one because of how they service their customers. There are lots of good rod makers out there, both "OTC" and custom.
And to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, "a cynic is a man who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing."
Fishin' Fool reply :
I'd highly consider the warranty too. I had a decade old IMX that I accidentally snapped the tip this weekend for $100 I get a new rod shipped to my door.
ww2farmer reply :
"Invest".............................that word doesn't mean what you think it means. "Investing" in fishing tackle is buying stock from a publicly traded tackle company. Stuff you buy to fish with is "buying stuff" to fish with.
Few, if any consumer goods are "investments", with the exception of limited production items made and marketed to collectors first, and users second............but even then, those things take forever and the right buyer to ever make them sound investments.
IDK why............but people using the word invest wrong always has been a top pet peeve of mine................and I'm just a dumb farm hand with $3 in my pocket............... Carry on.
tbone1993 reply :
Whatever rod has a dealer near you. My shop sends out rods for $15 usually which is cheaper than doing it yourself.
blckshirt98 reply :
Investment doesn't always mean a monetary return in the future, it's a return on personal benefit/enjoyment. If you're trading $200 cash in return for a $200 rod, you're hoping the rod gives you better enjoyment than the $200 in cash did. Spending $200 on a rod you use for 10 years and get 2000 hours of fishing utility out of, vs, spending $200 on a rod you use once and never pick up again - the 10 year rod is a better investment of your money. You can even look at the rods or any piece of fishing gear as fixed assets that depreciate as soon as it's in your hands.
Fishinggeek reply :
I would go with St. Croix. I love them, for the price range you cant go wrong. I would look into the Mojo bass. There are a lot of different models and each model specifics what kind of fishing that rod was made for (spinner baits, crank baits, jigging) you name it they have a model for it. This would defiantly come in handy when tournament fishing.
HookdUP reply :
I still use my duckett ghost when I'm fishing with my kids family etc. but I own all duckett rods from ghost to white ice and I have never had an issue with their customer service. I have caught bass as big as 8lb on their med spinning to 7-11 swimbaits white ice rod ... I have had no bad issues with the rods ... And before this i used one nrx on stradic Fi and glx on core 50 ... In Florida ... last fours years been ba Boyd man here and a loomis bass and custom cal star blank dry tortugas fishing there
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