Rods vs. Reels

[Cody]

I have the constant struggle of choosing to spend larger amounts of money on rods or reels. In the past I have bought more expensive reels and cheaper rods. Now by cheap I don't mean a $10 Zebco from Walmart. I fish berkley and abu garcia rods in the $20-$30 range. Am I going about it wrong? Should I bite the bullet and put some money into a rod. I find it a hard pill to swallow considering my track record of breaking/losing rods.

[kuljc]

I'm like you. And the reel is more important, but depending on what fish you're going after the right rod helps a lot.

but then again I drop a lot of stuff into the water, including 2 combos. So cheaper is better for me.

[J.A. Veil]

When I was getting started in fishing 30 years ago, I was not sure how serious I would be about fishing. I bought inexpensive K-Mart combos or items from the clearance bin. That gear worked fine, but was not highly durable and was not as smooth as higher priced (and higher quality) gear. Bit-by-bit, I would replace an older inexpensive rod or reel with a better quality reel. I still could not bring myself to spend the money for a high-priced rod or reel. As the years moved on and my passion for light tackle fishing was confirmed, and my income increased I began buying more expensive gear. Eventually I settled on St Croix Premier series rods and Shimano Stradic reels. Each year, I would sell an old combo and buy a newer combo on sale. I have stuck with Stradic reels completely for the past decade. I have tried a few other rod models, but all were higher quality equipment. I look for sale prices on the high quality gear that I like to use. I have purchased used rods and reels from other snaggedline members who offer them for sale in the Tackle Shop forum.

Do higher quality rods break? Of course they do. Each year I lose a few rod ends. If the broken piece is not too long, I add a new rod tip and put the rod back into service with a slightly stiffer action. St Croix offers a great warranty/trade up program. Last fall I broke the end off of a 10-year old Premier rod. I called St Croix service. They told me to send them the broken rod. I could pay $50 to get a new Premier rod or $100 to upgrade to a new rod in the Avid line. I chose the Avid (a $210 rod for $100 plus my broken rod). So far, that rod has been a joy to use, catching dozens of stripers in shallow water.

Do I ever lose a rod and reel? Each year I have one or two combos that fall overboard off my kayak. My track record has been good so far in retrieving the gear by casting out another line with a heavy lure and snagging the dunked rod. Most recently I did this in May. The rod and reel was submerged for over 30 mins. Inexpensive gear would probably have been ruined by that length of saltwater exposure. I immediately rinsed the Stradic reel with my water bottle. When I got home, I sprayed rod and reel with the garden hose. They are both performing fine and remain in active service. Occasionally I do lose a rod and reel. After a few choice words and some sense of loss over the departed gear, I move on and replace them with new high quality equipment. I see this as a cost of doing business.

When you fish as often as I do and cast thousands of times each year, it pays to have smooth, well-balanced equipment. I don't need the better equipment, but I can afford it and it makes my fishing experience easier.

[Salty Dog]

I like a good quality rod and reel. I use rod floats. If you have to choose between a better reel or rod, go with a better reel that has sealed bearing. If the time comes later match it with a better rod.

[jmt1980]

I'm in the phase where my fishing has just picked up because of my kayak. I'm slowly replacing my rods and reels... My newest and nicest is a Penn Battle II 3000 and a Diawa Costal med-heavy rod. I'm dying to try a St. Croix though. Anyway, I reach for my Penn first every time... I feel the difference between it and my cheaper gear, and I don't think setup is even really "high end" ... I see the worth in the investment, but you'll never know until you try it.

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[Cody]

Thanks for the feedback. The higher priced reels certainly make a difference. As for the rods well I'll get there eventually lol.

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[bignose]

I started out 50 years ago using fiberglass rods sold at Sears (!) and Mitchell 300's that I scrimped and saved allowance money for. I still have the Mitchells around although I no longer use them.
As I fished more and became more aware of equipment, I began to upgrade.

Like, John, I became fond of the Shimano Stradics ( I may have gone a little overboard when the Stella series came out and I bought several of them as discontinued stock via eBay. They are kinda overkill for the fishing that I do).

Graphite rods started to become available, a significant improvement over fiberglass. I found that I could tell the difference in sensitivity with a higher modulus, i.e. a stiffer, lighter rod.
Joe Bruce opened his fly shop in Catonsville about then, and began to supply me with the original Loomis blanks and I learned how to wrap and build rods that I otherwise would not have been able to afford. I still have one or two of the original IMX rods, which were perfect, for me.
IMO, the rod is more important than the reel, as a sensitive rod will help you detect more strikes, as well as provide more fun as you fish. I like to fish with relatively light tackle.

My ideas about reels is that most fish around here do not make long runs, and a super smooth drag is not a necessity. I do appreciate a smoother retrieve and a good line wrap.
On the charter boat I use Penn Reels as they are the Ford F-150's of reels. Sturdy, heavy, and noisy, but if maintained, they hold up real well.

I have since scaled things back a little. I think that the current Stradics are way overpriced, and have replaced many of my rods with Bass Pro Extreme rods, a compromise between weight, sensitivity, and cost.
My last reel purchase was to pick up a couple of very cheap Diawa spinning reels for Perch fishing. At $20.00 a pop, I consider them expendable. Get a couple of seasons out of them and replace them.

[ronaultmtd]

To each his on, I say- I started out fishing with my Dad in cold clear creeks and rivers in south central Arkansas. Dad liked to fly fish and bait cast French spinners (Shysters) for brozeback bass (small mouths), walleye, and goggle eye perch. He always advised to buy the best tackle you could afford because it would last longer and be cheaper in the long run. I have subscribed to Dad's fishing tackle advice- today my rods are about the in same price range as my reels- in the early 70's I mainly fished off Outer Banks and Virginia Beach fishing piers. I used custom made "Hatteras Heavers" with Abu 9000 and 10,000 C reels loaded with 25# test Ande mono. My rods costs about $150 in materials to build- all Lamiglas 1368 blanks cut to # 32 carbide tip. Lakewood reel seats, Fuji guides, composite cork split handles...over the next decade caught hundreds of Red Drum, big blues up to 19 pounds, king mackerel, cobia and even a 220 pound lemon shark...hooked serveral Tarpon, but never landed one. In the 1980's I bought a boat and left pier fishing (except for the annual fall red drum blitzes)...today my fishing is much more relaxed, less competitive (I only fish our annual charity tournaments) and just for my entertainment. Like John Veil, I have settled on St. Croix brand commercially built rods, although I toy with the idea of getting my old Rod building equipment out of storage and building me a custom one...just don't have the time. I have two St. Croix Avid X casting rods with low-profile, top of the line casting reels- and two of John Veil's old Stradix (although one was brand new in the box) 2500 spinning reels on St. Croix Tidewater rods...the higher end tackle is smooth, durable and sensitive...really a pleasure to fish with and you never even have any concern about it when you are fighting a fish or tossing a lure- as my Dad advised me when I was 13 years old- buy the best you can afford- it is the cheapest in the long run...

[Mark]

The big difference I see in rods is the hardware on them. Graphite rods have dropped significantly in price since they first came out. But what can make them expensive is also what makes them last. And that is the quality of the guides, wrappings and handles. Someone posted on here recently about their rod tip getting a groove in it and cutting their line. I don't remember the outcome of that story but my guess is that the rod in question wasn't a high end rod.

Like Bignose my first graphite rods came from Joe Bruce and his Catonsville shop over 25 years ago. They were St. Croix Legend Series fly rods. I can only guess at how many miles of line have passed through those guides. The rods are still in excellent shape and still catching fish. Other brands of rods I have are LL Bean (fly rod -- great value) Lamiglass (my favorite graphite spinning rod), and an Allstar bait cast rod and a couple of custom made rods from St. Croix blanks. One of those custom rods is a bait cast rod made of fiberglass and it has served me well catching stripers in the Bay. All of my rods have quality hardware on them and none have given me problems.

Something else I have in common with Bignose is that my first legitimate fishing reel was a Mitchell 300 purchased with allowance money when I was 12 years-old. (I got it from a department store in Glen Burnie called "2 Guys". It was $25 for the rod and reel combo.) I still have the fiberglass rod that came with it. But unlike Bignose I remained loyal to Mitchell. I currently use their 308 series reels for my spinning rods and I have a Mitchell 310 on an ultralight rod for perching. One of my 308s is over 20 years old and still working well. It has cranked in many perch and stripers in its life. I think they top out in price at $69. So even if they give up on me, and not one has yet, I'm not out a lot of money. I do believe for bait cast reels you need to approach the $130 to $150 threshold for a serviceable reel. I'm partial to Shimano Curados but I also have a Lew's reel that I like.

Low end equipment will certainly work for the fishing I do in my kayak. But I value all my time on the water and the last thing I want to deal with on an outing is equipment failures. The equipment I have, while not extremely high-end has served me very well.

[EMSer]

Quality gear pays for itself in the long run. I learned that lesson the hard way when I used to fly fish regularly. Use a rod float and leash and loosing it over the side isn't nearly as likely. I just put a Penn Battle II 3000 on a St Croix Tidemaster and I couldn't be happier. While the money hurt (don't tell my wife) it is a joy to use each and every cast. Ron's dad had it right - buy the best you can afford - and then take care if it....

[jaynik]

I'd rather have a nicer rod than reel. We're not ocean fishing, so I think the sensitivity in the rod is more important than the best reel. I buy decent reels. For example, I'd never pay for a Stradic with the way I fish, but the Sahara is a nice middle ground spinning reel. In the end, do whatever makes you happy. It's fishing. As long as you aren't buying the $20 combos, you'll be fine around here.

[john from md]

In 1973, as I was returning to the US from VN, we stopped for fuel at Yokota AFB and I bought a Mitchell 300 from the BX. I hadn't fished in 13 months and it was a present to myself. I fished it, along with my Penns until it died. I never went back as the main gear was pot metal and stripped out. My Penn's all had bronze gears and never gave me a problem.

I too use rod floats, just in case.

John

[Mark]

In 1973, as I was returning to the US from VN, we stopped for fuel at Yokota AFB and I bought a Mitchell 300 from the BX. I hadn't fished in 13 months and it was a present to myself. I fished it, along with my Penns until it died. I never went back as the main gear was pot metal and stripped out. My Penn's all had bronze gears and never gave me a problem. John

I'm not surprised. Mitchell reels originated in France in the 1930s and due to bad business expansion decisions fell on hard times in the 1970s going through bankruptcy and several reacquisitions through the 1980s. It is presently owned by the same company that owns Penn, Pflueger, Berkley and some other well known fishing brands.

[bignose]

Mark we are dating ourselves!
I bought my Mitchells from E.J. Korvettes in Catonsville! Figure 1963 or so!
I didn't give up on them so much as the skirted spool Shimanos were easier to use and didn't have the issue of the line getting caught up under the spool and rotor. I loved the skinny little stem on the Mitchell's, since the frame was made from metal, which is much more comfortable to fish with than a thicker stem you find on most contemporary reels.

As a heavily addicted hobbyist, I used to invest in the best equipment that was available, following the line of reasoning that you can never go wrong buying the best equipment you can afford, since it will outlast cheaper gear in the long run. I told myself that I could tell the difference between a reel with 5 bearings and one with 13 bearings. (do I really need ball bearings in the handle knob?).

My biggest complaint about fishing better equipment comes from the fact that Shimano no longer will service my early model Stella FAs, stating that the parts are no longer available.
WTF, a $500.00 dollar plus reel that has "planned obsolescence?"
What do they expect you to do, buy another new one? They should last a long time with proper maintenance, at least you'd like to think that. I'd send them back yearly for cleaning but they will no longer service this model.

I can get parts for our older Penn reels for the Charter boat with little problem. For our clients, they are pretty much indestructible, important when we put them in the hands of rookies. And I can replace them as easily as getting on eBay. A bit too heavy and clunky for me. And we use Ugly Stiks for the same reason. They are heavy, slow actioned, and not sensitive, but awfully hard to break.
I do not use these for my personal fishing, by choice.

For that kind of money, I can buy a lot of much cheaper reels, keep them operating for a couple of years, ( clean, lube, and change line is all you've gotta do) and toss them when they wear out without a qualm. Never had a reel failure cost me a fish (now I am jinxed!). I retract that! My old Mitchell would have the bail screw come out at least once a year!

As mentioned earlier in the thread, a mid range Shimano reel like the Sahara offers a lot more bang for the buck that the current Stradics do. Who cares if they have fewer bearings? The fish sure don't care! As long as the reel is smooth to use and retrieves the line properly, does it really matter?

End of rant!

[M1A4ME]

I'm one of those guys who buys the in-between stuff. To this day, my favorite bait casters are those old Shimano Bantam 10X and 10SGs. I've bought Quantum Predators, Daiwas, etc. but I really like those old Shimanos and those are the ones I use the most. I've got more Berkeley Lightning Rods than anything else. That's what the Shimano's are on and some of my spinning reels as well.

My youngest son, on the other hand, spends more money on rods/reels than I ever have and he doesn't have a 1/4 of the stuff I've got.

He borrowed one of my spinning rods/reels a couple years ago, didn't like it and left it sitting outside - for two years. I got it back a couple days ago and just finished cleaning the dirt/dust/bug nests out of the reel this morning. All cleaned up, lubed up and ready to go. The Lightning Rod however, isn't usable right now. The sun/weather has cracked the sealant on the threads that hold the eyes on the rod. I want to try to save it. Ordered some rod epoxy this morning to see if I can redo/recover the threads on the eyes.

My son is trying to talk me into some custom small mouth spinning rod. He says, "Dad, it's only $99." $99?? I just can't talk myself into that.

I've broken 3 rods in my years of fishing. Got my pants leg hung up in the end of a bait caster Lightning Rod while jumping out of the boat one day and broke about 4" off it. Using a buzzbait in the lilly pads one morning I snapped it just about in half setting hook on my 4th bass of the morning. It went "kapow" and it sure looked funny watching the piece of rod slide down the line towards that bass. He wasn't the biggest one of the morning, but he was the last one on that rod. One day, while fishing a Carolina rigged lizard I broke a big telescoping bait casting rod setting a hook on a stump while drifting across a cove at Buggs Island Lake.

I don't remember ever busting a spinning rod, but I usually by "limber" spinning rods vs. heavier action bait casting rods.

That's just what works for me.