Rods vs. Reels

[Mark]

Mark we are dating ourselves!
I bought my Mitchells from E.J. Korvettes in Catonsville! Figure 1963 or so!

Yep, same era!

[ronaultmtd]

There are a bunch of "seniors" 60 plus on this forum....

[willf650]

I too have settled on St Croix and Shimano Stradics but my arsenal also includes a number of mid level Diawas too. I was a die hard Diawa fan until last year when a friend bought a Stradic Ci4. I picked up two last season after that and they feel slightly better then the Diawas I was using.

I bought my first "good" reel in high school. I'm not a quite as old as some of you guys but this was around 1992. I remember it as it was my first reel that was over $100 and that was a lot for a high school student making $4.50/hr. I used that reel until earlier this season when the anti reverse started giving inconsistent lock up. There is something to be said for a reel lasting for 20 years or more with regular use. Previously I would replace reels about every two years but now that I have went with better quality equipment many of my setups are over a decade old. That said I was a lot younger and beat my stuff.

I know I will go against the grain here and say that Penn is over rated. I bought a boat to fish saltwater in 2012 and bought a Penn Spinfisher V bait runner to use on it. I now also have a larger size one as well for surf fishing. I have subseqently bought two Shimano bait runners and don't think the Penns can hold a candle to them and I believe the Penns were more expensive.

I have yet to lose a rod and reel combo but did break 2 rods between last season and so far this season. I also damaged a St Croix this season so I'm about to test there warranty and hope it works out.

Until I settled on St Croixs I used Cableas store brand rods and think you get a great value for the money for some of their rods in the $100 range. You can catch them on sale at times for almost 50% off when they discontinue a series or come out with a new model.

I believe there is a difference between lower quality and higher quality equipment and personally I would go with a mid level reel and a higher quality rod if I only had the funds to choose one or the other. I have one Ugly Stick I got when my dad passed away and hate it. It gets lent out to people when I take them out on my boat. I've used it and it feels like I'm using a wet noddle in comparison to my other rods. It is an Ugly Stick "custom" which I believe is one of the higher end models in the series.

Opinions vary and these are just my thoughts.

[Donsail68]

Yes rods are more important than reels. However with baitcasters, high quality ones really makes the difference. Not so much with spinning reels.

[eyedaddy]

For me I get the best I can afford at the time...some have lasted for years some didn't. In the end maintenance on your gear will go a long way to keeping your gear serviceable.

eyedaddy

[ronaultmtd]

Yes rods are more important than reels. However with baitcasters, high quality ones really makes the difference. Not so much with spinning reels.

I used W&McGill Capt Blair Wiggins S-Curve Flats Blue HD 7'9" casting rods- $100 rods for a long time- last fall I got my hands on a St. Croix Avid X and the difference was very noticable- lighter, stiffer more sensitive, great backbone, casts like an extension of your arm- not throwing dirt on the Flats Blue rods, but once I used the Avid, I HAD to have one- and the damn CNR took it with it at Piney Point earlier this month- so instead of just replacing it, I bought two- yes they are expensive, but I wanted it and figured you only live so long...and I put a Revo 50 Toro NaCL on one and a Ardent Sx1000 on the other...both with 30# braid...

[ReelLucky22]

According to every fishing show on tv, if you don't have a rod, reel, and line combo from their sponsors for every type of lure, presentation, structure, or weather, you won't catch any fish. Ever.

[M1A4ME]

Yeah. I remember my dad showing me an article in a hunting magazine where the writer said you just couldn't kill squirrels with .22 shorts. For many years (most of his life) that was all my dad, and his dad, used for squirrels and rabbits. .22 shorts and head shots.

We must remember that quite often what we read and hear is just opinion. Not fact. Even when based on real events the ability of the author/reporter to determine the real facts behind the event is still in question.