Best Walleye Rod under $100

I’m in the market for a new walleye rigging/jigging rod. I’d like to get something under $100. There are so many choices, and I’ve looked at Fleet, Cabelas, etc and can’t decide which brand I’d like to go for. I’ve only bought rods that are under $40, which work, but think that I’d like to finally upgrade with a trip to LOW next weekend.

Any suggestions for brands to look into?

Thanks!

I love my Pflueger for a cheapish rod. Works great for a multitude of techniques.

Fenwick eagle gt. Had a st.croix triumph and thought it sucked.

well over at reeds outdoors they have a sale on rod combos with some great deals. I just bought a pair of Fenwick HMX rods paired with PLuguer President reels. haven’t fished with em yet but considering the quality reputation of Fenwick (PLuguer President reels are great too!), I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better rod/reel combo for less. I will be bringing these to LOTW next month for walleye/smallmouth fishing

Love my Fenwick HMX rods. Paired with a pflueger president they do everything I need a rod to do.

Knutty

Limit Creek Smoothie – local MN company that sells really high quality rods and has great service if you ever have an issue.

http://www.limitcreek.com/SpinningRods.html

The 6’6″ rod is also very good and versatile. I have a couple of both and they outfish every other comparable I have used.

nhamm wrote:

Fenwick eagle gt. Had a st.croix triumph and thought it sucked.

I have six of these and they’ve been good. Not sure if a $100 rod will give you much more feel.

I picked up a Fenwick hmg for the GF and for the money seems to be a great rod. I believe they were $109 when I bought but I know they can be found cheaper.

I’m with Crappie. Fenwick HMX paired with Pflueger President. I find I use this combo the most as I am afraid people will step on my more expensive rods. The best moderately priced combo I have come across.

I’m happy with the Limit Creek Smoothie I have, it’s versatile and works well.

targaman wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>nhamm wrote:</div>
Fenwick eagle gt. Had a st.croix triumph and thought it sucked.

I have six of these and they’ve been good. Not sure if a $100 rod will give you much more feel.

I mean no disrespect at all but to me the Fenwick Eagle line isn’t even comparable to the HMX line. The Eagle line is a slow action with about half of the sensitivity. The HMX line is just a great rod for the money.

The St. Croix Avids are also great. A medium 6’9″ (AVS68MXF) would give you everything you are looking for, but more money. You can get them on Ebay for around $100.

If you want new for $100 I’d say Fenwick HMX!

The Bass-X rods are $100 and the MLXF rod is an excellent choice for jigging Walleye…If you can get over the name…

They use the same SCII material that the Eyecon line uses. But at the same time, the Triumphs use SCII also and the Eyecon rods are leaps and bounds better sensitivity wise.

404 ERROR wrote:

Triumphs use SCII also and the Eyecon rods are leaps and bounds better sensitivity wise.

FYI: The Triumphs aren’t meant to be sensitive.

Eyecon is a great choice as well. In fact I change my vote to an Eyecon

St. Croix Eyecon
129.99
ECS68MXF

zooks wrote:

I’m happy with the Limit Creek Smoothie I have, it’s versatile and works well.

X3. Great rod option and good value.

dbright wrote:

I picked up a Fenwick hmg for the GF and for the money seems to be a great rod. I believe they were $109 when I bought but I know they can be found cheaper.

Reeds Sporting Goods has several Fenwick HMG spinning rods for 59.99 regulary 105. That is a steal.

And Free shipping from Reeds!

I’m not in the market for a rod, but was looking at Limit Creek and was impressed. Might wind up getting one for my wife.

I have heard nothing but great reviews about the Limit Creek Smoothie

Okuma Deadeye series, they make about 23 different rods in this series, I have only used the bottom bouncer rods and would not use anything else. My $230 St.Croix bouncer rod is now a pike rod.

Another vote for the Limit Creek Smoothie. Great rod for the price, you’d be buying local, and GREAT customer service. Snapped a rod tip off one time and they shipped another one to me within a week. Highly recommend.

Joe Scegura wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>targaman wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>nhamm wrote:</div>
Fenwick eagle gt. Had a st.croix triumph and thought it sucked.

I have six of these and they’ve been good. Not sure if a $100 rod will give you much more feel.

I mean no disrespect at all but to me the Fenwick Eagle line isn’t even comparable to the HMX line. The Eagle line is a slow action with about half of the sensitivity. The HMX line is just a great rod for the money.

The St. Croix Avids are also great. A medium 6’9″ (AVS68MXF) would give you everything you are looking for, but more money. You can get them on Ebay for around $100.

If you want new for $100 I’d say Fenwick HMX!

K…

I just jumped on the Limit Creek bandwagon and got the smoothy a couple weeks ago. My brother has used this rod for several years and swears by it. I picked mine up at Blue Ribbon. They are 99.00 but were willing to give me a 15% discount because of my good looks. I also use a St Croix and Loomis which are both more than 100.00.

Berkley lightning rods are hard to beat.

Really like my one piece 8’3 extendable from Limit Creek. Medium light power/fast action like the smo.othie

fenwick hmx for all my jig fishing needs (except vertical i have eyecons for this but i bet these fenwicks would be just as good) work really well and are night and day different.

fish-them-all wrote:

dbright wrote:
I picked up a Fenwick hmg for the GF and for the money seems to be a great rod. I believe they were $109 when I bought but I know they can be found cheaper.
Reeds Sporting Goods has several Fenwick HMG spinning rods for 59.99 regulary 105. That is a steal.

No experience with HMX or Limit Creek, can say that I love my HMG. Have absolutely no reason to buy another rod but considering it at this price.

Wow, I appreciate all the responses. At least everyone is helping me narrow it down somewhat – fenwick or limit creek. I’m leaning fenwick HMX/president combo for the fact of the great pricing they are at right now at Reed’s. May even pick up an HMG rod at the price they are at and twin that with an abu garcia cardinal I have laying around.

Next question/dilemma- what length do ya’ll use? 6’6″ or 7′? I’ve always used 6’6″, but was thinking of going 7′ just to try it?

I like my 7 ft rods better than my 6’6 inch rods. I wish the smoothie was a couple inches longer than it is.

If we’re transitioning to rod type need info.

Braid or mono, majority vertical or pitching, average size jigs?