BEST SPINNING REEL MADE ?????? AND ROD??????

A few years ago I bought a 6′ G-loomis IMX and put a $125 shimano stradic 1000fg on it. Just yesterday the reels anti-reverse clutch broke. It will be fixed, but I didn’t expect such an expensive reel to break when it’s only used for walleyes and smallmouth bass. What do you guys and GUIDES use???? Also last g-loomis I’ll ever buy, I needed a warranty eye repair(spiderwire cut) and they wanted $25 included for shipping, rod was over $200!!! So what do you guys use for rods also????

You’re going to get a lot of opinions here. I’ll tell you what my clients and I used last year and what we’re using this year. This is for smallmouth and walleye fising in NW Wisconsin. All of my spinning rods last year were St Croix Avids, with the exception of a couple Shimano Compres that were hold-overs from the previous year. All of my reels were Shimao Symmetres, 1500s and 2500s. In the coming year, I’ll be folding in a few St Croix Walleye Tournament Series rods, still with Symmetres for reels.

Here’s a recent thread we had going on spinning reels:

Long cast reel thread

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and they wanted $25 included for shipping

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That’s a standard charge, and nothing too out of the ordinary. It cost me $20 to send in my St Croix when it broke.

This is a very subjective question. Everyone will have a varying thought. In my mind it is very tough to beat the St.Croix Legend tournament walleye series for the money. This comes from owning and using all of the big names Loomis both GLX and IMX, Avids and Legends both tournament and elite from St. Croix. As well as a few other less talked about high end rods Fenwick Techna AV and things of that nature.

I think the tournament is as sensitive as anything I have picked up. It has a nice light feel and I like the handle better than any other rod out there. The avid is also a very nice rod but for the extra 40 or so dollars it is worth it to jump up to the tournament series.

For reels I have to go with Shimano symetres, stradics, and sustains. In the 1000 and 1500 sizes for most all aplications. That being said I own mainly stradics because I like the 1000 size and the price point. I feel that for 120 you will be hard pressed to find a better reel. I have been playing around with the similary priced Diawa and do not like it as well. For me the only thing that can compare are the quantum catalyst and the energy. Both in the 10 and 20 size. With the catalyst being a little cheaper and the energy slightly more expensive. Than the stradic. All in all I have used most of what people consider to be the cream of the crop in fishing equiptment and my money from now on will be spent on Shimano and St.Croix.

I love my Shimano reels, a couple are going on 10 years now with no problems. For rods I agree with the St Croixs but living in Berkley county you’ll find mainly Series Ones in my hands and a few Techna AV’s, mainly due to avalibility. Will be adding a couple Black Dimond blank custom rods to my collection this spring though.

Well this is like ford verse chevy…
My heart is hooked on Shimano alwasy has been since I was young. Never tried the St.Croix or other brands. Went out this last year and bought the new unbreakable rod from Zebco and it lasted one day (SNAP)So put the reel back on the Shimano and the next week snapped that as well. I was had that rod for years
But this up and coming spring I will be dropping some cash on some Shimanos again.

There are several fine rods and reels out there…

I have been using the St. Croix Avid reels (made by Diawa) they are almost identical to a Capricorn internally…for three years of Guiding and personal use. I have to say they have been flawless…($99)

I switched to St.Croix from Loomis long before I became sponsored by them…Their service is great and the combination of strength, light weight and sensitivity is awesome.

I use the Avids for guiding but my personal favorite for jigging Eyes is a 6’6″ Legend Elite MLF.

For the money I really like the Symetre made by Shimano,I have never had a problem with them.For rod wise the St Croix is my favorite. .

My spinning rods are St. Croix with most being Avids and a few being Premier [panfish rods but also have Avid panfish rods too]. My trolling rods are Premier and Wild River from St. Croix. I LOVE the St. Croix rods. They are great in my mind. My spinning reels are Okuma, Shimano and Quantum with most being Okuma. Baitcaster reels are Abu Garcia, Shimano and Browning with most being Abu Garcias. My line counters are mostly Okumas. Thought I’d throw in the info for the baitcasters rod and reels also.
Thanks, Bill

I recommend st.croixs and shimanos as well. That is a bummer with what happened to your stradic. My stradics have been bulletproof. But, a little oil, and TLC goes a long way with reels.

I used to be with loomis, and I don’t have any complaints with their rods, I just feel st.croix are a better all around rod. And their customer service is top notch! I own mostly the legend tournament series rods, but the couple of legend elites that I own are outstanding rods!

Has any body mentioned that StCroix/Shimano would be the rod-reel combo of choice here for most all people

Oh ok they have

sorry to just jump in without introductions (Hi, my name is Willie Boy and I have a Bass addiction…) I spend my $$ on expensive baitcasters…and like the lower end Shimano reels (Sahara, etc)…for rods, I must confess that the Shimano Compres are a great line…and I’ve never fished a St Croix. I also really like the Cabelas XML series (25 year warranty and I just have to drive it over to the store for repair/replace)…

But, then again, not sure my comments are that on target as I don’t target walleyes…

Guess my nest rod will be a St. Croix!!!! I have never owned one. I have two G-Loomis rods and the GL2 $120 has been much better than the GLX $215!!! Has anyone else had a Rapala Signature HM-55 rod?? (about $60) I have 3 and love them, 2 spinning and 1 muskie rod. I have a couple Shimano Saharas and sonomas that have been good. Man this is like 90% shimano and St. Croix!!!!! Thanks Guys!!!

A little side note on this topic. I love the new legend elite rod blank but cannot stand the plastic reel seat or the cork handle. So I had some rods custom built with the scv blank and my choice of handles and guides and cannot be happier with the result. That is something else to look at as the end price on a couple of jig rods were right around 225 far cheaper than factory and in my mind better.

I think that you’ll find that St. Criox is a good brand and you’ll be happy with them. As for me I got a Premier 3 years ago and fell in love with it instantly. And this Christmas I got a Legend tournement and cannot believe the difference. My first time out with it was yesterday(Saturday) and I ran it next to my premier while dragging. It was amazing to feel the difference. They are definatly the way to go. As for reels, I also support Shamino, they are hard to beat.

not a spinning reel guru, but i do use them added one of these new abu’s to my finesse game SUPER SMOOTH , and i will say this as i have said before–many different grades and $ ranges of rods at gander mtn in there guide series, and if you brake it, take it in for an on the spot replacement

Interesting that you had the line guide destroyed by spider wire. Had the same thing happen on a G-Loomis IMX a couple years ago. Only on the loomis, none of my other rods have ever had the problem and in talking with a lot of people it is a very rare occurrence.

I’ll jump in the St Croix / Shimano bandwagon. You get a lot of rod for the money.

One thing I will add is this. You can avoid paying those shipping cost in many cases by developing a working relationship with a rod company’s dealer. For instance, I buy my G-Loomis rods over at Joe’s in St Paul. (I buy a lot of stuff there and know many of the store reps) I’ve had to send a rod for a new tip a couple of times. Yes, if you want the rod back in a week or two, you will pay the shipping cost. But, if you have the time and don’t mind waiting (yes, sometimes over a month) they will waive any shipping charges. They will send the rod back in bulk, usually with a factory rep that comes through the store they will pick up all the factory returns, sometimes replacing the rods with new ones on the spot. Just something to keep in mind or ask for next time you are in that situation. Stores want to keep you as a customer. Rod companies want to buy more of their rods.

Good Luck.

Very few bad rod makers out there.

It is all in what you need and want.

Some applications, sensitivity is critical. Others presentations, a snoopy pole or Ugly stick is perfect!

St. Croix, G-Loomis, Shimano all make great rods. So does Bass Pro shops, Gander Mountain, and Cabelas.

If you are looking for the “best bang for the buck” when it comes to warranties and service……Pretty tough to beat Cabela’s and Shimano.

Shimano has “over the counter” lifetime warranty on alot of their rods. You just can’t go wrong with that.

Cabelas will take anything of theirs back. You can’t go wrong with that either. Both make top notch rods and reels.

St. Croix and G-Loomis are going to charge you money to ship your rod back to you, plus you have to pay to ship the rod there. That runs about $40 total to-n-fro.

The Shimano Clarus rod runs for about $60 and has a lifetime warranty, over the counter exchange at many dealers!

Fig Rig rods are another brand too, that should be mentioned. They are very well made rods with good sensitivity and also have an “over the counter” warranty.

Others presentations, a snoopy pole or Ugly stick is perfect!
Are you talking about bass fishing

I have always liked st croix rods, but unless I need a real specialty rod.. its really tough to beat the Fenwick venture rods for $48 from wally world.. ultra sensitive, plenty of backbone, light as a feather, and titanium(?) lined guides that are super light, and super lines dont eat into them.

For reels, its hard to beat shimano overall. Most of the time clutches failing are due to superline shock. I really like my symetre’s.. more than stradics personally.

I hate G Loomis rods.. I have had a few explode on me, I consider them a waiste of money. I can feel the bite just as well on a fenwick, and the fenwick doesnt explode when you set the hook into something solid under the line capabilities of the rod!

I got an email today from Abu Garcia, one of there wonderful reels failed me (bail spring issue) and its less than 6 months old. Its a $40 cardinal 302. They want me to send it in, then pay them to fix and mail it back. I responded with Thanks, but no thanks I’ll cut my loses and buy another Shimano. I did order my Stradic parts, about $25 and here by weeks end!!! Now that’s service, I did some looking its almost 6yrs old so that’s ok. I do have 2 Fennwicks and they have been good. I had an eye insert fall out once and glued it in with superglue, that was 3 years ago!!! Amazing glue.

Tica reels. Have shimanos as well but I may start leaning this way with future purchases.

Geeez, ya could have wiped the dust off of this one before you posted it.