Expensive rods “VS” cheaper rods

I have a question. My wife and I went shopping for new rods last night at Bass Pro Shop in Gurnee, Il. They had hundreds of different rods and I came out quite confused. I did see a small rack of Loomis and a small rack of St. Croix rods. Most of them were in the $200.00 to $300.00 range and looked and felt the same as similar rods from other manufacurers that were less than $100.00. All of them seemed to be suitable for trolling cranks and live bait, the guides were placed properly, they seemed to have the same handles, and all were made of 1M8 graphite. What makes the Brand Name rod worth that kind of money? If I spend $300.00 on a rod will I catch more and better fish, or is it just pride of ownership?

Depending on how you fish-you may appreciate a more expensive rod. They have much better feel for jigging or rigging. I dont have a rod that costs more than $120. I have fished w/ better rods and can tell the difference, but if I am 95% of the way there by spending $100, the extra $200 for the last 5% of feel isnt worth it for me.

My son is into the expensive rods; I, having been born in the 40’s go fior the more reasonably priced stuff ($30-$60).

When his GL Loomis broke this year he foud out the 100% guarantee didn’t include shipping which was in excess of $40.00.

Enough said; He now buys rods that can only be exchanged/returned locally.

We spend thousands on our rigs and vehicles to pull them with, hundreds for electronics, pay guides to help us find fish,use countless hours on research and learning, it would seem foolish to scrimp on rods which are the direct link to our quarry. I know my awareness and enjoyment are enhanced by the higher quality rods. In the end it doesn’t add much to the toal cost of fishing.

I can say with a clear conscience that I’ve owned and fished with about every varying degree of action and quality there is. I’m a rod junky!!! As long as we’re not talking fly rods or salt water, I’m okay!

My discovery is this………………it really doesn’t matter much. If I place as much confidence into an IM7 or 8 graphite rod, I can fish just as well as I can with my Croix’s and Loomis’s. HOWever, there is the “feel” issue. If I’m going to be doing a sun up to sun down, 5 days straight type of event, you won’t find anything less than a Croix Avid/Legend Elite or Loomis IMX/GLX grade rod. In MOST cases, not all…………….but most…………….they just flat out feel better in the hands and they do nothing to hamper my results. They may not be thought as a good value for the extra cash, but they’ve never decreased my comfort, confidence, or hook set ratio. In fact, when I’m paying good attention, they usually do better for me just because you can dial them in for specific purposes so well!

But in the hands of a good fisherman……………there is little difference in the overall performance, endurance, and versatility between them if you take the time to “get to know them”.

On short little trips to the fishing hole……….all I need is a decent pole. But the marathons require all the comfort and confidence my money can “hire”.

WELL, I DONT SPEND MORE THAN65.00 ON RODS.MY TROLLING RODS IUSE WITH FIRE LINE ARE 20.00,THEY ARE A COMP. ROD. THINK OF ALL THE FISH THAT WERE PUT OVER THE SIDES OF BOATS WITH FIBERGLASS RODS.THE RODS NOW DAYS ARE LIGHTER, AND BETTER FEEL ON WHATS GOING ON ON THE FISH END OF THINGS,BUT THE TUFFNESS OF THE ROD GOES DOWN.I HAVE SEEN MORE 150.00 BREAK THAN RODS 100.00 AND LESS.I HAVE RODS THAT STILL ARE GOING STRONG AT 20 YEARS OR MORE OLD.AND THEY HAVE BEEN BEAT,BOUNCED,AND STEP ON BUY THE 70# LAB STILL GETTIN FISH.LET THE CHECK BOOK MAKE YOUR MIND UP FOR YOU.REMBER KNOWLDGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

I think alot has to do with what type of fishing you are doing , what you can afford and or what do you want to spend. In my own case i started out with a 35 dollar zebco RHINO and caught plenty of fish Since then i have started moving up in the world with an entry level FENWICK and now using a mid grade ST. CROIX for live bait rigging. I have had the pleasure of using a LOOMIS and really could feel a difference. It didnt make me a better fisherman just a better equipped one . My trolling rods are all 20-45 dollars and they work great i think the best thing about cheaper rods is that its easier to talk the wife into letting me buy them

Well…………….let’s see what stirring of the pot this creates…………

Dilemma………….High buck/high performance vs. economics.

Sadly, “economics” are often thought of as “savings”. Not so. It’s the most bang for the buck over the long haul.

Now, I realize my experience is different than other people’s experience so realize I’m drawing off my own results and observations and this has no reflection on anything else, someone else may have for their findings.

But, I have broken a good number of cheap graphite rods and when they go, they’re done. By the time you get through a WalMart or Fleet Farm (or retailer with cheaper rods that are routinely available), anyone who’s put a good day’s use into a good number of the offerings are typically looking for something in the $30 range or higher for their preferred equipment.

Now, compared to the “Cadillacs”, there’s a big price hike but a vast difference in feel and comfort. Just like there’s a difference between my little Escort and my uncle’s Cadillac. Do they both transport? Yes. But does one have a better feel? Yes. Smoother? Yes. Quieter? Yes.

The differences continue yet the only thing the Cadillac does better is in the area of comfort. Thus, the spendy fishin’ poles. It’s in the feel. The comfort.

Now, I’ve broken more cheap rods than spendy ones so my economic spread sheet asks this question:

“If I could buy a Cadillac once, and if it ever broke down in my lifetime, I could have it replaced with a brand new one for the price of an Escort, would I buy one?”

My results have a 5 to 1 cheap to spendy breakage ratio. How many “Escort’s” do I want to own, only to keep buying more “Escort’s”, when a “Cadillac” is available for the same price after the initial purchase?
I break a rod almost annually. Careless or whatever the reason, I do. So, given the 10 years of “cheap rods” @ $30/each, That’s $300.00. An Avid is half that, and if replaced twice for $40/each, that’s still $230.00 overall and you’re “driving a Cadillac” vs. an “Escort”.

Again, this is how it applies to a rod junky’s pocketbook. Lifetime warranties go a LONG way in the long run and on long “trips” or outings………..I’d rather “fish” with a “Cadillac”.

But, what if I only use “Caddys” and I still break one every year? There goes the economics………..right? Numerically,………………yes. The argument then changes to preference only. Affordability shouldn’t be an issue because if 25% over “Escort” retail is a money issue, then I’ve made some bad choices somewhere along the way. I still look at this as driving a Cadillac vs. an Escort. If I totalled the car I drive on an annual basis, I’d still choose to drive a Cadillac if the price was within 25% of an Escort. Why? Well, if an Escort is $100……….would you choose a Cadillac if you could get it for $125?? There’s far more than a 25% increase in quality and feel…………….and resale if I don’t like it.

There’s a $300 answer to a $25 question!

The rods I use for most of my fishing are St. Croix Avid series rods… around $150. They’re about 50% the cost of the top of the line legend elites that run $300 a pop. Are the Avids half as good as the Elites? Or should I say, is the Elite twice as good as the Avid? No in both cases. The Elites are a more sensitive rod, without a doubt, though. If you want the lightest, most sensitive most comfortable rod going, you will pay a premium for it as is the case with any product you buy. That little extra costs a lot more.

I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE CATTY. WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS . WHAT I CALL A BIG BUCK ROD IS ANY THING OVER $100,{+/-}I FEEL THAT ANY ROD AROUND THAT PRICE IS GOING TO DO A FINE JOB FOR ANY ONE.FENWICKS,CROIXS,AND RODS MADE BY ZEBCO ARE ALL GOOD ONES.{SORRY IF I MISSED ANY}ONE MORE THING TAKE THE REEL YOU WILL BE PUTIN ON THAT ROD AND SEE HOW IT FEELS , I HAVE GONE AS FAR AS TO PUT A BELL SINKER ON TO GET THE REEL FEEL OF THE NEW RIG.

Hey Stillakid2..
I gotta disagree on the resale aspect..I’ve had a G Loomis for sale for almost a year…it was used twice just like new….had it on line and in two papers…it’s value supposedly $245.00…I want $200.00…never had any takers..

Let me play the devils ..If you can’t catch a fish on a 25.00 rod I’m not too sure you are going to catch one on a $300.00 one…. Been there and watched…

All my jigging rods are custom made and most are St Criox blanks. But I can still catch them on a Berkley lighting rod $49.95..

Oh yea P.S. you touch my girl friend but keep your hands OFF my jigging rods.

The only st croix I have ever owned I won at the ftr get together cat fishing contest two years ago and It was like going from the chevette to the caddy…. You can feel every leaf rock etc… I have always been hard on rods so I always have bought cheaper rods… for the money I really like fenwick and that berkley one, I forget the name… but there is no doubt there is a reason that st croix and g loomis are priced the way they are.. they are dam good!!! I also really like that gander mountain classic edition or something like that, Vick owns a couple and I am always accidently taking them to use (besides they like to get fished with once in a while )and they are nice for the price!

Quote:

---

Hey Stillakid2..
I gotta disagree on the resale aspect..I’ve had a G Loomis for sale for almost a year…it was used twice just like new….had it on line and in two papers…it’s value supposedly $245.00…I want $200.00…never had any takers..

---

ReefRunner,

The reselling of rods can be a hit or miss ordeal. I’ve done a lot of Ebay activity and given it’s wide market audience, it’s a pretty good indicator of “on/off season” and “market value”. Look up some auctions for the EXACT rod you’re wanting to sell and save them in “Favorites”. Let them run out and see how much they sold for.

It sounds to me that you’re trying to move an IMX model. My general Ebay average is that you’ll get 50 to 75% of the total rod retail value, depending on usage, age, and popularity of use (product demand). 75% of $245 is still less than $200 so your buying audience is likely thinking you’re too high. For $45 extra, their eyes see a new one off the shelf and in most consumer studies, the “new from store purchase” is the more comfortable/confident way to go. The savings needs to be a greater motivator than the boundaries of their comfort zone.

I once had a $335.00 GLX that I decided was just too stiff for the feel I wanted while playing fish. I got $290.00 for it on Ebay because it was a very popular model and it was late February…………..when much of the country is ramping up for a new fishing season and the market is at a premium. For this particular fellow, his local retailer didn’t have this model but he was ready to pay full retail no matter where he found one. Follow enough auctions and you’ll see this happen with about 20% regularity. For the rest, it still holds that 50 to 75% overall average result.

To sell a $30 rod on Ebay, one has to consider the savings required to get the buyer, with the inclusion of shipping costs. If after all is said and done and the overall cost isn’t cheaper than a store purchase………..no sale! If you have a rod over 78″, shipping is EXPENSIVE! Therefore, I’d be lucky to get $15 to $20 for that rod. In many cases, they close at $8 to $12.00. In fact, I bought a rod that sold at WalMart for $34.95 and up to $49.95 at “Jimmie’s Sport Shop” on Ebay for $6.00. Next week, identical item sold for $18.00. Again, the exception to the rule is the guy wants “THAT” rod and can’t get it within a decent drive’s distance. He’ll pay more to get what he wants.

As for the ‘s advocate, you little jokester ………….you’re correct in that it can’t guarantee a better result. On the days I stink………….I flat out stink!

Back to the rod for sale……………just had a thought………..there’s a bit of mid-summer surge because guys are finding out they want something else or they need to replace/upgrade something. Check it out and see what’s hot! Otherwise, wait until late February to sell your (IMX?). The ice fishing/fall preview is soon to arrive and summer stuff will begin to decline. The weeks just before Christmas are awful………..nothing but bargain hunters and everything sells on a clearance basis. It’s a seller’s desperate season!

Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you move that rod!

Quote:

---

There’s a $300 answer to a $25 question!

---

Does that mean there’s a check in the mail? If not, I guess you get it and the breeze it flew in on for free!

How well the reel is matched up to the rod (balanced) also makes a BIG difference in comfort and feel.

I have been using the St. Croix Premier and Wild River rods for trolling and use the St. Croix Avid rods for jigging and casting and really love em. If a person is looking for a less expensive rod yet wants a good sensitive rod Hooked on Fishing Bait and Tackle in Rochester, Mn. 507-282-4982 specializes in custom built rods with St. Croix blanks. They have a bunch already made or you can have one built special for you. Hope this helps. Thanks, Bill

Quote:

---

How well the reel is matched up to the rod (balanced) also makes a BIG difference in comfort and feel.

---

As a sidenote on this, I’ve noticed a trend in my rod stock. In MANY cases, the cheaper the rod, the harder to match a reel for it. The biggest factor in this is handle/seat construction………………or would some of you custom builders argue that? All I can say is any rod I’ve had to spend $100 or more on isn’t too finicky between reel weights, which is really nice! Nothing worse than knowing “this is the reel I want to use” and then have it not balance right and/or need the balancing kit to achieve desired comfort.

Places like Gander Mountain and Galyans are really nice for doing away with any balance wonderment. Pick up the rod or reel you have at home from their shelf stock and start slapping it on some goods! This is usually enough to answer any questions.

Hey Bill,
Is Hooked on Fishing Bait and Tackle the shop on hwy63 north out of Rochester?

Quote:

---

Hey Bill,
Is Hooked on Fishing Bait and Tackle the shop on hwy63 north out of Rochester?

---

Yep, thats the place

Here’s my 2 cents.
The real high buck rods seem lighter and have better action in the tip. I see only a jigging/rigging application where you hold the rod the only place you’d “need” a high buck rod. Trolling with rod holders=cheap rod! I’ve only used a GL 2 times on the water but can say I’d NEVER spend the extra $$ for one until I win the PowerBall. Most people I know with GL’s treat them with kid gloves so they do seem to last a long time.
Reasons I don’t have one:

#1 I fish were you can use 2 rods and like to buy in 2’s.
#2 $50-100 rods suit me just fine.
#3 Fireline turns a $25 Lightning rod into a GL…just kidding but it’s close you can feel every leaf or weed.
#4 I’ve got kids that use my rods also.
and last but not least…I’m Cheap

Ferny.

my two cents, I use gloomis, imx, glx, and gl2, its worth the investment, golfers that play a lot, have very expensive clubs for the most part, same difference, just makes the experience better, and good quality rods with superlines like fireline, feels just like an extension of your hand, superlines, can make a marginal rod better also———— one other point——rod building can save big bucks a person can build a 300$ loomis for about 125-150$ or so, at least half, practice, try to find some good blanks, good eyes, and go for it, a fellow angler on the board (alkfish) makes all his rods, all gloomis glx

I don’t believe this was covered, but a “Modulas” for on company’s rod is not the same as the next.

When graphite rods really took off, a lot of the more generic rod companies began placing the IM6, 7’s and 8’s on their rods in response to some of the higher quality graphite companies (like G-loomis) graphite rods.

The modulas(sp?) is the grade and quality of the graphite that is blended and “Scrimmed” into your rod.

SOme use a cross scrim (usually more durable)some a horizontal etc. This is the process of weaving the graphite.

Take a look sometie, holding your rod up to the light. You’ll get a good picture of how your rod was scrimmed.

Higher priced rods need to be researched before purchasing.
What kind of scrim and actual graphite is used? If a rod is graphite and has a cork handle, I don’t care what company makes it, it will(should) be pretty sensitive.

If wanting a real tough and sensitive graphite rod, I would want to know how it was made.

Just a little food for thought! I own cheap rods and expensive rods, both catch fish, in certain circumstances and if the fishing Gods are on my side.

Good luck in your rod purchasing endeavors! It’s always fun
buying new fishing gear.

Jim W

Like Steve said: Yep, Thats the place. Bright blue building, can’t miss it. Their bait has been great too, real lively and they carry alot of good stuff for that fishing outting. Mike stays on the ”cutting edge” of the ”hot” fishing equipement and also carrys the B-Fish-N Tackle ringworms, super doos and Kalins. And you can pick up a copy of James and Dustins video too. Thanks, Bill

Well guys here’s my 1 cent worth of the price of rods. I think sometimes to guys worry how much stuff costs. Like the gotta keep up with the Jones saying. St Croix, Loomis, and all the other more expensive rods are super rods. But there are othe “cheap” rods that are just as good. Sure you can break down the pro’s and con’s of it. But like anything it comes down to afordablitity and what feels good to you. Meaning does the rod fit you. I agree that the reels should be of the best quality you can afford. I rather spend more on a reel than rod. Now I know this will upset some of you….but nowadays like with the outragous price of cars, how can a fishing rod cost $300?
Blows my mind…..Like paying $7 for a crankbait…I have bought a “couple” of the more expensive rods and found them just not to the feel of a rod I like… I have a few of the older IronX model from Quantum that I just love..$20 a piece. I know just like me..cheap…sorry. Some of you may know me..most won’t..I fish the BFL with some of you. I try to buy all my fishing gear for the following year in the winter…this is when you really can find a sale…

I do have some questions for you guys, Jim W was talikng about some of the other companys switched to the IM 7, 6 and 8. Are there different grades of say the IM 6? Or is an IM 6 blank pretty much the same? I’m alittle slow so put in laymens terms…

I know a whole bunch of you guys are sponsored by the likes of St Croix and such. So I did not mean to offend any of you. I just think that who ever you are, that you should buy with what you are comfortable with. Nothing like buying a cheap or expensive rod and regretting it.

But if any of you would like me to switch to St Croix, just PM me and I give you my address to send me some rods.

Don’t look at the name or the price…go by how it feels and fishes. The rod doesn’t make the fisherman, the fisherman makes the rod. Each year I buy poles from $9 to $129(custom rods) and if you asked me which was which with my eyes closed I would have to tell you by where, how and for what we were fishing . Same with reels.

For the money you can’t beat the Cabelas Guide Series rods…
As for reels, I will say that I have spent way to much money on the cheap quantum series reels and would typically replace them every other year. This seemed like the best solution because I was able to have good casting reels but tournament fisherman are just plain hard on equipment. I finally purchased a Shimano Curado trying to find out what all the hype was… I am glad to say that I now own 8 and 2 chronarch reels. They have all lasted 3 full seasons going on 4. For the upfront investment I took it on the shorts but every year now I am making up the difference. Honestly I think that I am saving money…
My grandfather always said that if you buy quality you won’t have to buy it twice.
jc

I am with Jeremy on the Cabela’s Rods for the bang for the buck and overall universatility with these blanks. I had real good luck with the Tourney trail rods over the years from 6-7 foot rods as well as the 9′-10′ board rods. Most of the Tounrey trail rods retail for $59.99-$79.99. Like I said, I have used these rods in the past for my crankin applications whether it be casting or trolling, they have satisfied me.

All my current rods are outfitted with St. croix rods of all sizes. For certain application suxh as pithing light jigs for walleyes, I really think spending a little more money to get a decent rod to feel those light biters. Like I said, for most applications you can get by with a universal rod that feels right to you and fishes the way you want it too. Everyone has their specialty rods for certain situations.
Does a guy ever have too many rods?

Quote:

---

Does a guy ever have too many rods?

---

I dunno DeeZee………..is 40 enough? Or too many?
No matter the answer…………I’m still guaranteed to be looking and buying within the next 12 months!!!