Rapala Rods!?!?!?

There’s a lot of rod talk lately so I thought I’d add to it. Has anyone looked at the new Rapala rods yet? I know it’s ice fishing season but there seems to be as much trouble getting started on that as there was getting on the river from the flooding last spring! So, the mind is still on the “buying” season for open water equipment.

I won’t have a chance to try it out for a long time, but I think I made a good decision today buying a Rapala muskie rod. It’s every bit as light as the Croixs and Loomises, but only a 3rd or 4th of the price! The only downside was the size of the foregrip area. It might be too small for some, but I have small hands and the bigger, bulkier rods present a control problem for me.

Beaver told me last summer to get a “nice, true muskie rod” and I think this will be my choice. 6’9″, 20-50lb. heavy power, 1 to 3 oz. lure, and the comfort of a 10-25lb. sized handle. $49.99 at Gander Mountain. It’s too nice a rod to ignore when it only drains you “half-a-bill”!

I started looking at some of the other rods Rapala is offering and that middle series looks like a true marketplace contender! The higher series is too closely priced to an Avid, I think, and a battle that it won’t win. The lower series is a very nice rod for $25.00, but if compared to the mid-series rods, you’ll favor the feel and likely favor the extra $25.00 as well. As spring approaches, I think I’ll grab a bass/walleye caster and spinner and give them a fair shake………….I’m willing to bet that I’ll replace a couple rods in my arsenal because of it.

Equipment Junkie :O)

Lot to say about the rods of today,it sure is a pleasure to use the new grafits and such. You can cast all day and your arms won,t fall off. My dad gave me stuff that you would think came from a torture chamber the musky rods were broom handles and the so called level wind reels probably level wond,would they cast however? The casting rods however were a different story,they were had with a steel thin rod no taper from handle to tip. You would not get on a plane with that today,but some of 6the fish they caught a remarkable . today we have sonar,radar,gps,and even underwater tv cams,250 hp 21ft boats and of course the almost unlivebale electric filet knife!!!!!!

Still -a- Kid -o,

I did have the chance to use one on the river. I was running a three-way and used the medium Rapala Rod. Cabela’s Retail (in Owatonna), let me try it. And, I thought it was a nice rod and I was impressed with the “feel”.

I am very used to and spoiled by my Berkley Series Ones. I love the fast-tips, solid backbone, and the sensitivity of them.

Hawger

Ya Hey – Kid2 Having worked for StCriox and currently Fenwick, Berkley, I’m compeled to offer some insite on your up-coming rod purchase. I won’t tell you what rod to purchase, because you’ll say I’m biased !! I need to ask you -” How do you Musky Fish” ??? Do you throw bucktails, or do you use a lot of jerk/pull baits, or deep crank baits. That is the 64mil $ question and should be your overriding guide on rod selection. In the old days your Dad (who is my age probably) would have chosen a 6′ broom handle. Now days, you need to analyze what you are going to do with the rod. hence the question about your lure preferences. Bucktails and cranks want a 7′ rod with a fast tip. Jerk/pull baits want a shorter rod, 6.5 to 6.8 that is stiffer through out the rod, so you can hold the rod lower and of course jerk-it.

So think what you need it for and go from there. The price certainly sounds good. Remmember there is only accouple of true rod makers left, 98% buy Asian and Lable to suit !!!!

Later Gofish

Good words kreading! I was mostly in need of a jerkbait rod. I still have other rods (7’6″) for bucktails but my issue is comfort. Those are big and clumsy to me but will do the job just fine if I ask them to. By your great advice, I still think I made a good choice for my intentions and necessities. I will be hanging on to your words though when I’m investigating an upgrade for my bucktail rods.

Thanks for the time and words!