Under rated and over rated

What’s a fishing product you feel is underrated? Cheap but great results and also the other way around?

I think ugly stick rods are a great value for the money. I’ve had great luck with the them and even know a guy that used to tournament fish and he’d have his st croixs on the floor at the start to fit in and look cool. Once they took off he’d swap them for the ugly sticks stored below. These were for pulling cranks.

For overrated I’ve had zero luck with thermacells personally. Either I’m too dumb to figure out how to get them to keep mosquitos away or the mosquitos up in lutsen are a whole different level.

I you’re talking panfish, cheap rods do fine but only as long as the rod action is right. For bass, I have bought many at Walmart that do as well as any that cost triple used by my partner. Again the right flex in the right area makes all the difference, not how much it costs. Woo Daves sold his brand rod at an expo my friend and I attended and the rod and it’s replacement broke both times trying to pull a lure free from a snag using 20# test line. Definitely not worth over $75. (Don’t care for the man personally considering his treatment of non-expo customers that wanted to ask for his opinion.)

Gander Mt. spinning and baitcast reels haven’t failed me yet and they were under $40. (The company is no more.)

The whopper plopper is over rated. It costs a lot and it doesn’t catch many fish for me. I do think that its a well-made lure and its very durable, but it just doesn’t catch many fish.

Agree with slipbob on the Ugly Stiks. I’ve got several. Solid rods for the money and all really need for some applications (cranks etc.). And also true on ThermaCells. At least for me.

In terms of other under-rated…Outcast mono line at Fleet Farm. It’s dirt cheap. I don’t use it for all my mono applications, but for some jigging etc. I also use it for spinner fishing for trout and it performs better (for me) than far more expensive mono line.

For over-rated….I know many will disagree with me, but I’ve never been that impressed with the mid-grade Shimano spinning reels. I can’t speak (or afford) to their high end models. But just never been that impressed with their mid-grade stuff. I think it’s mostly personal preference – I just don’t like the super thin bails on those reels and prefer the more durable Pflueggers etc. To each his/her own.

Good info on the Thermocells, I was going to pick a couple up. Now I probably will not.

I love my ugly sticks.

To me normal spinnerbaits for bass seem to be over looked a lot even by myself. Ill always have the old faithful white willow blade spinner on a rod now.
Over rated I would say cortland masterbraid. Too expensive and not that great of performance for me personally. I can cast just as far with power pro.

Overrated-Chatterbaits. They look good and seem like a step up from spinnerbaits but I have never had luck with them and just quit using altogether.

Underrated- native minnows to the water you are fishing. I have had incredible luck catching minnows with a small rod then transfering them to a big rod for big fish. In a river system its deadly and so much better than store bought fat heads and suckers.

Under-Rated Thermacells, I use mine often and they work great if not in a windy or breezy area.

Over-Rated those electric fish skinning things! What a mess and I can skin a fish with a knife faster than you can plug that thing in.

I’m not sure if you’d consider them “underrated” but bang per buck, president reels are absolutely the best in my eyes and there pretty cheap. Also, red hooks! Fish per cast, I’ve caught more fish on a simple red hook then anything else.

Overrated…Down imagine, lund boats (sorry fellas) and weedless hooks!

Fireline: underrated. Atleast worth the money. Fishing large toothy critters requires no stretch line for good hook sets and needed durability. Fireline provides that. As it breaks in it looks the part of crappy line but the performance out shines the look. At the end of the season I unspool it and reverse the line and use the other end as fresh line. Worth every penny and while I dont consider it under rated I do consider it worth every penny.

Where does the banjo minnow land on this list?

Where does the banjo minnow land on this list?

THE SCRATCHA wrote:

Under-Rated Thermacells, I use mine often and they work great if not in a windy or breezy area.

I love my thermocell I have 3 of them and they work great.
I used one all night last night chopping trees down

Bearcat89 wrote:

Where does the banjo minnow land on this list?

First thing I thought of when I read this thread!

Use Ugly Sticks for downrigging – 1/3 of the cost of “high-end” downrigging rods and work just fine.

Underated: hook line and sinker

Overrated: expensive rods

When it comes to fishing it is all about using the right lure for the conduction. The most over rated lure is the one the angler has the least confidence in. Having people rave about a lure helps to create confidence but it doesn’t set in until it works for me. With that said I think the chatter bait is way over rated. My home made safety pin spinners outperform them 10:1 multiple times, side by side.

I think the jerk bait is under rated.

Thermacells are great if it is not too windy and you are staying in one spot. They are so much better than citronella candles.

Duluth trading company Armachillo briefs
D.T.C. Ballroom jeans? not so much

Under-rated: Diawa Wilderness rods for trolling. I use them for Salmon as rigger rods, dipsy rods, and lead core rods. For Walleye I use them for pulling cranks and spinners on planer boards. These rods can be had for $18 at times.

Underrated – Fleetfarm northland bionic walleye fishing line.

Over Rated – 80K boats.

BTW I love my Thermacells

Bearcat89 wrote:

Where does the banjo minnow land on this list?

Don’t forget about the walking worm or helicopter lure or flying lure.

Overrated: Fireball

Underrated: White claw

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Good info on the Thermocells, I was going to pick a couple up. Now I probably will not.

They are just like everything else. A few years ago I thought they worked great now they smell different when on so they changed something and don’t work worth a poop. Cant ever just leave well enough alone.

JEREMY wrote:

They are just like everything else. A few years ago I thought they worked great now they smell different when on so they changed something and don’t work worth a poop. Cant ever just leave well enough alone.

Well that sucks. I guess when my reload kit is gone I am screwed.

OVERRATED: The non fishing content of this site. Everybody seems pi$$ed off at everything.. I guess that’s the way our country is going.

Be Respectful.

Respectfully submitted, Jeff

Overrated: Power Pro in 60 to 80 pound test.
All electronice in a boat that run over $1000.

Underrated: IDO videos (great resource that’s free).
Fish grips for holding not only catfish but MN best loved fish, the walleye. More so in the winter when I don’t want to get my hands wet.
Inflatable PFD’s. Wearing inflatable PFD’s.
Thermocells.

Under-rated: Limit Creek Smoothie, lithium ion filet knives, Busch lite.

Over-rated: Jigging raps and blade baits.

Deuces wrote:

Overrated: Fireball

Underrated: White claw

This must be you??

Ha!

Its refreshing and keeps the beer bloat to a minimum which is ever so important when tubing and showing the dam kids how stuff is done!

Matt Moen wrote:

Under-rated: Limit Creek Smoothie, lithium ion filet knives, Busch lite.

Over-rated: Jigging raps and blade baits.

Busch lite is not underrated in my house. That’s rated up there right next to fruity pebbles

Overrated – Walleye