Different Fishing Rods

[basscrazy]

Does the rod your using really make that much of a difference? I read some posts bashing ugly sticks. And I just wanted to no what about curtain rods make them better then others?

[ogliq2]

I think anything that increases your confidence is a plus on your side. I own allot of different rods, most of them cost well over a hundred dollars each, but the one I reach for almost every time, is a Berkley Lightening rod. I have caught everything with it.

[rickyy33]

i own 10 different rod and reel combos, and to be honest i use two for mostly everything, bass, pike walleye, cats, perch. But the thing is i wouldn't be able to go and catch salmon on these 2 specific rods, they'd snap in a heartbeat, some rods are light action, so i wouldn't be able to feel really light bites either, that's where different rods come in to play. they all have been designed for a specific type of use. Ugly sticks are not bad rods at all, sure they may be a lower quality to some people, but my cousin who i fish with a lot has one and he's on a tight budget and its his only rod, and its never let him down, nor stopped him from catching fish.

[splitshot11]

The question "does the rod you using really make a difference?" The answer is YES! Now, I"m not talking about the price of the rod or the manufacturer just the fact that the right rod for the right technique and situation will greatly increase your chances of catching and landing whatever species your are targeting! One example, the rods I use for dropshotting on Erie are not the same rods I use to throw tubes on. Can I use the same rod for both techniques? Yes! Will I have the same results day in and day out under different situations? No! And that's the difference. The nuances of each rod, price range and quality of the product is a whole other topic of debate!

[marth11]

I think it comes down to personal preference, a lot of guys here will try to sell you their favourite brand of rod and reel, go to a local tackle shop find a rod you like the looks of and attach a reel and see how it feels, I personally in love with Fenwick rods and when I have the money Cliff's custom rods but that is a different story, I can't tell you what to like jus go with what you think is right.

[splitshot11]

I agree that personal preference, price, and confort are the factors a lot of people consider when buying a rod. These factors however may not be the best choice for the job at hand.

[marth11]

I think it also comes down to the style of fishing you plan on doing, if you are planning on a being a tourney fishermen, then I do see your point, but if it is someone who plans on jus fishing for fun then it really doesn't matter for what's best for the job, jus my 2 cents I am not trying to bash your opinion at all.

I sent you a message splitshot about the rod thing so we don't end up hijacking the topic a lot more.

[Horrorshowrot]

It all depends on the situation, and type of fish you are trying to get. But better does not always mean that it is more expensive. When I first started fishing I bought a rod and reel for 30 bucks from crappy tire. I caught everything from smallies to big salmon on it and everything in between!

[Bigbassmon]

This is a LOADED question and I'm sure there are a LOAD of opinions. Funny I was just discussing this with someone yesterday. Being a past Quantum Pro Staff member, I have a favourite, but ANY top brand will help you to feel bites better, and your bottom structure, through any conditions. Now I have the older PT models, and I'm sure now the NEWER ones are more sensitive, and lighter. I love what I have. My point is, if you feel confident, and comfortable with your success, and touch of the sensitivity of the rod, why change? This can be a very expensive search.Best thing is to try different types by asking anyone you know, or who you"re just fishing beside, if you can try a cast or two, along with their opinion on the brand.Everyone's feel is different. Aquire your own, and your success rate will rise.

My .02 cents

[basscrazy]

Thanks for all your opinions. I ask because I personal use 2 rods, 9 foot ugly stick for salmon and trout and a 6 foot light action shakespear for all other fish. The thing that gets m is everyone talk about the money you put into rods buy when I bought my ugly stick 6 years ago I payed just under 100$ for it and have caught everything on it from a sun fish to a salmon. But it's still considered a lower end rod, but then again I guess I have never really fished with a high end so I guess using no what I'm missing. Any suggestions for a new rod I should get? 200$ max

[Dogman]

There can be big differences in quality between an inexpensive rod and an expensive one. Many of the inexpensive rods will be a blend of fiberglass and graphite, such as the ugly stick. Fiberglass is stiffer than graphite so it will not be as sensitive. That is not to say all inexpensive rods are this way. I too have a Berkley Lightning Rod that is IM6 graphite. It was like $50 and I've had it for close to 20 years. I also have a Quantum Tour rod that is even higher modulus graphite. A more expensive rod will generally use a better blank with higher modulus graphite, better guides and a better quality handle. Will it catch more fish? Probably not but you may feel a bite that you could miss with a lesser quality rod.

I have a few rods from all different brands and each has it's own purpose. Some are cheap some aren't. Bottom line don't let anyone tell you your rod is no good. If you like it and are comfortable fishing it then it is a good rod.

[rob29]

Like most hobbies and interests there is always the law of diminishing return for interests. After a certain point spending 2-3 times on a rod or reel will not give you 2-3 times better performance. Some of the other guys here stated the good brands like shimano and st. croix and they are really nice rods, but for some they don't justify spending the extra 50-100 bucks. For others it's a no-brainer.

And for how many rods, usually 1-3 will do any task you would typically throw at them. I have fished with some people who put all their eggs in one basket and have one setup. They usually do great except when it comes to the really light or heavy fishing. They won't feel as many bites going for crappie and probably wold have a real blast going after a salmon. Completely personal preference.

[smerchly]

Ok , I'm old school , & I have caught almost every species in this area with an old level wind reel & 6' cheapo solid fiberglass & steel rod . But , back in the 70's when Fenwick made rods in Niagara Falls , I went there to buy my 1st expensive rod which I still use . It is a 9' Blackhawk ultra light & it's a pleasure to use . It has withstood the ravages of time well , because it was quality built . In contrast , I bought a cheapo 11.5' Browning which "looked" expensive ....paid $69.for it .....& it broke in half just above the center joint the 2nd time I used it , just casting a small plug .I fixed it myself....still in use as a float rod . I also had a salmon rod made for me , an 8' Fenwick blank & it is still ticking ! I have a few "in between" rods that have stood up well for the price range , but if you want a Caddy instead of a Chevy , you will enjoy landing that whopper all the more .....but the reel is also very important to match the rod and have a good quality drag and decent line .

[basscrazy]

Thanks for all the advice. The funny thing is I have always used good reels. Well Shimano's maybe that because it's the hardware in my hand

[bigdog]

Your fishing rod/reels are like tools. You have a different one for each task. You don't use a hammer to cut a piece of wood. Imagine a carpenter shows up to your house to build a table and only brought a hammer!

Or, in a more sports related anecdote...a golfer doesn't chip with a 3 wood and doesn't use the putter to drive a ball of the tee.

Here's my opinion on it. If you are trying to expand your rod "collection", ask your self a few questions.

1) What species am I fishing for? (Probably the most important)

2) What technique will I be using? (Casting, drifting, vertical fishing)

3) Where am I going to use this rod? (Offshore, deep water, hiking through hellish terrain or 2 piece vs. 1 piece)

4) What is my budget? (There a tonne of rods under a $100 that are really good)

5) How often is the rod going to be used? (If its used alot you may want to look at length of warranty and durablity also weight...a few ounces makes a difference after holding the damn thing all day))

Once you figure out the answer to those questions you can probably narrow down what you NEED pretty quick.

A lot of the "house brand" rods and reels are pretty decent and are usually around 25% cheaper than a name brand rod of similiar specs.

Also, look at used rods in our Classifieds section or Kijiji or even post what you are looking for...and I know there guys on here like myself who seem to support the rod manufacturers quite frequently and have extras that they would sell.

If you go to one of our tackle shop sponsors armed with the answers to those questions, they will get you setup in a hurry.

Tight Lines!

[Bryan]

I have 3 rods that i shuffle through... I use all Shimano stuff, mostly because my father always told me it was the best... I don't think its the best but it has always worked well for me and I will continue to keep using it

1. 12ft Noodle rod with Light action setup, I have caught many different types of fish with it from Pan fish to River trout and Salmon.. (my number one choice for niagara river) Plus it can cast really far... also makes me feel much more involved in my technique.

2. 8ft light/Medium Action rod, I use this majority of the time for your all purpose fishing... Have caught everything on this one.

3. 5ft Light action rod, (this one is actually Berkley) this is my small fishing rod for tight spots and small fish, and i use this one for Bass fishing.

I guess for me as long as I'm catching fish and i have different types of rod for differnt types of situations... Im happy,

[fishfight]

Today's sport equipment are cheaper to make in China since they are mass produce using cheaper labour, one reason Graphite material gotten cheaper and widely use in sports equipment.

Fibergalass material are flexible, quite indestructable compared to other materials, however heavier than graphite, Then there are hybrid sport equiment, a combo of graphite,fibreglass,boron,kevlar, Titanium, etc...

Ugly stick rods gotten popular because it seem to be quite durable, due to the fiberglass material added to the tip of the rod, it flexes easily, sensitive to suttle small bites, especially for coarse fishing application. However,Ugly stick is more heavier than most grahite rods made today. In general, the more high quality modulus graphite rod, the lighter it should get, the rod can be quite stiff, but still can flex without breaking.

For many sporting goods equipment regardless of Tennis, Golf or Fishing, baseball bat :

More flex + more material = Heavier, more powerful and durable

Stiff + lighter material = More Control and feel, but might break, more cost added due to warranty.

For years, Sports manufacturers were trying to find a balance between power, sensitivity and price.

Just imagine if our rod is stiff, and light, combining it with a no stretch line , we would generally be able to feel more on what is happening at the end of our line. If the heavier rod and line flexes too much, we will feel more our equipment than what is tapping on our line. Casting for the 6th hour will also make a difference in equipment being used.

However, better equipment does not necessarily produce better sportsman. So many other variables to consider in one's fishing success.

10 years ago, I had a chance to learn and humbled by couple of very experience Vietnamese anglers who seem to be very tight on money but really knew fishing. They do not have any electronics, nor any fancy fishing equipment. They took me to a lake and every place we fished were based on landmark, from few feet in front of a house or meters off some submerge object. It rained every so often that day, they just wrapped couple of garbage bag on their heads from time to time, their soaked wet short jeans did not bother them a bit. We landed (release mostly after our limit) roughly 40 bass in 6 hours of fishing, lost more than 10, most fish were between 1-2.5 lb average, we only used white Mr. twister jig head as their suggestion. It was a pleasure getting fine tuning advice from them, they told me when to jerk and when to retreive the jig heads. When fishing slowed down by 7pm. They told me to wait couple of hours, they will take me to another spot that will produce Walleye . I suggested why not just head to that spot and fish sooner, they insisted that I just be patient and trust them. By 8:45pm, just right after it gotten dark , we reached our destination landmark, again some 50 meters off a tree and meters left off the tree, we all casted only rapala Jerk bait or swim bait as their suggestion. We landed 10 walleye within 30 minutes, couple times double headers, then it gotten quiet for another half an hour, no need to fish further, and time to head home. They said the walleye will attack like pack of wolves and then leave the area as fast as they came in. There was another boat that followed and fished just 40 feet of us since I gotten their attention when I screamed of excitement. To my surprise, the guy cannot even get a hit while we were in our fishing frenzy state. My 2 buddies just smiled and said, that fellow will not get one since he was not using the proper lure and was not fishing on the proper spot. I will never forget the experience I had fishing with these two street-smart talented angler. I went back couple of times to the same lake, tried to go to the same spot we fished last time, I was not able to produce even close to the number of bass, nor was I able to land a single walleye even after I tried my best to find the same spot, fished same time, and used the same lure .