Bryan Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 What Brands does everyone like/trust? I have always liked Shimano, I thought their stuff was good, Bob Izumi used this stuff and i grew up watching his shows.. I guess thats how they got me... But the other day some guy i was fishing beside said Shimano stuff sucked... but i defended it! (eventhough i dont really know) For me it works, and i do catch fish, and thats all that matters.... But im looking to get a new spinning Rod and Real... any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Husky_Jerk Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Okuma is a very underrated brand. I have had some great rods and reels from them. Abu Garcia is also a top quality brand in my opinion. Im sure some people will disagree or have different opinions, but to each their own. These brands work for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest live2fish85 Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 I have never been a huge fan of Shimano. I was a big St. Croix fan, that being said I just got a Shimano Crucial and it feel like a great rod. It depends what you are willing to spend and what you are using it for. Shimano has decent stuff and if you go witg the Compre and up you get a life time warranty. St. Croix doesn't have that, unless you are spending 200+ bucks. G. Loomis is a great company and they have a great warranty as well. They have a life time warrabty plus a Wild Card. The wild card is if you break it from a car door or something you get one replacement other then that it has to be broke from a fish. There are some G. Loomis that are around the 160-200 dollar mark. I am starting to like the Shimano rods at least the Crucials and up but I still hate there spinning reels. Pflueger Spinning reels all the way. The Supreme XT is a great reel and a decent price. The president is a great reel for under a 100 bucks. PM me if you got any more specific questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mford Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Pflueger reels, i love em. I love the drag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry b Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 I like shimano reels,smooth drag.Even their cheaper ones are good.I've owned a stratic for 12 years and after giving it some lube last year it's very smooth again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdog Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Find a price range and buy the best within it. I myself use Shimano almost exclusively. They've had the best track record so far for my time of fishing. I have used others, I won't mention brands while I'm knocking them...but they either wear out or break. Key features I look for in a spinning reel...it has to have a great FRONT drag system. So far I haven't had anything come close to the Shimanos. I also take a look at the the handle size and layout. When fishing in the middle of Novemeber and December, you don't want to be trying to grip an itty bitty reel handle, you need something beefier to make it easier to grab when your fingers are frozen like sausages fresh from the freezer. Major thing for baitcasters, is number of bearings and gear ratio. Bearings for casting smoothness and distance. Gear ratio to match the fishing style. My preferences: Fast for cranks, jerks and spinnerbaits, Mid Range for pretty much everything else. Jigging and slopping I use a Slower gear ratio for more cranking power. Rods, I use whatever is the lightest and best deal I can get in the style of fishing needed. Shimanos rod series "Sellus" is technicque specific and isn't too bad. The next step up is the Clarus series. Its a little lighter. Lighter is nicer, cause when you dragging tubes or dropshottin or tossin big baits all day, it will wear on the ole' arms. PM me if you have a question...I have an arsenal of rods and reels, probably own what you are looking at buying, I would be happy to give you my opinion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogliq2 Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 I only use Pflueger and Quantum reels .... Fenwick rods are my preference. I believe everything else to be over-rated, over marketed, over priced, and of equal or lesser quality. I wouldn't fish steelhead or salmon without the smooth ceramic drag and fast retrieve of the Quantum. (I only use spinning gear, I could never get used to holding my fishing rod upside down). My Quantum Ti-Mag steelhead reel is 8 years old and has stood up to more drag burning runs than I could count, and still looks and feels great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pudge Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Fenwick rods and shimano reels for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toaster Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 its all the same stuff made overseas, slap any name on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matterhorn Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 back in april i bought an abu garcia spinning rod and reel and find it to be an awesome rod. the reel has 10 bearings and is ultra smooth . the rod says it is a medium power, but it is very thin which gives the action of a light rod. i took it perch fishing and they were bending it pretty good which made for some awesome perch fishing. i liked it so much i bought another one so i could have one set up for lures/spinners and the other for worms or other live bait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnfshn Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Every big company makes good stuff - price range is a factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooner Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 I used to be a quantum guy for reels and berkley lightning rods were my favourite...My old man bought me a fleuger reel last year and I love it (probably more than the quantum) and I gave up on lightning rods as the quality seems to be lowering....I won a fenwick rod a couple years ago and am extremely impressed and will be staying with fenwick as long as the quality is there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogliq2 Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 The following is an excerpt from an article written by a prominent pro fisherman associated with a televised fishing show. It led me to the assumption that actual brand names are more a personal preference, but technique specific equipment is the more pertinent factor. "An all round general purpose rod would be a 6'6 or 7' medium heavy.. BUT as you have noticed yourself you can purchase technique specific rods. A drop shot rod is going to be vastly different to a flipping stick. Some will argue "a rod is a rod is a rod" but once the bug bites you'll soon find out that a $50 rod is not the same as a $150 rod. However the jump from a $150 to a $250 rod probably isn't very noticeable to most anglers. Now you can't get a $150 rod and throw a $50 reel on it either.. that just wouldn't be right" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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