bang for buck rods

[apegs]

fishing season is upon me again and I desperately need to add to my arsenal. The problem is I though I would have more money to spend on rods than I actually do. I was planning on getting some really nice rods but I just cant afford it at this point. I'm looking to spend $ 60 to $80 on two rods. Wondering what yours guys experience and opinion is on rods in that price range. Brand and rod name please. Also what I'm looking for is baitcasters.

[Hammy]

I am intrigued by JR's rods, the guy that makes the stop sign lures. He has a shop in Brooklyn Center and offers a couple models and price ranges. It is a great way to kill alunch hour if you're out that way.

Does anyone out there use them?

[Deitz Dittrich]

$60 on 2 rods or $60 each?

[Coach Dog]

Bass Pro Shops usually has a buy 2, get 1 free deal on their Bionic Blade rods and Extreme rods. They run this deal usually every year around may. I have several of each and are great rods for the money. The Bionics I think retail for $80 and the Extreme for $100. Otherwise if you're going $80 each, go with Shimano or Fenwick. Not many bad rods out there, though, these are just preferance of mine.

[ikeslayer]

there are alot of deals out there on the web. check other bass fishing sites and view their classifieds - if you don't mind used

[corncob]

I considered a variety of rods before I bought a Lightning rod Shock for froggin....With all due respect, how much better is the $200 rods for many applications?

[JohnMickish]

$60-$80 for two rods I would go with a Berkley lightning. Maybe check out Cabelas online bargain cave to see what they have on closeout.

[Craigums]

Has anyone tried those Acadia rods? I see they still have a buy one get one on 2 differant models.

Adam google Acadia Rods if you wanna check them out they run $35-$50 a rod. Otherwise MNBFN members get 50% off Lamiglass there excel rods look nice that would cost you about $75 per rod.

[RK]

Hiya -

Depending on the answer to whether or not you're talking $80 for one rod or both, you have lots of options. Lightning Rods really aren't too bad, Fenwick has some reasonably-priced rods that are solid too.

Maybe one of the best options is a Shimano Clarus. Several years back I was on a trip and there was a little "misunderstanding" between my spinnerbait rod and the back door of my Tahoe. Went into a very small local shop to get something as a temporary fill-in until I got back home. Bought a Clarus because that's what the shop had, and have been so happy with it I've never found a need to upgrade it.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Cecil]

IMO the best value you are going to find for a rod under $60 is a private label rod. Like a Gander Mountain or Cabelas owned brand.

[Fred_Bear]

IMO the best value you are going to find for a rod under $60 is a private label rod. Like a Gander Mountain or Cabelas owned brand.

I'm not a big fan of the Gander, Cabelas, etc. rods, but the nice thing about them is they almost always come with a lifetime warranty even without the receipt. You won't find that in any other rod priced similarly.

[Dylan33]

Originally Posted By: Cecil

IMO the best value you are going to find for a rod under $60 is a private label rod. Like a Gander Mountain or Cabelas owned brand.

I'm not a big fan of the Gander, Cabelas, etc. rods, but the nice thing about them is they almost always come with a lifetime warranty even without the receipt. You won't find that in any other rod priced similarly.

Just curious, what about the gander and cabelas rods don't you like?

[st.crioxfishin]

The new Abu Garcia Vengeance rods are nice for the money (full grip, black and orange handle, not the vendetta). Our bass team at school got a pile of these rods from Pure Fishing this past fall and everyone has been real pleased with them. Retail for $49.95.

[Cecil]

I'm not saying they are the highest quality rod out there. But find me another IM7 with an over-the-counter warranty for less than $50 and bob's your uncle.

[Dylan33]

I agree with Cecil- the thread is best bang for your buck rod.....IMO you can't beat the gander or cabelas brand. The quality you get for the price is great

[Larson15]

Fenwick Eagle GT is a nice stick for the money

[mainbutter]

+1 on gander's rods. I don't know who makes them, but my absolute favorite rod in my arsenal is a 6'6'' medium spinning rod from gander.. says "lady angler" on it I believe. I've put it through its paces with too many big 10+lb fish and multiple muskies for its own good, but it has held up great.

It's showing some wear on the handle, but that's an easy repair. The rod blank and guides are as perfect as the day I bought it.

If they still sold this rod I'd buy two more. Instead however, I recently opted for a gander mountain 7' IM7 spinning rod, I believe it is a "gander mountain classic" or something like that. I'll let you know how it performs come opener, but initial casting tests are very positive.

[zepman]

The new Abu Garcia Vengeance rods are nice for the money (full grip, black and orange handle, not the vendetta). Our bass team at school got a pile of these rods from Pure Fishing this past fall and everyone has been real pleased with them. Retail for $49.95.

FFO in Spirit Lake is selling these for $20.00 each (both spinning and casting...all lengths and actions) at the store. You may want to check on-line to see if they are offering them at this price on the web.

I had to buy two (7ft. medium/7'6" MH casting) at that price. They seem to compare pretty favorably with some of my other rods that are 5X-10X more expensive. Not saying they are equal...but pretty darn nice rods for the $$$. You might want to check them out.

[chief]

Apegs,

For most of us, rod selection is very personal, and it's based as much on "feel" as any other criteria.

In your present situation I'd forego on-line shopping, and buy a rod you've held in your hands. At this time of year all retailers have good selections, and all have, or will have, good deals available. Cabelas, Bass Pro, Gander, and others, all have perfectly useful/affordable rods under their own labels. Also, many of last year's models are on clearance to make room for this year's updates.

I'll second those who've recommended Bass Pro Bionic Blades and Fenwick Eagle GT's. Berkley Lightning Rods are worth a look, too, as are Cabelas' Guide and Tourney Trail series. If you're at all financially flexible, adding twenty bucks per rod to your budget will greatly expand your options.

Your post doesn't state your rods' intended uses, but I'd recommend that one of them be a 6-1/2 footer in a medium/medium heavy action.

[Slob_Samurai]

-1 for gander rods. My early day arsenal consisted of gander rods. Some were cheap and some were their higher end rods. I found that the guides weren't very durable and also had breaking issues with their blanks.

IMO buy used higher end rods. Save up a little more money and be rewarded in the long run with a higher quality rod. St croix avids used ($90-$100) Shimano crucials used ($80-$90), even the shimano compres are decent.

Watch hsolist, bassboatcentral, tacklewarehouse... There are always great deals to be found.

[blakjack23]

I have had pretty good luck with my Cabelas XML's. But I agree you are better off buying a used higher end rod then a new low end one.

It also depends on what you are going to use the rod for. For Frogging or tossin spinners you don't need a sensitive rod so a cheap one would be fine. On the other hand if you want something where you need good feel like throwing senko's or a shakey head then you are wayyyy better off buying a higher end used rod.

[RainbowBait]

For that money 2 for 60$ .. UGLY STICK all the way

[Larson15]

Lets get serious...........

[KyleM.]

Has anyone tried those Acadia rods? I see they still have a buy one get one on 2 differant models.

Adam google Acadia Rods if you wanna check them out they run $35-$50 a rod. Otherwise MNBFN members get 50% off Lamiglass there excel rods look nice that would cost you about $75 per rod.

I've used Acadia rods for 5 years now...

I have 7 or 8 of em.

they are great but not worth the money nor do they seem to last I've broke 5 of them for stupid little things like imperfect blanks and stress points. (they replace them but I've also had 3 of them come w/ chipped guides seriously???

better off going with Cabelas, Gander MT or something like that for that price there are a lot of good options out there and good posts on what rods to get I could type for hours on that subject lol.

[Irish]

Cabelas new Mag Touch rods look pretty cool. They are all blank with just a reel seat on it.