rods and reels

[Guest]

i need help on pickin out a new rod and reel. i need to know what kind would be the best for fishin for the big ones.
-Nate

[Guest]

I personally have used more Loomis's then anything else and find them to be great rods. I have one Fig Rig and I love that and think that those will be the rods that I buy from now on. I have had very good luck with my Abus. I have never used a Shimano baitcaster. I am also going to start to build my own rods, which can be a very cost efficient hobby.

MJB

[Wildlineman]

Nate,

I have fished with a G-Loomis, Abu Garcia Muskie rod, Fish Eagle II (Cabelas) and St. Croix rods. I build rods and like the cost of the St. Croix rod blanks. I have never had any trouble with my St. Croix's.
If you can afford the money listen to MJB_04 and try out a Fig Rig rod. They are made in Grand Rapids and I believe they are based off a Diamondback Rod blank. I have heard many good things about them and am thinking of building a Diamondback rod next winter.
I only use Abu Garcia reels. I fish with 5500, 5600 or 6500 series reels and they are great reels for the money.
I also use 80# Tuff line or 80# Power Pro lines with all my rods and of course 90# (or heavier) leaders in 9"-12" in length.

Good luck man and have a great year!

[Steve Foss]

I second the Abu Garcia Ambassadeur reel praise. Been fishing with 5500 and 6500 series reels (only real different between the two series is the 6500 holds more line) for a long time.

They are economical ($60 to $130, depending on the wide variety of options), tough (my oldest is 20 years old and going strong) and easy to use (there are new ultracast designs that make it even harder to get a backlash ... uh ... I mean professional overrun.).

Have fun, and good luck.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 05-31-2003).]

[walleyewacker]

Do you guys put a mono backing on your superline? If so how big and how much. I use a 5600 with power pro and I have hear that superlines dig in really bad with backlash. Havent had this problem yet but want to avoid.

[Fish-n-Freak]

I use the mono backing to save money and to prevent the superlines from slipping on the smooth reel spool. These high capacity reels hold a fortune worth of Superbraid. The digging problem is mostly with the smaller diameter lines. If you go 80lbs or even 100lbs on the Tuffline or Powerpro you will be fine. Just make sure you spool it on VERY tight.

Good Luck!
Steve

[muskymike]

What about the Abu 7000. You can really rip a bucktail with a full spool of line.

[Steve Foss]

Never owned a 7000, though I have used several. Like 'em too. I've got one 6500 with the single-shaft long crank instead of the standard double. It's the handle you usually see on the 7000, and the handle helps me rip som seriously fast retrieves.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[Guest]

see the thing is, i love fishing and catching the big ones, but i only go about 3 weeks total per year. i need a good, durable, professional, inexpensive rod that will get me on my way...n e tips?
-Nate

[Steve Foss]

Bubble:

I am always on a budget, too. I'd love to stock up on Loomis and St. Croix, but can't, like you.

Best I've found for the money for the money-conscious are the Berkely Lightnin' Rods.

They are graphite composite, usually have cork handles, and cost about $30 to $45 and are easily found at WalMart and KMart (where they are usually cheapest).

I have two. One is a medium-heavy 7-footer. Makes a good bucktail rod. The other a heavier 7-footer. Makes a good crank/jerbait rod. Both have done quadruple duty for musky, pike, catfish and lake trout trolling.

They have soft tips and stiff butts, just like the G. Loomises and St. Croixs of the world. Obviously, the Lightnin Rods have lower quality blanks, reel seats and rod guides.

I have been using these for over five years of hard use, and they're still going strong. Even a day of several 25-lb plus channel cats on the Lower Red River at Lockport, Man., couldn't blow up either one, and one of the guides there personally disdained those rods for catfish and tried as hard as he could to break one on fish.

I spool up one of my 6500 with 50 lb Fireline fusion (a fused line that's the cheaper alternative to the superbraids) and, on the stiffer one, with Trilene XL 30 lb.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 06-08-2003).]

[Guest]

well for the money, the lightning rods from berkly are an awesome value, I cant think of a better rod UNDER 50 dollars. Also I can recommend the Shakespere Ugly Stik, its **** near indestructable. I have 2 Ugly stik's, 3 Lightning Rod's, 3 Scheels outfitter rods (I think that 1 is a Quarrow and the other two have St Croix blanks) a couple Loomis's and a St Croix. Unfortunately each of theese rods serve a different purpose, but for big catfish and pike I only really use the uglystik.

My Scheels, ST Croix and G'Loomis rods do have better blanks, reel seats and guides. But to be honest I cannot say that the more expensive rods have landed more fish in the boat. For 90% of my fishing I use the Berkley and Scheels rods they do everything I need them to do. The two Loomis rods are a Ultra Light and a Hvy 7'6" with leadcore for trolling deep so I dont use them much to really give a biased opinion on them, they are good in thier own respect but I dont know if I would drop that kind of money for a rod again.
Good Luck

[RK]

Hiya,
Check out a Pete Maina combo from Bass Pro Shops. If you're only fishing on occasion and don't want to sink in huge $, they are the best value out there. Combo is $120 I think, rods are nice, and the reels are solid.

RK

[Fish-n-Freak]

Nate - I think I can help you out.

Where have you been? Never heard from you?

How would you like a St.Criox 7'6" MH Rod and with a Shimano Calcutta 400 reel spooled with Tuff Line for a flat $100.00. This is a $300 combo! Only a few years old, well taken care of. *** Combo has been SOLD! ***

Steve

[This message has been edited by Fish-n-Freak (edited 06-25-2003).]

[JP Z]

Reed's up in Walker also carries a fair variety of good Musky Combos.

[ilikepike]

I think there is a lot of hype surrounding expensive lines and lures but I strongly recommend getting the best rod and reel you can afford. If it means saving up for a few weeks, do so. It will be cheaper in the long run. I learned the hard way.

When I started out I bought the cheapest models (i.e. Zebco) on the market thinking the high-priced ones were just a scam. Well, I broke three rigs in one summer, thus spending more money than if I had just gotten the good stuff to begin with.

The St. Croix series of rods that retails for around $90.00 are a great value. Couple that with a Shimano or Abu Garcia baitcaster in the $60.00-$85.00 range and you will have good gear that will last for years.

[ilikepike]

Once I was using a Zebco spincast combo that I got at Target for thirty bucks. I was standing on the dock casting a daredevle and accidently hit the crank on the reel while the daredevle was still sailing through the air. That engaged the drag on the real and the daredevle instantaneously broke the rod off right below the reel seat sending everything above the hand grip into the lake. Boy did I feel cool!

[BorderView]

Yes, I have found it very difficult to look cool while casting my rod into the lake.

RB

[bigmouth]

I have used Gloomis and St. Croix also used some gander mountain specials. I really did not notice a difference in any of these rods. A friend and I bought 6'2" figRig heavy Musky rods from the musky show and they are great. I really noticed a difference in the FigRig. They cast better (as if it matters when your casting a heavy lure). Were they take the cake is in jerk baiting they are so stiff you get great control of the lure. The guy that builds the Rods is great also. Just my thoughts.