Rod selection

[gentner8]

Its been a few years since I have actually since I have been fishing. I am looking for suggestions on a rod selection for me and my wife.

She is more or less going to be a total beginner, and I have experience, but its been quite awhile. I just figured lots has changed, so thats why I am here.

For the most part we will be hitting coves and shores from the boat in the Chesapeake bay (brackish water). I will plan to do some heavier fishing, but I can buy another rod for that if need be. Walmart had a nice selection of ugly sticks when I was last there.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Rod selection

I would stay away from an ugly stick. They are great if you run over your rods with the truck a lot, but not much good for much else. You didnt say weather spinning or casting? Or how much you want to spend. Assume spinning. I would suggest a one piece 6"6" medium or medium heavy rod with a fast tip.

It does not sound like you want to break the bank. For around 70$ you can get a StCroix Triumph. Not a bad rod for the money. The Shimano Clarus is another decent rod for under a 100$

 

[happy hook'r]

Re: Rod selection

Well I have to say I have used ugly stick for many many years and still using original. I caught 2lb perch and 40lb pike with 12lb fireline on a Shimano with rear drag. IMHO you won't be disappointed with the Ugly Stick.
The fun is the fishing part..Enjoy!

Nothern Ontario
"Fish till you drop"

 

[rndn]

Re: Rod selection

I love my Ugly Stick rods!!

 

[5150abf]

Re: Rod selection

Had the same Ugly Sticks for 4 years now, love them.
They are a great all around rod, no they aren't a St Croix but they don't cost $80 bucks either.

Shut your rod locker lid on a St Croix and see how much more fishing you do with it, get Ugly man.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Rod selection

Ugly Sticks are just fine. Ignore the rod snobs. There's way too much hype in fishing tackle, in my opinion. Just like fishing lures are designed to catch fishermen, not fish, rods and reels are the same deal. Yes, a nice Saint Croix rod is...well...very nice, but the rod doesn't catch the fish...the fisherman holding it does.

You can spend as much as $1000 for a rod/reel combination, or you can spend $30 at Walmart. Somewhere in between is the best combination for the casual angler. Match your budget to a rod/reel combo at Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops or Gander Mountain. Tell the nice young guy what you'll be fishing for and how much you want to pay, and he'll find you something that will work fine.

I'm a little biased, but I recommend spinning tackle for most folks who don't fish for a living.

 

[BF]

Re: Rod selection

ditto what's said above... I think there are decent and relatively cheap options out there. More of a specialty shop would have more selection, and more breadth of selection than wally world. Yes, big choice is reel type. For novice, spincast is the way to go. Don't go cheap cheap on the reel. More expensive ($30-50) zebco's tend to work well I think. Check out the zebco omega if it fits your budget. As for rods, lousy ones feel like a noodle... spongy from handle to tip. You loose the feel from at the tip. Really cheap ones tend to have poor reel seats too.

At specialty shops (cabelas etc) you can find combo's (rod + reel) that are bargains... something in the $50 to $80 range would do you fine.

BTW, whatever you buy for the wife, make it decent enough quality so you won't mind using it as a 2nd setup when she isn't with you.

good luck.

Oh, and I think the only real change in fishing in the last 10 years or so is braided line... It is tough on line guide on rods, especially the tip. So if you plan to use it, buy a decent rod with reasonable quality line guides... and for what it's worth, I often still use my Mitchell 301 spinning reel that I bought new in 1978.... still works like new... still catches fish.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Rod selection

No match for good equipment. Nothing like a guy with a 30.000$ or 40.000$ boat that buys his rods at wally world , or wont put out an extra 75 cents for a bait that works, or a line that is good. Once you have used good equipment and really felt the difference there is no comparison.You wont go back. I think it is far better to save a few bucks and buy one quality rod than buy two or three discount el cheapo grande rods.

I love the wally world crowd . Leaves that many more fish for me in the lake.

Honestly I don't buy the expensive rods either. I build all my own. Mostly on Stcroix blanks or Batson blanks . and put on the best components I can at the time.

I guess I am a rod snob, Pardon me for wanting to use good equipment. To each his own.

Tightlines

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Rod selection

No question, really nice equipment is great to have. I have some expensive rods and reels myself, and enjoy using them.

However, putting out the big bucks when you're just getting started fishing is silly. Note that I didn't recommend buying combos at Walmart. I recommended one from a chain sporting goods store, and after asking for recommendations.

Lots of folks go fishing a couple or three times a year, rather than a couple or three times a week. Really expensive tackle is a silly choice for the casual angler, in my opinion.

These days, I'm having lots of fun with retro tackle. My favorite combo at the moment is a like-new Mitchell 300 on a 6 1/2 foot Garcia Conolon medium fast spinning rod. Total expenditure was about $25 from a couple of garage sales. My stop-and-cast-at-the-local-pond-for-awhile car outfit is an ancient, but pristine Swiss Record half-bail spinning reel on a Heddon spinning rod from the 1950s. The reel cost $7.50 on ebay, and the rod is another garage sale buy, but I don't remember if I paid $2 or $3 for it. That Swiss Record came with one of those new-fangled wide spools on it, like the ones on those expensive new reels you just gotta buy.

I've never lost a fish due to the tackle on either combo. The other stuff? Well, I use it quite a bit, but the old tackle still catches fish just as easily.

These days, I'm for getting as many people out fishing as possible. License revenues are down. I buy combos at garage sales all the time, along with tackle boxes and miscellaneous lures and terminal tackle. Whenever I take a new person fishing for the first time, they go home with an outfit they can use whenever they want.

Pardon me for thinking that I'd rather be sitting on the bank with a cane pole, a bobber, and some worms than wrapping guides on a rod blank.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Rod selection

However, putting out the big bucks when you're just getting started fishing is silly. Note that I didn't recommend buying combos at Walmart. I recommended one from a chain sporting goods store, and after asking for .

Pardon me for thinking that I'd rather be sitting on the bank with a cane pole, a bobber, and some worms than wrapping guides on a rod blank.

LOL maybe you should look at my first post I thought the suggestions were decent. As far as sitting on the bank with worms,,, Not into live bait myself. Would rather wrap a rod.

Tightlines.