I've caught fish on everything from high end rods down to a bamboo cane pole and they will all catch fish but the higher end rods will be lighter, more sensitive and perform more efficiently. After a few hours the weight difference becomes noticeable. When the fish are biting light the better sensitivity will be noticeable. When you get a thousand casts into your day the efficiency will be noticeable. Nothing wrong with rods
You are totally right about st croix being one of the easiest/best to work with on warrantys. For some reason the 2021 mojo inshore rod was like the most highly defective rods theyve ever made, broke 2 of them and got both replaced fast. It's a $225 rod, every time they break, just pay $25 for shipping and boom, get a brand new one. Now get this, I broke the replaced mojo inshore, and called to get an upgrade because i rather not break a 3rd mojo rod, paid the difference and now ive got the newest avid on the way :D
Kind of the point of shoddier quality rod is to upsale you to more expensive. Believe it or not I've been fishing since I was a kid and never ever have broken a single rod. Not even a cheap chinese ones you get for 20$. Those rods are either super poor quality or labeled incorrectly for casting weight.
St Croix has changed their warranty program. $60 replacement charge now. I had one of the problem Mojo Inshores and, sure enough, it snapped. Replaced with a newer series Mojo IS which is performing very well.
@@MladenMijatov I talked to a St Croix engineer about those rods and he agreed that the blanks were poorly designed. They addressed the issue and fixed it. It would be bad business to intentionally sell defective rods in an attempt to upsale to other rods. People who break a rod are more likely to avoid that brand than to keep buying them.
It's horses for courses, if you go fishing occasionally it's probably not worth you spending big dollars on a rod, if you fish all the time then it probably is. And like all things there is the point of diminishing returns, the more you spend the smaller the improvements.
@@benevolent2077 $200 isn't a lot it's just not necessary. And $200 for something you, in this case he, didn't have any fun with since it broke, was a complete waste of money. I'm still having fun and only had to spend $40. It's you who you need to feel sorry for.
@@benevolent2077how arrogant could you possibly be? What a douch comment. $200 is a lot to spend on a fishing rod if you’re not using it everyday. The guy probably has his priorities straight and has no debt. Good for him.
Was my first “expensive” rod I bought.. still have it, I just tend to lean to more moderate action rods now, still love the old rod just wish st croix made more moderate action rods lol
St. Croix is a overrated rod brand! Many people loves pay more just for a name. A guy bought a $500 dollar rod for Bass fishing saying that is more "sensitive"!! Come on!!
I catch the same fish with the heavy cheap rods and I think it takes more beating like a ugly stik But let me tell ya it feels so nice when you go higher ends.
Not all fishing rods are mass produced. There are many small, local, excellent rod builders all over. Most will build ypu a top tier rod to your very specific needs or wants for less than many high end rods.
I have a free cheap pole ($10) to an expensive one ($650). End of the day, its not about how cheap or expensive your setup is, its about are you able to catch a fish. If not, did you have fun or just be glad that you did some outdoor activity?
Most fishing rods nowadays are too flashy. My favorite rod has and always will be my old Abu Garcia cardinal 300 from around fifteen years ago best fishing rod I ever had
Something u guys should know, I’ve broken 3 st croix rods in the last 6 months (2 mojo Inshore 1 avid) . All 3 were brand new. The warranty is truly great and get replaced pretty quick, but man my cheap penn fierce iii rod that came with the combo has been going strong for 7 years straight catching huge quality fish. $50 rod outperforming $270 rods…. Something fishy about that for sure but yeah I’m definitely gonna stick in the 80-150 range for now on
@@ETuss713 Probably shoddy quality or mislabeled casting weight so they can upsell you to that "lifetime warranty" crap. I have never broken a rod in my life. Even super cheap ones.
@MladenMijatov casting and line weights mean very little. None of those are a tested or objective metric. If companies used the CCS system, then rod labels would be accurate Rod breakage is 9 of 10 times the users fault. Rods do not just suddenly break. Buying rods from a big box store is a mistake too. Additionally, the OPs measurement of "outperforming" seems based on durability and nit light weight, sensitivity, or any measure of high performance. In his view, all fiberglass rods outperform graphite rods due to durability.
I still have a couple of Shimano Greenwater rods with the lifetime warranty but if it needs replacement the replacement rod will be a slightly different shade of green. No more lifetime warranty and that’s how they know and the model number is most likely different.
Fuji has good reel seats and guides but there are just as good out there. Sea guides, American Tackle, Alps all of those are just as good. In all my 40 years of fishing from $40 rods to $400 rods I have never broken a guide or reel seat. I have Bull bay, blackfin, G Loomis, St. Croix, Falcon, Lamiglas and some crappie rods that are cheap.
It's not really about breaking them. It's about saving weight to balance the rod, sizing specifically for the reel you use, corrosion resistance, and finally how smooth they are. I can say without a doubt the price of guides is outrageous but choosing a better guide can help change a rods performance from casting to retrieving to longevity. I think all guides are suspect to accidental breakage. I've broken more titanium guides through normal use than steel ones lol.
@@chuckymystic only to a small extent can guides make a difference. Going from SS alconites to TI torzite you are saving only hundredths of an oz. I'd also put forth that 99% of fishermen couldn't tell the difference casting or retrieving between the 2 materials. To the original comment, they're right. Sea Guide and AT are making better reel seats than Fuji. Ive switched to using Sea Guides Ti SiN guides on all my builds, both personal and for customers.
Agree to disagree. When u have lightweight quality blanks, and especially a spinning blank or light power rod, the heavier guides can make it tip heavy. If you're using a blank that's painted like a st croix, its gonna be tip heavy regardless.
@@chuckymysticI build rods. I weigh every component I put on. Most rods I build are UL-ML inshore rods that when completed they are in the 2-3oz range. I have weighed the guides we are discussing. It is literally hundredths of an oz difference, 0.02 oz difference. So 10 guides would give me about a quarter oz difference spread through the blank. The type of grip or reel seat has a much greater impact on weight.
I'm not arguing that they don't weigh that much, but all of the guides added up is on the opposing side of the balance point and it will wreck the balance of the rod. I want you to build 2 identical rods just change the guides, and observe how much the angle of balance changes because of it. I also build rods and now you just sound stupid.
I remember few years ago fishing offshore of North Carolina coast, we were pulling 12-18lb Amberjacks with Shimano Tyrnos reels and Ugly Stik Jigging Elite rods. Practically unbreakables!
I rarely spend more than $100 on a rod. I've spent $200 on reels. I buy and sell regularly based on how much I like or dislike an outfit, regardless of price and I rarely by new unless I find a good clearance deal.
So many comments how cheap rods are fine and as good as the expensive rods. From my experience I find this not to be true. Finesse walleye fishing a light super sensitive rod is a great tool to increase your success. Before talking down these high end rods try some first and if you know how to really fish you’ll understand….
@@mikecurtis1111 similar as they do now only with less sophisticated/effective equipment. Compare a truck, TV, Boat,fishing rods you name it has all improved with technology.
@kross1261 that's my point though. People caught all these fish back before this new tech using equipment that don't even compare with ultra budget equipment of today. Catching fish is more about knowing how to find the fish than it is about how fancy and expensive your rod and reel are
It seems like I can break 5 $69 rods and buy replacements before I have $400 invested in a fishing rod. I have broken three rods in my life and two of them were broken due to my stupidity and had nothing to do with the rod quality. Unless I'm a guide or someone who fishes almost every day, a decent, lower price range rod is all that I need. There are differences in quality between the lower priced rods and the high priced rods but as long as a rod is graphite and the reel seat and guides are good quality the average fisherman will be perfectly happy with the lower priced rod.
Your suggestions between st. Croix avid inshore 7’ MF and the bull bay bolt 7 mhf please? For Wade Fishing for specs and reds, casting in surf, and a good all-around rod. I’m putting a stradic 3000 on it. Thank you
Hey! I think the avid inshore would be the better choice, it has tons of power, but plenty of tip for casting lighter baits. It’s an incredibly versatile rod
@@tailwateroutfittersi appreciate your time and opinion. TBH I kinda thought people would say go for the Bolt but few people I asked most say at. Croix. My other inshore is a st Croix also. And been using for 15 years and still looks n fishes good with no issues. Was kinda wanting to try something new but thank you for making me realize not to change a good thing!!! Fully 🇺🇸made. Liked and Sub’d ‼️🎣🇺🇸🎣🇺🇸🎣.
I have a rule: the more you pay, the better results you get and a guaranteed peace of mind For example: I bought a camping mattress at a high price, last week I saw mat has a delamination bubbler so when I email the company I got a replacement immediately
I have around 8-9, 13 Defy rod’s. I think I payed $69 for each. I do have some higher end rod’s but for some reason, I always grab a few 13’s when I go fishing… amazing rod’s for the price and they are comparable to my $200 rod’s in all aspects. The great thing is, I can put through hell and if one breaks or looses an eye, I just send it back to Tackle Warehouse and get a new one within a couple of days…
If you want to see what it is like to fish with a quality stick, absolutely. If you don't care no. Keep fishing with a rod with no feel or finesse. That's why there are cheap rods and quality rods.
fish dont give a fuck about 'feel' or ''finesse'.. They will bite a block of wood on a piece of string. You are trying to make both you and fish a lot smarter than you really are.
@@Mikael-jt1hkThat is true, but casting distance is a HUGE difference between rods, and often saltwater fishing from the shore, that is THE most important feature for me. But one sure doesn't have to go to 400USD to get a good rod in that department.
Warranties should be the last thing you consider when buying a rod. Keep in mind that $300 rod with a 15year warranty cost $75 to build. Spending significantly more for higher quality cork or carbon grips is odd since the cost of the grip goes from $10 to now $15 for the higher grade stuff.
Warranties should NOT be the last thing you consider. Do you even fish? Rods break all the time wether in transit or fighting a fish or getting hung. It’s definitely not the first thing to consider but to say it should be the last is ridiculous
@@gavinmiller1998 O fish multiple times a week. I build rods and have built them for years. I am friends with several builders, some of whom work at larger rod companies. Have you ever read the warranty clause for rods? Most state the buyer is responsible for shipping. Have ypu ever shipped a rod? It runs anywhere from $50 to over $100 depending on where you are. Once a builder gets the rod they get to decide if it's covered. Most will not replace a rod if broken due to negligence or misuse. Those that will replace the rod no matter what are laughing that ypu paid $300 for a pile of $60 in components. In that situation you are paying for a warranty, not a rod. If you are regularly breaking rods, you must not fish much. Anyone I know who is serious about fishing understands how to take care of a rod. They also understand how important that rod is for their success and remember how much the rod cost. By your logic, you buy a car, you have ypur warranty, you cause an accident in your car, so now you expect the dealership to warranty the car you wrecked?
@@gavinmiller1998 additionally, what should be the last thing you consider when buying a rod? The length? The material? The power? The action? The balance? The reel seat? The grips? The guides? The guide ring material? Guide spacing? The total weight? The color? Even the color is more important.
@@ETuss713 the color is not more important than the warranty. That’s why the awful orange colored carrot stick was so popular. You break em, send them back and they replace them.
@@gavinmiller1998 it is. I'm not talking about nor was the video talking about cheap rods. Even in this video he explicitly states the warranties cover manufacturer defects, not your accidents. It's a gimmick. If within a month there's no manufacturers defect, you think magically 13 years later it will show up? This is why a warranty is the last thing to consider. It is the least important part of buying a rod. You're better off buying from a rod builder where you actually talk to the guy building it. You get a better rod actually worth the money you pay, not a warranty ypuvpay extra for. When you break it due to your mistake, they likely will work with you on replacement at a much lower cost. You seem to think that if you break a rod due to misuses or abuse, that's a rods fault. That's your fault.
I like to use the cheeper stuff is my first one to grab and use. I want to use it more often then the more expensive stuff. I want to have more fiberglass in my rod and less carbon fiber. My Ugly Stick has 7 year warranty one of the best for $39 starting point and up. $69 is the most expensive rod I have. And will pull the same fish for the refrigerator.
It depends what and how you’re fishing but your comment tells me you’ve never even tried a good high end rod especially comparing one to an ugly stick. An ugly stick feels like a broom handle compared to a good rod.
I can buy 5 of the 70 dollar rods for 1 400 dollar rods and still have significant money leftover for lures and line. And when the expensive features get on the cheap rods I’ll buy another cheap rod.
What the deal with the warranty for an old Shimano? I still have a Shimano Crucial from like 2014 with the original receipt. I paid for a lifetime warranty back then so I hope they honor that for rods purchased before they switched to a 1 year warranty. Have you heard of anyone in my situation or has everyone broken their old Shimano’s by now? Mine is still fine, but I’m wondering about when the time comes.
I bought five Avid rods many years ago. They came with a lifetime warranty. When I called a couple of years ago to make a warranty claim I was told they were no longer under warranty. I was told the warranty had run out. St. croix would no longer honor the warranty. Granted I have had the rods for a number of years. But, lifetime to me is lifetime. Part of the rationale to spend $200 on these rods was the warranty. Good rods? Sure. Best rods on earth? Hardly. I will not buy another St. croix rod.
It’s totally worth spending the money if you can afford it and you are passionate. But you need to be a good fisherman to take advantage of those benefits. The gear alone won’t help you too much. For most of my mates, it’s a waste of money because they aren’t good enough to take advantage of those benefits.
Ah the joys of living in Europe. Minimum warranty is always 2 years, where if issue happens withing first 6 months it's considered to be a factory issue and item has to be replaced without question. This was done exactly so manufacturers can't pull this crap on you to force you to buy more expensive to get a better warranty.
Absolutely, if you think it will make you a better angler. If it doesn't, you just learned that experience and knowledge is what makes you a better fisherman, not the quality of your equipment. If you disagree with me, how did Rick Clun, Bill Dance, Al and Ron Lindner and the rest of the "old timers" catch the tens of thousands of fish they have caught in their life time? Their equipment was absolute garbage compared to todays and they are better than any pro on the circuit who is fishing today.
So in conclusion, you're not buying a proportionally better rod as the higher end prices indicate. You're just buying a brand and a warranty against manufacturing defect which will not cover damages from regular wear and tear or accidents. Am I following correctly? If that's the case, you're really paying a brand to live up to their name and not so much for impovements gained in the rod. If these high end rods are truly that good, why is the consumer forced to buy a warranty? Manufacturing warranty seems to indicate they do not trust their manufacturing quality control. Why not offer these rods with varying warranty coverages or no warranty at all so the average fisherman can choose what they can afford? At least this gives more fishermen a chance to appreciate their fine qualities - as many have professed.
I fish inshore saltwater on $69 Bass Pro Inshore Rods. I catch all the Redfish, Trout, Flounder I can handle. Don’t need all that fancy stuff. Focus on tidal flow and presentation.
@@DiscManDonovon Just about anything that ranges in the 8-10 foot range. All depends on how you’re fishing and what fish you’re targeting which is what you have to consider as well. I have a VR 125 that I pair with a 8ft Heavy Avid Inshore or 7’11 Legend Tournament inshore, but anything in that 8-10 feet rod length range will be your sweet spot that way it will your set-up/outfit will balance correctly.
DO NOT BUY ST CROIX!! Every single one I own has lost eyelets from the guides rendering them useless and now collect dust in the basement. Sometimes I go down and break one when I need to smash something. Total waste of money
It's a matter of preference ....expensive rods and reels are not going to catch more fish as these creatures don't have any fucks to give if you spent big money on gear.......I have cheap rods and high-end rods only because I like how it performs .... All of the raw carbon comes in large rolls and its all the same shit....!
The $100 rod today was the $350 yesterday. The funny thing is, I gravitate towards the $2-400 dollar rod today. If the pole has the right action, I will go for the best real I can buy. I typically prefer a better quality reel over pole. It all depends on what you’re doing though. They are tools.
St. Croix rods. They break and they charge you $50 for shipping when it cost $10. Whether the rod cost 100 or 400 it's 50dollars. Yes there's a difference but there's guys out there catching 10 lb bass on Zebco Slingshots. I've yet to have a rod that fell apart except for a St. Croix BassX and that includes a 5 dollar Diawa fiberglass ultralight that I bought in 1969. Buy and fish what you can afford. Regardless the fish don't care what you're using.
Friends don’t let friends fish with cheap rods…unless they’re cheap too. 😂 Seriously though, with short tossing cut bait or using moving lures, cheap can be okay. If you’re fishing finesse baits or slowly working the bottom trying to feel every bump and light tap, you’re not going to catch me with some cheapo in my hands. There’s a reason why you see the serious surf fisherman in OBX using good quality gear. Sometimes that slight performance edge can make the difference between catching or not. I think it’s worth spending the money on at least mid-tier gear, but to each their own!
Oh, the fishing poles and fishing rods are different... I'm mid fifties, I'll bet nearly all my peers began fishing on a Zebco 202 with a fiberglass noodle rod that had 3 guides, maybe 4. I'm in the midwest, with bass, catfish, crappie and bluegills being the primary gamefish. If you're on the coasts or in a big trout area, maybe you didn't start with the same combo, but it's likely you also began with a cheap well engineered rod and reel. If you're spending $400.00 on a rod, you're clearly in the top 2% of wage earners in the world. The good news for everybody else is, those people are going to die and their families may not share the love of fishing and they'll sell good stuff at rock bottom prices.
@@gisellesbikeseat I expected a response sooner, but the answer was pretty much what I expected. The voice over isn't funny it's unnecessary and racist.
I think “racist” has been really overused. If he used an Australian dude with an accent saying it, that’s totally okay, right? But because he’s using one of my SW Asian brothers with an accent, not acceptable. Makes sense. How about you go find something else to argue with people about. This topic is getting old.
@@melbournechub2658 Making fun of a person's speech or pronunciation is never okay. You might think in your white male privilege it's not harm. However, to a marginalized person the opposite is more true. Having a bad day responding to a 4 month old comment, or you just looking for a fight? Cheers mate!
31 years of fishing I have used st croix , Shimano , Penn , calico jack , redbone , ugly stiks , daiwa , bull bay rods and much more with rods , reels and tackle in general I find making sure the rod or reel manufacturer you are buying has a great warranty and great customer service. Because rather you are buying that $70 calico , that $400 bull bay tac x or st croix $700 legend xtreme if/when you have problems with that rod you could find your self playing phone / email tag alot , or finding bad warranty to no warranty at all to more problems then just having issues with your rod From my experience for the last 5 years Bull Bay has the best rods , customer service and warranty I have ever used and dealt with in 31 years of fishing. I have everyone of their rods including full blown custom tac rods. These rods run $480 ish and perform wayyyyy better then some of those $700 rods on the market. Heck even their assault and sniper rods 170 to 200 are better then those $700 rods. Their customer service and warranty goes up and beyond what you would expect from a company. I unfortunately had a manufacturer issue Assault rod that snapped while fighting a redfish , took the rod to their shop in Lakeland and I was in and out of store in 3 mins with a brand new rod !! No questions asked either !! But if had been my fault it's only $40 to replace it.
@@crazycomments8038 what the are you talking about ? You didn't leave any other comment. And I'll respectfully disagree with you. If you think a $100 rod performs as well as let's say $450 rod you are absolutely nuts , delusional and never fished with both cheap and high end gear. I agree that's your opinion thank God it's just that. Have a great day and tight lines
I've caught fish on everything from high end rods down to a bamboo cane pole and they will all catch fish but the higher end rods will be lighter, more sensitive and perform more efficiently. After a few hours the weight difference becomes noticeable. When the fish are biting light the better sensitivity will be noticeable. When you get a thousand casts into your day the efficiency will be noticeable. Nothing wrong with rods
You are totally right about st croix being one of the easiest/best to work with on warrantys. For some reason the 2021 mojo inshore rod was like the most highly defective rods theyve ever made, broke 2 of them and got both replaced fast. It's a $225 rod, every time they break, just pay $25 for shipping and boom, get a brand new one. Now get this, I broke the replaced mojo inshore, and called to get an upgrade because i rather not break a 3rd mojo rod, paid the difference and now ive got the newest avid on the way :D
Kind of the point of shoddier quality rod is to upsale you to more expensive. Believe it or not I've been fishing since I was a kid and never ever have broken a single rod. Not even a cheap chinese ones you get for 20$. Those rods are either super poor quality or labeled incorrectly for casting weight.
St Croix has changed their warranty program. $60 replacement charge now. I had one of the problem Mojo Inshores and, sure enough, it snapped. Replaced with a newer series Mojo IS which is performing very well.
@@MladenMijatov I talked to a St Croix engineer about those rods and he agreed that the blanks were poorly designed. They addressed the issue and fixed it. It would be bad business to intentionally sell defective rods in an attempt to upsale to other rods. People who break a rod are more likely to avoid that brand than to keep buying them.
It's horses for courses, if you go fishing occasionally it's probably not worth you spending big dollars on a rod, if you fish all the time then it probably is. And like all things there is the point of diminishing returns, the more you spend the smaller the improvements.
Had a buddy drop $200 on a rod and he thought he was going to slay with it... snapped the first day. There I was with my Ugly Stik, still fishing.
$200 is a lot for you? I truly feel bad for you honestly… $200 is chump change for something you are going to have fun with for a while.
Feel free to donate us better gear then my man. @@benevolent2077
@benevolent2077 you get a gold star!!!!!!
@@benevolent2077 $200 isn't a lot it's just not necessary. And $200 for something you, in this case he, didn't have any fun with since it broke, was a complete waste of money. I'm still having fun and only had to spend $40. It's you who you need to feel sorry for.
@@benevolent2077how arrogant could you possibly be? What a douch comment. $200 is a lot to spend on a fishing rod if you’re not using it everyday. The guy probably has his priorities straight and has no debt. Good for him.
Back when I was in SE Asia, I used to fish with a bamboo stick and I caught a lot of fish.
I really like my St.Croix Premire spinning rods. They run roughly around $150.
Was my first “expensive” rod I bought.. still have it, I just tend to lean to more moderate action rods now, still love the old rod just wish st croix made more moderate action rods lol
@@NJfisherman1they do you just got to spend a lot more. Check out the avid rods they may be in your budget
I like the St. Croix Bass series but didn't like the Panfish series. I had two and sold them both.
St. Croix is a overrated rod brand! Many people loves pay more just for a name. A guy bought a $500 dollar rod for Bass fishing saying that is more "sensitive"!! Come on!!
Fishing Rods today are mass produced. They are designed to catch the fisherman's eyes not necessarily the fish, just like fishing lures IMHO.
Lol. Sure blank materials and guides dont matter.
I catch the same fish with the heavy cheap rods and I think it takes more beating like a ugly stik But let me tell ya it feels so nice when you go higher ends.
Not true at all sensitivity and action is important
Not all fishing rods are mass produced. There are many small, local, excellent rod builders all over. Most will build ypu a top tier rod to your very specific needs or wants for less than many high end rods.
Where can I go for this because all rod builders I’ve contacted have starting prices of $300+
I have a free cheap pole ($10) to an expensive one ($650). End of the day, its not about how cheap or expensive your setup is, its about are you able to catch a fish. If not, did you have fun or just be glad that you did some outdoor activity?
Most fishing rods nowadays are too flashy. My favorite rod has and always will be my old Abu Garcia cardinal 300 from around fifteen years ago best fishing rod I ever had
Something u guys should know, I’ve broken 3 st croix rods in the last 6 months (2 mojo Inshore 1 avid) . All 3 were brand new. The warranty is truly great and get replaced pretty quick, but man my cheap penn fierce iii rod that came with the combo has been going strong for 7 years straight catching huge quality fish. $50 rod outperforming $270 rods…. Something fishy about that for sure but yeah I’m definitely gonna stick in the 80-150 range for now on
Why are you breaking that many rods?
@@ETuss713 tournament fishermen stay far away from st croix because they break. Stick with fenwick and g loomis
@@ETuss713 he wanted to test out if the warranty is legit or not.
@@ETuss713 Probably shoddy quality or mislabeled casting weight so they can upsell you to that "lifetime warranty" crap. I have never broken a rod in my life. Even super cheap ones.
@MladenMijatov casting and line weights mean very little. None of those are a tested or objective metric. If companies used the CCS system, then rod labels would be accurate
Rod breakage is 9 of 10 times the users fault. Rods do not just suddenly break. Buying rods from a big box store is a mistake too.
Additionally, the OPs measurement of "outperforming" seems based on durability and nit light weight, sensitivity, or any measure of high performance. In his view, all fiberglass rods outperform graphite rods due to durability.
I still have a couple of Shimano Greenwater rods with the lifetime warranty but if it needs replacement the replacement rod will be a slightly different shade of green. No more lifetime warranty and that’s how they know and the model number is most likely different.
I just bought an ugly stik carbon for $69. It looks similar to that $400 rod but it only has a 7 year warranty.
Fuji has good reel seats and guides but there are just as good out there. Sea guides, American Tackle, Alps all of those are just as good. In all my 40 years of fishing from $40 rods to $400 rods I have never broken a guide or reel seat.
I have Bull bay, blackfin, G Loomis, St. Croix, Falcon, Lamiglas and some crappie rods that are cheap.
It's not really about breaking them. It's about saving weight to balance the rod, sizing specifically for the reel you use, corrosion resistance, and finally how smooth they are. I can say without a doubt the price of guides is outrageous but choosing a better guide can help change a rods performance from casting to retrieving to longevity. I think all guides are suspect to accidental breakage. I've broken more titanium guides through normal use than steel ones lol.
@@chuckymystic only to a small extent can guides make a difference. Going from SS alconites to TI torzite you are saving only hundredths of an oz. I'd also put forth that 99% of fishermen couldn't tell the difference casting or retrieving between the 2 materials.
To the original comment, they're right. Sea Guide and AT are making better reel seats than Fuji. Ive switched to using Sea Guides Ti SiN guides on all my builds, both personal and for customers.
Agree to disagree. When u have lightweight quality blanks, and especially a spinning blank or light power rod, the heavier guides can make it tip heavy. If you're using a blank that's painted like a st croix, its gonna be tip heavy regardless.
@@chuckymysticI build rods. I weigh every component I put on. Most rods I build are UL-ML inshore rods that when completed they are in the 2-3oz range.
I have weighed the guides we are discussing. It is literally hundredths of an oz difference, 0.02 oz difference. So 10 guides would give me about a quarter oz difference spread through the blank. The type of grip or reel seat has a much greater impact on weight.
I'm not arguing that they don't weigh that much, but all of the guides added up is on the opposing side of the balance point and it will wreck the balance of the rod. I want you to build 2 identical rods just change the guides, and observe how much the angle of balance changes because of it. I also build rods and now you just sound stupid.
Here is a tip, instead of buying 200 rods how about 199 and 1 camera, its 2023 and you are uploading in 480p?
🫡
😂
Frrr most iPhones shoot 4k these days
I've been using Ugly Stik rods for 40 years and Never had a problem with them.
I remember few years ago fishing offshore of North Carolina coast, we were pulling 12-18lb Amberjacks with Shimano Tyrnos reels and Ugly Stik Jigging Elite rods. Practically unbreakables!
I rarely spend more than $100 on a rod. I've spent $200 on reels. I buy and sell regularly based on how much I like or dislike an outfit, regardless of price and I rarely by new unless I find a good clearance deal.
So many comments how cheap rods are fine and as good as the expensive rods. From my experience I find this not to be true. Finesse walleye fishing a light super sensitive rod is a great tool to increase your success. Before talking down these high end rods try some first and if you know how to really fish you’ll understand….
It’s just people trying to justify their own purchases or are just cheap.
I agree. Once you pick up a Gloomis GLX or NRX and feel a walleye bite, you're going to have a smile ear to ear. They are that good.
How did people fish for walleye 40, 50 or 60 years ago?
@@mikecurtis1111 similar as they do now only with less sophisticated/effective equipment. Compare a truck, TV, Boat,fishing rods you name it has all improved with technology.
@kross1261 that's my point though. People caught all these fish back before this new tech using equipment that don't even compare with ultra budget equipment of today. Catching fish is more about knowing how to find the fish than it is about how fancy and expensive your rod and reel are
It seems like I can break 5 $69 rods and buy replacements before I have $400 invested in a fishing rod. I have broken three rods in my life and two of them were broken due to my stupidity and had nothing to do with the rod quality. Unless I'm a guide or someone who fishes almost every day, a decent, lower price range rod is all that I need. There are differences in quality between the lower priced rods and the high priced rods but as long as a rod is graphite and the reel seat and guides are good quality the average fisherman will be perfectly happy with the lower priced rod.
Your suggestions between st. Croix avid inshore 7’ MF and the bull bay bolt 7 mhf please? For Wade Fishing for specs and reds, casting in surf, and a good all-around rod. I’m putting a stradic 3000 on it. Thank you
Hey! I think the avid inshore would be the better choice, it has tons of power, but plenty of tip for casting lighter baits. It’s an incredibly versatile rod
@@tailwateroutfittersi appreciate your time and opinion. TBH I kinda thought people would say go for the Bolt but few people I asked most say at. Croix. My other inshore is a st Croix also. And been using for 15 years and still looks n fishes good with no issues. Was kinda wanting to try something new but thank you for making me realize not to change a good thing!!! Fully 🇺🇸made. Liked and Sub’d ‼️🎣🇺🇸🎣🇺🇸🎣.
I have a rule: the more you pay, the better results you get and a guaranteed peace of mind
For example: I bought a camping mattress at a high price, last week I saw mat has a delamination bubbler so when I email the company I got a replacement immediately
I have around 8-9, 13 Defy rod’s. I think I payed $69 for each. I do have some higher end rod’s but for some reason, I always grab a few 13’s when I go fishing… amazing rod’s for the price and they are comparable to my $200 rod’s in all aspects. The great thing is, I can put through hell and if one breaks or looses an eye, I just send it back to Tackle Warehouse and get a new one within a couple of days…
If you want to see what it is like to fish with a quality stick, absolutely. If you don't care no. Keep fishing with a rod with no feel or finesse. That's why there are cheap rods and quality rods.
fish dont give a fuck about 'feel' or ''finesse'.. They will bite a block of wood on a piece of string. You are trying to make both you and fish a lot smarter than you really are.
@@Mikael-jt1hkThat is true, but casting distance is a HUGE difference between rods, and often saltwater fishing from the shore, that is THE most important feature for me. But one sure doesn't have to go to 400USD to get a good rod in that department.
Hurricane Calico Jacks used to have a limited lifetime warranty the same as the Redbone? I know Redbone still has the lifetime warranty.
Warranties should be the last thing you consider when buying a rod.
Keep in mind that $300 rod with a 15year warranty cost $75 to build. Spending significantly more for higher quality cork or carbon grips is odd since the cost of the grip goes from $10 to now $15 for the higher grade stuff.
Warranties should NOT be the last thing you consider. Do you even fish? Rods break all the time wether in transit or fighting a fish or getting hung. It’s definitely not the first thing to consider but to say it should be the last is ridiculous
@@gavinmiller1998 O fish multiple times a week. I build rods and have built them for years. I am friends with several builders, some of whom work at larger rod companies.
Have you ever read the warranty clause for rods? Most state the buyer is responsible for shipping. Have ypu ever shipped a rod? It runs anywhere from $50 to over $100 depending on where you are. Once a builder gets the rod they get to decide if it's covered. Most will not replace a rod if broken due to negligence or misuse.
Those that will replace the rod no matter what are laughing that ypu paid $300 for a pile of $60 in components. In that situation you are paying for a warranty, not a rod.
If you are regularly breaking rods, you must not fish much. Anyone I know who is serious about fishing understands how to take care of a rod. They also understand how important that rod is for their success and remember how much the rod cost.
By your logic, you buy a car, you have ypur warranty, you cause an accident in your car, so now you expect the dealership to warranty the car you wrecked?
@@gavinmiller1998 additionally, what should be the last thing you consider when buying a rod? The length? The material? The power? The action? The balance? The reel seat? The grips? The guides? The guide ring material? Guide spacing? The total weight? The color?
Even the color is more important.
@@ETuss713 the color is not more important than the warranty. That’s why the awful orange colored carrot stick was so popular. You break em, send them back and they replace them.
@@gavinmiller1998 it is. I'm not talking about nor was the video talking about cheap rods. Even in this video he explicitly states the warranties cover manufacturer defects, not your accidents. It's a gimmick. If within a month there's no manufacturers defect, you think magically 13 years later it will show up?
This is why a warranty is the last thing to consider. It is the least important part of buying a rod. You're better off buying from a rod builder where you actually talk to the guy building it. You get a better rod actually worth the money you pay, not a warranty ypuvpay extra for. When you break it due to your mistake, they likely will work with you on replacement at a much lower cost.
You seem to think that if you break a rod due to misuses or abuse, that's a rods fault. That's your fault.
I like to use the cheeper stuff is my first one to grab and use. I want to use it more often then the more expensive stuff. I want to have more fiberglass in my rod and less carbon fiber. My Ugly Stick has 7 year warranty one of the best for $39 starting point and up. $69 is the most expensive rod I have. And will pull the same fish for the refrigerator.
It depends what and how you’re fishing but your comment tells me you’ve never even tried a good high end rod especially comparing one to an ugly stick. An ugly stick feels like a broom handle compared to a good rod.
Plus another thing that wasnt mention at all , the strength and sensitivity of a rod one is also paying for such as well..
It doesnt matter if your rods are cheap or expensive. The point is the warranty is there but still catch the same fish your going after.
I can buy 5 of the 70 dollar rods for 1 400 dollar rods and still have significant money leftover for lures and line.
And when the expensive features get on the cheap rods I’ll buy another cheap rod.
What the deal with the warranty for an old Shimano? I still have a Shimano Crucial from like 2014 with the original receipt. I paid for a lifetime warranty back then so I hope they honor that for rods purchased before they switched to a 1 year warranty. Have you heard of anyone in my situation or has everyone broken their old Shimano’s by now? Mine is still fine, but I’m wondering about when the time comes.
I bought five Avid rods many years ago. They came with a lifetime warranty. When I called a couple of years ago to make a warranty claim I was told they were no longer under warranty. I was told the warranty had run out. St. croix would no longer honor the warranty. Granted I have had the rods for a number of years. But, lifetime to me is lifetime. Part of the rationale to spend $200 on these rods was the warranty. Good rods? Sure. Best rods on earth? Hardly. I will not buy another St. croix rod.
not being rude in any way but you should invest into a better camera
love my loomis and st croix rods
Best rod I've experienced is Zenaq rods. Just wow
It’s totally worth spending the money if you can afford it and you are passionate. But you need to be a good fisherman to take advantage of those benefits. The gear alone won’t help you too much. For most of my mates, it’s a waste of money because they aren’t good enough to take advantage of those benefits.
Funny you emphasized ROD vs pole. Character flaw I'm sure, but I hate it when people refer to a fishing ROD as a pole.
Ah the joys of living in Europe. Minimum warranty is always 2 years, where if issue happens withing first 6 months it's considered to be a factory issue and item has to be replaced without question. This was done exactly so manufacturers can't pull this crap on you to force you to buy more expensive to get a better warranty.
I never spend more than 120 on a rod and I catch fish like crazy
Absolutely, if you think it will make you a better angler. If it doesn't, you just learned that experience and knowledge is what makes you a better fisherman, not the quality of your equipment. If you disagree with me, how did Rick Clun, Bill Dance, Al and Ron Lindner and the rest of the "old timers" catch the tens of thousands of fish they have caught in their life time? Their equipment was absolute garbage compared to todays and they are better than any pro on the circuit who is fishing today.
In Afrikaans we call it a visstok (fish stick) 🤣. Legally, over here, you have to give a 1 year warranty.
you get what you pay for...dont cheap out.....i have used st. croix rods for years now....
Spend money on a rod if you ain't gettin' none at home
I felt there to be some truth to this..........until i bought an NRX.....
So in conclusion, you're not buying a proportionally better rod as the higher end prices indicate. You're just buying a brand and a warranty against manufacturing defect which will not cover damages from regular wear and tear or accidents. Am I following correctly? If that's the case, you're really paying a brand to live up to their name and not so much for impovements gained in the rod. If these high end rods are truly that good, why is the consumer forced to buy a warranty? Manufacturing warranty seems to indicate they do not trust their manufacturing quality control. Why not offer these rods with varying warranty coverages or no warranty at all so the average fisherman can choose what they can afford? At least this gives more fishermen a chance to appreciate their fine qualities - as many have professed.
I fish inshore saltwater on $69 Bass Pro Inshore Rods. I catch all the Redfish, Trout, Flounder I can handle. Don’t need all that fancy stuff. Focus on tidal flow and presentation.
st croix premier hands down the best rod ever
Huge difference between picking up a St. croix and picking up a cheap Walmart rod ... .... idk .. st criox makes an awesome product.
You should 100% your rod should almost always cost more then your reel. Keep in mind your rod does 95% of the work when trying to land fish.
No it doesn't your hands do the work
What rod would you pair with a VR175
@@DiscManDonovon Just about anything that ranges in the 8-10 foot range. All depends on how you’re fishing and what fish you’re targeting which is what you have to consider as well. I have a VR 125 that I pair with a 8ft Heavy Avid Inshore or 7’11 Legend Tournament inshore, but anything in that 8-10 feet rod length range will be your sweet spot that way it will your set-up/outfit will balance correctly.
I can’t find a 2000 dollar rod for my 23 6000 saltiga I had to only spend 600 on a legend surf
Ugly Stick IS KING.
Imagine driving one car for life, its so boring. What you want to do is buy something fun you know its going to break over time. And get another one.
That is profound. Perfect analogy. I get lots of satisfaction from the equipment I use
I used to fish with a coke can growing up. $50-$70 rod is fine for me😅
i appreciate the info, but you recorded with a potato camera.
Dobyns rods have the best warranty
DO NOT BUY ST CROIX!! Every single one I own has lost eyelets from the guides rendering them useless and now collect dust in the basement. Sometimes I go down and break one when I need to smash something. Total waste of money
It's a matter of preference ....expensive rods and reels are not going to catch more fish as these creatures don't have any fucks to give if you spent big money on gear.......I have cheap rods and high-end rods only because I like how it performs ....
All of the raw carbon comes in large rolls and its all the same shit....!
The $100 rod today was the $350 yesterday. The funny thing is, I gravitate towards the $2-400 dollar rod today. If the pole has the right action, I will go for the best real I can buy. I typically prefer a better quality reel over pole. It all depends on what you’re doing though. They are tools.
ill never spend more than 150.. if it more its a waste i fish the grass flats of south texas and i slay fish!!!! who need a expensive set up!!1
Rods are worth spending the money on,,, reels just one daiwa
St. Croix rods. They break and they charge you $50 for shipping when it cost $10. Whether the rod cost 100 or 400 it's 50dollars. Yes there's a difference but there's guys out there catching 10 lb bass on Zebco Slingshots. I've yet to have a rod that fell apart except for a St. Croix BassX and that includes a 5 dollar Diawa fiberglass ultralight that I bought in 1969. Buy and fish what you can afford. Regardless the fish don't care what you're using.
I definitely looking for a limited lifetime warranty if I'm spending $150+ 😂
Used to fly fishing, $150 for a rod is so cheap I'd buy two. 😂
It apparently wasnt worth it to film this at >480p
Sleeker, sexier reel seat = holds the reel better??? 🤔
Man that Humming Noise on you video is Giving me a Headache.......
lorenzos froms fisning
Garbage rods = Shimano, St. Croix, and Phenix.
Every rod I've seen explode on UA-cam was a Shimano rod 😳
Friends don’t let friends fish with cheap rods…unless they’re cheap too. 😂
Seriously though, with short tossing cut bait or using moving lures, cheap can be okay. If you’re fishing finesse baits or slowly working the bottom trying to feel every bump and light tap, you’re not going to catch me with some cheapo in my hands. There’s a reason why you see the serious surf fisherman in OBX using good quality gear. Sometimes that slight performance edge can make the difference between catching or not. I think it’s worth spending the money on at least mid-tier gear, but to each their own!
Oh, the fishing poles and fishing rods are different... I'm mid fifties, I'll bet nearly all my peers began fishing on a Zebco 202 with a fiberglass noodle rod that had 3 guides, maybe 4. I'm in the midwest, with bass, catfish, crappie and bluegills being the primary gamefish. If you're on the coasts or in a big trout area, maybe you didn't start with the same combo, but it's likely you also began with a cheap well engineered rod and reel. If you're spending $400.00 on a rod, you're clearly in the top 2% of wage earners in the world. The good news for everybody else is, those people are going to die and their families may not share the love of fishing and they'll sell good stuff at rock bottom prices.
The only rods I use is jigging world and tsunami when it comes to inshore rods
480>.
I remember buying St.Croix mojo bass rods for $90. Awesome! But now bidenomics are in effect.
What's with the voice over for "Carbon Fibre"? Nice professional video gone trash.
🫡
Did that trigger you? Doesn't take much, does it?
@@gisellesbikeseat I expected a response sooner, but the answer was pretty much what I expected. The voice over isn't funny it's unnecessary and racist.
I think “racist” has been really overused. If he used an Australian dude with an accent saying it, that’s totally okay, right? But because he’s using one of my SW Asian brothers with an accent, not acceptable. Makes sense. How about you go find something else to argue with people about. This topic is getting old.
@@melbournechub2658 Making fun of a person's speech or pronunciation is never okay. You might think in your white male privilege it's not harm. However, to a marginalized person the opposite is more true. Having a bad day responding to a 4 month old comment, or you just looking for a fight? Cheers mate!
Everyone please dont spend that type of money on a rod. This is an absolute joke.
31 years of fishing I have used st croix , Shimano , Penn , calico jack , redbone , ugly stiks , daiwa , bull bay rods and much more
with rods , reels and tackle in general I find making sure the rod or reel manufacturer you are buying has a great warranty and great customer service. Because rather you are buying that $70 calico , that $400 bull bay tac x or st croix $700 legend xtreme if/when you have problems with that rod you could find your self playing phone / email tag alot , or finding bad warranty to no warranty at all to more problems then just having issues with your rod
From my experience for the last 5 years Bull Bay has the best rods , customer service and warranty I have ever used and dealt with in 31 years of fishing.
I have everyone of their rods including full blown custom tac rods. These rods run $480 ish and perform wayyyyy better then some of those $700 rods on the market. Heck even their assault and sniper rods 170 to 200 are better then those $700 rods.
Their customer service and warranty goes up and beyond what you would expect from a company.
I unfortunately had a manufacturer issue Assault rod that snapped while fighting a redfish , took the rod to their shop in Lakeland and I was in and out of store in 3 mins with a brand new rod !! No questions asked either !! But if had been my fault it's only $40 to replace it.
Couldn’t agree more!
Performing wayyyy better is your opinion just like my comment. Purchasing any product it is all about preference. IMHO
@@crazycomments8038 what the are you talking about ? You didn't leave any other comment.
And I'll respectfully disagree with you. If you think a $100 rod performs as well as let's say $450 rod you are absolutely nuts , delusional and never fished with both cheap and high end gear.
I agree that's your opinion thank God it's just that.
Have a great day and tight lines