Posted: 4/23/2015 9:42:13 PM EDT
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Hi folks,
May I please have your expert advice? I'm looking for a really nice rod & reel for freshwater fishing. I'm looking for a good spinning reel - would prefer to stay away from spincasters & baitcasters. What should I be looking for on the market these days? I'm looking for one well suited for fishing in a creek or off of a boat against the shoreline. Thanks in advance! 
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I'd look at a St. Croix Avid spinning rod, either the 7-ft AVS70MLF2 or the 6-ft, 6-in equiv. (AVS66MLF2) both for 4-10 lb line.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/St-Croix-Avid-Series-reg-Spinning-Rods/741122.uts For a reel, a Pflueger President 6930X, or better. These are on the light side. More for trout and smallmouth. What are you fishing for? |
| Check These out, they are very nice. I have a few paired with Pflueger higher end reels, they are sweet rigs. High end rods are expensive, and rods have ways of getting broken, so consider that. |
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Interesting that you would want a spinning reel for that kind of fishing. A baitcaster will give you much better precision in that environment, where you want to be setting your bait down next to stumps and the like at fairly short range. Granted a spinning reel will let you handle lighter baits and be better in windy conditions, but a high-quality baitcaster with a really good magnetic brake system can handle surprising light presentations. I like St. Croix rods and haven't found reels that I like better than the high-end Daiwas. The Steez line is the one you want if you go with a freshwater baitcaster or spinning reel. They aren't cheap, but they are amazing reels. (And when I say 'not cheap' I'm talking about $600-800 each.) You said you wanted the best! Here's a link to a pretty nice article showing some good choices across the budget spectrum. If you can't trust Outdoor Life, who can you trust? http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/gone-fishin/2014/02/outdoor-life-tackle-test-2014 |
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+1 on the Shimano Ci4 reel. It's Light weight and my gen 1 has held up great over the years.
You can't go wrong with a St Croix or G Loomis rods they have a wide variety to choose from for the best one to fit your needs. Cashion Rods are starting to get popular and for good reason. They build a great rod That is light and sensitive. |
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you generally get what you pay for... the intro price for good gear is around the $100 each mark. Shimano is good to go. I prefer G loomis, st. croix, shimano, rods.. for your kind of fishing... but there's lots of choices. A good $100+ graphite stick is all you need. I'm sure people will chime in and say you don't need to spend that much... whatever. see screen name. |
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I'm sure people will chime in and say you don't need to spend that much... whatever. see screen name. They always do... OP you can also look and see if there are any custom rod makers in your area. We have a couple local guys that build awesome spinning rods. 
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My current favorite is a Flueger Presidential. Its a ball bearing design, very smooth, metal construction, with wood handled lever, very nice. It comes in three sizes and surprisingly not expensive for the quality, about $65 on sale somewhere. Its about all I buy these days. Shimano use to be my favorite, but this Flueger is damn fine for the money. It's pretty as well.
Rods, now I can probably name quite a few I really like by brands including the St Croix mentioned here but really its the details that gets me to buy a rod or not, not who makes it. I typically shop around. What I like is a IM7 or higher graphite. Though used by a brands, that's actually a modulus rating. Higher the smaller and smaller the longer the rod lasts, number of bends, before it gets stiff and brittle. I go through cheap rods, a couple years at most. Length is dependent on what fishing I'm doing as well as action. Eyes are very important to me, I prefer double eyes, more the better, with non-corrosive or fouling guides. The double eyes resist bending but honestly the oxide guides work well too. I insist on a cork handle and prefer a hook eye. Now here's one people will take exception to but I prefer a one piece rod. Now most of the time, that means I'm not looking in the discount rack. The good news is, my rods last a very long time so I'm not at the rack all that often. Last couple of rods, I went with a Berkley IM-7 and a IM-8. They were about $80 each or there about. I don't have an opinion on their SS304 guides yet. I've only had them a couple years or so but so far, so good. The graphite is very good and I do like the metal reel holders. I typically don't buy St Croix, they're a bit over priced for what they are but damn fine rods I'm pretty partial to Fenwick. I have quite a few. I typically stay away from Quantum, they just don't last anymore no matter what IM they are. A strange mention on that topic though is Shakespere. Though a cheap rod that doesn't last anytime really, I've noticed damn can they catch fish while they do. Just must be a quirk, they hit right at the action one needs to set a hook but that being said, two season throw it away. Fenwicks like St Croix are years upon years of use. An interesting little rod, my favorite four piece hiking rod is an Eagle Claw. Other than hooks about the only thing they make I really like. It has an amazing ultralight action. I have that mated with a Bass Pro five ball bearing, surprising little reel for the money. Basically I like a stiff action with plenty of bend. A good rod should indeed be able to bend double without breaking but it shouldn't be its nature like an Ugly stick, way too limber which makes feel and hook setting difficult. You see the guy at the store, bending and whipping rods before he buys one, that would be me. I spent more time on rods for a reason. A reel if its nice and smooth is doing its job. Its a rod that catches fish. That's what sets the hook. It tells you when and how. Damn, now I want to go fishing. CYA, its off the lake for me. Tj |
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They always do... OP you can also look and see if there are any custom rod makers in your area. We have a couple local guys that build awesome spinning rods. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8630/16669021428_36376aac1a_k.jpg Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm sure people will chime in and say you don't need to spend that much... whatever. see screen name. They always do... OP you can also look and see if there are any custom rod makers in your area. We have a couple local guys that build awesome spinning rods. https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8630/16669021428_36376aac1a_k.jpg Is that tape wrapped around the grips? Why? |
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Is that tape wrapped around the grips? Why? Yes, electrical tape, it's called a Tennessee handle. It does not have any reel seat components on it. It makes it more sensitive and I find it more comfortable than holding the metal type components used on most rods. ETA: Tennessee handle 
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Yes, electrical tape, it's called a Tennessee handle. It does not have any reel seat components on it. It makes it more sensitive and I find it more comfortable than holding the metal type components used on most rods. ETA: Tennessee handle http://www.allprorods.com/quality/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/apr_slider_tn_handle.jpg Quoted:
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Is that tape wrapped around the grips? Why? Yes, electrical tape, it's called a Tennessee handle. It does not have any reel seat components on it. It makes it more sensitive and I find it more comfortable than holding the metal type components used on most rods. ETA: Tennessee handle http://www.allprorods.com/quality/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/apr_slider_tn_handle.jpg Cool. Wouldn't the electrical tape be slippery when wet though? |
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Cool. Wouldn't the electrical tape be slippery when wet though? Quoted:
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Is that tape wrapped around the grips? Why? Yes, electrical tape, it's called a Tennessee handle. It does not have any reel seat components on it. It makes it more sensitive and I find it more comfortable than holding the metal type components used on most rods. ETA: Tennessee handle http://www.allprorods.com/quality/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/apr_slider_tn_handle.jpg Cool. Wouldn't the electrical tape be slippery when wet though? I haven't had a problem out of it. I'm sure it would if it got wet enough to the point drying your hand off on your pant legs wouldn't work. 
you can use other "sports" types of tape, that's juSt what I like to use for finesse type fishing. Also 
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Interesting that you would want a spinning reel for that kind of fishing. A baitcaster will give you much better precision in that environment, where you want to be setting your bait down next to stumps and the like at fairly short range. Granted a spinning reel will let you handle lighter baits and be better in windy conditions, but a high-quality baitcaster with a really good magnetic brake system can handle surprising light presentations. I like St. Croix rods and haven't found reels that I like better than the high-end Daiwas. The Steez line is the one you want if you go with a freshwater baitcaster or spinning reel. They aren't cheap, but they are amazing reels. (And when I say 'not cheap' I'm talking about $600-800 each.) You said you wanted the best! Here's a link to a pretty nice article showing some good choices across the budget spectrum. If you can't trust Outdoor Life, who can you trust? http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/gone-fishin/2014/02/outdoor-life-tackle-test-2014 I second the St. Croix's. I do not believe I have ever used a better rod for bass than S.C. I have a middle of the line Daiwa that is awesome. Not quite $600 level but really good. I have not used a spinning rod for years now and encourage anyone with more than a year of fishing experience to ditch them for bait casters. |