Compromise, the rod or the reel? Recent Comments

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 22:36:07

posted by: permo. For years and years, and to this day my go to spinning reel is the shimano symetre. I think it strikes a very nice balance between value and performance. I have a few that are 15 years old, none have ever failed and they still all work very well. I have two jigging combos that are exactly the same they are each 9 years old.

G Loomis IMX SJR 722/SHIMINO Symetre 1500

Rod = $250 Reel <= $100 literally 1000's of walleyes...priceless.

So like Tim says, for more finess applications I will tend to spring for a lighter, smoother and more high end reel, I have never owned a spinning reel over $120. Oddly enough I only look at two brands for any reel I buy..shimano and daiwa.

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 22:32:32

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 21:18:54

posted by: fish-head.

I would say the rod! I have a couple of G Loomis IMX rods- 6' spinning for jigging and a 6'6" casting for pitching cranks. They are awesome!! and the lifetime warranty makes them the last ones I will ever need. That was till I took my girlfriend fishing, now the Loomis spinning rod just seems to end up in her hands and I looked at it like ok I will try and find something better. I bought a 7'2" Carrot stix drop shootin one piece rod and put a Shimano Sradic reel on it. I like it a lot, but will probably pick up another Loomis this spring.

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 19:39:38

posted by: Hardwaterman. Well, lets see! Rod or Reel? Hmmmmmm! What limited experince has taught me is that for jigging or finese fishing proper line and high quality rod are the key. Unless one is in a monster fish most reels have an adequate setup to play the fish! Cranking and casting, reel/rod setup need to be matched!!!!!

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 18:04:36

posted by: iluvswnd.

luveyes Said:
enslow,

That is where the action and length of a rod comes into play. Bugger tight drag can be tought to deal with, but a 7.5 ft rod helps. A net at the ready helps too. No playing the fish, ski her back and into the net quickly. I have found the failure point of my setup is never the hook, but always 1 of two knots above it. Broken rod has happened, 2 times last year alone; but that is where the name on the rod comes into play. easy replacement.....

If you break a Shimano Crucial all you have to do is walk into any store that sells them and give it to the salesperson of your choice, they should promptly grab the exact rod out of the rack, place it in your hand, and tell you to "have a good day"

Can't beat that warranty, If I was sending in my Loomis or St. Croix I have to wait a month. Also, you could slam the darned thing in the door or step on it in the boat and Shimano will replace it no questions asked.

Like luveyes said: "easy replacement...."

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 17:35:29

posted by: luveyes. enslow,

That is where the action and length of a rod comes into play. Bugger tight drag can be tought to deal with, but a 7.5 ft rod helps. A net at the ready helps too. No playing the fish, ski her back and into the net quickly. I have found the failure point of my setup is never the hook, but always 1 of two knots above it. Broken rod has happened, 2 times last year alone; but that is where the name on the rod comes into play. easy replacement.....

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 17:13:59

posted by: Tim Sandstrom.

gonefshn Said:
Permo hits it right. If you're going the spinning reel route, spend the money on the rod as there's a lot of cheaper spinning reels out there. When it comes to baitcast setups, you MUST spend some money on the reel. The quality of a baitcast reel means everything. Don't even think about wasting your money on a cheap baitcast reel.

For rigging?

I guess I should clarify my post. Anything you do via jigging or casting or similar I would not skimp on either.

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 15:00:00

posted by: Stizostedion vitreum. Just buy the cheap rod and a decent reel that isn't very expensive but dependable. The cheaper rods are labeled/marked for stiffness for a reason. If you always fish with cheaper equipment, you will adapt and become skilled with it. I have a couple expensive rigs and they don't really operate any better than my other stuff. They just make me that much more pi$$ed off when I break an eyelet, snap off a tip, etc. Expensive rod and reel combos NEVER make a fisherman good at fishing. Experience is 95% of what makes a fisherman good. Send me out there with a set of Zebco rigs,a tackle box, a 5 gallon bucket, a stringer and an economy bare-bones aluminum boat and I can still catch a limit of walleye out of a lake if they don't have lockjaw. Stizo :)

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 14:05:32

posted by: permo.

Enslow Said:
I have never tightened my drag all of the way. What happens if a 10 pound walleye get or large northern gets on the line? IF you are using superlines they will probably hold but the hook or rod would probably break.

I haven't broke a rod yet doing this...but I will say that the weakest link in the system will always be the failure point.

re: Compromise, the rod or the reel?

2010-01-04 14:02:17

posted by: 40's-or-Bust. Aside from ice fishing i dont own a spinning reel. Baitcasters are my forte. By far and away a good reel should trump the rod. PS if anybody is looking for great combos cabelas has their XML TI rod with a REVO STX reel on sale for half the year, at half price on both. I dont buy reels under 200 because they just dont have the ability to get the distance like high end reels do. That being said i still manage to wear the drag down to nothing by the end of two years, max. Diawas, Abu, Shimano.....doesnt matter. STX is the best on the market for its buck currently. HOWEVER, i nearly pissed myself at rogers cabelas when i spun the spool on the shimano calais digital control. That thing would NOT stop. Im 100% positive i can hit the wingdam at the Tail Race ( from behind the line for once) if i had that........the kind of thing dreams are made of!