03-25-2009, 12:31 AM
I would have to agree on the Ugly Stiks. I have at least 8 of them and just got an Ultra Light 7' spinning for X-mas and love it. Most my others are 6'6" med for spinning/bank fishing, 8' heavy for trolling, and my new 8'6" Lite Steel Head Heavy action rod that I customized a bit. You can not beat them for strength and reliability. I would not trade my Ugly Stiks for nothing. I do have other higher end rods, but most are for fly fishing like my Orvis or St Croix. I do make a few of my own rods and do have a few cheap rods I keep for back packing or trail riding like a 7pc 4wt ($40 Ebay special I built) or my 6'6"-12" collapsable Eagle Claw spinning pole($35 with reel). I have a few other that bounce around behind the seat of the truck. I have a few spares in the trailer just in case. I have Ugky Stiks that are 10 years old and still going. I do go through a few reels, but that is usually due to something like braided line or -0 temps I have fished in. I do like the foam handles and they do work great as long as your not using rocks for a rod holder. There is also a new heat shrinkable grip on the market you can get for your rod handles that would help them to last longer.
I think you have started to figure it out a bit. Some rods are nice and last forever, great sensitivity, but are not really made to be bush beaters. Others are cheap but dependable and work great in not so great conditions. Going cheaper only shows you have learned that a $20 rod can catch a fish just like a $200 rod, but when you break the $20 rod, it is not a big deal. Just my 2 cents.
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I think you have started to figure it out a bit. Some rods are nice and last forever, great sensitivity, but are not really made to be bush beaters. Others are cheap but dependable and work great in not so great conditions. Going cheaper only shows you have learned that a $20 rod can catch a fish just like a $200 rod, but when you break the $20 rod, it is not a big deal. Just my 2 cents.
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