Your Input Needed - New Rod

[Peanut]

Well, our Sport & Leisure show is coming up, and I'm looking for a new rod/reel combo. I figure I can spend about $100-150 on a rod, and $100 for a reel. The unit will have to be multi-purpose, used, in order of priority:

1. Trolling spinner rigs and light bouncers;
2. Vertical jigging, pitching jigs;
3. Casting/trolling spoons, cranks.

To be honest, if it can't do 3 that well or at all, I don't care.

What rod would you get? The best help will include not just brand name, but length, action, tip speed, and 1 or 2 piece construction.

As for a reel, I'm partial to Shimano, and am thinking of a Spirex 1000. Any thoughts (good or bad) on this?

Thank you all for your input.

derrek.

CANADIAN WALLEYE OPEN UP AND SAY "EH"!

[s.f.]

7ft. medium action wristsaver with the wristsaver six ballbearing reel. about a $135 total. 35 million modulus rod.
www.wristsaverrods.com

#49

[Seabass77]

7ft St. Croix Avid - Medium Weight, Fast Action, Spinning

Diawa - Regal Z - 2000

But, I would try and get two st. croix premiers for around the same cost as one avid. Plus, the diawa is only $50 and a great reel.

[my 2 cents]

check out cabelas platinum z combo...one heck of a smooth reel and the rod is primo!they say it is their very best,i think it might be my favorite also.they do back up their guarantee!

[walleye chieftain]

geez....you must fish a lot! a lot of money for a rod...i sit in the front seat and just got myself an interline 6'6" so it sticks out reel far. no eyes to snag me up. should work great. got all kinds of rods....walleye stuff mainly...like to keep it light. bps (bass pros) is pretty good....walleye fishing more eyes (guides) the better, any im6+ is cool. find a good fishing hole and the rod dont matter!

[REW]

I have to agree with this posting.
If you don't go with the avid, then I would go with two St. Croix Premiers.

I would probably get a 7' medium light for the spinners, and cranking, and a 6 or 6'6" medium or medium light for the jigging.

Rather than the 1000 - I think that, in general, most walleye rigs balance a bit better, and casting is improved with you go to at least a 2000 sized reel.

The comment about the Cabelas reel is correct. It is a good value at a reasonable cost. Bass pro - has their house brand - that is also a good value at a reasonable cost.

Of course the Shimano - is also a fine reel.

Except for the jigging - you don't need a particularly sensitive rod - so that in general - a less expensive rod - will not only represent an excellent value - it will, in general, be a tougher rod, and less prone to breakage.

Take care

REW

[Peanut]

Is that the one with no line guides and the line going through it? How does it work?

derrek.

CANADIAN WALLEYE OPEN UP AND SAY "EH"!

[WAeyes]

I will only comment on your reel choice. The Spirex reels do not have the Super Stopper ant-reverse feature. The fast easy casting is nice but not as important as the anti-reverse feature in the Stradic or Symetre. I have owned both and would never buy another Stradic because of this. The feel of a hookset does not compare without this feature.

[colorado jim]

the rod with no eyes is an inner line.cabelas and daiwa both have them...i don't see how any thing could give better feel than this rod.casts great and jigs great.the daiwa seems to be the better of the two.have been useing fire line but according to most of the others on here ,i am going to have to try cabelas power pro line.

[Cangl]

Symetre 4000 rear drag and a Medium heavy 7ft Shimano Carbomax one peice this rods a tank torret, good cranker that casts well and trolls small boards and bouncers within reason. As for jigging with superlines it would be less then preferable but possible.

[Chad]

Go with the Shimano Symetre 1000. $85
& Berkley Series One ML 6'6" Rod $120 ($100 on sale)

6'6" will let you do anything you want. Go with the one piece to get more feel. I never use a two piece except for trolling. Trolling with this rig will be a little tough with the small spool. It is almost impossible to get one rod to fit all your requirements.

[TONY ON ICE]

PEANUT
I was in Wal-Mart filling my crt with $1.00 #5 countdown Rapalas this morning and while looking at the rods they had there, I noticed a Fenwick rod called the "Venture".
It's the lightest most sensitive (and I'm not big on sensitivity) $49.99 rod I've ever seen.
It's a quality piece and deserves a close look before you drop $150 on something that might not even be comparable.
It's one of those rods that when you pick it up for the first time, you say Hmmmmmmmm !!
This rod comes in 6- 6 1/2- and 7 ft models in Medium light and medium action and a 6 ft light action.
They did have them in one piece also which would be my chioce if space weren't a concern.

The reel might be hard to match to this rod because it is so light.
Definitely go with something with a solid anti reverse. The Shimano Stradic and Daiwa Regal Z-!A are my favorites but I had the chance to disect the new Skakespeare Catera last week and for $30 bucks, it's as bullet proof as they get and very smooth with a great anti reverse. I believe it was a 4 BB model.
The Stradic and Regal Z-IA would have to be the smaller models to balance with this rod. The 1000 Stradic or the 1500 Regal Z-IA is what I'd recomend.

[youngeye]

Go with a St. Croix Avid 6'6" or 7'0" medium action. THis rod runs in the $150 range and comes with a manufacturers lifetime warranty. St. Croix will pretty much cover any damage including damage that such as rod lockers breaking rods, etc.

I would look into a stradic 2000. One of the best reals made, think it runs right around $110. I fish this same setup and love it.

Good Luck,
Youngeye
IA

[Keith Kavajecz]

If you have a $250 budget, why not get two rod combos. The problem with choosing one rod for all those techniques is that what's good for jigging may not be adequate to troll cranks with, a bottom bouncer rod won't be any good for pitching a light jig. Bass Pro offers some great rods at extremely low prices. My suggestion would be:

Since you ranked Bottom Bouncer fishing first, I would look at a Walleye Angler Signature Series Rod, IM-8, 6'6" made for bottom bouncers (WX66BBT) - cost 69.99. Put a Pro Qualifier reel on that (PQ1000XPS), it has 6 ball bearing, a thumb bar (which you'll like for bouncing), and enough line capacity that you could use it for trolling applications in a pinch. Reel cost - 49.88 in the latest "specials flyer" - item # 11-320-200-00.

For jigging, again you will want a sensative rod, here I would look at a spinning setup. WA Signature Series IM-8, 6'0", Medium action (also available in ML) WX60MS 69.99. Match that up with a small reel (10 size), 5 ball bearings, instant anti-reverse. Look at the Extreme reel, EXM10FA, costs 59.99.

Add it up, $120 for the bottom bouncer setup, $130 for the jigging set up - both are excellent quality IM-8 (45 million modulus) rods and made for walleye fishing. Plus with 2 set ups you will be further along in the race to see who can get the most rods (see a previous post - some guys have over 100 setup - imagine that!!).

Good Walleye Fishing

Keith Kavajecz

[Peanut]

Thanks for your comments - they've really helped. I've now got this going on two threads.

Ken, I am now leaning towards two units, if I can make the numbers work. I don't know much about the Bass Pro stuff - we don't have them, and exchange rates and shipping to Canada tend to eat up alot of the value, so you don't see many around.


On my other thread, I've listed some options that I'm considering.

Thanks again.

derrek.

CANADIAN WALLEYE OPEN UP AND SAY "EH"!