yes there are rods for a single pupose, like when i trolled the great lakes, downrigger rods were necessary,but those rods came in all kinds of prices,yes there was a time when I had more dollars than sence, never thouight those good ole days would end, but they did, sold those rods at a fraction of what they cost. Moved here to the cumberland area,and wanted to start again, but this time, wentr practical. Manual instead of electric riggers, penn reels and ugly sticks, work just fine.