need a little advice please

[collins dental]

I know I will get flamed for this, but if i had a $350 budget, i would buy a BPS Pro Qualifier Reel in 6.3:1 and then $250 for a light weight sensative rod. 7' MH fast tip. This will serve you well for sensativity when fishing soft plastics and jigs. It will help in hook sets for soft plastics, jigs, spinners, and buzzbaits. The only disadvantage is the fast tip is not so great for treble hooks, but if you loosen the drag a little and play the fish to counter the stiff tip, you can reduce the chance of the fish throwing the lure. If you go with a crankin stick made of glass with a moderate tip action you will loose all the sensitivity and hook set power.

So again i say Pro Qualifier on a killer rod like Kistler, G Loomis, or Dobyns.

Do you know who makes their reels,always wondered?

[publican57]

I love my Shimano Crucial Rods - Lifetime Guaranty also.

I have a Shimano Curado and a Shimano Citica. For the money; I like the Citica better. It is about $50-70 cheaper. I am not so sure the Curado is worth the extra money? I do like both reels.

[yankswon96]

Look on e-bay for a 200e5 or 200e7 Curado.You can find a new for about 150-160. Not dogging BPS reels because I've never owned 1 ,but a couple of my buddys bought some a few of years ago and after 2 years they were wore out. I think they got the high end Johnny Morris reels. I don't think you can go wrong with a Curado,people still buy the old green oneslike crazy on e-bay.I still have 5 of them and they work great after 10 years. I've heard that the Revos are nice too. As for rods I like Kistler. The Helium LTA's Are sweet,but they only make micro LTA's now and they are $250.The new z-bone are in the $400 range so I have no idea how nice they are. The magnesiums are cheaper but still nice rods,I have 1 of the 6 9 TS rods (great for spinnerbaits)getting ready to get 2 more. So if anybody needs 3 Fenwick HMX 6'6" mh rods let me know.

[walkeraviator]

Do you know who makes their reels,always wondered?

Their reels are designed by Bass Pro Shop engineers and the first 100 or so are made in a shop in Springfield Missouri. Then the rest are contracted to plants in South Korea. In reality, they are probably made by the same hands that make other brand reels. Thos factories tend to have multiple contracts and make products for competing companies at the same time. This is seen in camping equipment especially. A Kelty tent is made in the same plant as a wal-mart ozark trail tent...


This is how it was explained to me by a salesman at Bass Pro, so take it for what it is worth.

[eddie_m]

My vote would go for a good reel and a less expensive (but good) rod. I bought a Team Diawa Viento reel from Shimano4life on this board for about $100. It's list price is about $200 (I think it's discontinued now), and it was the first nice reel I've owned. It made SO much difference in my ability to cast, has far superior drag, etc. It was a HUGE improvement over my previous $130 combo.

These days, there are many good rods that are about $100 (BPS Carbonlite, for example) with no warranty; good rods with good mail-in warranties (TFO - $100 for the rod with $25 replacement if broken, American Rodsmiths - $150 with $55 replacement); and Shimano rods at various price ranges with the best warranty on the market (over the counter & free). So, how important is a warranty to you? If not too important, you can get great rods at a great deal used on this board.

[fisherman0625]

Best rod out on the market Today in my opinion is the Kistler Z-Bone.... Designed by trey kistler and gary loomis. Best feeling rod out there. I love all my kistlers, they start at 99- 400 dollars. Have a warranty about like g- loomis and American rodsmith. Oh yea Z-Bone is 349.95 On tacklewarehouse. Team that with a pflueger, or revo s or sx and that will work my friend!

[wolfewiz]

Ive never really bought myself a quality rod and reel outfit,been saving a little and by spring i should have enough.My question is,what should i look for as a good, all around set up?I mostly use buzzbait,spinnerbait,cranks,soft plastics & jigs with my baitcasters.Been looking at curado E7`s but lost on where to start looking for a rod.Looking to stay in the 350 dollar range for the combo.Thanks in advance for all your help.Hope everybody had a good Christmas

B and R Outlaw Rod 7' MH = $150
Revo STX = $200

I think the rods are comparable to many of the $350 rods out there. If money is no object, I would say the same size Diawa Steez or Cumara would be the primo rod to have. JMO

I'm not a Quantum guy (they have not ever really fit my eye), but the new Smoke reel looks and feels pretty cool. Have any of you all fished with one of those yet?

[Fisher4life]

Shimano stradic spinning reel. 8 lbs p line

[smuckey41]

I would get a pflueger president or supreme spinning reel. And either Abu Garcia veritas or the bps carbon lite rod. Great set ups and you can get two set ups for the price of one. With today's technology you can get the same quality and sensitivity as the more expensive rods for less. Just have to do some research and looking and you can get good rods and reels for less, that are just as good as the high end more expensive brands.

[offdtop]

[QUOTE=wolfewiz;436545]B and R Outlaw Rod 7' MH = $150
Revo STX = $200

"I think the rods are comparable to many of the $350 rods out there."

X2!!! I have this exact set up and for me this is the best all around combo I could own!!! this set up is my "all around" set up, if I need a rod to do anything this is it. I Have Kistler, Cumara's, Carrot Sticks and B&R Outlaws and the B&R's hold their own with any of the others I own for feel, comfort and strength JMHO

[orca]

For rods, I always have used Falcon. For reel you will not go wrong with a Pflueger Patriarch. Have had them since they first came out and have never had a bit of trouble. Very smooth. Read BPS comments about reel and check them out in a store.

Good Luck