Favorite rods and reels?

[Fubar]

Whats is your favorite rod and reel combo and what do you fish with it? I have always used and had good luck with ambassadeur reels for bass.
http://www.abu-garcia.com

Most of my fishing stuff is starting to age (like me). What are your favorites?                      Fubar

 

[MikeZ]

I also have three ambassaders(sp) and they work well for bass fishing. For spinning reels I like PENN. They are not new a cool but they hold up well and have nice smoothe drags. I am eyeing some of the new PENN spinning reels they came out with. For rods I like Ugly Stix since I don't break the tips like I do on every expensive rod I've ever owned. Hunting is over so now it is fish fish fish... Spring is coming and I want a 15 pound bass!!!

 

[Sky Buster]

as for rods... i didnt used to be very picky, as long as it was an ultra light, since i mostly fish for trout.  i bought a shimano carbomax last year and loved that pole. it was the most sensitive pole ive ever owned.  well this year, for christmas, i got a g.loomis ultra light.  it doesnt even come close to comparing to the shimano.  its by far the most sensitive pole ive ever felt.  i took it to corona lake, and had both poles set up with the same bait.  i caught 3 fish on the loomis, and 0 on the shimano.. i know its because the fish are real sketchy at that lake cause thousands of people fish there every week, and all the hits i got were really light. but when i set the hook, there they were.  so, i would recommend a loomis if anyone is in the market for a new rod.  it may co$t a little more, but its well worth it.

 

[Rimrock]

I've had several Ambassadeurs and a couple of Team Daiwas. Now I am using Shimano Curados. They are smoother and cast better for me. I use them on black bass and stripers.
I have seeveral Bass Pro Extreme rods, both casting and spinning. They are hard to beat.
Have a couple of Bass Pro Pro Qualifer spinning reels that are good. One Pro Qualifer casting rod that I don't like.

Play fair.

 

[Rob]

I mostly throw buzzbaits and spinnerbaits.  I really like the $50 shimano 7" 1oz rod I bought ,  they have another rod that is about $80 that is lighter and smaller diam.  I use Daiwa TD-X reels and love them.  I want to buy a TD-Z.  I have one of the new $100 Quantum baitcast reels and bon't like it at all,  I have a ABU 6500 and don't like it at all and I have a shimano corsair 400, the antireverse is iffy but it casts ok, I just ordered a Calcutta TE 400 for the large trout immitation lures. I can't wait.  For crappie fishing I love the little quantum under-spin-spincast reels that come with 4# test,  I have had 20 2# bass in day on it and a 10 Lb Cat also and the reels still do good. The 10' rod also helps.

 

[andrew]

As for reels, I just bought a new abu c4 and really like their tougness. As for rods, I roll my own with my favorite being either g.loomis, lamiglas, or st.croix(if money is tight).

 

[Passthru]

 I seem to have went with Quantum,both Openface and Baitcast,they are really smooth for the price,i also buy matching rods from Quantum.
 My last very nice very expensive ultralite went for a swim with the wife when she decided to jump out of my boat at about 40MPH  LOL

 

[sportyg]

For trout I use Daiwa rod & reel or my fly rig Egaleclaw rod/Martin reel. For bass i use my Quantum IronW/Quantum pro turnament rod, or fly 8.5ft.Egaleclaw rod w/Martin reel 8#line.

 

[hntndux]

Favorite reels are Penn Senators and Garcia Ambassaduers/Cardinals, rods are GLoomis, Fenwick and Kunan.  Favorite fishing lines: 30# and above Ande, 15#-30# Maxima, 4-12# Stren.

 

[Gr8Unknown]

I like the Quantum gear as well. I have two Quantum spinning reels and one rod. I think it's nice equipment for the price. I had an interesting experience with another rod I own, it's a Rhino Hide spinning rod made by Zebco. It's a farily heavy rig that I use for striper fishing. I was casting from the back of my boat and I accidentally hit the front seat on my backcast. I felt the plug stick for a second but was able to cast it out anyway. Later in the day I found the treble hook from my plug embedded in the seat. The split ring on my lure opened up when I followed through on my cast and left it behind. That rod had enough power to do that, complete my cast and not break or stop. To say the least I was amazed.

 

[Shane]

For salmon up here in WA, I really enjoy the new Fenwick HMX rods. I use a 9' baitcast and a 9.5' spinning rod. On the baitcast I am using the Abu Garcia Ambassador. For the spinner I'm using a Shimano Spirex 4000. I put them through their paces this season. I caught and recorded over 150 fish (Pink, Chinook, Chum, Silver and Steelhead), and released at least that many (lots of fish but low limits will do that).

I broke a 9.5' Fenwick Legacy spinning rod this season. Sent it back to them with a pic of the fish that broke it, and they sent me the new HMX for $9 shipping. Not bad! Good customer service.

Flyrod - 9 wt. Fenwick Iron Feather with a Lamson 3 series reel. It is stout enough to throw the heavy weighted lines in the salt water.

I also really like the Berkley XT lines. If you folks know of a killer line (Ande, Stren, etc) that is great for big fish, please holler.

Best        shane_greif@hotmail.com


(Edited by Shane at 12:21 am on Feb. 26, 2002)

 

[huntducks]

Shane

You might wan't to try P-Line for big fish.

 

[grizz]

For the price, my favorite rod is a Ulgy Stick. Right now I've got three, they're one tuff rod.  I've had, and have lots of diffrant poles but none seem to last like a Ulgy Stick.  I have been through a few Ulgys too but they all took a lot of abuse before I junked them.    Fenwicks action is good but they break to easy so I gave on them.  I'd like to have a Loomis or Lamiglass but thier to much money.
Two years ago the seven foot spinning rod handeld a 30 lb. striper no problem.  Also handeles salmon fine.  If I change the spool on the reel it works fine for trout or smaller fish. But I'd rather go smaller for them.  The 5 foot UL can drag a shad up a 3 foot water fall.  Try that with a Finwick UL, NOT.
I'm not sayin thier the best, but until I get that
G Loomis, Ulgy Stick is my favorite rod.
As for reels, I think my grandpa's old Mitchel 300 is my favorite, It's probablly older than me, I've got 4 diffrant spools for it and it just keeps going. I've had and have better, but it will probally out last them.    

 

[Shane]

Thanks Huntducks - It's just called P-line? I primarily used Ande in San Diego bluewater and inshore - when in Rome... Now I've been using the Berkley products. pretty stout, but I like to use the small diameter/high strength lines for the trout/salmon.

Grizz - sorry to hear about your luck with your Fenwicks. I take it they weren't HMX rods, huh? I've really been pleased with the overall performance of these rods. And, you should consider the Lamiglas. A really good rod as well. Generally cheaper than the Fenwicks and the 2002 products use their new XMG50 blank construction. Very popular with the Salmon guys up here. Good luck.

 

[MikeZ]

Try the P-line Fluoroclear(fluorocarbon coated copolymer). It is very soft, strong, and is supposed to be nearly invisible in the water. I like it over Berkley or stren's fluoro lines.

Mike

 

[Shane]

Roger that - I'll give it a cast.  Thanks much