Stasher1

If you have something to say, spit it out.

x2

Honestly, I don't think you'll find a much better rod for catfish than an Ugly Stick.

Actually it's 15 months old.

It would be easier to answer the question if we knew what you were working on.

The Asaro in the first link is a fine reel, and while I've never owned a Pro Qualifier, I have owned a Citica 200E and an Asaro. With the exception of the weight difference, the Asaro was comparable to the Citica 200E in every way performance-wise. I also found it to be smoother and more comfortable to palm. If I had a need for another baitcaster, I'd be buying an Asaro...or two. It's a $130 reel that's been discontinued, so the $50 closeout price is an excellent deal.

FWIW, Shimano has been building reels in Malaysia for several years. The preivious generations of Symetre and Sahara were built there and both are fine reels.

Decent advice ^^^, but be sure to price the rod and reel seperately as well. Sometimes the sale prices on BPS' rods and reels can be better than the "package" discount.

I've never used their worms, but I have one of their floating snake lures from the 80's that's pretty cool. I just wish I could get a replacement tail for it.

I doubt it. People may grumble, groan, and complain, but in the end they'll buy the products they enjoy using regardless of the warranty. Eventually they'll get over the silly notion that manufacturers owe them a new rod every time they do something stupid and/or careless, and learn to take responsibility for their actions.

That's like saying Elton John is slightly effeminate or the Pope is kinda religious. I'm just sayin'...

A walk thru the fishing dept. of your local Walmart would've told you the same thing.

On most of my reels I use just enough mono to cover the spool with a single layer before tying on my braid with a double-uni knot...even the ones with "braid ready" spools.

I'm going to guess #1, but that's strictly due to the 'glass content of the rod and its inherent "whippy-ness".

X2 My favorite ones are the folks that give a product a five-star rating, but go on to say "I just bought this XYZ today and won't get to use it for another three months because our lakes are frozen, but it's the best XYZ for the money." Morons.

X2 They make pretty good crankbait rods.

I agree with K_Mac. I snapped the tip of my "trunk" rod during Spring Break trying to free my lure from a tree (don't ask), and even though the rod was under warranty, I opted to replace it out of pocket instead of sending it back to St. Croix. I screwed up, and I wouldn't feel right asking for a replacement. I think a rod should come with a one year warranty against manufacturing defects and any problems after that should be handled on a case by case basis. If your well-used four year old rod snaps on the cast, it's highly unlikely that there was a manufacturing defect and it should not be replaced by the manufacturer, but if the reel seat of that same rod breaks loose and starts to rotate round the blank, that's a defect that should be covered.

No Redington reels here. I used to have a bunch of Okuma reels (Integrity, Magnitude, Sierra, Airframe) that all worked perfectly, but I'm a huge Pflueger fan, so I sold them all and switched to the tried and true Medalist. They're simple, reliable, and have a classic look and sound that just seems to fit the classic style of the CT perfectly.

I've owned the Predator (7'10" 6wt), Crosswater (8'6" 5wt), and two of the CT's (7'6" 3wt and 8'6" 5wt) which are my favorite rods by far. The moderate action suits my natural casting stroke perfectly. It's like putting on a pair of well-worn boots.

Well, yes and no. The price isn't bad ($1.96), but you're not getting a full pack of baits, either. This pack only had 6 creatures in it.

The whole "braid ready" thing is just a gimmick. People have been using braid in spinning reels for years using "standard" spools and a bit of mono backing. If you like the way the Trion 30 feels on that rod, you'll most likely enjoy the President 30 on the same rod. If it's a good deal, jump on it.

I actually sold my Sage gear and replaced it with Redington. I just don't think I was getting my money's worth out of the Sage. I know they're American made and that's going to add a bit to the price, but I think ultimately you're just paying a premium for the Sage name. They're both owned by the same parent company (Far Bank Enterprises) and have very similar products, but the Redington stuff is made overseas so it's quite a bit cheaper.

J Francho, what's the difference between what you posted above and something like this... It's a piece of lead, a hook, and a small soft plastic. As long as the fish takes the hook into its mouth, it's no different at all.

They're a bit heavier than some more expensive reels, but I wouldn't go so far as to say they're "VERY" heavy. The PQ20 (comparable to most 2500-series reels in overall size, but not capacity) is 10.4 oz, which is only .3 oz heavier than the Shimano Symetre 2500FJ. Definitely a bit husky, but not morbidly obese.

They're all I use now. Dollar for dollar, you'll be hard pressed to find a line of rods that are nicer.