Are they worth a look im a st croix guy but open to cheaper alternitives.Wondering if these are a good choice to look into?

I have the zx Cranking rod. 7'5 mh. I am pleased with my purchase. I believe I bought mine for around 70 bucks when they went on sale. The winn grips are a huge plus. 

I have two Pro Guide spinning rods that feel at least as good as my Shimano Zodias.  They've been durable workhorses and cost under $40.00.

I am a St Croix guy and all my back ups are Cabelas Tourney ZX or Arachnid.  Wait for them to go on sale and pick a couple.

I think you would do better to look at a Dobyns Fury series rod instead. They will fish more like your St Croix.  In fact I am replacing my ST Croixs with Dobyns Sierras and Champion XPs.

I have the Cabelas Tourney Trail 6'6" mh/mf Casting Rod that I used for chatterbaits. I love that rod and I have no problems horsing fish in. All cabelas rods have a lifetime warranty. I have nothing bad to say about my rod, I actually recommend them guys that fish on a budget like me.

There Tournament ZX are great rods, even better for the price. I had a St. Croix Mojo Bass and sold it for a Tournament ZX topwater baitcasting, difference was night and day. While the St. Croix seemed stiff, heavy, and like a broomstick the Tournament ZX felt like a medium light compared to it and has tackled all bass and northerns thrown at it. The spinning rods are the same. All of my newer rods are Cabelas Tournament ZX. However, I did just buy a Dobyn's Fury casting rod on sale to change things up. 

 

I did a review here. The only negative on the rods is that the butt sometimes comes unglued. Not sure if they've fixed that problem yet. I haven't bought a new one in awhile. They are a great rod at $100 and a steal at $69 which they often go on sale for. I would wait and buy them at $69. 

 

I know that they also won Outdoor Life's best bang for the buck a few years ago.

 

 

 

On 7/8/2017 at 7:08 PM, fishnkamp said:

I think you would do better to look at a Dobyns Fury series rod instead. They will fish more like your St Croix.  In fact I am replacing my ST Croixs with Dobyns Sierras and Champion XPs.

So, you've fished all the Cabela's rods? 

I really like the ZX as well great grip, blank and reel seat! they also state what technique is best on each rod, and cover all the different lures in their models.

Jeff H I have only fished 4 Cabelas rods, so no not all of them. I still fish 2 Tourney Trail IM7 rods when I troll for white perch. Those, along with the Daiwa Accu Depth line counter reels, make a very nice weapon to troll with. They do really well on walleye, and white perch.  The other Cabela rods belonged to a couple of anglers I took out on my boat for some bass and striper fishing.  After fishing many brands I have come to really like most of the Dobyns, Powells, and Irods. I believe they give a very good value for their price range. My Dobyns are in their higher Sierra and Champion lines.  I do have a friend fishing 4 Dobyns Fury rods and I have fished with 2 out of the four, and cast the other 2. I have nothing against the Cabelas rods, just like I still fish a few Bass Pro extremes.

However I have seen the Fury rods fish very well and thought I would express that opinion. 

Who makes the Cabelas rods for them? Daiwa? Because I'm pretty sure Daiwa makes their reels. 

 

The Cabelas guy told me that their Cabelas brand reels are just Daiwa and that you actually get a better price than if you buy the Daiwa model. 

18 minutes ago, tcbass said:

Who makes the Cabelas rods for them? Daiwa? Because I'm pretty sure Daiwa makes their reels. 

 

The Cabelas guy told me that their Cabelas brand reels are just Daiwa and that you actually get a better price than if you buy the Daiwa model. 

 

I don't know what I've done here to format this like so but bear with me.

About 15 years ago there was a rumor that Loomis supplied the blanks for certain Cabelas rods.  Now it was just a rumor and I certainly never believed it but the fact people were talking about it only says 1 thing about Cabelas rods.  They are quality for the money.  

I own 2 of the older fish eagle II casting rods.  1 I've had for over 15 years, and the other I picked up on Ebay this year because I like the original one so much.  I can't speak for the current fish eagle rods but the versions I own are light, sensitive as can be and have a very consistent flex to them, ie the flex lower down the rod rather than just the tip that today's extra fast have where all the flex is in the last 12 inches of the tip.  I use 1 paired with a Chronarch MGL for bottom contact and throwing weightless senkos, and the other paired with a Curado I for texas rigs and smaller crainkbaits.  The model of the ones I own are 663 their equivalent of medium/light flex and are for tight shore and kayak fishing.  I can easily feel what kind of terrain the bait is on during bottom contact and any nibbles are quite obvious with these.  Casting a weightless senko is where these really excel IMO.  I've landed 6 lb LMB and 5 lb SMB with these and they have been well up to the task.

 I would not hesitate to suggest these and I would certainly pick up one of the newer versions if I was in the market another rod.  That said I do value what Fishnkamps input as always, and probably will be picking up a Dobyn's fury at the end of the season when the bait monkey makes me buy another reel.  Trust me when I tell you he isn't the first nor last to swear by the Dobyn's line, and that's all I need to give them a shot.  In the end no rod or reel is right for everyone, pick one up in the store and see how it feels in your hand.

OWN the old Fish Eagle II casting rod >> excellent rod >> med. fast action 6 ft. >> OWN the Pro Guide casting med 6' 6" fast action broke from my actions >> Called Cabela's >> sent another one. Great rod for the price. Bought both when on sale.  

 

Really like the way the palm swell reel seat on spinning rods fits in my hand. Theres alot of spinning rods on the market that just dont naturally fit the way your hand grips something, mainly the minimalist designs.

I own 3 pro guide Cabelas rods and think that for a inexpensive rod you can't beat them. My first one was a med/light trout rod. My other rods are a 6'6" med/heavy and a 7'2" med/heavy. 

5 hours ago, craww said:

Really like the way the palm swell reel seat on spinning rods fits in my hand. Theres alot of spinning rods on the market that just dont naturally fit the way your hand grips something, mainly the minimalist designs.

 

That was a big selling point for me.  When I picked it up it fit like an old shoe.  Take a lot of stress off your wrist. Skeletal seats feel like fishing with a dowel rod.

I own 4 XML rods and they are my absolote favorites. I have a Fish Eagle also and for the money it's a great rod.

 

Those XML rods are really good rods. The ones i have--split grip-- have never gave me an issue. They came with a 25year warranty card, no questions or money to exchange.

 

They are much better made than xmls today also.

For $69 bucks you will not find a better rod than the Zx... most people that fish them say they are better than any $100 rod on the market... the best part about them is the lifetime warranty.. I brought back 3 of them no questions asked and they gave me a new one..Insert came out.. stepped on one.. and closed my rod box lid on one! 

1 hour ago, SwampLife said:

For $69 bucks you will not find a better rod than the Zx... most people that fish them say they are better than any $100 rod on the market... the best part about them is the lifetime warranty.. I brought back 3 of them no questions asked and they gave me a new one..Insert came out.. stepped on one.. and closed my rod box lid on one! 

 

 

Did you tell them how you broke the last two? 

I just picked up 2 Cabelas Arachnid rods for $49.99 each.  These are great rods and a steal at that price!

54 minutes ago, Fishin Dad said:

I just picked up 2 Cabelas Arachnid rods for $49.99 each.  These are great rods and a steal at that price!

Were they Bargain Cave deals, or did it look like they marked them all down?  I might have to go check out my Cabela's.

39 minutes ago, nstec said:

Were they Bargain Cave deals, or did it look like they marked them all down?  I might have to go check out my Cabela's.

I've never seen them marked that low! In any case $50 for an Arachnid is a steal!

They were in the racks on the show floor.   Still marked $199.99.   I had seen them on sale online, so I grabbed one and price checked it on the scanner thing in-store.  It said $49.99.   I held that one and sent my daughter back to the scanner with other rods.   Some rang up $79.99 or $99.99.   I found 2 that rang up $49.99 and bought both.   The sales guy asked if there were more left ( he said he wanted to get one for that price).  The checker lady also questioned me.   She looked at the $199.99 tag and acted like I was cheating them or something.   I was happy.   They are camouflaged well with no mark down tags or signage anywhere.   Good luck!!!

That's a steal...I have 3 of the salt Stryker Winn grip rods when they went on clearance.  Great great rods.  I also have a zx cranking rod and it's my go to for squarebills, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits