Alright.. I'm sitting here with nothing but punky ice and blown out Rivers.. needless to say, IM GOING NUTS!!

 

So a question I just thought of.. do you think it's more important to spend more money on your rods or reels? 

 

I can really sway both ways on this.. but looking at my setups, my baitcasters are all $130-300 and my rods are all around $100-150.. I think it's easier to spend more on a reel but I'm not sure if it's the right way.. 

 

Thoughts??

I highly recommend spending more on the rod. IMO it's an easy decision for me.

It makes the most sense. I agree.  I just never noticed the discrepancy I have from my reels to rods

I'll spend more on the rod.  Most of mine are fairly balanced as far as price goes.  $100-200 rods paired with $100-200 reels.  

 

I've got no problem with putting a Black Max on a $200 rod, but I will not put an MGX on an Ugly Stik.  Any reel will cast. Even cheap ones will launch a lure and retrieve it, but a $20 rod is like fishing with a piece of lumber.  

Reels make the "fishing" more fun.  

 

Rods make fishing more fun.    Assuming you are using it where sensitivity is important,   jigs, worms, bottom contact lures, etc .  

If I had to choose, the reel is no good if your only bringing back a worm......so rod.

that said there is something to be said about a snimano conquest or met mgl in your hands

My rods and reels are about equal in cost, maybe a bit more rod heavy if you factor in my labor to build the rod.

I have spent more money on my casting rods then reels and less money on my spinning rods then reels. Swimbait rods and reels are about equal. My reels tend to out last my rods.

Tom

Just now, WRB said:

I have spent more money on my casting rods then reels and less money on my spinning rods then reels. Swimbait rods and reels are about equal. My reels tend to out last my rods.

Tom

That's the thing.. I'll spend 150-200 on a reel and it will last me a lot longer than my rods.. I am mostly a bank fisherman so I have a tendency to break tips or eyelets.. 

 

I mean in all reality, I use to catch fish with a zebco back when I was a kid and it was still fun! I wish I could afford a $500-600 set up, I just don't see a point in it fishing from a bank or small craft.. I don't know if I could ever justify it even with a bass boat.. but I bet it would sure be nice to use one! 

25 minutes ago, S Hovanec said:

My rods and reels are about equal in cost, maybe a bit more rod heavy if you factor in my labor to build the rod.

Ditto! 

40 minutes ago, Adam.love05 said:

That's the thing.. I'll spend 150-200 on a reel and it will last me a lot longer than my rods.. I am mostly a bank fisherman so I have a tendency to break tips or eyelets.. 

 

I mean in all reality, I use to catch fish with a zebco back when I was a kid and it was still fun! I wish I could afford a $500-600 set up, I just don't see a point in it fishing from a bank or small craft.. I don't know if I could ever justify it even with a bass boat.. but I bet it would sure be nice to use one! 

I fish my most expensive setup from the bank.  No putting it down no stepping on it.  My best setup is the same price rod and reel.  The rod was bought used so the msrp goes to the rod.

I expect my rods to last MUCH longer than my reels. I started upgrading my rods just a few years ago, and my reels have been lasting about 10 years. I am probably the least picky person with rods. I really can't tell much difference between $60-$70 rods and $300 rods. I've been buying all St. Croix Avids the last few years not so much because I can feel the difference but because I can afford them. I can't be seen using inexpensive gear, I have appearances I must keep up.  They are a bit more expensive than my reels which are all $150-$200 spinning or baitcasting.

Rod get the nod.

I’d go for spending more on a reel than a rod. To me, as an inexperienced bank beater, a reel is much more versatile. Bass fishing rods can get so technique specific that it doesn’t make sense for me to spend $200 on a rod (maybe get a good MH all around rod). But, I could see myself spending $200 on a reel that I would use to throw every single bait in my arsenal. I can always move a reel from an extra H rod to a M rod, but I can’t change an extra H rod into a M rod, if that makes any sense.  

Depends on the technique. I don't need a $300 rod to throw crankbaits, but a $300 rod makes bottom-contact fishing much more fun. Reels, I don't think it matters much. As long as it's durable, I find that weight and refinement are the only things you really get more for your money. 

Rod. Weight and balance are the most important things to me. $150-$300 range for rods, $100-$200 range for reels, typically. 

I feel like both are important. I bank fish so casting distance is a hugeeeee factor for me. So naturally I started out leaning towards high end reels. To date I fish shimano cores and chonarch mlgs. But later down the road someone introduced me to this website which introduced me to the world of custom rod building. When I relocated to GA I sold all of my mid level rods keeping the shimano reels. Im rebuilding my entire setup from the ground up through Mike with high end blanks. Right now Mike is working on a wood grip handle rainshadow eternity blank for me. 

 

So I guess my point is in the beginning not being as talented as I pretend I am now at casting with a baitcaster a reel was more important. Now that I can cast a blackmax without a backlash, I lean towards rods being more important. So i tend to go high end rod mid level reels.

When I look at the majority of my reels and rods, I tend to favor reels.  Reasons why, one I need a certain feel, ease of casting and refinement makes it more fun.  I do spend my money on 150-200, for moving baits I use cheaper rods, for bottom contact I go all out..GLX, Cumulus.  I found though my Zodias rods can do it all.  Those are still my current favourite flavour.

I think it depends on the type of fishing application. Fishing salt water, offshore for big game I'd probably invest a lot more in the reel.

 

Personally I spend more on rods than reels. Fishing for small trout, I've used a 10 dollar reel with a 150 dollar rod.

46 minutes ago, Dtrombly said:

Rod. Weight and balance are the most important things to me. $150-$300 range for rods, $100-$200 range for reels, typically. 

Sounds about right 

Rods for me. 

Gotta go rods here, but certainly depends on the technique. Bottom contact definitely rod. Moving baits I guess rod wins as well. Seriously do you need a better reel than a Shimano Chronarch e7 or a Diawa Zillion tws or Tatula tws. Even spinning reels for $100-150 you can get a smooth long lasting reel - Diawa or Shimano. Reels and rods can be priced shopped on the internet and you should not pay retail for either. 

6 hours ago, WRB said:

I have spent more money on my casting rods then reels and less money on my spinning rods then reels...

Tom

I had never thought about before, but I have done just the opposite.  My casting outfits have more expensive reels while my spinning outfits have more expensive rods.

 

No wonder I have never caught a bass over 17lbs, I've been doing everything backwards!! 

A quality reel will last a lifetime ?