Wanted to know what everyone’s favorite brand when it comes to Rods and reels

The reel part is easy. 14 casting reels. All Shimanos. (Don't fish spinning.)

 

I have and fish rods from 7 different companies. Love them all.

Daiwa spinning reels

Shimano casting reels

Favorite spinning rod is St Croix Avid 8' ML/Mod

Favorite casting rod is Quantum Smoke 7' M/F gen 1

Don't have 5...

Shimano reels

Fenwick and Loomis rods. 

 

 

 

 

Mike

Reels would only be shimano and daiwa and a company we can’t say

 

Rods 

 

- g. Loomis 

- kistler 

- st. Croix 

- dobyns 

- that same company 

Reels; Daiwa and Shimano

Rods; Custom ALX, Dobyns, IRod, Major Craft and G.Loomis, Lamiglas crankbait and swimbait rods.

That is what is in my rod locker today.

Tom

Rods: Megabass, G Loomis, St Croix, Shimano, Daiwa (But mostly G Loomis and Megabass)

Reels: Shimano and Daiwa

Best of the best!

Dobyns rods

Daiwa reels

Bass Pro rods

Lews baitcasters

Daiwa or Shimano spinning reels

Great comments guys!

 As far as reels I only use is shimano and Daiwa

 Rods is Kister. Kistler is my #1 go to rod then St. Croix and G. Loomis.. Iv been seeing a lot of good reviews on Dobyns I personally have never used one but interested in trying one out.. any suggestions on which rod to try.. I mainly do texas rig, jigs and poppers??

Reels - Quantum & Pflueger

Rods - whatever feels good usually in the $100-$140 range

Rods- shimano, daiwa and lews

Reels- shimano daiwa and lews

Reels- lews, shimano, pflueger.  Rods- falcon, st Croix and the number above 12

1 hour ago, Texas Rig Adam said:

Great comments guys!

 As far as reels I only use is shimano and Daiwa

 Rods is Kister. Kistler is my #1 go to rod then St. Croix and G. Loomis.. Iv been seeing a lot of good reviews on Dobyns I personally have never used one but interested in trying one out.. any suggestions on which rod to try.. I mainly do texas rig, jigs and poppers??

For poppers with a bait casting reel Major Craft Don Iovino a splash-It Custom NAC-T681MS1 is ideal.

Texas rigged soft plastics requires more input from you; line type/lb test, o/a weight range of the rig and cover or structure you plan fish.

Tom

Shimano baitcasters 

diawa spinning reels

Rods-

st croix 

powell

duckett

shimano

 

My personal favorites for rods and reels are..

 

Reels: Shimano and Daiwa

Rods: G. Loomis and St. Croix

 

But don't get me wrong, I own rods and reels from many other brands as well and enjoy using them too.

 

The one brand I don't own, but want to own, is a Megabass rod. Those rods just look like a piece of art. One day.

Casting reels: Daiwa

Spinning reels:  Daiwa

Rods:  Depends on what I need from the rod. I own Powell, Fenwick, Lews, and Abu Garcia. I’m thrilled with each for their purpose except for one Abu Garcia which will eventually be replaced with a Powell. But I have another Abu that I love so...

 

Rods >> BPS, Cabela's, Allstar, Abu Garcia and Fenwick.

 

Reels >> Pflueger, Shimano, BPS, Cabela's and Quantum.  

 

Good fishing...

Reels: One and three fishing and Shimano

 

Rods: Dobyns and Shakespeare

Rods: ***, Abu Garcia, Kistler, Fenwick.

 

Reels: ***, Diawa, Shimano, Pflueger (spinning).

Reels

Spinning: Shimano 

Casting: Diawa

Rods

Dobyns mostly with a few Shimano and St Croix

 

Reels: Daiwa

 

Rods: Dobyns and Megabass

4 hours ago, Texas Rig Adam said:

Great comments guys!

 As far as reels I only use is shimano and Daiwa

 Rods is Kister. Kistler is my #1 go to rod then St. Croix and G. Loomis.. Iv been seeing a lot of good reviews on Dobyns I personally have never used one but interested in trying one out.. any suggestions on which rod to try.. I mainly do texas rig, jigs and poppers??

Dobyns fury 735c. 

Baitcasting Rods:

1) Daiwa Tatula (I have 3 models: Tatula, Tatula XT, Tatula Elite).  Best overall based on the combination of price (they are best for that in my list), sensitivity, power.

 

2) Megabass Orochi - outstanding!  But because Daiwa is outstanding too, and the Daiwa price is better, Megabass is a close #2 on my list.

 

3) Kistler, great overall rod.  Helium is lighter than air, I only have one of their rods, if I had more and a stronger opinion, they could potentially contend for #1.

 

4) Dobyns.  The most expensive I own and I have 3 Extreme HP models.  Light - and the absolute best balanced rod I’ve ever had (especially HEAVY models) but they fall down the list because they don’t have the sensitivity of the above models.  A bit of a “numb” feeling for such an expensive stick!  Otherwise great.

 

99) My former favorite rod that has been out-classed so much by the rods above is St. Croix.  It pains me to say it after years of touting them as the best rods on earth - but they are the most tip-heavy rods I have ever had to contend with.   Never thought this until I started using other rods (which I was reluctant to do for years) but the MH and H St Croix models are lead-tipped beasts. 

 

Spinning rods:

I’m pretty much all baitcasting now, but I still occasionally use a Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth rod in 6’-8” Medium Extra Fast. The best spinning rod I have ever used regardless of price, and THE best handle ever made - and then they discontinued it!!  Bring it back Fenwick - even if you have to raise the price.  

 

Baitcasting reels:

If skipping is an option for anything you do, there is only one option IMO: Daiwa SV.  I have Tatulas, Zillions and a Steez and they are the only baitcasting reels I can actually skip a lure and not pick out a rats nest every other cast.  

 

If not skipping, I like Lews and Shimano too.  Lews LFS at $100 is hard to beat from a value standpoint.  

As far as reels go, I’m a huge fan of Abu Garcia and Lews. Both are on similar platforms and I love how both of them fish

 

I’m not near as loyal when it comes to rods, but out of my arsenal, I really like my Loomis rod and my Daiwa Rods. They both are super sensitive, and both companies make some of the best rods in the industry imo