The polls are closed, and CNN is ready to declare Shimano the winner in a landslide in the reel category.

The polls just opened in the great rod debate  of 2007. Let your voice be heard. Write in votes are welcomed. I'm sure I left some off, such as Browning, but I tried to list the higher end products that I own or would consider buying.

My picks, in order:

1. Powell

2. Loomis

3. St. Croix

I have 1 Quantum but I favor Berkly Cherrywood.  Have 3 of those.

I've got around 5 or 6 Allstars and around 7 or 8 BPS Extremes and cranking sticks.  I like both. I'll probably change my worm rods from the Extremes  to Allstar Platinums next year or St Croix Avids.  I do have a really nice Quantum Tour PT spinning rod that I really like also.  There are lots of nice rods out there these days.  I say find one and give it a try.  As someone who buys and sells I get to try a lot of them out and they're all well made and very good when you're spending over say $100 for a rod.

I picked G. Loomis but you might have added BPS's rods to your list.  They too are quite popular.

Shimano here out of them choices i like arrius also but how can u beat a rod with a lifetime warrenty for 40 bucks and with a great action (convergance) and step up 20 bucks (clarus) u get fuji reels seats and more choices in actions .If loomis sold there rods for half the price they wanted and added a over the counter warrenty from there dealer they might have a chance .BUT loomis is the BEST when it comes to tech specific rods wow they got like 150 diff choices...

G-Loomis but I tell ya Kistler is very close- the Magnesium TS rod line is amazing and affordable.  The GLX is still tops tho.  I may get more value out of my Kistler Mag TS'   great rods let me tell ya

G-Loomis

Kistler

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.

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everything else

None of the above.

But, if I had to pick from that list, I'd take Powell.

Brad

All Kistler, I love their Magnesium TS  and Graphite Plus rods. I just hope I'll be able to afford a Helium LTA one day.

My current line-up:

2 G. Loomis GLX

1 St. Croix Legend Elite

2 St. Croix Avid

1 Fenwick Techna AV

1 Lamiglas

Going forward, I plan to purchase G.Loomis exclusively.

My current line up

2 Loomis GLX

4 Loomis IMX

1 Loomis BounceBack

3 Lamiglas

2 St. Croix SCIII

I am partial G-Loomis rods.

Ronnie

I have tried the GLoomis and the Kistler very nice rods extremely light and sensitive and nice backbone. However these rods are pretty expensive and they were not on the list of choices I was aware of when I did the majority of my Rod buying. My rod arsenal consists mainly of Castaway Rods (22) and All-Star Rods (4) exclusively.

I will stand firm as the lone voice for Fenwick, although I doubt I will replace my St. Croix spinning rod because I like the higher power of their mediums for that rod.  

I Picked St. Croix and fish with Triumph, Premier and Avid models. I have been looking at the Legend tour, Legend elite and G.Loomis IMX/GLX for when I want to step up in quality. One make that I'm interested in and was not on the list is Falcon. This may only be a lateral move from the Croix Avid though.

still Loomis  the same as it has been for several years

for a younger fella on a budget i love the shimano compre.  when i think of loomis, things get hazy and i ask myself if im dreaming :

out of all the rods i have my Fenwick Venture is my faverite.

Custom's  

Custom's  

That's what it's about!  ;D

Ronnie

Overall I love Loomis rods.  But at the current time I am running Loomis rod for when I need more sensitivity and Crucials for where I need a great rod but not as much sensitivity.

It's really very simple.  Do as much research as you can, and then buy the very best rod THAT YOU CAN AFFORD    With few exceptions,  almost all rods in any person's price range will perform pretty much equally all across the board.  For example, if you buy a $20 rod, you can pretty much expect that most every rod in your price range will be equal in their quality.

As you move up in price, the quality and the sensitivity of the rod goes up, but your ability to catch bass does not increase at the same rate.

I had to vote St Criox because thats what I have been using up till now.   I just ordered a new Loomis IMX MBR 843c 7' mh  and waiting to get it before I can say anything about Loomis rods.  Hopefully I wont be dissapointed.  I'm going tommorow to BPS to get a new reel for it.  I'm thinking a Chronarch 100b should go nicely with it

If Kistler Lta's were around when I started building my own rods, I wouldn't have bothered!

In my experience, Daiwa, Shimano and St Croix all offer excellent blanks at a fair price.

If you're in the market for something esoteric, you might be happier with a Kistler, Loomis or Megabass  8-)

Roger

I voted for Shimano. My Clarus even though it is only $60 dollar rod has taken a beating, I also have a St.Croix Triumph that I personally hate and a Bps Extreme Spinning rod. I just received a Key Largo  spinning rod for Christmas that I plan on using for Inshore saltwater. I may try to get another one for heavier applications. I am looking at getting a 7ft. Casting rod.  My ulimate choice in rods are Cape Fear rods, my wife has one that I won as door prize. For saltwater those are the best rods. I know they use to make a technical bass rod but I am not sure how well it was made. It is a shame that htey had to close the factory here in Wilmington where I live. > My rods serve a dual purpose as I tend to saltwater fish than Bass fish, however if I were going to strictly bass fish I would upgrade to a Shimano Compre or the Crucial series. ;D

Big T

None of the above.

I pick Falcon Cara Reactions