11 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

When I was in college, used to visit the first Academy store, which was Army Surplus with a small pegboard of junk imported tackle.  That was when Oshman's was king for actual fishing tackle.  

Browning-Lew's BB-1NG on Browning Hi-Power 7-1/2' inshore rod (my 1st graphite rod) - but before I bought the Lew's, had this rod matched with Millionaire 6H (from Oshman's). Also had the reel matched with Fenglas Lunkerstick 2000 for reservoir bass.  

That’s cool stuff right there! Didn’t Academy start in Texas? I visited one for the first time around 2005 in Jackson, MS. Drove 2.5 hrs to check out Christmas sales at the Bass Pro to only be disappointed that no good sales were going on. Buddy & I decided to hit the Academy he had heard about & we were like kids in a candy store. The fishing section was about 3 times the size it is now, with like 8-9 aisles of nothing but fishing stuff! (This was before the business model was focused so much on team sports & workout apparel). We loaded up on stuff. Brands of baits we had never heard of, tons of hard baits, soft plastics, rods & reels, kayaks, small boats, you name it. It’s a shame the fishing & hunting sections have dwindled down to what they are now. I still shop there a lot because their prices are usually better than most stores.

 

 But back then, their stores were the bomb. 
 

But, back on topic about fav rods. I don’t have one. I got rods of about 10 diff brands. I’m pretty tough on my rods & break a few every 3-4 yrs. So I normally buy rods on sale in the $50-$100 range. Right now my fav rod is a $50 Daiwa AIRDX Rod. Great for throwing frogs, flukes, senkos, t rigs, jigs. And yes I got it at Academy. 
 

https://www.academy.com/p/daiwa-aird-x-braiding-x-casting-rod?sku=7-brown-medium-fast

6 hours ago, wdp said:

That’s cool stuff right there! Didn’t Academy start in Texas?...

Yes, army surplus store in Austin - located about 43rd street on the northbound IH-35 access road, in the shade of the elevated through-lanes.  Even before that - before the interstate - they were a tire shop.  

 

1 minute ago, bulldog1935 said:

Yes, army surplus store in Austin - located about 45th street on the northbound IH-35 access road, in the shade of the elevated through-lanes.  Even before that, they were a tire shop.  

Yep, thought so. My sis in law & bro in law have lived in Austin for going on 20 yrs. Visited an Academy there a couple of times. Doubt it was the original. 
 

I still miss the good old days though when the stores had more fishing gear & fishing  stuff. Miss their killer sales too that they used to have 3-4 times a year. One 4th of July I bought Power Pro braid that was 1/2 off. They never have sales like that anymore. ☹️

Though I have a few other brands and models, Fenwick is by far my favorite on spinning rods (Eagle, ET Smallmouth, ET Bass, HMG, HMX, World Class). Others I have are a couple Falcon Expert and Phoenix Feather.

 

Casting rods don't really have a set favorite. I've got a mix of the following.

Ark (Catalyzer, Tharp, Invoker LE)

Daiwa (Tatula and Elite)

Dobyns (Fury, Sierra, XP, DX)

Fenwick (Venture, Techna AV)

Kistler (Zbone, Helium, KLX)

Loomis (GL2, E6X, IMX Pro, GLX)

Megabass (Levante)

Phoenix (Feather, MBX)

Shimano (Zodias)

St Croix (Mojo, Avid, LTB, Legend X, Legend Elite)

And a few others mixed in like older Fenwick, Carrot Stix, TFO, Academy

 

Each have their place and I like different models for different things, but no particular brand jumps out like it does with my Fenwick spinning rods.

 

Kistler gets my vote.  

JDM Evergreen rods have pretty much ruined most others for me. Build quality and performance is exceptional. I do have several other rods I really like, but the EGs now makeup around 50% of my combos.

 

If I was picking an American company, I'd say ALX is tops in my opinion. 

Mine is the higher end Kastking rods.

G. Loomis fan boy checking in!!

ALX  

Falcon Rods 

 

I like my one Dobyns and would buy more if I catch them on a good sale. I don’t think they’re worth retail price though. 
 

I’d like to try a Kistler Helium, especially given that they are located about an hour from me here in Houston. They just close too early for me to make it up there after work to check out what they have, and I’ve heard very mixed experiences with their customer service. I’m not buying a $250+ rod unless I know for a fact that the manufacturer is going to back it up. Falcon does just that. 

St. Croix - the majority of my rods

G. Loomis 

Shimano

I have Shimano, Daiwa, St Croix, MB, Lew’s and 13 Fishing (pre-Rapala). I find myself gravitating more to my MB rods, but each has their purpose and place. 

In the late 80s through the late 90s, I used a lot of Berkley and Fenwick rods. My first dip into a "premium " rod brand was with G. Loomis, the old GL2 series...I wasn't impressed, haven't owned a Loomis since. 

Then for the better part of 15 or so years circa 2000 to 2015 I bounced all over the place ..more Fenwicks and Berkleys, St. Croixs, Kistlers,  Daiwa, Shimano,  Abu, BPS, Cabelas, and probably more than I can remember.  Then...for about 5 years I fished exclusively with Dobyns.  The last few years,  I have been exclusively fishing with  Ark rods. So what's my favorite....heck if I know 😆 

I own kistlers, daiwas, and st croixs. The last few years I've been fanboying on kistler as I own 4 heliums. I had a chance to handle a few of the new tatulas yesterday and was pleasantly surprised, they're at the top of the list for my next rod purchase.

Although I don’t necessarily have a favorite and like many on here I own a few different brands one thing I can say is I really like my rods especially spinning to have an enclosed locking nut or a reel nut that tightens from the bottom as the way I hold my spinning rods I rub the locking nut threads on my finger. If forced into one brand for me it would be Okuma as I feel they’re well made for the price point.

16 hours ago, Hulkster said:

 

The highest end stuff I have fished with is the Loomis IMX Pro rods and I have to say there is a big jump in sensitivity and casting distance with these rods compared to my lower end gear. They are rocket launcher casters (granted they are the 7'6 model spinning and casting ones) but still

I hope this is true.  I picked up a few used Kistler Helium 3 and Witch Doctor Shaman casting rods.  Lures used so far didn't require sensitivity.  Some of my longest casts were with a Gen1 STXL with 40# braid, 3/4 oz. spoon and a 7' MHF Jupiter rod from Walmart (a $70 rod if I remember correctly).

1 hour ago, Smirak said:

13 Fishing (pre-Rapala)

I have a couple Gen 1 Omens. They’re great $100 rods. 

14 hours ago, wdp said:

That’s cool stuff right there! Didn’t Academy start in Texas? I visited one for the first time around 2005 in Jackson, MS. Drove 2.5 hrs to check out Christmas sales at the Bass Pro to only be disappointed that no good sales were going on. Buddy & I decided to hit the Academy he had heard about & we were like kids in a candy store. The fishing section was about 3 times the size it is now, with like 8-9 aisles of nothing but fishing stuff! (This was before the business model was focused so much on team sports & workout apparel). We loaded up on stuff. Brands of baits we had never heard of, tons of hard baits, soft plastics, rods & reels, kayaks, small boats, you name it. It’s a shame the fishing & hunting sections have dwindled down to what they are now. I still shop there a lot because their prices are usually better than most stores.

 

 But back then, their stores were the bomb. 
 

But, back on topic about fav rods. I don’t have one. I got rods of about 10 diff brands. I’m pretty tough on my rods & break a few every 3-4 yrs. So I normally buy rods on sale in the $50-$100 range. Right now my fav rod is a $50 Daiwa AIRDX Rod. Great for throwing frogs, flukes, senkos, t rigs, jigs. And yes I got it at Academy. 
 

https://www.academy.com/p/daiwa-aird-x-braiding-x-casting-rod?sku=7-brown-medium-fast

The original academy in Jackson took lots of money out of my pocket. It’s done now and there’s two other locations in the area. One has an awesome selection. The guy who runs it is a fisherman and he stocks everything you want and nothing you don’t. Even stocks a small amount of JDM tackle 

On 5/5/2025 at 11:21 AM, Siebert Outdoors said:

I am really liking my St Croix right now.  I've been fishing mostly their rods for about 10 years.

No more GloomisMan?  That was your handle on the BPS forums circa 2002.  I think you were rollin with GLX's before I could afford them, lol.

1 hour ago, GReb said:

The original academy in Jackson took lots of money out of my pocket. It’s done now and there’s two other locations in the area. One has an awesome selection. The guy who runs it is a fisherman and he stocks everything you want and nothing you don’t. Even stocks a small amount of JDM tackle 

I grew up in Florence. Where/when was the original academy in Jackson? I can’t remember? 

Ark. Best bang for the buck I've found. Invoker and Tharp series specifically.

I own G loomis, daiwa, megabass, St croix, Edge, Dobyn. If I have to choose only one then G loomis. G Loomis warranty and resale value is already hard to beat.

21 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

Have at least 2 of each model.  More Smallmouths than the other models.

Little above my budget.  

 

OP, not set on just one brand.  Have approximately 25 brands.  I research and try to buy rods that have excellent reviews.  Never could force myself to pay $200 or more for a rod.  However, I probably could have bought 10 rods in the $250-$500 range and still have plenty of money left over from what I've spent on the rods I have.

 

All my Smallmouth rods were purchased new for less than $80 per rod.  Why pay $250 per rod when these catch just as many fish.  I will admit that fishing a $350 rod might give me more pleasure.

I did that when I was a kid and in the long run I actually spent more money buying budget rods than biting the bullet and getting exactly what I needed from the start.  Once you dip your feet in, its hard to deny the advantages. 

When it comes to FW bass fishing the biggest advantage a higher end rod will give you is the lightweight/sensitivity and warranty.  Other than that you can spend 120$ or 150$ and get a pretty nice rod.

Jetty and surf fishing a high quality blank is really important.  You can only carry 1 rod as well, so it has to be reliable.  Sometimes you have flip a 15 lb fish onto the rocks or try to time the sets of waves and hope your korkers hold you.  Those high quality blanks can flip a 15lb fish up on the jetty.  Other than the strength of the blank, casting distance is important, especially on our flat sandy beaches.  A 7' Century Weapon is rated .5-2oz and it can legitimately fish that entire range with good sensitivity and unreal distances.  It can match a 10' surf rod casting in its lower ranges.

5 hours ago, dk2429 said:

Falcon Rods 

I’m not buying a $250+ rod unless I know for a fact that the manufacturer is going to back it up. Falcon does just that. 

Broke an original Techna AV.  Was no longer in production.  Called Falcon and explained how I broke it.  100% my fault.  They sent me a $200 Cara for $80.

5 hours ago, ww2farmer said:

In the late 80s through the late 90s, I used a lot of Berkley and Fenwick rods. My first dip into a "premium " rod brand was with G. Loomis, the old GL2 series...I wasn't impressed, haven't owned a Loomis since. 

Then for the better part of 15 or so years circa 2000 to 2015 I bounced all over the place ..more Fenwicks and Berkleys, St. Croixs, Kistlers,  Daiwa, Shimano,  Abu, BPS, Cabelas, and probably more than I can remember.  Then...for about 5 years I fished exclusively with Dobyns.  The last few years,  I have been exclusively fishing with  Ark rods. So what's my favorite....heck if I know 😆 

Thanks for posting.  I'm very glad to see you are still around.  

6 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

Broke an original Techna AV.  Was no longer in production.  Called Falcon and explained how I broke it.  100% my fault.  They sent me a $200 Cara for $80.

Exactly. I've heard some good about Kistler customer service, but I've also heard some bad. You don't hear about bad with Falcon (at least I haven't.) My experience with them has always been 10/10.