My wife and I came to an agreement years ago when it comes to fishing expenditures. I'm retiring in 2 weeks so we may have to make an adjustment.

Anyway, you have to actually fish a high end rod to see if it's a benefit to you. I personally like the looks of the NRX but you will have to go through different brands and actions and see what works for you.

I went through a Mega bass phase a few years back and decided I didn't care for a rod looking like a light saber.

The way they handled the first gen Levante defect was dumb. I had Orochi's and Destroyers and sold them all. I will never own another.

 

48 minutes ago, rangerjockey said:

you will have to go through different brands and actions and see what works for you.

 

This is how it panned out for me.  I got back into fishing around '12-'13 and started with a couple BPS rods.  Those evolved to Abu Veritas, Veracity, and some first generation 13 Omens.  I then bought the odd Loomis & St. Croix if I found them on sale.  Finally, I bought a couple of Kistler rods on sale and have stuck with them since.  They're high quality, light, very sensitive, and made in Texas.  They work for me.  I've dabbled here and there with Douglas and Fish Extreme over the last couple years, but go out with my Kistlers 99% of the time.

 

So to answer your question, "why an expensive rod?":  they're lighter, more sensitive, and feel better and less expensive rods.

I have two Cabelas rods, both 3-pc, both stashed in kayak hold for when they're needed.  

I also believe both blanks are made by TFO, and Cabela's prices are great, especially my close-out casting traveler, which was 1/4 of TFO's price for same rod/blank.

Many techniques, I can count the fish increase on good-old fashioned IM6 MM.  

Both extremes of rod-load-rating and action are where you're going to find price makes a big difference.  At the light end, extreme light weight, sensitivity, wide load range and big-fish butt-power.  

At the heavy end, MH and up, quite simply, new, better rods use less plastic resin and more structural material, so they slash weight, reduce tip weight, and improve everything about fishing them.  

@GreenTrout no offense, but I'll never get paying a royalty to have someone else's name on your tackle.  

Well, I don't know, but I'm completely satisfied with my Johnny Morris Carbon Light Casting Rods. Presently priced at $119.99 - $129.99. Of course, To Each His Own.

Good Fishing

12 hours ago, GreenTrout said:

Well, I don't know, but I'm completely satisfied with my Johnny Morris Carbon Light Casting Rods. Presently priced at $119.99 - $129.99. Of course, To Each His Own.

Good Fishing

 

You’re not alone. I was all about the Carbon Lite rods—until they switched to those white blanks. Silent boycott. Hated the look. I wanted black or at least simple colors. Now that they’ve gone back? Future purchase, no question. Just picked up the 6'9" Light (Super Finesse) rod and it’s a perfect match with my Scorpion 70 or Daiwa T3 with an SV spool. Smooth setup. Haven’t gone full BFS yet, though.

 

For moving baits, I’m rocking Dobyns for now, but I’m open to others.

 

For bottom contact? All NRX 803C and 873 CCR. Sensitivity so good I swear I can feel a bass fart on the line with craws. 

As with any hobby, you can spend as little as you want and as much as you want. As others have stated, there comes a point of diminishing returns too. It just depends on how much you are willing to spend for it.