Everyone knows that Shakespeare products are pretty much entry level  items.

Anyone swear by their rods and reels? Ive used their stuff before and cant really find too much fault with the stuff. If your a budget minded fisherman,the stuff will get you by.

Anyone care to share their thoughts experiences or opinions on this product line?

Everyone knows that Shakespeare products are pretty much entry level items.

Anyone swear by their rods and reels? Ive used their stuff before and cant really find too much fault with the stuff. If your a budget minded fisherman,the stuff will get you by.

Anyone care to share their thoughts experiences or opinions on this product line?

It will get you by if you are just a light weekend warrior.If you are an hardcore angler like a lot of us are here,you are better off spending the money on something that will last.

I have yet to by a Shakespeare product of cheap quality to last.

I have one combo which serves as my bluegill/panfish....gets used maybe 4-5 times out of the year...had for 3 years now....the reel is going out on it soon.

I was a Shakespeare fan starting in the 1960s when I first bought a Shakespeare Wonderod fly rod, through the mid-1980s, when I bought a battery of Shakespeare Sigma 2200 spinning reels. During this time, Shakespeare was a mainstream, mid-range brand with some good products. Since then, they've gone "down-market" and I haven't bought a Shakespeare product (new) in 25 years. I think there's better options out there nowadays.

I still use my Sigma 2200 spinning reels as my primary spinning reels and they give good service, and I still have my Wonderod, but I am not a fan of the current product line.

FWIW - a nice 3 pounder that I caught just a few hours ago - on a Shakespeare Sigma 2200ck size 035 !

Good for kids and adults who don't fish much.

Unless you are 5 years old or only fish 2-3 times per year, avoid Shakespeare rods and reels.

its good for buying on vacation, beating the hell out of, and leaving there.

Say what you will but there is a use for the Ugly Stik line of rods. Not finesse bass fishing by any means, but for catfishing, carp, panfish, and even some bass fishing (whitebass and stripers for me, or for a cheap crankbait rod), they are good, and do not feel at all like they would not last. I have an Ugly Stik Lite Pro that I have had for more than 10 years, used heavily, and it's still in good fishable condition. Guide wrappings are starting to show signs of needing new epoxy due to cracking the old stuff off slightly but otherwise it's in very good shape and none of the guides are actually loose.

But if not for the Ugly Stik line of rods I would have no use at all for Shakespeare stuff.

no.

Generally cheap and low quality, with the exception of the Ugly Stick line. The ugly stick lites make decent crank and topwater rods, and the heavier ugly sticks are good for large, hard hitting fish like pike or catfish. The reels are utter junk though.

no.

There's one in every crowd and you're it.

I probably have 7 Ugly stik rods, I have these for my family to use because I know they are very hard to break.  I have yet to have one snap in half, hell I have even had one have a car door shut on one with nothing happening to the rod. 

I also have one for my cranking rod which works great, and one for my catfishing setup which is an awesome rod for big fish.

All in all the Ugly Stik isn't a bad rod for certain situations but I would stay away from the reels.

If I was ever in a pinch and needed a rod for cheap, an ugly stick lite would be a good way to go.  They have their place in the market and for live bait fishing, an ugly stick is at the top of my list.  FWIW my dad has a Shakespeare Dimension reel that he uses for crappie, it's basically a Pflueger President, even has the rosewood handle and makes use of the one way clutch.

They have there place. I keep a few for other people to use, or if I'm fishing a small creek up the river and put my canoe in. I would not want to take one of my St. Croix rods to get beat up, so I throw in the ugly stick. If thats all you can afford or are just a couple outings a month fisherman by all means, I would suggest the Ugly Stick Lite.

i think for the money they are fine.  i know there are many hi-end guys here that look down on them, but i am not one.  meaning....i'm not a a hi-end ($300 and up) rod guy.

i own 2 ugly stick lite..7' med and they work just fine.

are they as good as the hi-end stuff??  guessin' not.  but do you catch less fish with them??  maybe in certain applications.  i fish 3-5 times a week and like them just fine.  would i like to be able to get a hi-end rod...sure.  but i'd like a corvette too.  you don't NEED hi-end stuff to catch fish.  i just finished a tourney with the KVD of our club, he had plenty of hi-end stuff but he didn't laugh at my 2 ugly sticks and 2 daiwa tierra's....

so, if thats what you can afford...they work well.

imho

I've had issues with the Shakespeare customer service department. I've found them snotty and difficult to work with.  I'd need a real good reason to deal with them again and I don't know what that would be.

eh.

i like their 'free' tackle bag offer with their rods. holds all my gear just fine.

got no complaints...keep an ultra light in my truck to stop and fish those places you stumble on and as spares for friends and family when they come by.

"Temporary"

Among my rod and reel collection I have 2 Shakespere Ugly Sticks, one baitcast and one spinning, and like them. I think their reels are cheap junk though. I have 1 Shakespere spinning reel / rod combo that is for the grandkids . It rarely leaves the house.

I've had issues with the Shakespeare customer service department. I've found them snotty and difficult to work with. I'd need a real good reason to deal with them again and I don't know what that would be.

They are here in Columbia, SC. I'll go talk to them for ya ;D

I have 2 Shakespere Dimension spinning reels ,no nothing hi dollar but they have caught many stout river smallmouth and are still smooth as new.I take care of them [cleaning and lubeing]and they serve me well.

Ugly stick.............depends on the quarry.

Just pulling a statistic out of thin air I would say at least 1/3 of rods here in saltwater are uglies, with a 4 or 5000 spinning reel on them.  The guys I fish with for cudas just about all use them.  Cast far, ton of backbone and last almost forever.

Ugly Stiks aren't bad for the cost, I tossed a shimano sodona on a couple of them. My girlfriend seems pretty happy with them but then again she spends most of her time tanning on the back of the boat though.

Say what you will but there is a use for the Ugly Stik line of rods. Not finesse bass fishing by any means, but for catfishing, carp, panfish, and even some bass fishing (whitebass and stripers for me, or for a cheap crankbait rod), they are good, and do not feel at all like they would not last. I have an Ugly Stik Lite Pro that I have had for more than 10 years, used heavily, and it's still in good fishable condition. Guide wrappings are starting to show signs of needing new epoxy due to cracking the old stuff off slightly but otherwise it's in very good shape and none of the guides are actually loose.

But if not for the Ugly Stik line of rods I would have no use at all for Shakespeare stuff.

thats the only shakespeare product i know that has quality.. i have several of those rods for ultra lights, catfish and some saltwater fishing.. for the $$ they are rock solid tough. makes for great catfishing rods

I have a shakespeare Dimension spinning reel in the 30 size that I like for throwing lighter baits. I bought it in combination with a cabelas tourney trail rod. I have caught many fish with it and have had nary a problem. I also owned at one time two dimension plus baitcasting reels that had mag braking system and 10 or 11 ball bearings. I liked them both, very smooth, price was right, and I learned to fish baitcasters with them. I have since moved on and sold them to buy others, but there was nothing wrong with them for the two summers I used them.

I sold them to a fellow on another forum, and has emailed two times since, commenting on how nice they were. Much better than his pflueger echelon, according to him.

Like most others here, I have moved up in my gear selection, but I can not say one bad word about either of my shakespeare products.