High End Rods To Lower End Rods?

[Mr.Bass]

After watching the Lake Fork Tournament and a few other Elite events I am seeing more lower priced rods having more of an impact on fishing.
I have started to make the move from high end rods such as Loomis NRX to lower middle priced rods.
For me, I laid my hands on a few Ark rods and must say for the price the Invoker Pro Series has some sweet rods in the $150 price range as well at the Tharp Series for $130.
It got me thinking I may be replacing or adding more of these to my line up with some of these rod.
I have some NRX's that will never go away and certainly will not be replaced by these lower priced rods.

I am sure this would be the case with ALX, Halo, IRod etc..... I think the move from high end with an up tick in material has made some of the lower priced models more appealing.

What are your thoughts on all High End or a mix of both to get what you want our of your rods?

[wash-n-lures]

I am facing the same struggle / thought process right now. I have several G Loomis NRX bait casting rods but I want a nice spinning rod. I have done a lot of research on here and it really has my head spinning. My current thought process (coming only from reading on-line and asking questions, not from actual product comparison) - is that you are correct. New technology / new materials have significantly improved the performance and sensitivity of mid level ($150-$200) rods. Now trying to decide which brand to go with can be signifcantly confusing. Anxious to read the opinions of others....

[patelt78]

ST. Croix Victory... I don;t have one yet but want the 6'10" medium light spinning. I have an nrx 852s and megabass addermine, but he victory is rated to throw really light stuff (1/16 oz). SO, I am likely going to get one at some point.

[NathanDLTH]

There is a place and time for high end rods, but the majority of the time we as bass fisherman can accomplish the task at hand with a 150-275 dollar rod. Where high end rods do well is jigs and Texas rigs, drop shots, or anything that requires bite detection or where you need to feel bottom composition. But even then most of us don’t need $500 rods, at most 350 dollar rod would suit us just fine. The differences are minute if you ask me, maybe someone else can add more who has more experience with high end rods. I thought my Daiwa elites with AGS guides were high end… then I bought a Dobyns xtasy…. LOL

[SWbass]

Seems Jacob Wheeler does pretty good with $139 rods

[ECobb91]

Just like anything, you hit a certain point where you pay more for the name than you do function.

perfect example is Lexus. You pay more for the same brand and function of a Toyota just to have a more refined product and the ability to say you own a 70k car. Still gets you from point A to point B but it’s all the little extras that add up.

[new2BC4bass]

I've been working my way up to $150-$200 rods.

[ttranger]

The true "premium high-end" rods are those in the $400 - $600 range. Yes, they have great blanks built with the best components and they feel wonderful, but you don't need rods like that to be successful. You really don't even need the $200 - $400 rods to catch lots of fish. There are many fine rods in the $125 - $200 range, and there are people who catch lots of fish and win plenty of tournaments with rods under $100.

The best rods are extremely light and sensitive, but if you spend most of your time chunking spinnerbaits in shallow water you will find lots of very nice rods for $100. Most manufacturers encourage their pros to use a wide range of their products because the average consumer can't afford to buy $300 rods and reels. If guys like KVD use and promote rods and reels that are in the $90 - $150 range they will work just fine for the rest of us.

If you can afford a $500 rod with a $400 reel go for it, but it won't make you catch a lot more fish.

[kickerfish1]

Too an extent the higher end rods can really help a newbie angler get a feel for what is going on at the end of their line. While an experienced angled can make do with a budget or mid tier rod. They have caught thousands of bass and don’t need much “help” from the rod to tell them what is going on. For years my Texas rig rod was a $150 Gen 2 Dobyns Savvy 734. This was there lowest tier rod at that time. I have no doubts if I still used it for those apps I wouldn’t be disadvantaging myself too much.

Plus pros get paid to use certain brands or rods. When Aaron Martens moved from Megabass to Enigma you can’t tell me he thought Enigma Rods was an upgrade or would help him. They simply offered him more $.

[Southcoast Bassin]

It’s actually comical when you look at the big picture!
Wheeler , Christie , Hackney , Defoe , Lee , Cherry ....All use $150 rods and are 3X the fisherman any of us ever will be .
Yet we all have to go buy $500 NRX rods like fools !
Hate to say it .... as per usual my Pops is 100% Right !!!!
You don’t need $500 rods and reels to have a great time catching big bass
Anything over $200 is just for your own egos .....
Your not catching any more or any less fish ....

[RUSTY-HOOK]

I do not think there is a single industry where gaining that last few % in performance or quality at the very top end does not have the largest disproportionate cost to that last tiny jump. Almost always, but with rare exception, the most balance is in the mid to upper mid tier price range. Of course you always have the surcharge for certain name recognition that is irrespective of quality or any other physically tangible factor. Some of this stuff leaves any use category behind and becomes the realm of the collector or based on rarity. It's because more than any time in history more people spend much more on nonessentials. These become self feeding hobbies. Golf, muscle cars, firearm combat comps, fishing hunting etc you name it all of them have seen a disproportionate increase in the elitist category for equipment.

[Coastal Mountaineer]

Seems Jacob Wheeler does pretty good with $139 rods

And they're Duckett's!

[ThomasD]

Do I need $1000 rod/reel combos, no but they make me look good trying.

[Southcoast Bassin]

Actually.... To the contrary
The guys doing it with the $150 look real good.
Us fools with $500 rods just look like idiots ... LMAO
Sad but true

[DTI0384]

If you can afford it I say go with high end.

I believe in buying the best you can afford, why cheap out?

[PolarKraft195]

My rod arsenal consists of under $200 rods (Some are $200+ rods, but I get them when on sale, thus puting them in the "under $200" price)
*Dobyns Champions, Kadens & Furys
*Daiwa Tatula's
*St Croix Avids

Exact same goes with my reels

[NumberOne]

They dont necessarily help you catch more fish but they sure are a heck of a lot more fun to throw. Light weight and sensitive is fun stuff to fish.

[NRXfever]

I own the whole gammot of rods from 100 dollar rods to 600 + dollar rods and all work fine .. some are more refined than others is all ..

[Black Haze]

I own the whole gammot of rods from 100 dollar rods to 600 + dollar rods and all work fine .. some are more refined than others is all ..

Pretty much like me, tend to have high dollar bottom contact rods and cheaper ones for moving baits

[2eachhisown]

Pretty much like me, tend to have high dollar bottom contact rods and cheaper ones for moving baits

I fall into this category too. Feel techniques get the most $$, rods (bait casting & spinning) are first on my list for higher $$$, bait casters a close second and spinning reels a distant third.

I appreciate the OP's original reflection. I love to try new models and brands and I fish what brings me the most joy. Sometimes it is the less expensive gear I enjoy more, but the best part of it all is the journey. I hope I never get to the point where my "want to try" list is empty.

I have fished with/against A LOT of guys over the last 50 years and if there is one thing I've learned is that we are all different. Some guys have no feel others have spidey like sense for what is happened at the end of there line and they notice the slightest difference in rods. And some of the guys with dead hands out fish the guys with super senses 9 out of 10 days. Some guys obsess about balance, others weight, some sensitivity, others aesthetics,.... Bottom line is we are all different.

What I don't get is why guys insist that anyone who has a different opinion is wrong. "You only fish expensive stuff because your a show off", "the only reason you don't fish expensive stuff is because you can't afford it and your jealous". "If you fish that brand its because you're drinking the kool aid". "My brand/model is better, you're WRONG to like your brand better!" Obviously there are non-fishing issues at play here :).

Fish what brings you joy and be happy for those that are doing the same.