You're right, I didn't even notice the combo partOriginally Posted by skeeterator
Typical thread,OP asked for ROD/REEL COMBOS that are affordable,100 bucks or less and hears the names of the highest priced rod makers out there and no one even mentioned reels.
He asked for RODS and Rod/Reel Combos in the $100.00 range. That's what's been provided, along with some recommendations just over the stated price point. Guess we should have just bitched about the information others provided to be helpful.Typical thread,OP asked for ROD/REEL COMBOS that are affordable,100 bucks or less and hears the names of the highest priced rod makers out there and no one even mentioned reels.
Last edited by RazorCat; 03-01-2014 at 07:04 PM.
BassCat Sabre FTD
Mercury 150 Optimax
"It's just fishing"
Not hard, impossible. There are no companies that I know of doing this. I got a request to build a 100% USA sourced rod and had a hard time finding all the parts. Gave the guy the quote and never heard from him again.
Last edited by shfishinsticks; 03-01-2014 at 10:12 AM.
RaZr Rods American Made Fishing Rod Spinning and Casting USA
Made in America, even the blanks. Lifetime warranty. More then a $100---- I like mine, very sensitive.
So far in the last 2 1/2 yrs I have added 15 Lamiglas rods to my stack of working rods. Several are Flyrods and casting rods for use in Alaska and several in the Excel line of their Bass rods. I have been very happy with all of them! Made in America and a family owned company in Wa state
Cashion rods
I'm regripping 5 Kistlers for a member here. As I was stripping the rear cork off, I could tell there was a decal, but it was always destroyed. Got to the last one and it remained on the rod, somewhat intact. It says Rainshadow XSB802.75 (import blank for those that don't know). On the rod, a decal says HANDCRAFTED in USA, not MADE in USA.....so, its just assembled here from ALL imported parts. Gonna snap a pic of it later for the nonbelievers.
*edited to add pics.
Last edited by shfishinsticks; 03-02-2014 at 03:50 PM.
I had been told by a dealer, but I don't know if it is true or not, that the RX8 and RX8+ blanks are made here in the US and rolled by a well known company. All the others are overseas. I've got the xsb802.75 and it is a very nice blank, and arguably one of the better shakey blanks. At one time, the Kistler Heliums were supposedly Rainshadow/Batson blanks. I am not sure what they are now, other than the z-bone which is a north fork composite blank. Unfortunately, keeping this information a secret is big because everyone wants people to think they have some super secret blank with secret material. Just all part of the illusion.
You're right on above, finding an all American made product is impossible. I'm not even for sure if any guides are completely made here.
Fuji guides are used on their rods which are not American made.
The 8+ blanks are indeed made here. The 8s are imported.
As for Cashion, they are just assembled here, and poorly at that, with import parts too.
Good to know on the Rx8 blanks. Looks like I was misinformed.
BS. I know Matt Cashion well. The ONLY part used not American is the guides. Everything else is made in USA including the Fla made blank. Not cool to blast a company with untruths(especially a small one where his wife and kids depends on this rod co as their source of income). Matt makes a doggone good product and if you have a problem, call him personally and it will be handled. That is the way it should be. And no...I pay full retail for Cashion Rods and not sponsored by him at all.
I would not buy a $100 Chinese rod when I can save up a lil longer and get a lot better quality American made rod. Many to choose from.
Wow. a blank factory in FL? that's news to me, unless US Composites is now rolling blanks too instead of just selling resins and cloth. I know of a couple blank IMPORTERS in FL tho. I wouldn't pay 50% for one of those rods. I've repaired some and IMO, the fit and finish is sub-par. Even looked at the pics on his website to see if I had a fluke. They looked just as bad on there as what I had in hand. If that's what you like, so be it, but better rods can be had for less money, especially if you're paying full retail.
Matt has told me face to face many times his blanks are MADE in Florida. Not imported. Carbon Fiber per his specs. I can give you his number if you want to ask him personally.
SkidMark is correct. I know Matt personally as well. He has a PHD in chemistry and designs and builds his own carbon fiber blanks. All the cashion rods are hand built in NC with fuji guides and reel seats, so they are not 100% made in America, but I challenge you to find a rod 100% made here. Matt makes his own grips as well and sells them to mudhole. The fit and finish is a touch different on each rod but its because they are handmade, not mass produced in a huge factory. I own 7 cashions, partner owns 11 of them. We've had zero problems with them and all of them are built very well.
Most people do not know what sub-par is, unless they build themselves. I've never fished one, so I have no clue how they fish, and I have never worked on one. I have looked at them in the store, and also noticed a number of things. The one thing that stuck out to me was how some of the rear grips do not match up with the back of the seat. Now this will never affect fishing, but it's still there. I don't recall how the tread work was, but the one thing I've noticed, most of the production rods have sloppy thread work with gaps all in the thread.
With that said, I have repaired a number of G.Loomis rods over the years, and was amazed at how poorly some of those were put together. Sometimes it would only be a little bit of glue holding a grip or seat on. Yet still people with pay $300+ for them.
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