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Posts: 750
Location: Minneapolis, MN | My brother in-law and I are debating quality of rods so I thought I'd ask what everyone would say the top 3-5 rod brands/lines are. |
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Posts: 1716
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | St. Croix
G Loomis
Okuma
Shimano
I can't think of any other rod in the musky market that screams to me "quality". Others may add one more, popular brand, but I strongly disagree. No brand compares to St. Croix IMO for quality. They are the one rod that I have never broken. Others, which I cannot name on here without this post being considered brand bashing, have failed time and time again. I broke 10 of one brand's rods in just over 18 months. 3 broke on the first cast, 4 on first fish, and the others broke at random intervals and had inserts come out of the guides within hours. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Highly subjective questions beg highly subjective answers. |
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Posts: 1283
| Cant say I have tried every rod out there but this year I have put in hours on lots of different combos,searching for my favorite.
Ive had problems with ALL the brands Ive used. St Croix, TI, MI,Shimano,& Toothtamer, most happens within a hour of fishing. Other factors were either fit and finish or excessive wear IMO. This is what I would go with if you dont get a lemon. With that said never used a G Loomis or Okuma.
St Croix Big Dawg is my absolute favorite rod. The handle Length on the TI 9" rod is perfect.
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| the best rod(s)?....Is the one that lands your next fish. |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | Want the best have a custom rod built. It will have the action you want the length. It will do what you want all you have to do is pick a rod blank. Every one has there own taste when it comes to what your liking for you will not get 2 people that like the same rod. Last rod I had built was a predator x heavy 9 foot 8 inch 18 inch handle thicker cork I let one guy use it this weekend on vermilion he liked the rod but he said the cork was to thick buy what you like. |
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Posts: 2097
| Production line rod: St. Croix Legend series.
TI rods are nice for the price.
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Posts: 149
| St Croix and Tackle Industries are both at the top of the heap.
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=71...
I like TI rods myself especially for the price. Just as light as SC and just as good of a feel but 1/3 the price. Save enough to put a nice reel on the rod. |
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Posts: 1660
Location: central Wisconsin | Over the last 30+ years I have owned St Croix, Lamiglas , and G Loomis. Out of those three brands I broke one rod and that was entirely my fault, I have owned two rods from other makers who I will not name, broke both of them. One on a hookset right at the handle and the other one two inches of the tip broke off for no reason that I could tell. Favorite current rod is a Long Ranger but my G Loomis is very close.
My advice would be to spend what you can but realize you may own the rod for 15 years or so, maybe more. Quality costs money, no way around it. |
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Posts: 750
Location: Minneapolis, MN | I'm aware that it's a subjective question, but I do feel if one keeps seeing the same brands/lines over and over again, that does says something. |
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