I want a new fishing rod and reel...opinions?

D

dniice87

Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Messages
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I was looking at some new rods and reels for freshwater fishing.

What are your opinions are these three spinning reels:

Daiwa Tournament SS 1300
Quantum Energy PTi-A
Shimano Stradic ST2500FH

What about these rods:

Shimano Crucial
Shimano Compre

I havent got a chance to handle any of these, they were recommended by a hardcore fishing buddy of mine.
Any recommedations and suggestions are appreciated

Also, my buddy and his father use some kind of fishing line that was cotton i believe? It was the first time ive ever seen this type of fishing line and i really liked it. Anyone know what im talking about? Anyone have a link to where I can buy some?


Thanks
 
I just bought my Abu Garcia Ambassedeur RCN 50 and lot it along with a 7' Falcon Low Rider rod which have been great for me and are as smooth as anything. Falcon Rods are great and have been using them here in texas non-stop with nothing but great results. The line your talking about is braided line and its nice line but pretty expensive. Looking foward to alot of fishing this summer at your aunts haha. Your gona have alot of catching up to do since ive been out on the lakes every day for the past 3 weekends and plan to keep going since its in the 80's here.
 
I cant usually spend a lot of money on my rod and reel combos, so i basically just go and handle a bunch of them and buy what feels best in my price bracket.
 
I realy like the ugly stick and i have not yet broken one so that says allot. shamano makes a good reel as do quantum and abu garcia is probably a little better.
 
The quantum energy is a great spinning reel. I have one of those the cheaper kinetic and a stradic (6000) and except for saltwater the stradic usually stays home. The magnetic bail is lightyears ahead of the competition and the titanium alloy bail is really nice too. I have one of the energy with the funky rainbow color, looks stupid as hell, but still works great. You will have little or no trouble with that reel, but then again the stradic is the smoothest reel available under 500. I don't think the daiwa, or any daiwa is anywhere near the other two in quality, but some people love them.
 
I've always been a fan of the shimano spinning reels. That said, take note that just because a reel is "free wheeling" in the store, it doen't mean it will handle well while reeling in a fish. I purchased an Okuma last summer and have enjoyed it very much.
 
If you eve plan to fish any salt the Tourney SS.... fantastic drags, easy to service. I have had one for years and it is a tank.

The Stradic was redesigned about two years ago... not sure if it is better than the previous model, but the reel is a very smooth and will last you years in frshwater.

The Quatum has alot of bells and whistles (ceramic drag, magnetic bail trip, and Ti bail)... but the other two are proven champs.
Not to complicate the decision, but check out the Shimano Sahara... great metal bodied reel that includes a second spool so you can switch out your line easily depending on how you are fishing... and is about half the price of the Stradic and if you close you eyes I bet you could tell the difference when you turn the handle.
 
Of the three reels you list, I think the Quantum is the best. The Daiwa is a great reel, but doesn't have instant anti-reverse or an anti-twist feature.

Of the two rods, I think the Compre is the better one, but I'd opt for neither and go for a St. Croix instead. The strength, length, and action would depend on hat you're fishing for. If you're going to have just the one rod, you'd probably find a 6'0" or 6'6" medium strength fast action one will cover quite a bit of the type of fishing you'd do.
 
Get the Stradic. And get a St. Croix Legend series pole. I fish all the time for bass. And this combo can't be beat.
 
While the Stradic/St. Criox combo is a great setup.. you have to balance that expense (about$300) on how many times you are hitting the water. Are you hitting the water every weekend? once month? or a couple of times a year. Sounds like you are just getting into or back into fishing so you may want to consider a Sahara combo that Bass Pro or Cabelas sells, or if you have a tackle store support them.

As far as the cotton line... it sounds like they a using a spectra braid type like... (ie. Power Pro, Spyderwire..etc.)... good/expensive stuff, but for you first combo I would suggest starting out with a good 8# mono and you will be fine... and you would have the second spool with the sahara combo that you could load with braid later on.

oo luck...no matter what setup you choose the best advice is getting on the water early... and often.

Tight lines!
 
I prefer and use Penn reels, still Made in the USA. Also, I am a big fan of Loomis IMX rods. I've been using a couple now for over ten years with no problems whatsoever. I fish 100 days a year.
 
Iron City said:
While the Stradic/St. Criox combo is a great setup.. you have to balance that expense (about$300) on how many times you are hitting the water. Are you hitting the water every weekend? once month? or a couple of times a year. Sounds like you are just getting into or back into fishing so you may want to consider a Sahara combo that Bass Pro or Cabelas sells, or if you have a tackle store support them.

As far as the cotton line... it sounds like they a using a spectra braid type like... (ie. Power Pro, Spyderwire..etc.)... good/expensive stuff, but for you first combo I would suggest starting out with a good 8# mono and you will be fine... and you would have the second spool with the sahara combo that you could load with braid later on.

oo luck...no matter what setup you choose the best advice is getting on the water early... and often.

Tight lines!
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As of now im pretty much set on the quantum energy reel. As far as rods go, i am now considering the shimano compre or a st croix premier. I might also pick up some power pro line.

Id be hitting the water at least once a week, if not more once i get out of school. Mostly for large mouth bass. This will be replacing my current set up, because i want a better quality/new rod and reel.
 
it really depends on what specie of fish you are going for. For trout, bass, panfish (bluegil, crappie, etc...) I like a Light action rod in 5.5 ft -6.5 feet with a mitchell spinning reel (308x-300x depending on lenght of rod) with 6 lb maxima line. For Salmon/Steelhead I like a medium action rod with a reel that has some backbone like the shimano or Okuma that is capable of 15 lb line. I use Berkely, Shakespear (ugly sticks and non ugly sticks), Rapalla for my rods; but I would buy Quantum, Lamiglass, or St Croix rods. I also have been lucky enough to find decent rods/reels at yard sales. as far as the braided line you are talking about the advantage is you don't have to change it every season the dissadvantage is the price. Good luck to ya and happy fishing. as a side note try to find a rod that if you break it you can take it back for a replacement, we have a department store here in Oregon called Bi-mart and if they sell a rod and I break it then I can take the rod back for a replacement.

but I prefer to use the lightest gear I can while fishing so I have bragging rights. I brought a 41 inch 50-60 lb Chinook salmon in last November on a medium weight pole with a trout reel and 10 lb test line; took me 30 minutes, but I got him.
 
lizardman_u said:
it really depends on what specie of fish you are going for. For trout, bass, panfish (bluegil, crappie, etc...) I like a Light action rod in 5.5 ft -6.5 feet with a mitchell spinning reel (308x-300x depending on lenght of rod) with 6 lb maxima line. For Salmon/Steelhead I like a medium action rod with a reel that has some backbone like the shimano or Okuma that is capable of 15 lb line. I use Berkely, Shakespear (ugly sticks and non ugly sticks), Rapalla for my rods; but I would buy Quantum, Lamiglass, or St Croix rods. I also have been lucky enough to find decent rods/reels at yard sales. as far as the braided line you are talking about the advantage is you don't have to change it every season the dissadvantage is the price. Good luck to ya and happy fishing. as a side note try to find a rod that if you break it you can take it back for a replacement, we have a department store here in Oregon called Bi-mart and if they sell a rod and I break it then I can take the rod back for a replacement.

but I prefer to use the lightest gear I can while fishing so I have bragging rights. I brought a 41 inch 50-60 lb Chinook salmon in last November on a medium weight pole with a trout reel and 10 lb test line; took me 30 minutes, but I got him.
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Thanks for the response lizard man. St croix will replace a rod for $20, and shimano requires customesrs to pay "the cost of packing, insuring, and shipping the rod to Shimano". something for me to keep in mind
 
I have Quantums and like them, but I can never quite get over the fact that the same company makes Zebcos. That said, I have a Quantum saltwater spinning reel that is a favorite.

Hard to go wrong with a Shimano reel, and their rods are good also. In the rod department, I do like Falcon and All-Star rods a little better. I have several Shimano sticks though, and all perform well.
 
I have settled on the Quantum Energy reel and the Shimano Compre 6'6" MH rod. Thanks for helping me out guys. Now its time to decide on a new baitcasting setup :)
 
dniice87 said:
I have settled on the Quantum Energy reel and the Shimano Compre 6'6" MH rod. Thanks for helping me out guys. Now its time to decide on a new baitcasting setup :)
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Those are solid choices. Congrats on the new combo.

Go fishin'.
 
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