Rods And Reels

[Don House]

Don,

I am not familiar with ardent reels, Can I get those at BPS or do I have to order them?

RR Vet, here is there web site, you can find them at www.ardentreels.com. Really good company out of Macon Missouri. Some of the BPS carry these but not all, look on the web site for dealers close to you. Really nice casting reels.

Good Fishing

Capt. Don

[Roaring River Veteran]

Don,

Thanks for the link. I think I may go to springfield tomorrow so maybe I can get time to stop by BPS. I'm not planning on buying anything but hopefully get my hands on a few rods and reels and get some ideas.

All,

I went to spend the fourth with friends and a buddy of mine had just bought a new Daiwa 153 HST It was blue in color and it had 8+1 bearings. It was very nice, very smooth. does anyone have experience with that model?

Thanks

Good luck and good fishing.

[Trav]

I am familiar with it. Very nice reel.

[CaptainJoe]

RR Vet,

I prefer the longer rods because I can use them easily because of my height. Longer rods allow me:

1. Cast further, which is great for getting crankbaits down quickly

2. When setting the hook, the longer rod allows slack to be taken up more quickly

3. I can pitch and flip further

4. I believe that I am more accurate with the longer rod, but again, I believe this is because of my height

5. I also believe that the longer rod helps me with topwater baits, including walking the dog more efficiently.

6. A fast tip or an extra fast tip, I believe, is more pronounced with a longer rod.

7. A longer rod has more guides, which for me adds to the rod sensitivity.

Just my opinion...

My flipping stick and carolina rig rod are 7'6" rods and everything else is 7', except I have one spinning rod 6' for dock skipping.

Experiment with the longer rods....if you are 6'2", they many work for you, as well.

I perfer florocarbon, because of its sensitivity. less stretch, and near invisibility underwater. I only use mono for braid backing and topwater baits.

[Roaring River Veteran]

Trav,

I believe he said the reel cost him about a $120 compared to other reels in that price range how does it rate?

Capt,

When you talk about fast or super fast tip, are rods labeled as such or is it just a feel thing? is a super fast stiffer that a fast? elaborate please.

Thanks

Good luck and good fishing

[Champ188]

RRV,

Extra-fast tip is more limber but the rod still has lots of backbone in the butt section for power when fighting a fish.

[rps]

A rod with slow action can be bent in a U - the flex at the butt is nearly equal to the flex near the tip. Extra fast is the other end of the scale. 95% of the flex will be in the last 12 to 18 inches. Fast action means the flex is in the last third of the rod. Moderate means the rod flex starts near the mid point.

The "best" action depends on the bait to be thrown, the line test you will be using, the fishing style, and the personal preference of the user. I tend to prefer moderate and fast to extra fast, but I own extra fast rods as well.

[Brennan]

The Blue Daiwa reel you are talking about is a very good reel. I have several of the super tuned advantage series (before they started making them blue) and I love them. Bass Pro Shops has a daiwa reel special made for them called the TD Pro. It is around 129.99 but I have seen it on sale for 89.99. It is every bit as good as the blue one (in my opinion) and if you find it on sale it is a great deal. I like the fact that the daiwa's have external-adjust cast control magnets. I find them easier to use than the reels that need the side plate opened to adjust them. If I fish around a point and all of a sudden have wind in my face....the external adjust is very handy.

I have always used Shimano stradic spinning reels and like them very much but they are pricey. Just the other day, however, I purchased a BPS brand Pro-Qualifier spinning reel with the wide spool. It is on sale right now for 49.99. It gives the stradic a run for it's money at an outstanding price.

Here is what I suggest...

A baitcasting rod for jig duty (worm, brush hog, sweet beaver, FB jig...whatever). I would invest in a quality rod that is sensitive. In 25 years of fishing I have found that you reach a point of diminishing return. You could buy a 500.00 Loomis and it would be an awesome rod. It would be hard to convince me that it is 350.00 better than a St. Croix Avid series. I would recommend a 6'6" or 7' MH with a fast tip. If money is an issue the BPS Pro Qualifier rod is a good deal on sale at 89.99. Its a little heavier but still quite sensitive and a heck of a deal.

A baitcasting rod for moving-baits (spinnerbait, topwater, crankbaits, buzzbait...whatever). I dont feel like I need this rod to be all that sensitive (that means it is less expensive). What is really important to me for this rod is the action. I love the BPS Extreme Woo Daves 7' Med. crankbait rod. I have five of them...and most days in the summer they are all lying out on the front deck of the boat (buzzbait, spook, spinnerbait, squarebill, pop-r).

A spinning rod for the little girley baits . I will be honest.....I prefer 20lb line and shallow dirty water, but after a recent trip to Table Rock this June, I have a new best friend...the spinning rod. Thanks almost entirely to this site, I had a great trip catching SM and K's swimming a grub in the Dam area. I want this rod to be sensitive. The BPS Pro-finesse (on sale right now for 69.99) is the best value I have found. I caught em all morning long on that little grub and never had a problem feeling the light bites. I like the 6'8" ML with 6 lb line....but I am kind of a rookie to the noodle rod.

Talking line is like talking politics or religion with some guys. I fish shallow and dirty most of the time = 20lb P line CXX and drag all the way tight. It is stiff and hard to manage but it is crazy strong and abrasion resistant. I'll leave the clearwater line to the guys who know better.

Great question...look forward to reading all the replies, Tim

[Trav]

I dont try to compare as much as I try to utilize.

If I am correct you are referring to the Diawa.

In my opinion there are 3 brands that are unquestionable. Diawa is number two in my rankings. Only Penn can say they have the longest lifespan, so to speak. Of course my rankings are based on durance. Penn is by far the best because they are designed to be salt water sealed. Both Brands tend to be pricey but my number 3 is without a doubt, Shimano. Mainly because of thier economical feasibility. They only out edge Quantum by a margin only because the Quantum drag design has a reputation to be jerky. Or at least my Bill Dance signature does. But for some reason if you get the KVD versions of Quantum they are the best of thier market.

Now my brother has a preferance for Pfluegers. The are mid priced and do have a long lifespan as well. I consider them in the same caliber as Mitchell, Browning and/or Abu-Garcia. I cant really speak for BPS brands for I tend to shy away from them. I have a tendacy to think that chain store market brands are subprime. In the same manner that I think Gulp, Yum or Power baits are better than the BPS brands. Tons of our resident guides will gladly differ with this mentality so take my advice for what its worth.

I will repeat what I have said in this thread already about rods. I go through them pretty fast. I am hard on my equipment. So I never go over 100 bucks on a rod. I did spend 90 dollars on my Gill rod, so I am a bit of a hypocrit. I think that the advice that Captain Joe expressed meets my own. The longer rods have the bigger butts and thats my preferance. Plus I know I am going to break them and repair them and they do tend to get shorter through out the repairs. So thier timber will morph through out the life of the rod. Serving different purposes as they age.

I spend upwards of 2000 hours a year with a rod in my hand so I tend to consider them as nothing more than a tool. To be used and abused.

Hope this helps some.

Just dont forget that you dont have to go in the poor house to catch fish.

[Bill P]

Over the years,I've realized the amount of use dictates dependability. Lesser expensive equiptment doesn't usually hold-up to extensive use....I don't believe it's supposed to.

I like shimano reels because you can get them in a wide price range. I have an Ardent baitcaster,and I like it. I've recently bought a Johnny Morris MX10SHA baitcaster,and I like it also. I use Sahara spinning reels,not very expensive,but decent. I should upgrade my spinning reels.

As far as rods go,I try to buy made in USA,because there are a number of them. I use mostly Falcon, and a few assorted StCroix,AllStar and older USA Quantum Tour Edition.

I'm always trying different rod/reel/line/lure combos,and when I find one that feels really good,I stick with it.

Current preferences...... 6-6 MH Falcon lowrider spinning with Sahara 2000/2500 reels. 7'6 lowrider med baitcaster w/Shimano Chronarch. 7'0 med lowrider baitcaster w/Shimano Curado. Falcon 'Eakins jig special' with Ardent reel. 7'6 StCroix ML spinning. I switch rods and reels,as I have alot more rods than reels. It's a blessing AND a curse!