Rod question.

[Royal Blue]

My wife has allocated $275 to buy me a new setup for my birthday last month.  I'm trying to get the best bang for my buck.  I'm typically partial to Lew's everything, but am thinking about grabbing a Falcon Bucoo SR in MH and a new Shimano Curado i.  My last set up that I bought myself under the radar was a Lew's TP-1 Spinnerbait rod with a Lew's Tournament Lite in 6:4:1(I think.)  I'm still really thinking about another Lew's reel and love the TP-1 rods, but I know a lot of you are really happy with the Falcon rods.  The new Curado is supposed to be great as well.  I only own one non-Lew's reel now and it's a Pro Qualifier that I got half price.  The only other time I've strayed from Lew's was to buy a Quantum and it lasted two trips before it literally fell apart and I returned it.  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Smalls21]

i am a big fan of the Lew's Mach II combo $180, you would still have money for another cheaper combo too

[Royal Blue]

30 minutes ago, Smalls21 said:

i am a big fan of the Lew's Mach II combo $180, you would still have money for another cheaper combo too

I don't really think that I want a reel that fast.  I agree with you that it's a good value though.

[slothman]

I have the Mach II baitcaster. I like it really well. Good value. I really like the reel when I am fishing a Texas rig, especially when I make a long cast or in deep water. 

[kjackson]

If you're into Curados (and they are good reels), you might wait a bit. The newest version will be announced this week at the tackle show, so I'm thinking there may be sales on the prior models.

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

Im slowly transitioning from lews reels to Diawa Tatulas.   They are awesome.  Cant go wrong with a Falcon

[Royal Blue]

6 minutes ago, aarchdale@coresleep.com said:

Im slowly transitioning from lews reels to Diawa Tatulas.   They are awesome.  Cant go wrong with a Falcon

The Tatula was another one I was looking at.  You like them that much more than the Lew's?

 

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

I wouldnt say they are "that" much better or anything, I feel like its a little smoother and i can cast into the wind much easier

[Brandon Cowherd]

Im a big fan of all the lews stuff, id get a lews custom lite, (I love the couple i have)  then maybe a mach 2 reel. 

[shrapnel]

23 minutes ago, Royal Blue said:

The Tatula was another one I was looking at.  You like them that much more than the Lew's?

 

Went to all Tatulas 2 yrs ago and will never look back, I'm guessing they get a little more use in my hands than the average guy at 6 tournaments a month.  One of my partner was a Lews guy until he got tired of being outcasted, he is slowly switching over all his reels as well.

They are basically all good, Daiwa, Shimano, Lews, Abu...buy the higher end reels and your getting a good piece of equipment.  A lot of people I see complaining about how a reel casts has a bad rod and or line set up for the lure their using.  Don't expect a Rogue to cast like a 1/2oz Lipless.