What rods do you think are better?

Bassboss · 07-08-09, 09:21 AM

The highest quality ones 50-40 years ago, or the lowest quality rods of now?

Thought I'd be cool to see what you guys think... it may give me some confidence in my current rod now, which is a Barkly lightning rod.

JB · 07-08-09, 09:33 AM

Theres no comparison from todays rods from ones 20 years ago, the older rods were lot heavier and less sensitive, and cheaper

nofearengineer · 07-08-09, 09:42 AM

Well, "lowest quality" automatically gets the boot, by definition. However, if you mean the old gems vs. your average $30 combo from Wal-Mart, it's debatable. I would wager the new bargain rod will perform better out of the box. It will be lighter, more sensitive, and undoubtedly more durable. Remember, it's cheap mostly because of economies of scale, as the machine that produces it cranks aout a million more just like it.

As far as reels go, it's a different story. New bargain reels will still probably perform a little better when they're new. But, as far as durability and long term-performance, I'd give the nod to old classic reels. They're heavy, and noisy, but have definitely proven themselves by the fact that they're still around. Many is the day I wish I could have a few more casts with my childhood-friend workhorse (but quiet as a Gattlin Gun

) Mitchell spinning reel I bought new at K-Mart (it was NOT cheap back then), or fight one more trout with my German-engineered Dam-Quick spinning reel (rather expensive) that I misplaced somewhere during all those years.

Bob Smith · 07-08-09, 10:07 AM

Wow! Nofearengineer, that was great response!
40-50 years ago a lot of the lakes in the south were fairly new and bassfishing was on "fire"! We thought the rods and reels back then were "state of the art" and we caught lots of fish on them. Now a days, technology has taken "state of the art" to a level we would never have imagined back then. So as JB pointed out there really is no comparison. The fishing was so much easier back then so it's hard to imagine what the difference might have been back then. Right now, the bass are a highly pressured species in most of the lakes and rivers around the country so the technology is a "must" to be competitive. I wouldn't attempt to use the old school rods and reels with today's finesse tackle and lightweight lures to catch bass the way we do these days.

WaffleJaw · 07-08-09, 10:07 AM

are you not liking the lighting rod?

BigBassin144 · 07-08-09, 10:22 AM

I know this may ruin your confidence in the your rod, but dump the lighting rod and pick up a couple Shimano Clarus rods.

And I don't know about your question, because there are rods now days that I'd still rather have an old rod over. A guy we talked ot while fishing was telling us about a great deal he got on a rod and reel combo. 12 bucks for it (spincasting reel). I wasn't about to be like, this reel (Citica) costs 10 times more than that, lol.

BB

WaffleJaw · 07-08-09, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

I know this may ruin your confidence in the your rod, but dump the lighting rod and pick up a couple Shimano Clarus rods.

And I don't know about your question, because there are rods now days that I'd still rather have an old rod over. A guy we talked ot while fishing was telling us about a great deal he got on a rod and reel combo. 12 bucks for it (spincasting reel). I wasn't about to be like, this reel (Citica) costs 10 times more than that, lol.

BB

bigbassin,your making me lose confidence in my lighting rod,hahaha.....nah, i love mine at the moment,I got a great deal on it .....but then again i'd fish with a copper pipe and a box of pancake mix if it caught me fish

BigBassin144 · 07-08-09, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaffleJaw

bigbassin,your making me lose confidence in my lighting rod,hahaha.....nah, i love mine at the moment,I got a great deal on it .....but then again i'd fish with a copper pipe and a box of pancake mix if it caught me fish

lmao, that's funny right there. I think that'd make a good photoshop.

BB

cassidyta · 07-08-09, 10:41 AM

I think nofear nailed it. My 25 year old bantam reel is still the most durable reel that I own.
On rods, I have an old diawa vip gold 2 piece that is my go to spinning rod. I own the clarus and find myself fishing the diawa far more often than the shimano.

BassAddict · 07-08-09, 05:07 PM

I wasn't around 50 years ago but almost 40!

I only own 1 high end rod (7' H St. Croix Legend) and love it. I'm going to try a new rod soon. I have a 7' H Harmonix rod on order and should be getting it soon. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

keithdog · 07-08-09, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidyta

I think nofear nailed it. My 25 year old bantam reel is still the most durable reel that I own.
On rods, I have an old diawa vip gold 2 piece that is my go to spinning rod. I own the clarus and find myself fishing the diawa far more often than the shimano.

I thought I was the only guy who still had one of the old Bantams. Your right Cass, they are a great little reel.

Rebbasser · 07-08-09, 07:29 PM

I don't think you can really compare the two-today's gear is lighter, more durable, etc. However, I still have a soft spot for those old Mitchell spinning reels and Abu baitcasters and the rods we fished them on.

bamabassman · 07-08-09, 10:32 PM

ok, i too love the lighting rod. not cause of the way it feels, there are much better rods out there i know. but for the money spent on the lighting rod.in MY opion ONLY now...... the lighting rod is a great deal. now i AM up grading my rods (thank you AGAIN zooker). but i still use my lighting rods. but by all means if you can afford to buy the higher end rods, buy them. use them and be grateful you can. BUT at the same time, if you can only afford the cheaper rods, lighting rod is a great affordable rod to choose in MY opion. there are better rods that are a little more expensive. so if oyu want to get one of those, save a few more days or whatever and get it. i am saving my money for this reason, and to upgrade my reels too.

bassinbob · 07-09-09, 12:03 AM

I have an old Mitchell that's over 30 yrs. old on a Ugly Stick that's about the same age. It's spolled with Power Pro. I let the girlfriend use it for frog fishing. Don't trust her with a bait caster yet. I hear ya about the feelings for the old workhorses but I just love casting on a LTA or Legend. I remember my dad letting me try to cast an old nameless bait caster back in the early sixties. Nothing but overuns. some of them were on metal rods. My oldest Mitchell is 44 years old and still works great.

Bassboss · 07-09-09, 10:07 AM

Thanks a lot guys!!

Quote:

are you not liking the lighting rod?

It's not a cherry rod, I don't know what kind of lightning rod it is, but it's very heavy at the tip, and not very sensitive! My dad's tourney special is a better rod! And BB, I'd LOVE to get Clarus, but I'm broke!

And I'm not sure if I should get the that or save up for the zillion

bamabassman · 07-09-09, 05:23 PM

boss... that is the way the lighting rod is pal. it is either a heavy action, or a medium heavy action tip. the older ones (yes i have one or 2,lol), are heavier all together. but you get used to it i guess. now the cherry rod i also have, very nice indeed for the money. and you can get medium and fast action tips with these rods. that is probably what you are feeling as far as differences bub.

Bassboss · 07-09-09, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bamabassman

boss... that is the way the lighting rod is pal. it is either a heavy action, or a medium heavy action tip. the older ones (yes i have one or 2,lol), are heavier all together. but you get used to it i guess. now the cherry rod i also have, very nice indeed for the money. and you can get medium and fast action tips with these rods. that is probably what you are feeling as far as differences bub.

Thanks a lot bama!

I think I may get a cherry rod, but I'm not sure if I should just save for a compre or Clarus?! You used the original one?

BigBassin144 · 07-09-09, 06:37 PM

I'd definately save for a Compre.

BB

bamabassman · 07-09-09, 09:48 PM

hahahaha, yes boss i still have the first model that came out too. hahahahaha. and you would be better to save for the other rod my friend.

07-08-09, 09:21 AM	#1
Bassboss BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Shawano, WI Posts: 7,761	What rods do you think are better? The highest quality ones 50-40 years ago, or the lowest quality rods of now? Thought I'd be cool to see what you guys think... it may give me some confidence in my current rod now, which is a Barkly lightning rod. __________________ If you can't fix it with heavy squats or fish oil, you're probably going to die.

07-08-09, 09:42 AM	#3
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Well, "lowest quality" automatically gets the boot, by definition. However, if you mean the old gems vs. your average $30 combo from Wal-Mart, it's debatable. I would wager the new bargain rod will perform better out of the box. It will be lighter, more sensitive, and undoubtedly more durable. Remember, it's cheap mostly because of economies of scale, as the machine that produces it cranks aout a million more just like it. As far as reels go, it's a different story. New bargain reels will still probably perform a little better when they're new. But, as far as durability and long term-performance, I'd give the nod to old classic reels. They're heavy, and noisy, but have definitely proven themselves by the fact that they're still around. Many is the day I wish I could have a few more casts with my childhood-friend workhorse (but quiet as a Gattlin Gun ) Mitchell spinning reel I bought new at K-Mart (it was NOT cheap back then), or fight one more trout with my German-engineered Dam-Quick spinning reel (rather expensive) that I misplaced somewhere during all those years. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

07-08-09, 10:07 AM	#4
Bob Smith BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Cartersville, Georgia Posts: 1,472	Wow! Nofearengineer, that was great response! 40-50 years ago a lot of the lakes in the south were fairly new and bassfishing was on "fire"! We thought the rods and reels back then were "state of the art" and we caught lots of fish on them. Now a days, technology has taken "state of the art" to a level we would never have imagined back then. So as JB pointed out there really is no comparison. The fishing was so much easier back then so it's hard to imagine what the difference might have been back then. Right now, the bass are a highly pressured species in most of the lakes and rivers around the country so the technology is a "must" to be competitive. I wouldn't attempt to use the old school rods and reels with today's finesse tackle and lightweight lures to catch bass the way we do these days. __________________ Bob Smith a.k.a. "Porko" (vintage Strike King variety!)

07-08-09, 10:07 AM	#5
WaffleJaw BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas,TX (DFW) Posts: 2,212	are you not liking the lighting rod? __________________ [nelsoncustomrods.com]

07-08-09, 10:22 AM	#6
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	I know this may ruin your confidence in the your rod, but dump the lighting rod and pick up a couple Shimano Clarus rods. And I don't know about your question, because there are rods now days that I'd still rather have an old rod over. A guy we talked ot while fishing was telling us about a great deal he got on a rod and reel combo. 12 bucks for it (spincasting reel). I wasn't about to be like, this reel (Citica) costs 10 times more than that, lol. BB __________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

07-08-09, 09:33 AM	#2
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	Theres no comparison from todays rods from ones 20 years ago, the older rods were lot heavier and less sensitive, and cheaper

07-08-09, 10:41 AM	#9
cassidyta BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,928	I think nofear nailed it. My 25 year old bantam reel is still the most durable reel that I own. On rods, I have an old diawa vip gold 2 piece that is my go to spinning rod. I own the clarus and find myself fishing the diawa far more often than the shimano. __________________ If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.

07-08-09, 05:07 PM	#10
BassAddict BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Richmond, Virginia Posts: 805	I wasn't around 50 years ago but almost 40! I only own 1 high end rod (7' H St. Croix Legend) and love it. I'm going to try a new rod soon. I have a 7' H Harmonix rod on order and should be getting it soon. I'm looking forward to trying it out. __________________ Eric

07-08-09, 07:29 PM	#12
Rebbasser BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 10,141	I don't think you can really compare the two-today's gear is lighter, more durable, etc. However, I still have a soft spot for those old Mitchell spinning reels and Abu baitcasters and the rods we fished them on. __________________ It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3

07-08-09, 10:32 PM	#13
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	ok, i too love the lighting rod. not cause of the way it feels, there are much better rods out there i know. but for the money spent on the lighting rod.in MY opion ONLY now...... the lighting rod is a great deal. now i AM up grading my rods (thank you AGAIN zooker). but i still use my lighting rods. but by all means if you can afford to buy the higher end rods, buy them. use them and be grateful you can. BUT at the same time, if you can only afford the cheaper rods, lighting rod is a great affordable rod to choose in MY opion. there are better rods that are a little more expensive. so if oyu want to get one of those, save a few more days or whatever and get it. i am saving my money for this reason, and to upgrade my reels too. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

07-09-09, 12:03 AM	#14
bassinbob BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pitts. Pa. Posts: 3,801	I have an old Mitchell that's over 30 yrs. old on a Ugly Stick that's about the same age. It's spolled with Power Pro. I let the girlfriend use it for frog fishing. Don't trust her with a bait caster yet. I hear ya about the feelings for the old workhorses but I just love casting on a LTA or Legend. I remember my dad letting me try to cast an old nameless bait caster back in the early sixties. Nothing but overuns. some of them were on metal rods. My oldest Mitchell is 44 years old and still works great. __________________ you can have my fishin rod when ya take it from my cold dead hands

07-09-09, 05:23 PM	#16
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	boss... that is the way the lighting rod is pal. it is either a heavy action, or a medium heavy action tip. the older ones (yes i have one or 2,lol), are heavier all together. but you get used to it i guess. now the cherry rod i also have, very nice indeed for the money. and you can get medium and fast action tips with these rods. that is probably what you are feeling as far as differences bub. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

07-09-09, 06:37 PM	#18
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	I'd definately save for a Compre. BB __________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

07-09-09, 09:48 PM	#19
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	hahahaha, yes boss i still have the first model that came out too. hahahahaha. and you would be better to save for the other rod my friend. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

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