bg61380 Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Help! I'm looking to upgrade my beaten up Shimano Convergence 6'6" Medium action spinning rod to a more quality product. I own a 6'6" Medium action Browning Midas casting rod and LOVE it (for the folks at Bass Pro who say Browning should stick with guns--maybe that's accurate about their reels, but the Midas casting rod is ridiculously smooth...the boron makes a huge difference over graphite). So, I've been considering a Browning Midas spinning rod, but I also have my eyes on some of the other high-end rods ($150-250 range)--G Loomis GL3/Bronzeback, Falcon Cara T7/Lowrider XG, Fenwick HMG/World Class, St Crois AVID, or perhaps another Shimano...looking at the Crucial line this time. I'll probably pair it with a Pfleuger Supreme reel...great great value there. So...if anyone can provide any insight/advice, I'd greatly appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary L Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 When I fished the rivers up that way I preferred a Medium Light action. If you have the funds then the St. Crois AVID is a fine rod and will give you years of service. With the Medium Light I was able to throw lighter Jigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin summers Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Brian, I won a Jim Grandt rod at the Arlington show a few years back. I was working the Isa booth and was told I won a rod so off I went to retrieve my prize. It blew up on me when I hooked into a huge carp but Jim Grandt gave me a new rod the following year and it has been fantastic. It is on the lower end of the price scale. I believe its an all American rod. Medium light but it will handle all the river fish with ease and has a fast tip for Jigging. I used to Love my 6'0 Falcon low rider but I've been spoiled on the Better feel of this Grandt rod. have fun shopping!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark K Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I would go with a G Loomis SJR782 or the slightly lighter SJR781. The IMX blank is your best bet for the money. http://products.gloomis.com/gl/products/al...D=1215086117361 Notice the handle. The grip screws downward, resulting in a shorter rear grip so effectively your rod is lengthened. line up the reel seats next to say an avid and the 6 1/2 foot Loomis. No bulky rear grip-great for fishing topwaters and Flukes. The blank is really light, so I never had any balance issues with the short rear grip. I have St Croix Avids and IMX. I like the IMX rods much more. So much that I am thinking of throwing them on Ebay just to trade up to an IMX. One of the two that I mentioned. The bronzebacks and GL3s are nice rods but not as light or fast actioned as the IMXs. To me they feel like an Avid. I like Loomis's Expeditor program too-if hey still offer it. Break a rod? Call them up, they charge a new rod to your credit card and send it to you second day. When the new rod arrives take the old one and throw it in the tube ship it back to Loomis. When they get it, they credit you account for everything but 70 bucks. That goes back a few years so it's probably more now. But thats a darn nice progam. I once broke a bunch of rods on a plane on the way to Florida. They were St. Croixs. If they were Loomis rods, I would have been fishing two days later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Brian, I won a Jim Grandt rod at the Arlington show a few years back. I was working the Isa booth and was told I won a rod so off I went to retrieve my prize. It blew up on me when I hooked into a huge carp but Jim Grandt gave me a new rod the following year and it has been fantastic. It is on the lower end of the price scale. I believe its an all American rod. Medium light but it will handle all the river fish with ease and has a fast tip for Jigging. I used to Love my 6'0 Falcon low rider but I've been spoiled on the Better feel of this Grandt rod. have fun shopping!!!! The Grandt rods come with a great lifetime transferable warranty. I have a med-heavy 7 footer that is a favorite for Lake Bass. Consider getting a 2 piece rod. Though they cost more, they are much easier to transport. You will get more use out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skjordan Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I have two St Croix and will be buying a third soon. They are made in the USA and I havent had an issue with any of their rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickk Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 The Shimano Crucial line is the best bang for the buck and have a great warranty as well. I don't know your budget but you may want to give the Kistler Magnesium TS a look. The G. Loomis IMX and GLX are amazing rods...just amazing but brutally expensive. I can't recommend the GL2 or GL3, I have 1 GL3 and really don't like it much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymond k Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 My two favorite kank rods are both gloomis rods/the bronze back 7'2' med is a great all around rod/it can handle heavier jigs and cranks and still can toss the lightest jigs/fast tip with plenty of back bone/my other is also a loomis/ its the 6'10" med light drop shot rod/they have two in this line one is also a ultra light at the same length/I use the heavier of the two/unbelievable sensitivity with small grubs and craws/Iam convinced until this rod I missed a lot of pickups and then drops/brought it for drop shotting Geneva but it has switched into the river arsenal///just my opinions but these have done me well for a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Clifford Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 For the $100 range, not much beats the Falcon. My go-to rod every time. If you go with a Pfleuger reel, go ahead and pair it up with a Pfleuger rod. I had a nice combo of the two that was really balanced well and gave me a few good years. I think a pike took it under while camping one night.......can't remember what happened to it exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bg61380 Posted July 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 So the Pfleuger Supreme might not be the correct match for a high-end rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Clifford Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Not sure, but I was at a barbecue today and as a friend and I were chatting, he just had to show me his latest best rod and reel combo. He pulled out of his van his Pfleuger Supreme matched with a Browning rod for serious creek salmon fishing. He said it worked great for him! How's that for a remarkable coincidence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bg61380 Posted July 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Indeed! I am going to stand my ground on the Browning Midas casting rod that I have--all the meat you could need in the butt end paired with some of the best sensitivity I've ever felt out of a Medium action rod--all for $150 or so. I think I'm probably going to lean towards a St. Croix rod and the Pfleuger Supreme for my new spinning setup though. Thanks for the input everyone! Great to have a resource like this for bouncing ideas around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kend Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 If an anglers wants to get into GLoomis rods, the GL2 is the entry level. For a few dollars more, the GL3 is choice. The GL3 is built for toughness and an IMX for increased sensitivity. For heavy duty fishing, such as heavy jigging, muscling fish out of heavy cover, and the like, the GL3 is recommended way to go. The IMX series is the best all around rod series. The BronzeBack rods are a GL3 and IMX blend. GL3 for toughness and IMX for sensitivity. The GLX series are super-sensitive rods--- very light--- the best in the business. The GLX rod wall tube is a little thinner, (less weight), over the IMX. The GLX is not a rod that I'd chose for muscling out BIG fish from heavy cover. The GLX is so sensitive, that I can almost feel a fish staring at the bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kend Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 GLoomis and Shimano have the best rod warranty in the business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kend Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Rod Warranty(s) Rod manufacturers warranty their rods against "defect in material and workmanship". Rods that are broke due to missuse or abuse, are not covered by most warranty(s). OEM's rod warranties vary----1 year, 2 years, 5 years and Limited Lifetime. GLoomis offers an "expeditor program"---the only one in the business--- if you break a rod by accident, or the like, you can get a replacement for a nominal fee of $50 (regular ground delivery---for a speedier service, $60 gets it their in 3 days). (The $50 covers the shipping and handling costs ONLY---NO FEE for the replacement broken rod). Call GLoomis, order the new replacement rod, it'll be delivered to your front door. Remove the NEW rod from the shipping container and put the broken rod into the shipping container, affix applicable return shipping labels to the container, give it back to the shippers driver. It's that simple. That's the best any OEM offers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark K Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Rod Warranty(s) Rod manufacturers warranty their rods against "defect in material and workmanship". Rods that are broke due to missuse or abuse, are not covered by most warranty(s). OEM's rod warranties vary----1 year, 2 years, 5 years and Limited Lifetime. GLoomis offers an "expeditor program"---the only one in the business--- if you break a rod by accident, or the like, you can get a replacement for a nominal fee of $50 (regular ground delivery---for a speedier service, $60 gets it their in 3 days). (The $50 covers the shipping and handling costs ONLY---NO FEE for the replacement broken rod). Call GLoomis, order the new replacement rod, it'll be delivered to your front door. Remove the NEW rod from the shipping container and put the broken rod into the shipping container, affix applicable return shipping labels to the container, give it back to the shippers driver. It's that simple. That's the best any OEM offers. Handy too, when your wife finds out that you spent 300 dollars on a fishing rod and she breaks it over your head. The secret is to have so many that she loses count. HA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kend Posted July 7, 2008 Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 ................. The secret is to have so many that she loses count. HA! Works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineman Posted July 13, 2008 Report Share Posted July 13, 2008 Any recommendations for a spinning rod under $100? What about Cabela's rods? I just broke my favorite IM8 rod, so I need a replacement soon. Thanks, Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kend Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Any recommendations for a spinning rod under $100? ................. Thanks, Ron Shimano "Compre" Series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonn Graham Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 I have shipped jigs and other stuff across this great country and have never had to pay anything close to $50 for shipping. Sorry, it does not cost $50 for Loomis to ship a rod to your door in three to four days. Don't get me wrong, that is a decent warranty, but don't tell me that Loomis is not getting some of that $50 so called shipping fee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonn Graham Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 To answer the initial question: In my opinion, the 6'3" medium power, extra fast action Avid spinning rod is the best I have ever fished with. It can basically do it all for stream fishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 I have shipped jigs and other stuff across this great country and have never had to pay anything close to $50 for shipping. Sorry, it does not cost $50 for Loomis to ship a rod to your door in three to four days. Don't get me wrong, that is a decent warranty, but don't tell me that Loomis is not getting some of that $50 so called shipping fee. I have to agree that $50 is a lot especially when Grandt does the same for $25 on its warranteed rods. I have to think that Loomis is trading on its name and using the $50 as sort of a deductible to make you think twice before you file a claim. It should also make us think twice before we buy the rod in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kend Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 I have shipped jigs and other stuff across this great country and have never had to pay anything close to $50 for shipping. Sorry, it does not cost $50 for Loomis to ship a rod to your door in three to four days. Don't get me wrong, that is a decent warranty, but don't tell me that Loomis is not getting some of that $50 so called shipping fee. Dear Jonn, My comment denoted: ""The $50 covers the shipping and handling costs""!!! FYI my friend--- Shipping cost is not limited ONLY to the "shippers charges". There are several factors, that need to be considered. MATERIALS COSTS: $$$$ "shipping containers (rod tubes)" ---ARE NOT FREE! Internal wrappings/cushioning, tape, and the like. Marking/Labeling: materials, machine(s) and labor LABOR & PROCESSING COSTS: $$$$ Handling---several person(s) may be involved, they DO NOT work for FREE. TRANSPORTATION COST: $$$$$ size of package--- (theres added costs for containers over 36", over 48", over 60", over 72", and over 84"!!! weight of package--- added insurance (objects over #100). COSTS!!! involve MANY factors EX: When I ship a fishing reel to Calif for OEM service--- round trip shipping costs are $10 - 20 and thats only covers the SHIPPERS FEE. Insurance is EXTRA! and, that doesn't even cover the handling costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kend Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 I have to agree that $50 is a lot...... ......... $50 is a CHEAP price for a replacement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonn Graham Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Ken: I understand totally what you are saying, but you will never convince me that it costs $50 for all the "parts" of shipping and handling you mentioned. Loomis is making a few bucks on that $50. Other rod companies do not charge $50 to ship and handle a rod? Are the costs extra for Loomis but not other rod companies???? C' mon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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