Best spinning rod for $100+/- ?
Looking for a new spinning rod primarily for walleye/pike. I was leaning towards the Fenwick hmx series but after reading a bunch of reviews I'm having second thoughts.
Is it possible to find something decent in this range? |
I'm sure you'll get different responses based on what you're using it for, but I've heard good things about the fenwick hmg. I looked at getting one a couple of years ago but ended up buying the Aetos. Was it $80 worth of improvement over the HMG? Probably not
|
I am no fishing rod guru by any means so keep that in mind but i've got a few rods in that price range so have a few to compare.
I bought a rod from WS just before they closed and first time using it, it snapped when i was lifting a 3 lb walleye out of the lake. Called Fenwick and they needed the reciept which i never had, offered to send them the rod itself but no dice, no warranty. That pretty much turned me off fenwick. The rod that i was really impressed with for the price is the Pfleuger combo. It's on sale right now and in my mind you can't go wrong. here's the link. https://www.cabelas.ca/product/10646...spinning-combo |
I like the new shimano Convergence rods, they run around $80 and you can get them on sale periodically too. Nice and light, good components, sensitive and the 7'0'' which I like has a long rear handle.
|
Huge Fenwick fan. Have several of their rods. Great rod for the price.
|
Quote:
Mine is paired with a Shimano Symetre 4000 with 50 # braid/ 50 # fluorocarbon leader. Pike Rod. |
I like GLoomis rods and the new E6X line is reasonably priced.
|
I’ve had half a dozen or so Fenwicks. Nice rods for the money but I have broken every single one of them. Now, I have broken many different rods over the years so that is nothing new, but something about Fenwicks seems a little weaker than the rest.
|
As I mentioned I thought the fenwick HMx was the rod, but on fenwicks own website there are quite a few negative reviews and all say the warranty department sucks.
|
Best spinning rod for $100+/- ?
Another Fenwick fan here, I have the elite tech and like it a lot. Shimano’s in the $100 range are a safe bet as well.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Quote:
Looking back over the past 3 years, the only rods I've broken have been Fenwick, so I can't really recommend them. |
Sure seems that way, bought one sat, broke it sunday :sign0176:
|
Fenwick HMG($120) or Shimano Clarus($110) would be the 2 I would look at in that price range. HMG is much nicer then HMX imo and very good reviews reflect that too.
Anything noticeably better is a significant jump up in price(like double or more). |
Fenwick HMG.
|
Quote:
You also shouldn't be lifting a 3 lb fish out of the water with your rod... No walleye rod is meant to take that abuse. |
I have never tried a fenwick but I have multiple st. Croix and I like them. I have resorted to a few cheap ugly stick GX2 when fishing with the family so my good rods don’t get stepped on.
|
Quote:
|
I have 3 rods....Fenwick Eagle, Shimano Clarus and Ugly Stik. The Fenwick is solid, the Clarus is DYNAMITE and I got a killer deal at Fishin' Hole last year, and the Ugly Stik is my heavy duty rod that I keep around primarily for pike fishing...
|
Okuma Rods often get overlooked. I have a Dead Eye that I picked up for $60 on a sale that is a really decent rod.
|
The st. Croix triumph series is right around that price point. It’s the lower end of the st. Croix rods, but I would say it is still a good rod in that price range and comparable with the HMG or the convergence.
My choice would be between those three and would come down to personal preference of the style you like. Do you like cork or felt handles? Solid or split handle? A long butt or a short butt? These are all things you should consider. Go into the store and feel out a few of the ones mentioned before you buy. It’s amazing how sometimes you just wont like the way a rod feels in your hand at all. |
Quote:
|
I's say at around $100 the best rod out there is going to be a St.Croix Triumph.
One step up to a Eyecon series ($140) and you will never need a better rod. I have a half dozen or more St.Croix's and twice that many Shimanos, Fenwicks and other brands (none of them cheap rods) and the only comparable rod is my G.Loomis (but it's my most expensive stick and more than twice the price we are talking about). Solid, light weight, outstanding feel, fast response, great handles, solid seats and smooth guides. Recent Fenwicks, to be blunt, although soild and sensitive have proven to be brittle and have broken (twice for the same series of rod for me) so I have been a little shy of these lately. St.Croix is highly recommended. |
Quote:
I broke my HMG somehow and I don't even know how? I bought a St Croix triumph for my son and love that rod too, I'd get one before the fenwick any day. I lucked out when I bought my last rod, the fishing hole had their big sale and accidentally put the 40% off tag on the GLoomis. I brought it up to the counter and they said this wasn't supposed to be on the GLoomis but honored it regardless. I was pretty happy about that one! |
I've used a few different fenwicks including one of my main rods(Fenwick Methods) and the only one I ever broke was an Eagle and I would expect any ML rod to break if you snag it on a tree walking through the bush. HMG's have limited lifetime warranty so yeah can be a bit of a hassle and will likely cost you a few bucks to get a replacement(think you pay shipping).
Fenwicks might be more fragile but that comes with the territory when you consider what you are buying. These Fenwick rods are like bargain deal walmart equivalents to high end rods, light and very sensitive but cheap. If you treat them like an ugly stik you will break them but if you treat them like you would a high end rod shouldn't have an issue(always the odd lemon though). Guys have mentioned St. Croix and G Loomis rods, I personally think sensitivity wise an HMG is ahead of Triumphs and Premiers(same graphite material used for both, Premier just has higher quality components and made in USA instead of China hence why it costs more). Avids and E6X's are more sensitive and better rods but you are talking over twice as much to buy those quality of rods. Sensitivity isn't everything though(except in certain situations like jigging) so yeah check out Triumphs and see how they feel to you. Personally not a huge fan and highly prefer the Premiers feel instead but again you are jumping out of this price range. |
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:29 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.