Rod Alternatives

[sloppyjoe]

Just throwing this out for some discussion. Is there any real reason to go with something other than a Loomis, Lamiglas or St. Croix for steelhead/salmon? I know there are other rods that work great and are much less expensive, but these are the ones that feel the best to me. I have yet to feel the St. Croix Legend Elite, but have felt or fished with all the other top models from the other manufacturers.

Just wondering what everyone is using and if there are some other higher end alternatives?
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[jeremypeace]

well quite honestly I have fished with a high end pole and a cheap pole and the honest truth is I like my rhino brand pole so much more than those other ones I've used it for steelheading I've caught salmon on it steelhead catfish carp bows browns perch crapie gills sculpin all sorts of fish as have I with a highdoller pole and my 26 doller rhino 6'8'' medium fast rod has out performd my inlaws fancy high doller lamiglass and st. Criox... As he has broken them bolth on very small sized fish in compairison... So that's my two cents
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[SteelFisher]

Everyone will have a different opinion but I really like the Lamiglas XMG50 EXC 92. I bought one 2 years ago and like it so much that I just bought a second one. I have not fished the Loomis or St Croix but I am sure they are good rods also. For drift fishing I would highly recommend the XMG50. This rod is a lot more sensitive than any other rod I have owned for steelhead fishing.

SteelFisher
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[sloppyjoe]

Yeah, I have fished with the XMG50, and it is a great rod. The issue I am having with Lamiglas is their warranty coverage. I have seen three different XMG's get broken over the last few months, and when the guys try to get them warrantied it takes months to get them back. I have a St. Croix Avid right now and really like it, but once again I am not sure how well the warranty will be if I ever have to use it. Hopefully I never have to , but if I do, I know you pretty much have to pay every time to get a St. Croix warrantied. I think Loomis is still one of the best, we will just have to see how the warranty coverage goes with them being owned by Shimano now. I am heavily considering a Legend Elite by St. Croix, but we will have to see what we learn here and through more research first.
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[SteelFisher]

I haven't broken a Lamiglas yet and I hope I don't. But I am very careful on snags to make sure I don't put unnecessary pressure on the rod. I have heard that most guys break them on snags not on fish. One of the reasons that I bought a second rod was I wanted a backup in case I did break one. I also like the idea of having a second rod ready to go when I loose a rig or to have something different on to switch it up a little.
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[hulapopper]

i still use my kenai special lamiglass rods i used when i lived in alaska. they are light sensitive and not 200 $. i have been out fished by my brothers wallyworld shakespear steelhead rods on several occasions. when you are bottom bouncing you are just waiting for the drift to stop for the most part anyhow. to each his own if you want to fish with a 500 $ set up more power to you. the lighter rods with a good 10 ball bearing reel, will definatly help with arm fatigue casting and reeling all day. i hate going with guys so paranoid of there loomis rods " watch where you walk " ect.. and waiting 5 minutes for them to pull out there snags beacause they dont want to load up there rods in feer it may break. 500 dollar rigs work awesome and so do 50 dollar ones. the most important factor is if the guy holding them knows what to do with them !
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[chrome_junky]

have used a loomis for the last 2 years. i used a okuma celilo before that for a long time. i have to honestly say that i have to disagree with most on this one i think nicer rods will get you into a lot more fish. the way they transmit bites and hits. the way they make your rig bounce on the bottom believe it or not the rod makes a huge difference on how your set up is presented too soft and your gear will drop down into holes in the rocks and crevesces causing more hang ups. i cant tell you how many times my friends would fish around me on the salmon river and would get snagged up almost every cast and then get mad when they would lighten their weight and still hang up. i would tell them it was their rods and they would never believe me. now they have all sprung the extra cash for a little bit better of a rod and they believe me now. no offense hula popper but thinking that all you are waiting for is the drift to stop is not all you are suppose to be doing i use to think the same thing now with rods that i can feel everything and learned what different steelhead strikes feel like my catch rate has tripled in the last 2 years. again not trying to be offensive so i appologize in advance if i did offend anyone.
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[TheGrovBone]

I had the opportunity last year during the steelhead and salmon seasons to try fish with 6 different rods with the same reel to help me decide which rod was best. I have to agree with ChromeJunky and sloppyjoe on this one - the better rods will help you catch more fish. Granted you can catch fish on ANY rod provided you know what you're doing (from time to time I really wonder if I do). The increased sensitivity helps exponentially. I did find a great bang for the buck rod though! First of all, Lamiglas and Loomis are top of the game in my opinion. BUT...we all can't afford such things (I group myself in there too). I got the chance to fish with a Fenwick HMX IM7 rod that was both moderately priced and surprisingly sensitve. I believe I paid $80for the rod. While searching for a great valued rod I found a real turd as well. If anyone has this rod, I apologize in advance for my scathing review. I bought the Berkely Air IM8 rod because it was highly recommended by several people (who will rename nameless). For most steelhead fishing applications I'm sure it works great. However, one on hole (or run rather) the flaws of the rod came to light in a painful way. A friend next to me was fishing with a Loomis G2 and we both had mono line - I had CXX he had Maxima, both low stretch mono lines. The river was exceptionally broad in this run and about 3 feet deep where we were casting, but it was about as far as you could possibly cast to get to where the fish were. That day I lost 11 consecutive steelhead and I ended the day having landed only 2 while hooking 15 (I lost a couple between the 2 landed). I swapped out hooks, added weight, cut off weight, everything I could do to help - but NOTHING could compensate for the slow action in that rod. I simply couldn't set the hook fast enough or hard enough to get it to stick. That being said, braid would have helped in that situation but my mind was made up. My friend went home that day having landed 13 fish. The only 2 I landed that day were on his rod. I promptly traded that rod in, and found the HMX to be an awesome inexpensive alternative. But as for me, I'm a Lamiglas and Loomis believer []
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[SteelFisher]

I don't spend any more time getting snags loose than a guy with a cheap rod. I just point the rod at the snag hang onto the line and back away until it comes loose or breaks off.
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[flygoddess]

Interesting post. I am way use to this on the fly fishing boards.
I am going to agree with TheGrovBone. You can catch fish with anything, but sure isn't anything wrong with wanting to do it with fine crafted equipment, which does come at a cost.
It is only worth it in the hand of one that can appreciate it, AND afford it.

I too am one that likes the "FINER" equipment, but can catch fish with my $14. Wally World. That is the fisher, not the gear. But the finer equipment can make a difference. Up to each person do decide if they need it.

But don't look down at those that can and do use upper end gear....not all that use the upper end gear can be "outfished" by the cheaper..[]
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[hulapopper]

interesting info. i may have to try one your points sounded very compeling. i have a couple cabella's gift cards saved up for a leopold vx3 but maybe i will buy a loomis? if you caught more fish with it i am game !
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[iliketofish]

Has anyone ever used the TFO Gary Loomis specialty spinning rods? I'm thinking of getting one: not too expensive, good warranty, fancy name etc. Sounds good to me on paper, but has anybody actually used one?
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[STEELHEADKID]

In my opinion drift fishing is where you dont want to skimp on the type of rod you buy. I driftfish with high end loomis 1082 rods even though I dont like the direction loomis went in there warranty department. All that aside I have NEVER broken a loomis while fishing....... my tailgate however has claimed a few. The rod is what telegraphs whats going on throughout your drift. I prefer to use as little weight as I can get away with when I drift fish so I dont drag or dredge the bottom but actually drift only feeling bottom every 5-6 feet is what I find optimal. Lamiglass, Loomis, St. Croix, Rainshadow(if you wrap your own), or Sage rods make some of the finest driftfishing rods out there. Lastly as a driftfisherman even if you have the most sensitive rod on the planet watch your rod tip! Many times driftfishing I wont feel anything but I see the bite in the tip of my rod.
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[sloppyjoe]

Thanks for all the great input so far. I agree with the people that say you don't need to spend a lot of money to catch lots of fish. I have seen plenty of people with Lamiglas or Loomis rods get outfished by the less expensive rods. I think I can feel more with the better quality rods, and agree with the comments about getting snags off, I give it a few hard pulls, and then aim the rod at the snag and back up until it gives. I think I will stick with the Avid for now and try to decide between a Loomis Steelhead series or the St. Croix Legend Elite. Has anyone tried the Northfork Composite blanks yet?
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[lucabrasi]

I would consider getting a rod custom made for what you are going to want to use it for. There are many great rod makers out there and they can use many blanks including Lamiglass and St. Croix, They can use very high end blanks without those names and save a few bucks also. Could be the same blank or better but without the name. The cost of getting a great rod made is about what it costs for the others and a good rod builder will stand behind and provide a warranty on his craft. Special inlay custom threading, hook keepers, action, etc. The thread work is really only limited by your imagination. Sports team or colors, designs, fish, etc. Sweet custom handles, I could go on and on.
I have fished and still fish with cheaper Okuma setups and have caught many fish and really they are my go to rods/setups. I must say tho there is nothing finer than a high quality balanced light weight rod in your hand. Remember tho, once you get that way nice rod, you are going to want to get that way high end reel. Oh yeah, then you need the one for walleye, and don't forget spring trout, or the fall bass or the cabin fever model......
I have fished also Kistler and Carrot Stix........both very nice. You may want to consider a Carrot Stix rod for an off the shelf rod. The materials are extremely high quality and unique to them. The rods are so sweet. The Kistlers are extremely nice too but I think you will only find those online.
Do stop into a rod builders shop and strike up a conversation. If nothing else he will give you things to ponder over. If you do decide to get one you are helping someone who is most likely doing something he really likes and helping out someone local/small business type. Don't be afraid if he doesn't have that exact one you want to check out. See his work, learn about him and rest assured the rod he makes for you will become a prized work of art you will fall in love with.
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[mikkfin80]

Joe already knows my story about my xmg 50 but I will post it for everyone else to read. This summer in Ellis I was salmon fishing. I had caught a couple of fish and was loving my rod. I was bragging it up to a couple guys next to me who were amiring how it looked when I hooked a fish. I set the hook and was keeping pressure on the fish and I felt him head shake and then he decided to run. When he ran my rod snapped in half. I hope it was just a fluke deal because I really love how the rod feels. The biggest problem with the whole deal was that it took lamiglas 3 months to get my rod back to me. After I got it back I took it out steelheading and caught a couple nice fish and it felt great so I hope I don't break it again.
I recently saw that redington makes a steelhead series rod and am curious how their rods are. Does anyone else know anything about them?
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[STEELHEADKID]

[quote sloppyjoe]Thanks for all the great input so far. I agree with the people that say you don't need to spend a lot of money to catch lots of fish. I have seen plenty of people with Lamiglas or Loomis rods get outfished by the less expensive rods. I think I can feel more with the better quality rods, and agree with the comments about getting snags off, I give it a few hard pulls, and then aim the rod at the snag and back up until it gives. I think I will stick with the Avid for now and try to decide between a Loomis Steelhead series or the St. Croix Legend Elite. Has anyone tried the Northfork Composite blanks yet?[/quote]

Just because someone is fishing a lami or loomis or whatever high end rod they've got in their hands does not make them a good fisherman. The rod is just one piece of the puzzle. To become a good drift fisherman you need to learn how to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Learn to match what size weight you use to the water you are fishing. Leader length and whatever you may be drifting is also crucial. Leader too long and you drift over the top of the fish, too short and it goes under em. Once you get the puzzle figured out and everything comes together it wont matter if you have a $500 loomis or a $100 berkley Air IM8. Quality rods are nice, I've invested in plenty of em but the most important part of fishing is whats on the end of your line. Rods are the same as Ford vs Chevy.............
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[SteelFan]

I started drifting for steelhead with a 39 dollar Okuma casting rod and I would get outfished almost every time I would go. My buddy would say buy a Loomis you won't regret it. Last spring I bought a GL3 and he was right I didn't regret it at all. I was truly amazed at how much more sensitive the rod was. I could feel everything that came close to my line. I will not buy another cheap rod again. I will also say that the Fenwick HMX is a good rod. I have caught steelhead on it as well. It is a very sensitive rod and does a good job, but it is a heavy rod and will wear your arm out. Nothing compares to a Loomis in my book. I just bought a Loomis 8'6" medium weight steelhead series for Christmas and cannot wait to get out and use it Christmas afternoon. (well probably Sunday morning as mama probably will not let me fish on Christmas day. lol)
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[chrome_junky]

agreed! you can put a highend rod in an inexperianced anglers hand and its not gonna make him catch more fish. in my opinion i think a high end rod will only increase a catch rate in an experianced angler. really the only thing that matters is you have a rod in your hand and you are in the water expensive equipment or not.
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[sloppyjoe]

I totally agree on getting your tackle in the water no matter what rod and reel you are using. I guess I could always try to hand line it. Speaking of reels, what are your favorites? I am using a Shimano Stradic CI4 right now for spinning, and an Abu Garcia for my baitcaster. I think I am going to upgrade the Abu, just not sure what to get. Maybe a Curado 301 or something like that. Let's here what you guys think.
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