Cheap Rods / Reels

[scottca]

Hi All,

 

I know the saying "you get what you pay for" is normally relevent however I want to start getting into piking / lure fishing etc so would like to get a new rod and reel to accomodate my interest.

 

Now the big issue, I dont really want to be spending loads of money there are some websites that are selling cheap tackle/rods/reels (not ebay, but didnt want to post just incase im not allowed etc)

 

They are doing some 4lb spinning rods for £10 - £20. Now, I know they are not the best rods in the world, and they wont last me a lifetime, but im not a hard core angler, I fish for pleasure and just try to get out whenever I can.

 

Would these cheap rods be suitable, or should they just be avoided as they are more hasstle than they are worth?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Craig

[larsagi2010]

When I started Pike fishing I purchased a ''Sea fishing rod'' which was only about 4ft in length but of course very strong, I paid about £12.99 for it at my local tackle shop. He chucked me in a Shakespeare reel for £15 which came equipped with 15lb Braid and also gave me 3 small spinners free!

 

So all in all a very cheap start to pike fishing... And I have to say 9 years on I still use the short sea rod for Pike fishing, and even the occasional float fishing session in which its landed some good tench!

 

So it is possible to get some good gear for next to nothing. Its just a case of filtering through the bargains to find the higher quality ones

 

Edit:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-4M-8-FT-TELESCOPIC...3#ht_2551wt_905

 

This rod is similar to my telescopic sea rod I purchased... Might be worth looking into as you can keep the pike rig set up and literally just extend the rod on the bank and your good to go....

 

For the money is it worth the risk??? With mine being in the shop I could handle the rod.... so its a bit of an extra gamble on E-Bay...

 

Here is a spinning reel to go with it....

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TOP-GUN-RD50-LINEAEF...3#ht_1600wt_905

Edited February 11, 2011 by larsagi2010

[AddictedToScopex]

I would say be a little wary of cheap tackle. It is cheap for a reason. Often it is not up to standard and will soon begin to get on your nerves causing you to replace it. This then means it wasnt cheap as you have had to pay extra to get something better in place of it.

 

I used to get the odd cheap reel and it only caused problems in the past with clutch mechanisms breaking, baitrunner facilities failing and such and in the end after 3 reels coming to a similar end I splashed the cash on something much better and i am glad i did.

 

What you have to take into consideration is longevity. What is cheaper? 4 crap reels at £20 each over 4 years or 1 great reel for £50-£60 that will last 10 years plus if looked after? Also the 1 good reel will provide much more pleasure when using it.

 

For things like rubber beads I have no problem paying as little as possible but for rods and reels I would no longer scrimp on the cash as it is just not worth it in my view and you end up with sub par tackle as a result that does not last and can ruin your experience of catching your fish. For example a friend of mine came to the river with me using a cheap carp rod for barbel. When he caught his first he said he didnt know what all the fuss was about and that the fight was easy. I explained that it was his crap... i mean carp rod and the next fish I hooked into I handed him my barbel rod and after he had landed the fish you could see in his face how much more he had enjoyed it. He had to fight every inch of the way to get the fish in and said he could feel the power of the fish and really enjoyed it. He has since gone out and bought two barbel rods .

 

All the above does not however mean you cant look for a bargain secondhand reel or rod that is cheaper than brand new but still great quality. For example i would rather pay £30 for a second hand shimano reel than £10 for a bargain basement one that looks great for a week until the handle falls off!

 

I guess it is down to your own personal opinion but I would always be willing to spend a little extra to get a lot more quality.

Edited February 11, 2011 by AddictedToScopex

[Dales]

I am always a little suspicious of cheap tackle and instantly wonder why is it so cheap. But you can get some good deals by shopping around.

 

Watatoad done alot of reviews of Reels and Rods including a number of budget ones a while back. so it may be worth a look to see what he recommends. I'm sure he had rods under £20 in his reviews but can not remember what style of rods they were.

 

It might be worth listing the rods you are interested in and see if any one has experience of using them. But if they are any good, you might risk some one getting in first and buying them up

[Dick Dastardly]

I allways advise much the same as ATS has posted.Always best to get the best you can afford as not only will you enjoy it more but wont need to replace or feel the need to upgrade it so soon. Also if you discover its not for you then it will have some re sale value unlike a really cheap bit of gear!

 

Mind you what do you call cheap? as these days you can get some very usable tackle for not a lot of dosh!

 

Are you wanting to lure fish or bait fish Craig?

[scottca]

Thanks everyone, helpfull as always!

 

The rods I were refering to are from dragoncarpdirect (apologies if I shouldnt have posted the website, feel free to remove). They have some spinning rods for about £15 or so?

 

Thanks again,

 

Craig

 

Edit: Budgie, just seen your post, sorry I missed it. Probably both to be honest at some point, is there a rod which will handle both, I understand that lure rods are normally shorter is that correct? I have a 1.75 TC Wychwood Rogue Barbel rod but I dont imagine that would be up to the job if I managed to actually hook a fairly decent size pike?

Edited February 11, 2011 by scottca

[AddictedToScopex]

Probably both to be honest at some point, is there a rod which will handle both,

I currently use a dual purpose pike rod that is for working medium lures and also for deadbaiting. It is a great rod. A Rovex John Wilson rod I believe. It was recommended to me by my local tackleshop who i speak to very often. I think it was £35 so you can get a very good rod for a low price. It is of course all carbon and incredibly light which is a must for spinning IMO but has a strong backbone. I cant seem to find the exact rod as it is not the 'river pike' variant but I am sure if you look around you will find something better than the dragon carp gear at not much more cost.

[scottca]

Thanks ATS, I was in my local tackle shop today and asked them about a dual purpose rod and that Rovex John Wilson was the exact one they showed me - Glad to know its been recomended elseware.

 

Looks like ill be saving the pennies, convincing the mrs and buying that one after payday!

 

The rod felt really nice and like you said, was extreamly light.

[AddictedToScopex]

Thanks ATS, I was in my local tackle shop today and asked them about a dual purpose rod and that Rovex John Wilson was the exact one they showed me - Glad to know its been recomended elseware.

 

Looks like ill be saving the pennies, convincing the mrs and buying that one after payday!

 

The rod felt really nice and like you said, was extreamly light.

I would definetly say it was worth saving for a rod you will be happy with and as you have felt the rod and seen it you know exactly what you are going to get.

[grumpybum]

The majority of cheap rods sold by used tackle are fibre glass. Nothing wrong with that other than a weight issue compared to carbon. Having said that if its a rod under 9ft then the weight wont be an issue.

 

I'd be more inclined to buy a higher quality reel. Any reel used for spinning gets abused due to the number of casts made each session

Edited February 11, 2011 by grumpybum