Help with new spinning rod - need suggestions
 

Hi all,

Haven't bought a spinning rod in years and really have no idea about them.

Looking for something to fish chironomids to perch, small trout, whitefish and whatever else that eats them.

Will be fishing from a boat so don't need to cast far or at all (jigging) and would like something very sensitive to detect nibbles.

Would prefer to keep the rod short at 5'6" so UL or Light rods, something under $200 would be ideal (rod only, i own a reel already).

Thanks, looking forward to suggestions or any input you might have.

I just picked one up last week at Bass.Calgary

It is a Bass Pro rod 2 piece 5.6ft. Ultra lite. Bought for a spare and I paired it with a Pysfun 1000 Very light and should be fine for your needs. BTW $80

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out.

Sounds like a fly rod is the right tool.

Ultra light rods like that are actually surprisingly hard to find.

Take a look at the Shimano Clarus, it's available in a 5'6" UL, in either a 1pc or 2pc. Price is about $135.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/14408...s-spinning-rod

The last 4 rods I have bought have been Fenwick HMG or HMX.

They do have a pretty broad range of actions and lengths. I think you can get one of them in either 5'6'' or 6' UL actions. My go to rod everything rod is an HMX 6'6'' medium light, I was actually using it this weekend fishing for whitefish, and I was using it in BC for slip bobbing chironomids a few weekends back.

I am partial to St.Croix rods for their sensitivity and that price point specifically. For that size it's worth getting a 1pc as it's still easy to store and the sensitivity of a one piece is superior to a 2 pc. rod.

I use a UL and L power (Xfast action) for smaller trout, perch and sometimes walleye.

Lots of other good options mentioned above for a little less money too ....

For what it’s worth I love St. Croix and hate fenwick lol.

May I ask why? I love my fenwick, best rod I ever had.

Lots of good options out there. I’d look at Shimano, G Loomis, or St Croix. The Fenwick and 13 Fishing rods are decent budget friendly options too.

SS

I’ve had such major product quality issues with any of the fenwicks I’ve bought for my family the last few years. Multiple issues with the cork. In terms of performance and feel they are decent, but I just won’t buy again because I’ve had several pretty much fall apart.

I'm with Dustin on this one ......... the rod blanks seem to be pretty darn good for sensitivity - but it seems there is ALWAYS something with every single one I've owned. (and trust me I want to like these rods !!!)

One had the reel seat misaligned (I did not notice and ended up taking it back and exchanging it). One had the tip break off snapping like a twig. It just wrapped the line over the top and next hard pull and it snapped. One had the cork coming apart and the end cap coming unglued.

Just all around ....... disappointed. Could be bad luck. I dunno. But three for three for me and I'm done with them.

St Croix Avid 7 foot ML and M are my all time favourite rods. A 6 foot Light would be a ideal in your application, imo.

I also think Fenwick is a great value but my only experience is with 10'6" HMX mooching rods. I have nearly 1000 hours on the same pair of rods fishing exclusively in down riggers and they dont get babied.

Thanks for the suggestions guys! In the end i went with a St Croix Premier Ultralight. I haven't used it yet but am worried about its durability being so light, i guess time will tell.

Good to know. Maybe I just got lucky. But certainly will keep it in mind when looking for next rod.

Thats a great rod!

One thing about these higher tier rods. I find more sensitive rods to be easier to break. Less sensitive rods are usually more durable.

If we are talking attention to detail and quality components st croix is definitely one of the best. The problem with st croix is many people break them because they treat them like an ugly stick. They can't be stepped on and you can't leave weights on the rod to bang it up creating internal fractures you can't see. (i do this when i'm lazy and I feel terrible when I hear it bang up against the rod blank) When I get a snag I also don't reef on my rod. I rather break the fishing line then a rod. I always straighten out the rod pointing the tip of the rod towards the snag and the butt end towards the body, hold my spool so I don't peel drag and pull straight back

The worst is catching a fishing and holding the rod near the tip of the blank creating a breaking point.

I bought my first st croix around 2008 and i'm now at around 15 rods. Never have I ever broken one.

You guys with ultralight rods, do you keep them in tubes?

My own take on the current Fenwick products, is that Pure Fishing is using the brand to market generic Asian products at relatively high price. They may be good, or they might not, the current quality is pretty hit and miss. This is basicaly the situation with any affordable rod, but the Fenwick name still holds some prestige and comands a higher price.

Just my opinion, but if I'm going to roll the dice on a cheap rod I'd rather just bypass the brand and save my money. The various internet outlets are absolutely full of cheap rods of questionable origin, and bypassing corperations like Pure Fishing will often result in one getting a better rod for less money.

I have not had any issues with the St.Croix products in terms of durability. I own likely close to 20 of them and they all have their place. The sensitivity, quality and design of these, for me, set a benchmark at that mid to high price point.

Like HuyFishing said, I bet dollars to doughnuts a glass composite rod like a ugly stick, or a low to mid priced Shimanos (or any brand really), are far more durable but there's a big trade off there in sensitivity. Not a big deal when casting for pike, or bent over loaded on a downrigger, but when you are trying to pin walleyes who are tickling your bait or working some feathers trying to get a trout to commit - that superior feel cashes the checks. ....so there's times when its worth it and times when it's not.

The reality is any high end rod like a Loomis or St.Croix are quite light, thin and slightly less forgiving when handled like a 2x4 thrown in the back of the truck bed or slammed in your door.

Despite that, they are a very well built, high quality rod that if you take reasonable care with it, you will have it for years.

I’ve had 2 st croixs break after probably 6 years of tough use. Both user error. Once my daughter closed a compartment door on and the other I had the braid wrap around the tip on a large pike. Thems the breaks. Treat them well and they should last a long time.