Expensive rods vs Ugly Sticks

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by lannie

When choosing a rod the biggest change in quality is when the rods go from foam grip to cork. Anything with a foam grip should be left on the shelf as they are an exercise in frustration. Materials can vary greatly with the rod blanks but if you cant transfer the energy to the blank efficiently you are done.

I have to disagree somewhat. I prefer rods that are going to be in the rod holder most of the time to have foam handles. Cork takes a beating if used in rod holders. Many/most trolling rods do have foam handles for that reason.
Cork will help transmit vibrations if you are holding the rod but is not needed for trolling rods.

[Fishfinder]

Lets try this again, super happy I lost connection and get to retype this lol. Sigh.

These threads are like SPITZ!

Why Uglies work for ME.

I am by no means a pro fisherman, far from it actually, I continue to learn new "stuff" almost on every outing. I love it. Been fishing 6 yrs I think. I have learned much from this forum and am forever grateful.

Now, back in the Hat, I was lucky early on in my fishing career to have been introduced to a couple decent sturg holes in the area on the SSR and have found a few on our own via boat. Anyway, I instantly fell in love with sturg fishing..how could you not! I have learned to fish these wonderful dinos. I have made mistakes along the way and have made the proper corrections accordingly, ie weight/hook setup, line strength, handling etc... I care ALOT now about these creatures and have learned to love them.

I was also introduced early on to Ugly Stix. Cheap, strong, perfect for a beginner.
Now, I am gonna say I've caught roughly 250+ sturg throughout the years, give or take, likely give. Anyway, I dunno why but I have been pretty lucky or blessed for whatever reason. Of those 250 I'd say near 20% have been over 4' long. Thats 50 big sturg. I got some noice holes
(My rationale goes like this..48"+ Big sturge, 55+ Huge sturg, 60+ Massive sturg, 65+ Sturg of a lifetime, 70+ your name is Wayne and you are King lol) Obviously I am speaking of AB sturg, not the sea...see.
I also don't measure sturg properly, I go end to end, do I care, not at all lol.

My biggest girls have been several 55+, two 58, one 58.5, one 61, and one faaaaat 67". (67 caught on 12# test years back, did not know better at the time, do I now, of course, 12# test lol.....but I still got her in) ALL caught on 2 Big Uglies, the majority on the same one.

I could never justify using another rod, they suite MY needs for THIS situation just fine. NEVER have I had one break or fail me in anyway. When I am battling a big sturgy thats tearing line through strong current or deep pools or both I am soooo glad I am holding an Ugly. I would never dare fish these dinos with an expensive rod, one for fear of breakage and harming the fish, and I simply don't wanna chuck 300bux into the riv. Can I afford a more expensive rod, yes, do I need one...not as I see it.
50% of my fishing is from the shores of the SSR hunting dinos. I need something that can handle whatever lurks at the bottom, be it a sunken log, or a massive dino. Now if I was jiggin for walters thats a dif scenario, I'll likely switch up gear...to a lite ugly...lol...jk)

I realize there are lotsa rods out there, lotsa opinions, and far more knowledgable fisherfolk than I. But for MY needs in THIS situation, Ugly has performed, continues to perform, and will continue to perform above and beyond it's price value.

A few more reasons why i stick with em on the SSR.
-I don't need more spin rods. The past 2 yrs I have gotten into flyfishing and can really see it being the wave of my future fishing career. 90% of my fishn moolah will be spent on this. So why upgrade since Ugly work great and less n less time will be spent fishn the big strong ssr that holds big strong fish that i continuously catch on my big strong rod.
-I have found oodles of broken rods all over the shores of the SSR, lotsa cheapies, some expensives, ZERO uglies. I am sure they break, but I've never seen it nor found a broken one.
-Special place in my heart after that 67 Did I mention the 30" GIRTH

In conclusion, (and I know I forgot a lot of points I wanted to make but am tired of typing this...twice...doh) I will say this.
There are far superior rods than ugly stix for different fishing scenarios, but for the SSR, for ME, I'm STICKin with em. They just keep on bringing in the big girls, who am I to argue with em.

My 2 sense anyway. That all said, these threads have managed to bring up lotsa really good points....from some anyway....I have learned lotsand a lil lesshaha.
There must be something to them, sure are alot of folk who stand by them. In the end, as stated several times, whatever suites your needs, dif strokes for dif folks.

Cheers n GL all. (Kudos if you actualy read my entire rant lol)

[Michael_Brown]

The best rod is the one that gets the fish to the net. How much you want to spend is related to your budget.
I have been fortunate enough to have fished with some of the most high end rods on the market, from a couple of different sponsors during the last couple of decades.
I don't think its fair to try to compare the most advanced rods on the market with an old standby brand. I also don't think it matters.
The rod you own is the best one to use. If you happen to own 20 rods (yes I have issues) things can get more complicated.
It is fishing and it is about fun times with family and friends. I will happily fish alongside anyone, with any rod and not judge them. (unless they hold a spinning reel upside down and reel backwards)

[tonypower]

Just my two cents.... But I have been using cheap rods and reels for a long time. Mostly for fishing nsr. By cheap I mean a combo for somewhere in the 60-80 buck range. Last year I bought a 100 real and a few weeks ago I bought a half decent shammano rod($100). The only reason I bought it is because I was tired of snapping the tips and the eyes falling off. I have used this rod with the real I bought last year three times. Fishing with this rod is a whole different ball of yarn. You can feel every rock and log your jig comes across, and when a fish takes it there is no mistake. The money I spent was well worth it. In all the years I have bought cheap combos because I am just going to wreak it at the river, I could have bought a good rod and reel and it would still have it. Don't cheap out if you like to fish. The feeling of a good rod and reel will make a huge difference. Thanks

[EZM]

Originally Posted by tonypower

Just my two cents.... But I have been using cheap rods and reels for a long time. Mostly for fishing nsr. By cheap I mean a combo for somewhere in the 60-80 buck range. Last year I bought a 100 real and a few weeks ago I bought a half decent shammano rod($100). The only reason I bought it is because I was tired of snapping the tips and the eyes falling off. I have used this rod with the real I bought last year three times. Fishing with this rod is a whole different ball of yarn. You can feel every rock and log your jig comes across, and when a fish takes it there is no mistake. The money I spent was well worth it. In all the years I have bought cheap combos because I am just going to wreak it at the river, I could have bought a good rod and reel and it would still have it. Don't cheap out if you like to fish. The feeling of a good rod and reel will make a huge difference. Thanks

That's exactly the point people who switch over to a better setup will say every time. I have read this same story over and over again and it rings true.

Having a good rod will help you feel things you have been missing all these years - and I'd be bold enough to suggest - you might just catch a few more fish.

The selling point of an UglyStick being virtually indestructible unfortunately is the same reason it provides poor sensitivity and virtually no variable load (spring).

Then again, for $40 a rod ........ there are some pretty crappy rods out there much worse that the Ugly. Shakesphere and Zebco make some real top notch crap out there. Many of their products aspire to be crap.

Not to be outdone by their fine selection of spin cast reels available from $9 up to $20. some of these models come pre-loaded with top quality green tinted mono-filament.

If whippin' the kids, staking up your wife's tomatoes is required - the Ugly Stick gets the nod in my household. I am not going to do it with my St.Croix or G Loomis anytime soon - I need those rods for catching fish.

Who am I to judge someone who is pumping their chest up telling me their Ugly stick has caught hundreds of fish ............. when deep down inside I'm thinking ....... how many more he/she would have caught if they knew there was a fish nibbling on their line the other 100's of times their bait "fell off".

At the end of the day it's all about what you are comfortable in spending or able to spend on your budget. Who cares what you use .......... I'm just trying to give my best advice based on my experience to help others on the forum.

[Fishfinder]

EZM, ya know, I agree with most of what your saying. Not sure if your referring to me about "pumping my chest" lol n all that but whatever, see things as u may. That's not the type of person I am...at all.
Anyway, for my needs...as per my rant...pls offer up some rod suggestions for me, keeping only MY SSR situation in mind and nothing else. Love to hear your suggestions. Not reels, just rods. Bear in mind I will not fish this riv with anything weaker than an Ug stick. I don't care about catching any other fish when I'm sturgeon fishing so I really really don't care if I miss the odd walter. Thats not what I'm there for. I am being serious btw. I'm sure many on here would like to know also. Perhaps when Ug breaks, I'll try something else.

Cheers

Edit) MB, Noice feesh btw and I tend to agree. Comparing an Ugly to an "expensive" rod makes no sense. But hey, makes for some interesting convo I guess.

[nôcikinosêwêw]

Growing up playing a lot of hockey and being poor I heard a lot of: "it's not the stick, it's the player". I think the same way about fishing. I've only ever used a 30 dollar or cheaper rod (a willow haha) and I prefer sensitivity over anything else. I've found that when using a willow to fish, cutting it long and thin at the end, tying in two places in case the end breaks, gives the fish room to fight and allows you to play him out. I've caught some big walleye at Lac Ste Anne and jacks there and in Inuvik with my lil trout rod or a willow, I just had a couple of really long fights.

That said, I am mostly a trout fisherman-- I think I'd need a bit thicker of a willow for a sturgeon

[Junglefisher]

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

I could never justify using another rod,

The past 2 yrs I have gotten into flyfishing and can really see it being the wave of my future fishing career. 90% of my fishn moolah will be spent on this.

Flyfishing with an ugly stik, I gotta see that!

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by Junglefisher

Flyfishing with an ugly stik, I gotta see that!

Lol me too! Hope this was a joke. Hard to tell on here sometimes. Not what I said at all, but hey with a lil editing on your part sure seems that way eh....

Toodles for now.

[bugslinger22]

Originally Posted by Michael_Brown

A 2005 chevy cavalier will work as an affordable off road vehicle but may not be the best tool available for the job.

This is so true. Mine hauled 3 deer out of the bush on different occasions. on the roof and in a tarped trunk haha.

[Michael_Brown]

Originally Posted by bugslinger22

This is so true. Mine hauled 3 deer out of the bush on different occasions. on the roof and in a tarped trunk haha.

Beats eating them in the bush.

[italk2u]

I've had my ugly stick for over 20 years....'nuff said.

[Fishfinder]

Bizzzump. I'm not done here. Need more enlightenment. Ez....don't tell me your fishing? How them lake fish biting? Googling still? I need to know what the masters fish sturgeon with on the SSR, please.

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by italk2u

I've had my ugly stick for over 20 years....'nuff said.

Amen. Can't wait till lil fella is able to fish. When I pass on the rod, I know he can beat the heck outta it and still land fish. Ohhhh but wait, all the bites we missed cuz we use uglies......rats.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

EZM, ya know, I agree with most of what your saying. Not sure if your referring to me about "pumping my chest" lol n all that but whatever, see things as u may. That's not the type of person I am...at all.
Anyway, for my needs...as per my rant...pls offer up some rod suggestions for me, keeping only MY SSR situation in mind and nothing else. Love to hear your suggestions. Not reels, just rods. Bear in mind I will not fish this riv with anything weaker than an Ug stick. I don't care about catching any other fish when I'm sturgeon fishing so I really really don't care if I miss the odd walter. Thats not what I'm there for. I am being serious btw. I'm sure many on here would like to know also. Perhaps when Ug breaks, I'll try something else.

Cheers

Edit) MB, Noice feesh btw and I tend to agree. Comparing an Ugly to an "expensive" rod makes no sense. But hey, makes for some interesting convo I guess.

Lol - no nothing specific directed at anyone in articular - just a general comment. I have been fly fishing, and spin fishing lakes, rivers and the oceans for 30 years and I'm offering my best opinion - that's all .....

I have of these - bought it on sale for about $120 ..........

mines 8'-6" in med heavy

http://www.stcroixrods.com/product/wild-rivervy -

real nice rod .........

If you need something a bit stiffer look at the Shimano Technium Sturgeon rod - a great rod as well ..........

[mooseknuckle]

Had a Honda civic once. Was alright got me where I needed to go, chicks didn't really like it. Later in life bought a Porsche. Performed much better, looked better, and scored way more chicks. Just sayin.

Definately does not mean I dislike Honda drivers.

[Fishfinder]

Cool, I will look into. Pm incoming

[Wes_G]

Originally Posted by EZM

The simple reality is an ugly stick is old technology with a parabolic action - so, in other words, there is no variation in action available. Buy a mid market to high end rod it will be rated for power and action (medium power, fast action).

That's why, on less expensive rods, like the the ugly stick, it does not indicate action.

The ugly sticks are simply parabolic (evenly loaded action based on the diameter along the length of the rod). Probably comparable closes to a "slow action" rod.

By that definition, it's not the best technology for many and most applications. Most applications require the speed of the action to be moderate to fast.

Secondly, the material used, which is less expensive, although tough as heck, simply does not translate vibration (sensitivity) well. So, again, in most applications, you want a sensitive rod to feel a soft pickup from a fish.

If your budget allows it, get a rod with better performance characteristics best suited to the way you fish.

Before I get blasted here ........ to clarify ............ I agree you can catch 100's of fish on the ugly stick just fine ........ but you can also cross the country driving a bicycle but a car is a better tool.

Now here is someone who knows what they are talking about. So much more usefull then the normal "da ugly stiks is awsome bra!" comments

[Wes_G]

Originally Posted by EZM

Then again, for $40 a rod ........ there are some pretty crappy rods out there much worse that the Ugly. Shakesphere and Zebco make some real top notch crap out there. Many of their products aspire to be crap.

Ugly stiks are made by Shakespeare.

[Wes_G]

Originally Posted by italk2u

I've had my ugly stick for over 20 years....'nuff said.

And think of how far technology in pretty much everything has come in 20 years, including fishing rods. "nuff said"

[KegRiver]

I have found that for the type of fish we get around here, the cheaper rods work better.

I've been fishing with a $12.98 rod for the better part of the past forty years and it hasn't failed me yet.
I've had a few rods that cost a bit more, but none of them lasted.
The was the Shakespeare Wonderod, seems to me it cost around $30.00, that's about the same as a $300.00 rod today.
There others I can't remember the names of, some cost a weeks wages others only a day's wages but all were state of art for the time.
I had money, I was working the patch and living the life.

Then one day I spotted this dirt cheap collapsible rod. The only thing about it that appealed to me was the fact that I could pack in in my suitcase and take it wherever I went. So I bought it.
It's the only rod I ever bough that last more then a season or two.
I still have it and it's my go to rod now.

One thing I have figured out over the years. Most advertisements are lies or only half true.

And young fisherman are more interested in impressing the ladies then in catching fish. He will tell you he has the best rod in the country, but he's never going to admit he is actually embarrassed by what he really has.

Relax son, it's not the size of the rod that counts. It's the size of the fish you can handle with it that counts. And that takes skill more then equipment.

[coorslightspoon]

I have 2 cherry woods and one uglystik . There all good rods but I prefer the ugly stick just because of the flex it has .

[JohninAB]

If I had to fish with an Ugly Stik I would quit fishing!

Ugly Stik has all the qualities of a 2x4. Heavy, same feel and about the same value.

It comes about it's name honestly, Ugly!

[Bluetick Coonhound]

I use my ugly stick as my Bow. Period.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Junglefisher

Flyfishing with an ugly stik, I gotta see that!

https://www.google.ca/search?q=ugly+...ods%3B475%3B62
They make 'em
I'll take an ugly stick into the timber and rocks after a jackfish or walleye any day of the week over a IM6 or other high modulus graphite thingy- there is nothing as strong as fibreglass when it comes to horseing a big fish out of the timber!
My old standby Heddon Pal 8wht has been put to use several times on fly in trips after my high end graphite rods were broken.
They take a bit of casting style modification, but they work.
They stand up better in the delta areas of rivers as well, where there is lots of silt and sand and mud.
Cat

[wellpastcold]

Ugly sticks are awesome! For herding cattle, if you lose the handle for your car jack, if you need to split wood etc.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by NEWB

There has been much debate about the expensive rods vs ugly sticks that has spilled over into many threads.

This thread is for the grand debate of Expensive Rods vs Ugly sticks.

Lets hear your opinion..

Which is better and why?

Probably depends on what you are fishing for.

For the last dozen years I've used nothing but Sage 3106's set up for a center pin for fishing off the West Coast. Custom built with silicone carbide guides, Fuji reel seats, beautiful cork, etc...I've got 5 all set up with Islander MR2's. Probably around $1200 a rod/reel. Worth every penny to me.

For an example, I've had a big smiley on the end of the line that is running for all he's worth straight for the boat while I'm reeling like mad trying to catch up with him. You can actually feel a shudder in the rod as he changes direction and that half a split second is enough to get your fingers off the knobs and start palming them before he's peeling line out again.

Can you still have fun and catch fish with an Ugly Stick? Sure. Is spending 5 times as much money for a Sage that you would spend for an Ugly Stick for everyone? Probably not.

I used to fish off the West Coast of Vancouver Island in the range of 30 - 40 days a summer. Over the years I've used every kind of rod made. I've never enjoyed fighting a fish as much as when I'm doing it with a 3106. I took a good buddy out a few years ago that always fished with a Fenwick 1264 and he always claimed that I was crazy for spending over twice as much for my Sages. One trip and he was sold. The next year the 1264's were gone and he was using a 3106.

[NSRfishing]

i like my temple fork outfitters gary loomis spinning rod sensitive but not to stiff

i dont like how stiff the high graphite rods are

[Winch101]

I sold the Schtix to stores for many years. Here's some important facts.
If your a shore fisher ,this is the rod for you . If a guy comes along and
Has bottled beer and no opener ,you have a 6 ' 6" one and can help him out.
If your all ****ed up and fall on your rod ,no problem , kids step on it
No problem . Don't catch any fish ....you have a built in excuse .
Nothing casts a pickerel rig ,with a spark plug weight into the NSR
Like a stik . If you buy a 30k or more fishin machine ,first thing you
Will notice is how out of place those stiks look .....upgrade .
Go down to the dock at PCR or Travers ,you want to see Stiks
Papa,mama ,the ten little &$@$& all have the steek .
The most important feature is when using those rod holders that
Stick into the mud ,the stik handle always fits ,it's like Shakespeare
Knew who you were . Hey and it's not like you got sucked in to buying
A St. Croix piece of crap . In other words it's like you bought a custom
Just for you .

Always glad to help ...

[fishnfoo]

Personally, I think there is a sweet spot for both rods and reels at about $100 mark where you get 90% of the quality of the really expensive stuff at about one fifth of the cost. If you really want that extra 10% of the sensitivity or smoothness go for it. Ugly sticks (and I have one) just don't make the cut. To get value for the dollar but a Compre, HMG, eyecon, elitetech or comparable rod.

Can an ugly stick catch fish..... yes... so what that is meaningless. You can catch big fish with a hand line too. If you are going to spend a pile of money on gas, bait, boat etch to go fishing invest in some decent gear to really enjoy the experience.

That being said, if an ugly stick makes you happy..... enjoy. But please stop trying convert the rest of us. We know about them we have tried them and we have found then to be sub-standard for most applications.