Cheap Rods and Reels You Love

apiazza · February 17, 2021, 06:29:03 AM

I have a dobyns colt spinning rod. I think $69, cheap by some standards not cheap by others but I've been pretty impressed with it.

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Bud Kennedy · February 17, 2021, 07:21:01 AM

Quote from: FlatsNBay on December 25, 2020, 08:06:21 AM
Lots of Lightning Rods mentioned. Those were some good rods!

Bud mentioned holding on to his original combo after all those years. I wished that I still had my original Daiwa Pro Caster from back in the day. I was toying with buying one on Ebay but it just wouldn't be the same as my original for sentimental reasons.

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Here is my beloved Action Rod with the Johnson Century that I bought with the rod. This combo has caught thousands of fish and has been in my possession about 65 years. It is no longer used but has treasured memories. It is still in original condition with nothing broken. The only flaw is that the threading around a couple of the guides is a bit frayed and the blank has some scrapes from being carried across the handlebars of my bicycle.

Mike Cork · February 17, 2021, 08:58:55 AM

Bud that's an amazing treasure

Should definitely be in your display. Something your family should always treasure.

FD · February 18, 2021, 03:23:30 AM

Quote from: Bud Kennedy on February 17, 2021, 07:21:01 AM

Here is my beloved Action Rod with the Johnson Century that I bought with the rod. This combo has caught thousands of fish and has been in my possession about 65 years. It is no longer used but has treasured memories. It is still in original condition with nothing broken. The only flaw is that the threading around a couple of the guides is a bit frayed and the blank has some scrapes from being carried across the handlebars of my bicycle.

That's a beauty Bud!

If you don't have any kids you like, you can will that one to me..

CPF Lures Pro Staff
CPFLures.com

SteveTX · February 19, 2021, 08:42:24 PM

I really like my pitching rods as I am guilty as sin about loving to go pitch. Probably makes me bias, umm no guaranteed it makes me biased.

I have several I like a lot but out of all my junk gear I have to say I have no better rod for my small shallow cranks like the 1/4 oz Baby 1- Minus or the 1/4 oz Bomber Square A than this old Fenwick. Its a Fenwick HMG model GT72M-F-CB listed as a Medium, Moderate Fast 7'2" length.

Excellent rod for most of my 1/4 to 3/8 oz or small cranks. I cant recall exactly what the rod cost me I believe it was $59 or $69 they were on sale as they were discontinued for quite some time I believe when I came across them. I usually have a old Lews Speed Spool in the 6.4:1 on it, that feels really nice in hand to me. Best fish I have caught on one of these combos is a 6 1/4 lbs.
Here is a pic down below.

As for a cheap reel I can say has been a reel I don't mind using as much as some of my nicer reels that cost 4 times as much is a Lews Walmart edition called Mark Rose edition model MR1SH. Its basically the same shape and size as the standard Speed Spool but I believe its all Graphite/plastic. Its really similar to the Hero model already mentioned. It has performed well beyond its $49.95 list price for years. I use to use it for everything but now days I have put it in semi retirement not intentionally but just because I have so many reels it doesn't get used that often. Here is a pic of the reel not long after I got it.

fishingram24 · February 25, 2021, 07:43:34 AM

H2O XPRESS Ethos HD Micro sold at Academy for 80$, super light and just feels good. Bought one and told my wife I had screwed up buying one because I had to go back and get 2 more.

1ReelFanatik · February 25, 2021, 06:28:39 PM

Hey SteveTX, I have that same rod.

Also have what i believe is the newer model: HMG72M-MFC. 7'2" Medium-Moderate Fast rated 3/8-1 oz. Man. I've got to get out more this year.

JHTR20 · July 12, 2021, 06:06:59 PM

I had a Mitchell 6'6" spinning rod I bought at KMart back in the late 80's. I believe it way $19.99. Caught a ton of fish with it and never had any kind of issue with it. No idea why I moved away from it. Always looking for better I guess, whatever that is. I gave it to a friend of my oldest son with a shimano spinning reel I had. Jon, who I gave it to, presented me with a coat rack he made for me with bass he burned into the wood. I look at that almost every day and it brings a smile to my face.