Need Advice - Casting Rod & Rell

[FishFinder17]

Hello OFF,

I'm new to the forums and hoping that I could get some advice for an upcoming rod/reel purchase

I typically fish bass and pike but have been focusing more on the pike lately and my spinning rod has been taking a beating. I'm looking at picking up a casting rod & reel but I'm not exactly sure what will suit my needs. The bass I fish range anywhere from 2-5lbs and the pike average around 5-12lb. I make a couple musky trips a year so if it's possible to find something that would work for all three, that would be ideal but not sure if possible.

I've used the Shimano Curado E series and really enjoyed it so that's what I am leaning towards right now for the reel. Would appreciate any reviews/advice you might have, or if this might not be the best choice. I'm a little less clear on what to go with for the rod. I've seen the st. croix premiers and they look nice, as do some of the fenwick options. For what I'm fishing, should I be going with a fast action medium heavy? Are there any other rods I should put into the consideration set? Any help would be appreciated.

Also, the budget is around $450 before taxes. Thinking about $300 for the reel and $150 for the rod if that makes sense.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[rich_ace_G]

Fenwick Eagle series or HMX casting rods are great and comes with great warranty (keep your receipts). I haven't used a st. croix. I'm happy with my Fenwick Eagle GT rods & Okuma Celilos.

 

[usernamehere]

bass and musky rod dont mix, unless you are targeting 10lb+ bass with massive lures.

$150 rod, go with Fenwick Aetos 7' MH-F. Its sold at $155 at Sail, if you wait for 15% off or 20% off sales, you can get it below your budget.

For the reel, if Curado E works, use it.

 

[hamiltonangler94]

If I were you id get two setups. One for musky and larger pike, and one for averaged sized pike and bass.

 

[UclueletCharters]

I'm a big Abu Garcia casting reel fan, no bail casters, nice light action rod with cork handle. Cork handles a must can feel the lightest nibble. Don't go on the heavy side line wise as it hurts the casting distance. Good luck on your selection so many great options.

 

[alwayscatching]

Well for 300 dollars on a reel you have plenty of options. I personally LOVE Abu Garcia reels. Their drag power is unmatched and they are really smooth. The ratio's they come with are true ratio's in terms of inches per turn. They are light and powerful so I would recommend that you look at the STX. As for rods I am biased because I am with St.Croix. I think if you are looking for a rod that is 2pc for travel purposes the Premier is great! They are the same rod blanks as the Mojo series just full cork handles instead of the cork/eva split grips. If you have any questions about rod choices you can always pm me.

 

[ChromeAddict]

If you look around a bit, you could probably find a Chronarch C14 for 300. I have one and love it. For the rod, alwayscatching's recommendation of a Premier would be perfect, especially in a 2pc model. Another 2pc rod to look at is a Rapala Shift. I haven't used one yet, but I do plan on getting one in the near future.

 

[FishFinder17]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all of the recommendations.

It sounds like I may need two setups for the type of fishing I'm doing but for now I'm going to focus on getting rigged up for pike/bass (that makes up the bulk of my fishing)

With that being said, is a MH-F rod the way to go? what are the advantages of one piece vs two piece? is a cork handle a must?

I'm still leaning towards the Curado but will look into some of the recommendations posted above. If there are any other reel reviews/recos please let me know.

Thanks again,

 

[FishFinder17]

Well for 300 dollars on a reel you have plenty of options. I personally LOVE Abu Garcia reels. Their drag power is unmatched and they are really smooth. The ratio's they come with are true ratio's in terms of inches per turn. They are light and powerful so I would recommend that you look at the STX. As for rods I am biased because I am with St.Croix. I think if you are looking for a rod that is 2pc for travel purposes the Premier is great! They are the same rod blanks as the Mojo series just full cork handles instead of the cork/eva split grips. If you have any questions about rod choices you can always pm me.

Thanks alwayscatching,

I've looked at some Abu Garcia reels online but have yet to hold one in my hand to feel the weight. Reviews seem pretty good and the price on the STX is great. As for the rod, is there any advantage to going one piece vs two piece? Thanks again. I'll PM you if I have any other questions.

 

[FishFinder17]

If you look around a bit, you could probably find a Chronarch C14 for 300. I have one and love it. For the rod, alwayscatching's recommendation of a Premier would be perfect, especially in a 2pc model. Another 2pc rod to look at is a Rapala Shift. I haven't used one yet, but I do plan on getting one in the near future.

Thanks ChromeAddict,

I just looked at the C14 online and it looks really nice, definitely something I would consider. Not sure how familiar you are with the Curado E, but do you see a significant difference in quality between the two? enough to justify the incremental spend?

 

[Bow Man]

Can't say enough good things about fenwick rods, I have switched all my rods of all types ( from ultra light to heavy ) to Fenwick. I have had St.Croix ( not bad ), 13 Fishing ( crap ) and a few Abu rods ( ok ).

I just like the feel and action on all fenwick rods. Maybe that is just me.

 

[hamiltonangler94]

^^wise man right here

 

[ChromeAddict]

Thanks ChromeAddict,

I just looked at the C14 online and it looks really nice, definitely something I would consider. Not sure how familiar you are with the Curado E, but do you see a significant difference in quality between the two? enough to justify the incremental spend?

The Curado Es have been discontinued, but I have a Chronarch 51E, which is pretty much the same reel. If I were to choose one, it would be the Chronarch 51E, just because I like the smaller size. Since you will be fishing pike, probably with a heavier rod, the larger reel (C14) would balance better. I have never owned a Curado/Chronarch 200E, but I know that they are larger than the C14. I would suggest going to your local tackle store and playing with all the reels suggested, and picking the one you like best.

 

[alwayscatching]

Thanks alwayscatching,

I've looked at some Abu Garcia reels online but have yet to hold one in my hand to feel the weight. Reviews seem pretty good and the price on the STX is great. As for the rod, is there any advantage to going one piece vs two piece? Thanks again. I'll PM you if I have any other questions.

As for the 2pc vs 1pc it comes down to travel comfort and sensitivity. Personally all my rods are 1pc because travel is not an issue.

 

[usernamehere]

The thing with 2 piece rods is that some of them are made so well that you feel as if they are 1 piece, and some are made so poorly that they come apart upon casting.

The 2 main thing against multi piece rids is
1: Less sensitivity.
When you have multiple pieces, the vibration will not travel as effortlessly as a single piece, no matter how well made it is. Most of the time, especially with lower end rods, this loss of sensitivity is apparent, while in higher end rods, it is much less apparent.

2: Rod flexes less evenly.
Most of the time, this only comes into play on very light, parabolic bending rods. No matter how well you make the joints, they will not flex in the same way as the rest of the rod, creating a stress point that can potentially cause breakage. The only exception to this that i can think of are Daiwa rods with v flex joints, but even those do not flex as smoothly as a single piece rod.

If nither of those matter to you, get a 2 piece rod. Otherwise, always 1 piece

 

[flowerjohn]

I suggest a one piece rod as well. You may want to look at a Duckett white ice seven foot or even seven foot three medium heavy. Light but has a great backbone. I pair it with a Lews tournament pro. You can throw that rig all day. They are both well within your budget as well good luck .

 

[FishFinder17]

Thanks for all of the help guys.

I'm pretty set on the curado 301e for the reel and right now I'm deciding between a Shimano Compre and St Croix Premier for the rod. Either way I will be getting a one-piece MH Fast. Any thoughts to push me one way or the other on the rod?

Thanks again,

FF17

 

[ChromeAddict]

301E will be too big for bass and smaller pike unless you are throwing baits that weigh multiple ounces. Go with a used 201E Curado or a new 201E Chronarch (same reel, different colour). They are discontinuing the Chronarch 200s so better get one while they are still available.

 

[FishFinder17]

301E will be too big for bass and smaller pike unless you are throwing baits that weigh multiple ounces. Go with a used 201E Curado or a new 201E Chronarch (same reel, different colour). They are discontinuing the Chronarch 200s so better get one while they are still available.

Thanks Chrome. I'm going to continue using my spinning rod for the bass and smaller pike but may purchase a bass casting setup later in the season. I would be using the Curado 301e mostly for bigger pike (usually average 30"+) and the occasional musky if I have the opportunity to chase them down.

I've used a 301e in the past and would agree that it's not suitable for lighter baits. Thanks for the heads up

 

[DChong]

Best value on the market right now would be a Daiwa Tatula combo, probably get a reel and rod for around $300 plus taxes! Pro J in Scarborough, Le Baron's and SAIL has some pretty good pricing!