I use mine all the time. I think it is too easy to cut 10-12 river cane poles and dry them myself. I think they are the way to go and are for the right price. I figured it out after fishing with a $50 jigging pole that I could do the same with a cane pole. I never really used the reel and I can always add a few eyes made of paper clips to the cane. I never really will get rid of my other poles, but for jigging and jerking I will almost always use cane.