On the cheap --

I have no expensive rods, save for the Fenwick 4wt I built last year. Reels about the same. I use a few Presidents and find them fine for how I fish. I have a couple of old Diawa Capricorn’s that are noticeably smoother than anything else I own, and I bought them both used. One of the hi vis mono lines that I’ve come to like is the Stren Crappie in 2lb. The clear is good also but I can’t see it, and most water around here is stained. I had several of the micro rods and I’m down to a couple of 7’ and a 6’6” that does a great job with a slip float. A $20 Mitchell avocet and I’m fishing. Not against spending a few dollars on some good gear but Murphy stays too close to me and if I broke a very expensive rod(by my standards) I would beat myself up over it for a long time. I got to handle a nice JDM setup a few weeks back that belongs to Deepfry and I have to say that its everything they are reported to be. To each his own, glad to see we all follow our own lead sometimes.

I have the luxury of trying both ends of the spectrum. I have one high end JDM rod with a Pflueger 20 lined with high end JDM nylon hi vis. It is by far the most sensitive rod that I have ever owned, and it casts and fishes beautifully. That said and for that kind of money it darn well should. Today due to high river snot I decided to go topwater, and went out with my TSS Trout Slayer also equipped with a Pflueger 20, and 2 lb Stren Crappie. That whole outfit is under $100, not a bank breaker, and I have to tell you it was just pure fun to fish. The TSS is pretty sensitive, and with the 2lb really gets the drag singing! I enjoyed the explosive takes, and even the misses were fun to watch. So no, you don't have to spend a lot to have a LOT of fun fishing ultralight for the little guys. Like Skeet, I have come to really like the Stren Crappie in 2Lb, it casts and ties well, is easy to see and a 3rd of the price of the high end JDM.
Just my take on it. There is some nice stuff out there these days that won't dent the wallet too badly.
Bob

My youngest brother and I were talking/ laughing about how we used a stick or pine cones as floats when we were kids . Made our own quills from turkey feathers . All bait was dug or caught with a crayfish rake . Only thought mill end line was the only way it was sold . Grand paw kept the barn hallway full of drying cane with bricks tied to the end to keep straight . I have some old bass reels that are 40 yrs. old. Have given kids at school or church (if they show real interest ) lots of tackle , rod and reels . For 30 plus years I taught a fly fishing class every spring for any kid who wanted to learn how . Last count we had was over a hundred . One kid mails me black gnats every year because he knows that is my go to on a fly rod . My biggest down fall is I do it all ! crappie , bream, catfish , salt water for reds, speckled trout , trot lines and jugs . Can't afford the very best lol .

When I married my current wife her best friend had a fishing husband who HAD to have st croix rods and a bunch of them and expensive reels and boat. first time we went fishing to gether and I was killing the big BG and bass and my wife was doing well too and their boat was ketching diddly. at lunch she asked me was most important about my fishing gear and I said "it's on sale?" and she just glared at her husband! LOL

have bought two of those 7 ' shakespear rods in last year and liked them when fighting fish but both tips broke way too easily under not much stress. have obtained BnM rods on sale for my 12' plus and even a 10 footer which I like when dock dipping not shooting. bought a top end St Croix and high end shimano reel from a buddy who had got his license suspended and selling off his tackle and they are ok but nothing special IMO. caught president reels on sale and have several and like them for my go to combo's. have multiple reels of different brands on my good rods and they all do just fine when you keep them lubed up. agree you don't have to spend a fortune on tackle, electronics and boats to have success after our Crappie! Or any other species

My most recent find was a pair of small spinning reels at a garage sale for 4$ each. One was a Diawa Regal X 1500 IA, the other a Gander Mtn.Guide series GS150. I put Viscous 2 lb on one and power pro 8-3 Hi Vis yellow on the other . Both reels run quite smooth after a clean and lube . I'll put one on another yard sale find that was a 6045ULG Quantum Micro 4 piece 5' rod I picked this up at a farm-yard sale still in the plastic case unopened for 3$ .I'll use this rod for longer walk in's with the float tube. Long for me these days is a mile or two. The rod is admittedly nothing to boast of , but it has a OK feel and it would lift a fish without concern of breaking. lol The guides look somewhat overbuilt for the rod. I have way too many panfish outfits, but great grandsons like to fish also. lol (Fishing on the cheap) WOW! That could be a forum title all it's own. lol

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Originally Posted by Olegiller1

My most recent find was a pair of small spinning reels at a garage sale for 4$ each. One was a Diawa Regal X 1500 IA, the other a Gander Mtn.Guide series GS150. I put Viscous 2 lb on one and power pro 8-3 Hi Vis yellow on the other . Both reels run quite smooth after a clean and lube . I'll put one on another yard sale find that was a 6045ULG Quantum Micro 4 piece 5' rod I picked this up at a farm-yard sale still in the plastic case unopened for 3$ .I'll use this rod for longer walk in's with the float tube. Long for me these days is a mile or two. The rod is admittedly nothing to boast of , but it has a OK feel and it would lift a fish without concern of breaking. lol The guides look somewhat overbuilt for the rod. I have way too many panfish outfits, but great grandsons like to fish also. lol (Fishing on the cheap) WOW! That could be a forum title all it's own. lol

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Where ya been?

Life gets in the way .Wife having problems getting around, and I'm her caretaker. That and some forms of old fashioned laziness. A plate of gill fillets is sounding good.

You can get more new stuff if you go inexpensive. :biggrin Like most things, there's a non-linear curve between price and value with rods and reels. Everyone has to decide where on that curve they find their sweet spot.

I have 8-10 set ups in my car nearly all time. Gotta be prepared.

I've always been the kind of person to stick with the $20 combos from Walmart. Recently though after talking with a friend of mine who pretty exclusively uses St Croix and other expensive brands, I decided I'd give it a shot. In the last week I ordered a St Croix Mojo Bass rod and a Kuying Teton ultralight. Pairing those up with a Shimano Sahara 2500 and a Daiwa Legalis 1000. I know the Kuying isn't exactly expensive, but I'll give both of these rods and reels a shot and see if I can see any difference between them and the cheap stuff. My hypothesis is that I won't be able to tell.

The power Pro 8-3 hi vis yellow that I put on one of my recent reels ran the gills off in our local shallow canal. The viscous 2 lb worked quite well and brought to hand 10 gills barely fillet size for I and my great grandson. The power pro will be good as previously proven in the deep 20' strip pits . I've ordered a replacement spool at $9 for the $4 reel for light line so I can put the reel back in service.