Thread: Ultralight Spinning Rods

You can all laugh if you want. but my favorite ultralight rod and reel combo is my 40+ year-old yellow Eagle Claw rod with real cork grips, and my 40+year-old Mitchell 300 spinning reel. I've had them since I was in my late teens, and the rig still works perfectly. I have some fairly new rigs, but they do not have the 'feel' of my old rig, and I don't think the new Mitchells are the same. They don't operate as smooth. The newer rods seem a lot stiffer. My next favorite rig is my Berkley Cherrywood rod, again, with an old Mitchell 300 reel. The rod is also around 40 years old. I bought it, and the reel at an antique shop about 30 years ago, so I have no idea how old they really are, but they are an absolute pleasure to fish with. I didn't pay over $10.00 for either rig.

If I were to buy a new rig, it would probably be a Zebco Underspin Ultralight Combo. I have tried a few out (my sons each have one) and they seem to be very reliable and feel pretty good. I think you can get the full combo for under $25.00 at any Walmart.

If you haven't noticed by now, I am not into expensive equipment. It just has to work....

Originally Posted by Gigmaster

You can all laugh if you want. but my favorite ultralight rod and reel combo is my 40+ year-old yellow Eagle Claw rod with real cork grips, and my 40+year-old Mitchell 300 spinning reel. I've had them since I was in my late teens, and the rig still works perfectly. I have some fairly new rigs, but they do not have the 'feel' of my old rig, and I don't think the new Mitchells are the same. They don't operate as smooth. The newer rods seem a lot stiffer. My next favorite rig is my Berkley Cherrywood rod, again, with an old Mitchell 300 reel. The rod is also around 40 years old. I bought it, and the reel at an antique shop about 30 years ago, so I have no idea how old they really are, but they are an absolute pleasure to fish with. I didn't pay over $10.00 for either rig.

If I were to buy a new rig, it would probably be a Zebco Underspin Ultralight Combo. I have tried a few out (my sons each have one) and they seem to be very reliable and feel pretty good. I think you can get the full combo for under $25.00 at any Walmart.

If you haven't noticed by now, I am not into expensive equipment. It just has to work....

Nobody laughing...fish with what you want...expensive or inexpensive......we all fish with what we want....no judgements.

Regards


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Gigmaster, as alpha has said, no judgement here. I also have no expensive rods, kinda waiting to get one in hand before I drop the nickels. I have a few rods that are mostly light action and have seen the difference that they refer to about one rod can't do it all. I have several and each a different feel and work better at different tasks. I do like the 6920 President reels and have worn out a few along the way to where they just weren't dependable any more. I'm too heavy handed for the Yellow rods I've tried in the past. They did make a 6" 'gill seem much bigger though. Having always done this for as little as I have to part with, I'm seeing where a few extra dollars ups the fun factor a lot. Try one when you get the chance and keep us posted, we all teach one another.

Its not the Equipment!Its how you use the Equipment.

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I've got numerous St. Croix rods but I'm hard on them and break them while in the boat. The St. Croix Premier, 6UL, is probably my favorite rod of theirs. I've got a couple St. Croix Panfish series and they are nice.

I've actually been toying with 10ft crappie rods this spring. A big bluegill or shellcracker is fun on those rods. They take some getting used to, I use them when drop shotting in tight to buck bushes here on Barkley. I'm seriously considering buying a JDM rod just for these shellcracker.

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

I've got numerous St. Croix rods but I'm hard on them and break them while in the boat....

I'm seriously considering buying a JDM rod just for these shellcracker.

If you tend to break St. Croix's, think long and hard before you buy a JDM rod.

Not all JDM rods are expensive. Some of my favorite rods are in the $60 - $80 range. And not all are super soft or XUL. Right now I'm trolling with solid tip Mebaru & Aji 7' & 7.5' UL & Lite action rods for the casting distance and lifting power.
If I wasn't using these style rods - it would be St. Croix or GLoomis panfish rods.

It's not that I can't afford upscale equipment. I can have pretty much anything I want, at least within reason. And I do have some newer upscale gear. It's just that I love the fit and feel of the old fiberglass rods. They have a certain balance and action that makes me one with the rod, sort of like old bamboo fly rods (I have 2 of those as well...). The graphite rods just don't have the same feel. And the old Mitchell reels (mine are a 1959 Mitchell 300, and a 1961 Mitchell 300), up to around 1974, have a particular feel and action to them. After that, they changed. I don't know if they moved production, or changed the design, or what, but they are just not the same. Ambassaduer reels, however, are just as good today as they ever were. I have a 1962 Ambassaduer 5000, and a 2014 Ambassaduer 7000, and the action on both of them are perfect.

As a rule, I believe you get what you pay for, but there are exceptions to the rule. And a lot of it is just personal preference. Add to that, my favorite old gear has a lot of history behind it. We've shared many a cold wet night chasing walleyes and crappie, and had our share of dunkings from careless behavior.... and countless other memories spanning over 5 decades. Money can't buy that at any price.

Originally Posted by skeetbum

Gigmaster, as alpha has said, no judgement here. I also have no expensive rods, kinda waiting to get one in hand before I drop the nickels. I have a few rods that are mostly light action and have seen the difference that they refer to about one rod can't do it all. I have several and each a different feel and work better at different tasks. I do like the 6920 President reels and have worn out a few along the way to where they just weren't dependable any more. I'm too heavy handed for the Yellow rods I've tried in the past. They did make a 6" 'gill seem much bigger though. Having always done this for as little as I have to part with, I'm seeing where a few extra dollars ups the fun factor a lot. Try one when you get the chance and keep us posted, we all teach one another.