What's the most you would spend on a custom made rod?

[CrappieMagnet]

Years ago I made the decision to go with cheap rods and reels,because..well for one..I'm a clutz, and have broken several rods, ever since I was a kid.Things hadn't changed much over the years,and I usually almost always broke at least 1 rod every season(tip or the hole pole).So I chose to go cheap($40.00 rods/reels) to keep costs down so I could build up my tackle boxes,and afford to go on trips,and vacations over the years.My clutsiness has calmed down alot, as I am now in my 40's.Now I'm getting better rods and reels.So...with that said..I just had one made for me.I paid around $125.00 I'm very happy with my decision, and purchase.I did shop around before making a decision on who was going to build the rod.

What is the most you would spend on a custom rod without going to overboard?
Store bought?

I have a Tica reel that I'm going to go with.

[driller]

I am seriously looking at a rod/reel combo that has a price tag of $316 plus sales tax. Gonna have to hide it from the "war dept" if I decide to buy it.

[TAE73]

I just spent the most I ever have on a rod just the other day. I bought a St. Croix ultra light rod, was $145 after taxes. I liked it so much I went back and bought another one. After putting a Plueger reel that brought it up to $180. That was the most I have ever spent on a rod except for the $240 I bought on a flyrod, that sits in the corner in the case. I say spend whatever you can afford or go with what helps your head catch more fish.

[crappiencali]

My combos for crappie usually run around $90-130. But I did go and buy a 6'6" G-loomis IMX spinning rod that I use for drop shotting and crapie fishing and that was shocking after I purchased the reel. Ended up paying a little under $350. But it's worth it and it's my hobby so I buy what I want.

[rango]

i wouldnt use a custom rod cause of the expense. even the best made graphite will snap pretty easy. the only advantage i see in a custom rod is a man would tend to baby and pamper it cause of the investment he has in it. all my fishing rods and reels are rode hard and put up wet and nothing is pampered. i have been using ugly stick rods for about all my fishing and have never broken one while doing so. i did break two once by slamming a safe door shut on em, but shakespeare replaced the tips. i take a lot of different folks fishing and usually provide the equipment for em to use, so i've had plenty of experience with rod breakage in the past using the graphites. i only own one graphite rod, its one of the 6 ft 20 dollar red berkley rods from wally world and i use it for jiggin because of the sensitivity. the ugly sticks are tough and there are models suitable for just about any kind of fishing you would want to do. i use em to catfish with, striper fish with, and nightstalking and trolling. the only thing is, you dont get to buy too many new rods cause you never break em. . the best long rods ive ever owned are the 9 ft ugly stick crappie rods. ive been using ten of em for three years and havent broken one yet. the long graphites and jiggin rods ive had, probably a dozen or more, are stacked in the corner of my storage shed with broken tips. worthless..

[Joe]

I fish off and on all winter on the Harris chain in FL. I have settled on 10' graphite rods from B&M and Richard Williams. I used a 10' B&M mostly this past winter and never broke a single tip. I keep a supply of tips on hand just in case. usually break 1 or 2 each season. I fish in a lot of cover and use the rod tip to push the jig loose. Did this 100's of times last winter without breaking a tip. [luck I guess]. I would not pay more for any kind of rod
than these. They are sensitive and work well for the kind of fishing I do,
and I don' t worry about breaking a 10-12 dollar tip.
Joe

i wouldnt use a custom rod cause of the expense. even the best made graphite will snap pretty easy. the only advantage i see in a custom rod is a man would tend to baby and pamper it cause of the investment he has in it. all my fishing rods and reels are rode hard and put up wet and nothing is pampered. i have been using ugly stick rods for about all my fishing and have never broken one while doing so. i did break two once by slamming a safe door shut on em, but shakespeare replaced the tips. i take a lot of different folks fishing and usually provide the equipment for em to use, so i've had plenty of experience with rod breakage in the past using the graphites. i only own one graphite rod, its one of the 6 ft 20 dollar red berkley rods from wally world and i use it for jiggin because of the sensitivity. the ugly sticks are tough and there are models suitable for just about any kind of fishing you would want to do. i use em to catfish with, striper fish with, and nightstalking and trolling. the only thing is, you dont get to buy too many new rods cause you never break em. . the best long rods ive ever owned are the 9 ft ugly stick crappie rods. ive been using ten of em for three years and havent broken one yet. the long graphites and jiggin rods ive had, probably a dozen or more, are stacked in the corner of my storage shed with broken tips. worthless..

[wrwest]

I don't use custom rod/reel cost to much. I have a little bit of every thing. Ugly Stick, to Sabre. What ever is on Sale. Cabelas, Bass Pro. An average would be around $100.

[Greenwing]

I said that I would never pay the price of some of the higher rods until last year while bass fishing with a buddy that was using a GLoomis IMX he let me use it for awhile the next weekend I had one after buying it the difference in detecting strikes and you could tell if you was bumping wood or rocks is unreal also I caught fish that with other rods wouldnt have ever felt them.

[crappie66]

I would never spend more than $40 on a pole alone. Fishing has come a long way and now many of the rods,reels, accessories, and boats are used as status symbols amongst fisherman. A $140 rod and up isn't going to catch you any more fish, and you won't notice any difference in the sensitivity. I know there will be people who disagree, but those are the people buying them, and they have to justify the spending to much money for a rod, and would never admit I am correct. I can easily afford the equipment, but why? My $40 rods do just fine, I catch fish. Accidents do happen and the rods will eventually break, so you are out $40 rather than out $140 plus. Basically all you are doing is supporting the big name companies, so they can sponsor fisherman, you are paying for the name and thats it.

[Castoff]

After having set an absolute upper [in my dreams] limit of $300 my wife decided that a more reasonable limit would be no more rods, I had enough :D and that I should spend more effort on the catching! She will kill for crappie! Actually, the most spent on a custom made rod was about $100 for a 10 ft. fast action surf rod that I had seen take sharks. Bought it then left the coast, it unused except in the yard and have not yet been back...anyone going that way???? For fresh water a $45 custom rod from Arkansas, and that was maybe 15 years ago. With an occasional All Star and St Croix, and some WW and Shakespeare's and odd/ends, most rods are Falcon Low-Riders. Think I could open a store with all that is here for fresh and saltwater. Did I mention...is anyone going to the coast???? Well I'm off to WM; saw a softside that would hold eight 3700 size storage boxes :D :D and I have not ogled this week. And to add to this post, what is desireable in a crappie rod not for brush but just casting or bobbering or over-the-side .... fiberglass or graphite? What does the custom crappie rod look like?