What Make/Model Rod Would You Buy and Why

So if you had any choice with an unlimited amount of cash, what rods would you purchase that you could use to troll cranks and harnesses with? Why? Have researched GLoomis and St Croix and really can't decide which would be the best for both applications.

St.Croix Eyecon trolling rods/ 7'6"-8'6" great feel for a trolling rod!

I was lucky enough fo receive an ELK RIVER CUSTOM ROD for Father's day last year and have to say it is the finest piece of equipment I own. The rod itself is beautiful and the stuff I could "feel" was amazing. They are a small family owned WISCONSIN company and I have never dealt with a more knowledgeable and nicer person than Marc. When you talk to them, you're talking right to the owners and they bend over backwards in the customer service area. Spent some money and enjoyed the whole experience. Check them out, you won't be disappointed! (And, NO, I'm just a VERY satisfied customer, not part of the operation, in any way) http://www.lake-link.com/businesses/directtopage.cfm/773/Elk-River-Custom-Rods

I would find the best custume rod maker in the area and have one built for the size of bait im using, applications and just as important, one that was built to fit me personally.

Well after much researching I went to Cabelas tonight to get my rods. They had their Cabelas brands on sale with reels for 50 dollars and my fishing partner has those so I knew that I didn't want them. I just do not like the feel of them as they seem heavy and feel sloppy. I went with four of the Shimano Compre 8'3" telescopic rods in medium and medium fast action. A little pricey at $139 a piece but strongly believe a trolling rod should be more than just a pool stick with guides on them. I think I will be able to throw on my TD baitcaster and use one for throwing cranks if I want also. By the way, my old rods were 7' medium heavy pool sticks with guides on them. During my research I did notice a lot of good quality rods on the market and think I may have to invest in a really good quality do everything rod one of these days. For now I will stick with my old Team Diawas. Appreciate all the input everyone has given!

i run a fenwick elite tech walleye series for drifting/rigging 8 ft medium action. a st. croix eyecon 7ft medium xtra fast tip for vertical jigging in the rivers and started using the okuma dead eye trolling rods last summer and really like them also. like already stated there is no best, each person prefers something differant. try out some brands and go from there. i would go to a store that has 2-3 rods your intereted in and give em a feel. what feels good to you will most likely work just fine. good luck. i have also used some of the gander mountain and scheels brand rods and have had good luck with those as well.

thought you wanted rods for trolling?

fenwick hmx 7 ft ml spinning or st croix eyecon 7 ft ml. both rods have excellent feel and i outfish anyone on the river with a more expensive rod ill almost guarantee you that. the feel on my hmx is better than the croix tournament legends er whatever the blue ones are and a lot less expensive my buddy bought one and went back to the store after we went fishing in new london and bought a eyecon and sold his blue one...both retail right around 100 bucks..pair it with a small shimano sahara for another 60-80 bucks and you got yourself a rod n reel that you will not wanna ever be walleye fishing without. and i never use braid 6 pound cheap old mono cuz sturgeon ruin it anyways and feel every tick stick n bump. only thing i havent done is experience its sensitivity in more than 30 f.o.w. hope this helps!

Have never fished a real expensive rod, but I have fished Cabela's tournament series...about $80-90. 6'6", ML action one piece for jigging. I always use Fireline from reel to swivel and then a 6# mono from swivel to jig. Doesn't matter if you are vertical jigging or fan casting or back trolling....a no stretch line will make things more sensitive. 7'0" - 7'6" rod is nice for slip-bobbering.

if your going to spend that much, just get both and see what ya like better. honestly doesnt really matter for trolling in my opinion.

For trolling I use E glass because there cheap and durable.There just is know need to spend a lot of money on trolling rods.

For jigging and live bait rigging, a quality, high performance rod can really make a big difference. For trolling you can get away with a lot less. If you are holding the rod while you slowly pull bottom bouncers that may put you back in the arena of wanting a better rod for feel. If you are putting the rod in a rod holder for boards or flat lines, it's a lot less of an issue.

I truly believe that one rod vs. another will catch you more fish. Try fishing a 1/16th ounce jig and minnow in 20 fow with a little bit of current when the walleyes are biting lite... Then tell me that your run of the mill ugly stick is catching you just as many fish as my Fenwick HMX 7 ft medium-lite action extra fast tip. I bet ya ten to one that you won't feel 50% or more of the fish that hit that you could be catching. I don't think that you need a 200 dollar rod to get the job done but spending a little more than 30 bucks will put more fish in the boat on those lite-bite days. A couple of my rods are just the St. Croix Triumph series and even they are only leaps and bounds above ugly sticks. And you can usually pick them up for around $80. As far as trolling, I'm not big into it myself. I have heard that Okuma makes a decent rod that isn't priced to high. I also believe there St. Croix makes some trolling rods in there Triumph series. I could be wrong on the Triumphs though. Trolling is boring.

Two years ago I bought a Bass Pro Shops Tourney 7' MH for $50 and used it in Northern Canada for Northerns and Walleyes for both trollimg and jigging and done alright for both.Just because the rod is expensive doesn't mean it's any better than any other for catching fish.

Ditto on what Ditto said.

SS, We build a lot of our custom rods on St. Croix blanks. I sent you a PM with more details. Please consider a custom fishing rod for your next purchase. Thanks Buzz