# Redfish rod recommendation.



## jimmyjams4110

I busted a couple of my rod tips off over the weekend and now I have an excuse to buy the rods I should have bought in the first place. I am looking fortwo 7 to 7.5 ft spinning rods, 8-15lb class. Cost per rod I would like to be around $100.00 or less. Do any of you have good recommendations? Thanks for any feedback.

Jim


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## Brad King

St. Croix - Tidemaster series........I fish them in a 6'6" Med/light. Fantastic rods for the price. I beleive I spent right at $100. They are on the the lower end of their rods. But worth every penny in my opinion!!!!!!!!


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## Heller High Water

> *Brad K (9/25/2008)*St. Croix - Tidemaster series........I fish them in a 6'6" Med/light. Fantastic rods for the price. I beleive I spent right at $100. They are on the the lower end of their rods. But worth every penny in my opinion!!!!!!!!




I have 3 and the all are my favorite. I have caught just about everyfish (except bills) on them. My favorite is the Avid, it has a little more back bone. All of them are great rods.


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## true-king

Yep, can't beat a st croix for the money.


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## jimmyjams4110

Starting to see a trend here... Thanks for the input, maybe I might try a St. Criiiiooooxxxxx...:toast


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## dailysaw

i would also check out the e 21 carrot stick. i love mine! little more than 100 but they have a lifetime warranty.


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## xl883lo

> *Brad K (9/25/2008)*St. Croix - Tidemaster series........I fish them in a 6'6" Med/light. Fantastic rods for the price. I beleive I spent right at $100. They are on the the lower end of their rods. But worth every penny in my opinion!!!!!!!!


The St Croix Tidemaster 1-piece rods list for between $120-$180.......I have 5 Tidemasters, 1 Premier and 1 Surf Rod. I just picked up a 7'-6" 10#-20# MHF "closeout" at Woods and Water in Tuscaloosa for $70 last Friday. They are great rods and I just love them.

I think one of the best rods for the money may be the Shimano Teramar Inshore SE $99-$109 and tough as heck!!!!


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## Danno

Maybe I'm just cheap, but for years, (and I mean decades) I have fished with Ugly Sticks. I have only broke one that wasn't truly my fault and they replaced it without a question. I have never had one fail me. And the few that my kids lose overboard didn't leave me in tears, it was losing the reels that made me cry.


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## Fishermon

....on the st, croix, I have two broken ones...bought one at GBBT a while back. The other one on line....my question is about the warranty on this rods. I knew g loomis has an expeditor program....50 bucks will get u a new rod regardeless...but how about st croix>? any one with any experiences with their warranty department?... Thanks.


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## jc1228

Hurricane redbone check it out http://www.redbone.org/index.html


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## reelfinatical

> *Danno (9/27/2008)*Maybe I'm just cheap, but for years, (and I mean decades) I have fished with Ugly Sticks.


We must be cheap too =).


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## Lyin Dog

I like light action *Shimano* rods...I'd list the ones I have, but they have such wierd names I can't remember...I think *Clarus* is one. I bought several at one of the Outcast sales for about $30-$50 each. LOVE THEM.


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## xl883lo

It depends on the rod and how old it is but they have a similar program for some rods......you need to always register your St Croix rods when you buy them or they use the manufacture date for warranty claims.

Here is the link to the warranty page on thier website......they even have a tradeup program where you can pay the difference and"trade-up" fora better rod.

http://www.stcroixrods.com/content.asp?id=14&section=about


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## bigruss

I love my Shimano Teramar.... Cost at Bass pro shops was 100.00 and it comes with lifetime warranty.


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## Travis Gill

St. Croix's are great rods and I have a couple, but if you fish them enough you are going to break one. I've broke a couple but still love them. My favorite inshore production rod is the shimano calcutta. A little more than 100 but well worth it IMO


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## Saltlife

I have a Shimano Crucial it was around 120$ i think and it was worth the money and i also have 2 St.Croix Premiers and an Avid and they are great to


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## tat

My favorite redfish rod is my All Star Platinum @ $150, but I got it on sale for $99. As soon as I get a chance (i.e. the $$) I'm going to buy another one - hoping for another sale!

All Star hasan Inshore line that runs around $100 at Academy, looks a feels pretty good.


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## Brant Peacher

Shimano Calcutta. Fenwick, or st croix. You cant go wrong with any of them. Since you do alot of redfishing you need something 7ft or better. You want to be able to make the farthest cast possible when pushing around on the flats.


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## Brad King




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## seanspots

> *Brant Peacher (9/30/2008)*Shimano Calcutta. Fenwick, or st croix. You cant go wrong with any of them. Since you do alot of redfishing you need something 7ft or better. You want to be able to make the farthest cast possible when pushing around on the flats.


I concur.I fish St.Croix and really recommend the TIS80MF Tidemaster.


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## Brad King

Seanspots,

Thats frickin' awesome....I love how you hid your location.:clap

Thats hilarious....


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## seanspots

> *Brad K (9/30/2008)*Seanspots,
> 
> Thats frickin' awesome....I love how you hid your location.:clap
> 
> Thats hilarious....


Thanx Brad.I have to do that,some folks on another forum will fish your spots if are not careful when posting pics.:letsdrink

btw,that fish and a few others like him were caught on the Tidemaster.I love those Fenwick Technas but $$$$$


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## Wharf Rat

> *seanspots (9/30/2008)*
> 
> 
> 
> *Brad K (9/30/2008)*Seanspots,
> 
> 
> 
> Thats frickin' awesome....I love how you hid your location.:clap
> 
> 
> 
> Thats hilarious....
> 
> 
> 
> Thanx Brad.I have to do that,some folks on another forum will fish your spots if are not careful when posting pics.:letsdrink
> 
> 
> 
> btw,that fish and a few others like him were caught on the Tidemaster.I love those Fenwick Technas but $$$$$
Click to expand...



I won't fish your spot, shoot me the original.



And, just so I'm on topic...I have one calcutta and love it, my other rods are st. croix and fenwick...I'd recommend any of them.


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## speckula

I broke a St. Croix, my fault.They made me ship the broken one to them. To save on shipping, I broke it into a bunch of little peices and stuffed it into an envelope. They didn't care. Saved about $50 all together.

As for a rod under $100, you can't beat the st. croix premier series, medium power, fast action 7'. Caught a 15lbKing with it this weekend with a Penn slammer 360 and 30 pound power pro. Never felt out classed. Its light enough to use for specks as well.


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## kingling

shimano calcutta

they might be a bit more than 100 but they have a lifetime warrenty

so they pay for themselves if they brake


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## John B.

> *Freespool (9/29/2008)*St. Croix's are great rods and I have a couple, but if you fish them enough you are going to break one. I've broke a couple but still love them. My favorite inshore production rod is the shimano calcutta. A little more than 100 but well worth it IMO


*X2*


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## Danno

I not being critical, but you guys seem to break a lot of St Croixs. As I posted early when I buy a rod I look for Ugly Sticks, I do have a couple of Fenwicks and All-Stars that were given to me as gifts.

My question is, for those that have and do use Ugly Sticks how many of you have ever broken one? Call this an informal poll.


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## PorknBeans

shimano teramar...right at $100..great rod! i have a 7ft MH 10-20 i use for bull reds in winter, and medium size tarpon + kings+jacksand it works like a champ!...a lot of backbone but incredibly sensitive too. I'd prolly go ahead and get a 7ft M though if ur just sticking with redfish....you can do the "best bid" thing on ebay and prolly get one for $85-90 tho


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## xl883lo

Danno,

I have never broken one of my St. Croix rods but I tend to "baby" them. Any rod(regardless of maker)that is mostly graphite is going to be a little delicate and needs to be taken care of.

The old style Ugly Sticks are tough as nails but I always thought they felt heavy and I hate the action. I have not fished any of the new graphite ones and have not heard how durable they are.

If you are worried about needing a more durable rod my second choice the Shimano Teramar SE is a good one.


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## nb&twil

Shimano's Clarus is another great rod with a reasonable price. Not that popular from what I remember in Pensacola but I'm selling a ton over here in Texas to some serious inshore fishermen. I think they're about $80ish. GBB&T should have them. If they don't have any in stock they'll order you one.


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## wrightackle

Another great rod from Shimano is the Crucial series. Price wise they are about 40 dollars lessthan the Calcutta's. They have some models with the split grips that are really sharp. They have the alconite guides versus the SIC guides on the Calcutta. GBBT carries them along with Outcast.


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## John B.

> *wrightackle (10/2/2008)*Another great rod from Shimano is the Crucial series. Price wise they are about 40 dollars lessthan the Calcutta's. They have some models with the split grips that are really sharp. They have the alconite guides versus the SIC guides on the Calcutta. GBBT carries them along with Outcast.


i've seen alot of crucials break, actually, every single person i know that has bought one broke it within 1 month.


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## konz

> *Danno (10/1/2008)*I not being critical, but you guys seem to break a lot of St Croixs. As I posted early when I buy a rod I look for Ugly Sticks, I do have a couple of Fenwicks and All-Stars that were given to me as gifts.
> 
> My question is, for those that have and do use Ugly Sticks how many of you have ever broken one? Call this an informal poll.


Danno, I have two ugly sticks and I like them alot........although I've seen two break. Not sure as to how old or neglected they were.......but they broke.


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## true-king

Sorry, I hate ugly sticks. The action sucks and the bigger ones are heavy. I hate their commercials. Just because it never breaks doesn't mean it's a good rod.


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## true-king

> *Lyin Dog (9/28/2008)*I like light action *Shimano* rods...I'd list the ones I have, but they have such wierd names I can't remember...


Shimano does have some crazy names: 

sahara, sedona, solstace, sonora, symetre, sidestab, saragosa, spirex, sienna, syncopate, slade, socorro...

Whats with that?


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## ElJay

Danno, i have broken one of the ugly stick 'lite' rods last time i was down in Ft Walton. That was the final straw and having broken St Croix, Falcon, Okuma, Browning and an imported SU8 from New Zealand,I now make my own rods to fit what i want. They are balanced to the reels i prefer using and the combination of cork/EVA that suits how i hold things with my arthritis riddled old hands.I also enjoy making them. I use Castaway blanks(from Swampland: nice folks to work with)and also Mudhole's no-name blanks(watch their shipping its crazy high).At the price I am not too worried if one ever breaks:12.99 for the Mudholes and 12 for the castaway(previous model blanks like 842's). 

Made 6 and have been giving them to buddies as advance Christmas presents, at that price you can add Alconite or batson eyes, whatever reel seat you like and still come out at under 50 bucks on most rods.


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## ted-hurst

All these rods are great, I myself have a 7'4" Shimano Calcutta(bit more than $100 but a great rod) and a 7'6" Star Aerialand love them both. 

Ted


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