Do You Have A Favorite Cheap Rod?

[Drakestar]

I have my fair share of high-end rods and love that high-end gear, and everybody here probably feels the same. But - do you have any budget to mid-range rods that you like, use everyday and wouldn't want to trade, regardless of the more expensive options that are available and that you could afford? Two of mine that I simply don't feel like replacing are Powells:

Inferno 704MHS. This is such a fun spinning rod, for wacky & neko senkos in particular. Great sensitivity (not just for the price point), light and effortless to use with a ABU MGX spinning reel on it. I usually take this rod for my son or wife, but I'll pick it up with zero hesitation when nobody else is fishing it.

Endurance 725MH CB: This is probably my favorite topwater rod ever. If it broke, I'd just get another one. It's a graphite cranking rod, so it has great sensitivity for a CB while keeping fish pinned. It's super light when paired with a ABU Revo AL-F. Great rod for walking poppers and spooks, great rod for yo-yo'ing lipless cranks (tip loads quickly, so it's easy to rip the bait), and decent at cranking.

What are yours?

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Quantum Smoke 7' M/F gen 1 casting. I got 2 and if they were still made Id buy more. Light at 3.4oz balances well even with Core 50mg7. Versatile range can throw 1/20 ned rigs up to 3/4oz KVD spinnerbaits or lipless cranks. Its impressed me more than any $200-$300-$400-$500 rod I own.

[tywithay]

Abu Garcia Venerate 7' MLXF

Retail $129, got it for $65. It was half off at gander. Liked it so much I went back and bought another the same afternoon. It's just the perfect spinning rod. Very light tip with plenty of backbone as you get to the middle and butt. I think it was designed for walleye, but I've asked the rod and it didn't know the difference between the bass and crappie that I've caught on it.

Full cork with a carbon locking nut (nearly identical to the dobyns full handle rods), 36 ton graphite, titanium guides, weighs 3.8 oz, and balances about 1/2" above the stem with a 7oz reel. Been debating buying a couple more to hold onto, even though they're no longer on sale.

[domthewon]

Dobyn’s gen 1 champion 705 CB glass for me. It’s such a lucky stick. I don’t use it often but when I do I usually hook up in a major way. It has my PB 13.1lbs, a few fish over 9lbs, and countless fish 8lbs and under. I’ll never give it up. I’m not sure if it is considered a cheap rod, but it’s a fraction of the cost of my other rods.

[Hogsticker2]

Phenix Maxim. Best budget blanks I've come across. The new generation won't blind you, or make you puke.

[russ57]

Okuma TCS 69APC. Awesome spinnerbait rod.

[AlgonquinFan]

I like using my old, cheap Berkley Imperial 5'6" light spinning rod for fishing in rough conditions like canoe/camping trips. It's got a decent action as well as balance, and has nice components considering its price point.

[Warhawk]

Phenix Maxim. Best budget blanks I've come across. The new generation won't blind you, or make you puke.

These are very nice rods

[i_am_R2]

Dobyns Sierra 735c. In my hands is light, has good sensitivity (more than the Champion to me in both aspects) and balances/fishes well with pretty much any reel. Very versatile too, fished baits from shaky heads to swimbaits throughout its weight rating in various types of cover and have caught a bunch of fish on it.

[Revofisher]

i bought a used fenwick techna av 7' med casting rod that i really like its just super comfortable to fish. i paid 100 for it and would definitely get another if i could find one in that condition it has the first gen guides that are all double footed up the rod.

[Real]

Just picked up a Shimano Sellus spinning rod. I really like. Great rod for the price.

[MountainMan 83]

Daiwa Aird Coastal 7' MH casting rod is pretty sweet for $40. It has a cheap reel seat and I could go for the cork handle to be a bit longer but the action on that blank is great for treble baits, like cranks and poppers.

[Smalleyez]

I''ve got a 6' 5" Falcon Jerkbait Special rod with a 2nd Generation Scorpion and it's such a nice handy little outfit. Can't seem to leave it behind.

[Houndfish]

I have two.

The first is an iRod Fred's Magic Stick. It's an 7'5" XH/ModF rod that they sell as a frog rod but it's so much more. It's got a perfect power/taper balance for driving in heavy hooks but with the flex to keep a fish pinned and is sensitive enough for fishing swimjigs in cover. It feels very light and balanced with a sv103 on it and while it's easily the cheapest rod I have in active rotation I never hit the marshs without it.

The second is a little custom spinning rod built on a MHX Shooter blank. It's a very minimal build and with a 1000 Ci4+ it feels like a feather in hand. It's one of my favorite wading rods and I have never managed to find a spinning rod that feels as comfortable as it.

[hoohoorjoo]

The Abu Villian 2.0 6'10" mlxf casting rod is a great deal at the $200 mark, but can be found a good bit cheaper. It's a really great rod, very light and plenty sensitive. Also, it's all-black with silver accents, so it goes with any reel you care to put on it. I've enjoyed it about as much as any rod I've ever owned. The tip is great and the backbone is sufficient to drive home a 2/0 worm hook on those light t-rigs I throw on it. I would gladly pick up another, but the budget is too tight at the moment.