Cheap Vs. Expensive Fishing Rods - Which Should You Buy?

Are expensive rods worth the money? Which rods are the best "Bang For The Buck?" Does spending more money really make a difference? What are the benefits? Which rod is right for you? Today we're comparing the advantages and disadvantages of high-end rods and budget-friendly rods. We're looking at the best of both worlds and giving recommendations on the most sensitive rods at every price point.

The primary benefit of an inexpensive or budget-friendly rod is cost. Its up to you to decide if the cost savings outweighs any potential performance issues. The downside of a cheaper rod are sensitivity, weight, and build quality. The primary benefit of an expensive or high-end rod is sensitivity, weight, balance, and overall experience. The downsides are cost and durability. Again, it is up to you as the angler to find the balance between sensitivity, durability, and budget.

Below we've provided links to all of the rods and reels in this video. We've gone a step further and linked the best "bang for the buck" rods that we've found at every price point and as an added bonus, will include "bang for the buck" reels as well. We hope this video helps you understand the benefits of each rod style as you choose the best option for you going forward.

Best "Bang For the Buck" Casting Rods...

-Shimano SLX: http://bit.ly/2NfdOnk

-Dobyns Fury: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

-Shimano Expride: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

-Megabass Orochi XX: http://bit.ly/2OSVNwH

-G Loomis GLX: http://bit.ly/2gqziwT

Best "Bang For the Buck" Spinning Rods...

-Shimano SLX: http://bit.ly/2AdvIC1

-Dobyns Fury: http://bit.ly/2e7HZPF

-Shimano Expride: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

-G Loomis GLX: http://bit.ly/2A6HH3O

Favorite Casting Reels...

-Shimano SLX 150 HG: http://bit.ly/2NfdOnk

-Shimano Curado 150 DC: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

-Chronarch MGL: http://bit.ly/2n8DghB

- Metanium DC: http://bit.ly/2qrSZvs

Favorite Spinning Reels…

-Shimano Sahara FI Spinning: http://bit.ly/2XhhM43

-Shimano Ultregra Spinning: http://bit.ly/2nfApml

-Stradic Ci4+ Spinning: http://bit.ly/2gu84t7

-Exsence Spinning: http://bit.ly/2iMtscV

Rods in thumbnail from left to right...

-North Fork Loomis Edge Rods: Source Locally

-Megabass Destroyer Rods: http://bit.ly/2wVOSbY

-Shimano SLX Rods: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

-G Loomis NRX Rods: http://bit.ly/2dX9zjv

-Daiwa Aird X Rods: http://bit.ly/2P7Z3Vu

-Shimano Expride Rods: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

-Abu Garcia Veritas Rods: http://bit.ly/2RU5kWt

-13 Fishing Defy Black Rods: http://bit.ly/2Ak3F3M

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GIANT Bass In A Lake Full Of Predators!

We're on a SMALL Lake full of BIG predators! The plan is to target bass but we've got to avoid the musky and pike to make it happen. How do you find bass in a lake like this? We're about to find out! The plan is to target bass that are moving into the shallows as the water warms up. Come along for a fun day full of GIANT Smallmouth!

We began the day by looking shallow. In clear water fisheries your best bet is often to simply look, don't even make a cast. If the water is murky, use a fast moving search bait as your eyes to determine if the fish have moved in. Once we established the fish had moved up, the hunt for the big ones began! The first bite of the day came from a musky, the second from a 5 lb smallmouth!

We spent the day targeting bass in and around cover. Even the big bass are wary to mix with the big pike and musky for fear of becoming a snack. Despite the presence of heavy cover, we focused on 5-6 lb fluorocarbon line to fool the clear water bass into biting. We used a variety of baits to target these fish, catching them on nearly everything we threw. Below is a breakdown of the baits and gear we used to make this day a success!

The baits...

-Roboworm FX Sculpin (Oxblood Light Red Flake): http://bit.ly/2XMbwoQ

-Megabass Okashira Screwhead (Real Minnow): http://bit.ly/2EpluSA

-Keitech Fat 3.3 (Pro Blue Red Pearl): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

-Dry Creek Tube (Green Pumpkin): http://bit.ly/2cJwI6r

-Zoom Super Fluke (Houdini): http://bit.ly/2aqys0H

-Strike King Half Shell (KVD Magic): http://bit.ly/2iR9awm

Worm Rod...

Rod- Conquest 902S SJR: http://bit.ly/2BiGUNi

Reel- Shimano Stradic Ci4+ 2500: http://bit.ly/2gu84t7

Line- Sunline Sniper 5 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

(This rod was selected for its incredible sensitivity and parabolic action. It was the perfect match for 5 lb fluorocarbon against BIG fish. Its a rare combination of sensitivity and flex.)

Keitech/Screwhead Rod...

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel- Shimano Stella FJ 2500: http://bit.ly/2U8Pkzg

Line- 10 lb Power Pro Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- 6 lb Sunline Sniper: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget-Friendly Finesse Combo...

Rod- SLX Spinning 7' Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2AdvIC1

Reel- Nasci 1000 FB: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- 6 lb Sunline Sniper: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

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How Jigs and Trailers Actually Move - UNDERWATER FOOTAGE!!

We have 8 of the most popular jig trailers and we're comparing the actions underwater. If you've ever wondered how they actually move when they're underwater or why one trailer seems to work better than another, this video is for you! There is so much information for bass anglers to glean when we head underwater and simply watch how our lures respond to how we fish them. We've included "dead action" trailers, aggressively kicking baits, and curly tail grubs so we get a complete comparison.

Of course we can't include every trailer on the market but we've done our best to select the most popular offerings that represent the various styles of jig trailer most commonly used. Whether you're a finesse jig guy or you prefer a heavy flipping jig, we've got trailers that fit your style. Every time we do an underwater video we're amazed by the outcome.

When viewed below the surface a bait like a Sweet Beaver that appeared to have no action at all, proves to have an incredible craw profile with a unique left to right drift as it falls. A grub like the Yamamoto Double Tail proves that it has an undulating action at virtually any speed, and the Paca Craw (one of the original "action" chunks but overlooked by most anglers today) gets 10 stars for amazing action when swam along the bottom!

What the baits for yourself and judge the bait trailers for your fishing style. Some anglers prefer a muted action, others want an aggressive kick at all speeds. Regardless of your fishing style, there is a trailer here for you. Below is a breakdown of the trailers (in order of appearance), the jigs, as well as some jig rod recommendations for Summer fishing.

The trailers...

-Yamamoto 4" Double Tail: http://bit.ly/2db9w1p (Cinnamon Black/Purple)

-Missile Baits Twin Turbo: http://bit.ly/2JgjoWk (Cinnamon Purple)

-Reaction Innovations Spicy Beaver: http://bit.ly/2MPuma1 (Tramp Stamp)

-Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver: http://bit.ly/29W3RZW (Green Pumpkin Black Flake)

-Net Baits Paca Chunk: http://bit.ly/2d8mIXx (Green Pumpkin)

-Strike King Rage Chunk: http://bit.ly/2Hd4MFA (Black and Blue)

-Strike King Rage Craw: http://bit.ly/2uoqsLJ (Black and Blue)

Strike King Rodent: http://bit.ly/2XfMI47 (Watermelon Red)

The Jig...

-Dirty Jigs 3/8 oz Pitchin' Jig (Green Pumpkin Craw): http://bit.ly/2amL3of

Pitchin' Jig Combo...

Rod- Megabas Orochi XX Braillist: http://bit.ly/2OSVNwH

Reel- Metanium DC: http://bit.ly/2qrSZvs

Line- 65 lb Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 18 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Flippin' Jig Combo...

Rod- Expride 7'7" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Curado 200K HG: http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- 65 lb Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 20 lb Sunline FC100: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

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3 New Frog Fishing Tricks To Catch More FIsh!

Come along for an evening of frog fishing and learn new tricks to put more frog fish in the boat! Matt and Tim spend most of the year with a frog rod in their hands and they've learned a ton of tricks along the way. Tonight Matt is giving up 3 tips that will completely change your frog fishing. Whether you've struggled to land your fish or maybe you'd just like to get some more bites, this video was made for you!

Matt's first tip to improve you frogging is to explore your opportunities in open water. If you frog heavy cover and slop, its time to branch out and fish away from the cover. The majority of our really big frog fish come in open water.

The second tip is to make sure you're using the right rod and the right frog. While that seems simple on the surface what Matt is actually recommending is that if you're struggling to hook or land frog fish, it might be time to look at a softer rod and a smaller frog with lighter wire hooks. By dropping down in power, you'll have time to build up speed in your hookset before connecting with the fish. This is especially important for smaller or younger anglers who don't have the power to smash hookset after hookset.

The final tip is to branch out and try new frogs. Fish become conditioned to frogs just like they become conditioned to other baits. By changing profile, action, or in some cases sound, you can catch a lot more fish. Below is a breakdown of the frogs we recommend trying, as well as the gear we'd use to fish those baits.

Favorite Open Water Frogs...

-River2Sea Bully Wa 2 65 (Little Allen or Ghost): http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

-Snag Proof Bobby's Perfect: http://bit.ly/2abpR40

-Live Target Hollow Body: http://bit.ly/2Q40BAk

Favorite Popping Frogs...

-Spittin Wa: http://bit.ly/29YS5g6

-Jackall Gavacho: http://bit.ly/2L7KsWS

Smaller Frogs...

-Bully Wa 55: http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

-Jackall Kaera: http://bit.ly/2Fz6SA3

-Spro Bronze Eye Jr: http://bit.ly/2XkbgxR

Frogs With Unique Action...