Ultralight spinning rod

OP
Joshuajosh
Joined
Dec 3, 2020
Messages
436
I try to take care of my gear and usually do..but when it come to trout where I like to fish is a bit of hike and is surrounded by rhododendron thickets 8'tall my rods take a beating. A couple of them broke fighting fish..I think they got dinged/cracked at some point and gave up the ghost with some load. Nothing worse than watching a buddy into good bite and you have to hike back to the truck and get a spare rod. You get back an hour and half later and it's over. Haven't had to do that since I spent 40 bucks at walmart...solvesd my issue.
Good that you have somthing works for you .... I haven’t been through a lot of rods yet so just testing the waters
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2021
Messages
483
Location
Washington
G. Loomis IMX for jigs, G. Loomis Trout Series for spinners/spoons/plugs, G. Loomis GL2 Trout Jig Series for drift/light bait presentations, Okuma Celilo for float fishing and plunking.

The IMX is sensitive and takes very little effort to impart action on a jig. The Trout Series loads up a bit better to cast small spinners and spoons a long way. The GL2 Trout/Jig rod is softer tipped and makes drifting light bait rigs a snap. The Okuma Celilo rods are real sleepers in my opinion, especially at their price range. The 7’6 and 8’0 rods make mending line easy when drifting a float and they load up great if you want to cast a plunking rig a 75 to 100 yards.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,478
Location
Alaska
Any experience with these ul rods from them ?

No, not the ultralights. I’ve been a st croix fan for a very long time. I have one of the first 4 piece fly rods they released which has been in my rotation for over 20 years now and their triumph spinning rods are my go too for spinning rods. I’ve caught every fresh water species of fish AK has on my triumph rods including dozens of 45+” pike. Those rods, in my opinion are the best spinning rods you can get for the $$$.

I don’t use ultralight setups much, but now I want one of their 6’ ultra light trout rods. I honestly don’t think you can get a better setup than a triumph rod and a shimano reel for the $$$.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2021
Messages
483
Location
Washington
No, not the ultralights. I’ve been a st croix fan for a very long time. I have one of the first 4 piece fly rods they released which has been in my rotation for over 20 years now and their triumph spinning rods are my go too for spinning rods. I’ve caught every fresh water species of fish AK has on my triumph rods including dozens of 45+” pike. Those rods, in my opinion are the best spinning rods you can get for the $$$.

I don’t use ultralight setups much, but now I want one of their 6’ ultra light trout rods. I honestly don’t think you can get a better setup than a triumph rod and a shimano reel for the $$$.

If you can get over the styling, the St. Croix 6’8” Bass-X drop-shot rod actually doubles as a fantastic trout rod. Casts an 1/8 oz spinner a long ways.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,478
Location
Alaska
If you can get over the styling, the St. Croix 6’8” Bass-X drop-shot rod actually doubles as a fantastic trout rod. Casts an 1/8 oz spinner a long ways.

I’ll check those out, I had a 7’ triumph mhf out last weekend and landed probably 40 fish, pike, rainbow trout, grayling and that rod handles all of them well.
 

CCH

WKR
Joined
Mar 10, 2017
Messages
448
Location
Colorado
I have had multiple St. Croix and Loomis..I have decided I am hard on gear and can't have nice things...broke them all. We hike a long way in some trips and spend a couple nights shit happens. Got fed up and went picked up a $40 ultra light pro ugly stick from the local Walmart, somewhere in WV..the fancy one with cork handle..figured it would at least get me thru the trip. I have been using that rod for 5 years now. It's caught a lot of fish. Havent felt the need to replace it..actually bought another one for the wife, I broke her fancy pole too...YMMV

My kids’ non-fly rods are all Ugly Stiks — UL and M. Didn’t start that way, but I was able to stop there. My wife has one of those Cabela’s Ugly Stik wannabes 6’ 6” UL that seems equivalent. It has been nice to quit worrying.about the gang breaking rods without concerted effort.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2021
Messages
483
Location
Washington
I’ll check those out, I had a 7’ triumph mhf out last weekend and landed probably 40 fish, pike, rainbow trout, grayling and that rod handles all of them well.
The only issue for some, is it’s a one-piece rod. I prefer one piece rods when possible, but it’s a deal breaker for others.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,478
Location
Alaska
The only issue for some, is it’s a one-piece rod. I prefer one piece rods when possible, but it’s a deal breaker for others.

I like one piece also for lots of things. It’s a bit harder sometimes to get them shipped up to AK though so I don’t have any currently.
 

Foggy Mountain

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 19, 2021
Messages
278
I have had multiple St. Croix and Loomis..I have decided I am hard on gear and can't have nice things...broke them all. We hike a long way in some trips and spend a couple nights shit happens. Got fed up and went picked up a $40 ultra light pro ugly stick from the local Walmart, somewhere in WV..the fancy one with cork handle..figured it would at least get me thru the trip. I have been using that rod for 5 years now. It's caught a lot of fish. Havent felt the need to replace it..actually bought another one for the wife, I broke her fancy pole too...YMMV
This is only to help the op understand. A St Croix, Loomis and ugly stick aren’t in the same league. Not even close but they aren’t marketed at that. The St Croix/Loomis are performance rods, the ugly stick def lacks it. There’s no feel, no sensitivity, too soft. Yes you can be rough with them but so too can you with a rebar or fiberglass driveway rod. Those too also have no feel. If keeping things from breaking is your main objective I’d say ugly stick is prob the way to go. If actually feeling a fish, having a quick responsive rod is your objective than ugly stick couldn’t be a consideration. Way too soft and slow. I guess it’s up to what you’re gonna do with it.
In the situation this poster relayed it might be the right answer for him. I’d just be careful but I guess it’s just the way I handle fishing rods. For me that’s never an issue. I hike with mine as well and through pretty thick cover at times especially as a younger man
 
OP
Joshuajosh
Joined
Dec 3, 2020
Messages
436
This is only to help the op understand. A St Croix, Loomis and ugly stick aren’t in the same league. Not even close but they aren’t marketed at that. The St Croix/Loomis are performance rods, the ugly stick def lacks it. There’s no feel, no sensitivity, too soft. Yes you can be rough with them but so too can you with a rebar or fiberglass driveway rod. Those too also have no feel. If keeping things from breaking is your main objective I’d say ugly stick is prob the way to go. If actually feeling a fish, having a quick responsive rod is your objective than ugly stick couldn’t be a consideration. Way too soft and slow. I guess it’s up to what you’re gonna do with it.
In the situation this poster relayed it might be the right answer for him. I’d just be careful but I guess it’s just the way I handle fishing rods. For me that’s never an issue. I hike with mine as well and through pretty thick cover at times especially as a younger man
yup, i went with the avid 6,ulf and it has a good warranty if anything happens
 
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