What Ultralight rod for my 110 or 265?

[Balvar24]

What ultralight rod does everyone like for their Quick reel?  I've got a couple of ultralights (110,110n, and 265) that need an appropriate rod.  No sense in them setting on the shelf.

I usually fish for bluegill, and like a short rod for fishing close quarters in the boat. 

I've also got a couple of young kids that I like to have an inexpensive short rod for.

[mo65]

   As far as inexpensive rods go...Eagle Claw is hard to beat. Tons of them on eBay between $20-$30.

[foakes]

Personal preferences, Balv --

I personally use Fenwicks in 5' or 5.5' length for my ultralight & microlite reels.

I also use ugly stiks.

One rod that I have purchased a dozen of recently for myself and clients, is.

Eagle Claws.  These used to be manufactured by Wright-McGill, here in the US.  Maybe they still are, do not know.

What I DO know -- is that they are a high quality glass rod that I can buy 4 or 5 of for the price of one Fenwick.  And so far, they have been bulletproof with great backbone and action.

Truthfully, I have given at least 10 of these away to clients and friends over the last year.

They make a great line of rods currently, and I could be wrong -- but I think they are assembled or made here still in the US (not sure about that, since the price is so low).

I have used these recently with great results.

They are attractive, excellent components, glass -- not graphite (a big plus in my book), and the low price is close to very hard to believe at this point.

I order a half dozen at a time from Wal-Mart.  Free shipping to your door, and the prices range between $17 to $28!!!

Just go online -- set up a free account -- pick the rods you want -- and order them.  They will arrive in just a few days, or less.

Others may have their favorites that are also very effective.

Love a DQ 265 Microlite on an ultralight rod.

After I was able to earn enough $$$ in my later teens and early 20's -- I did a LOT of backpacking into remote backcountry fishing areas up in the Sierra Nevadas for trout.  My best rods were the Fenwick chocolate 4-piece pack rods in the triangle tube, and also the Wright-McGill 6-piece Trailmasters in the aluminum round tubes.

I still have those rods today -- after years of backpacking trips that we still do -- and they show little, if any signs of wear -- after possibly hundreds of trips.

Best,

Fred

[festus]

I agree with Mo and Fred.

Eagle Claw Featherlite. I own three, the 5' model, the 5-1/2' model (those two are older), and a 6'. 

Also have a very whippy St. Croix Supreme, 7' ultralight, almost considered a willow stick by some of the old timers. 

And a few Ugly Stiks.  One is 4-1/2'.  Good for fishing tight spots from shore, also a good bait rod for catching shiners, suckers, and chubs.  Shakespeare also makes a Micro-Series 4-1/2' ultralight.  Shakey also has a 4-1/2' Microspin.

And one  more nice one is the Berkley Cherrywood 5-1/2', rated light, a wee bit more backboned, excellent for setting the hook on mini-finess plastic baits for light bass fishing with maybe a 4" finessee worm or a 1-1/2"
Rat-L-Trap.

[xjchad]

I only have one UL rod at the moment and it's a 5' Ugly Stik.
I'm using it with my Daiwa 7250RLA right now and I love it.
I'd love to try one of those Eagle Claw Featherlite's though, they look great!
Have to put that on the list.

[TRS]

Can't go wrong with the featherlites or ugly Stik, the eagle claw is hard to beat in the bang for your buck category.  I have some 30 year old ones that are still good rods.

[Balvar24]

I agree with Mo and Fred.

Shakey also has a 4-1/2' Microspin.

I have a couple of these.  One is a 7 1/2' foot ultralight.  The other was a 4'6" ultralight.  I liked the rods for the money, but being graphite, they are a little fragile.  

I broke the 4'6" one.  I drew back with the 7 1/2' to cast a drop shot rig out of a rowboat and the dangling weight grabbed the 4'6" pole.  Into the pond it went.  I recovered it ok.  However, when I went to pick the 4'6" rig up, I grabbed it 2/3 towards the top and broke the end off.  It was quite the debacle on my part.  

My three year old was not happy that I broke his pole.

[Balvar24]

After I was able to earn enough $$$ in my later teens and early 20's -- I did a LOT of backpacking into remote backcountry fishing areas up in the Sierra Nevadas for trout.  My best rods were the Fenwick chocolate 4-piece pack rods in the triangle tube, and also the Wright-McGill 6-piece Trailmasters in the aluminum round tubes.



Fred

I picked up one of these trailmasters un-fished from an auction.  It now wears a Mitchell 308.  I just picked up a Mitchell fly reel to go on it this week.

[Balvar24]

I found a 4 1/2' Conolon in serviceable condition.  It's only a two star, but I'm going to see how it works.

[happyhooker]

Festus, I'm drooling just a little (not an outright slobber, but a legitimate lip-wetter) over your UL arsenal.  I've looked at & heard OK things about the Shaky Micro-Series too; cork handles, varies UL lengths from 4" 6" to 7" 6", and the price won't leave you worrying if the kids get a little rambunctious.

Probably my favorite UL rod is a Mitchell Classic 300 1-piece IMG 6 graphite (1BSL-150), 5 ft., for 1-6 lb. test line, rated for 1/16-1/4 oz. lures.  Found it sticking out of a trash can with a missing tip; rehabbed it; the rod allows the most amazingly long casts with 4 lb. test line.  Nice green color.

Another rehab project was a Daiwa DSH F562L, 5' 6", 2-piece, for 2-10 lb. test line; my wife likes her Daiwa UL too (Model DSF 562
LRS; 5' 6", line 2-8 lb., 1/16-3/8 oz. lures) that she uses with a Shock 1500B and 6 lb. test.

I, too, like the looks of some of the Eagle Claws; would love to try a newer one.  Had an old model about 25 yrs. ago that is now gone, but recollect it being a good one.  They make decent pack (multi-piece) rods too.

Lastly, had an old (late 1970s vintage) Heddon Mark 1 fiberglass, red, with black/white/silver trim, 5 ft., with cork handle and slip rings reel mount; extremely whippy action that made every bluegill feel like a decent sized bass; don't have it anymore either & kick myself everytime I think about it being gone; always have my eyes open for a replacement.  That black trim would make a black DQ look awesome on it, and they both hail from the same generation.

Frank

[Swami805]

If there's a tackle store in your area go check some out and see what you like. Nothing like pulling on them instead of a pig-in-a-poke online.

[Balvar24]

Unfortunately, there is no such thing in my area.  It's hard to find a decent bait shop.  Two tubes of crickets cost me $12.00 earlier this summer!

[Balvar24]

Dragging this old thread back up.  Didn't seem like it's been going on 4 years.

One of the mail order places had a BnM "Little Lucy" 5'0" ultralight fiberglass rod on sale for $12.  Usually, they're about $20.  It reminds me quite a bit of the old whippy Eagle Claw rods.  Just a bit stiffer than some Conolons I have.

They're gold in color like the old Conolon Companions and 5-stars.  I don't suppose the fish care about the color, but I think they look good.

[reelynew]

Dragging this old thread back up. 

Thank you for dragging it back-up.  I learned something from it as well.