I'm looking at travel spinning rods around the $100 mark. Thinking somewhere around 10-17lb, 1/4-3/4, medium/fast, 3 or 4 piece.
I know St. Croix, TFO, and Okuma make them, also see Tackle Direct has a house brand rod with good reviews.
Does anyone have experience with these or similar?
Intended use is with a 3000/4000 reel, 15-20 Lb braid, throwing top water, jigs, plastics, live bait every now and then, etc... usual east coast saltwater inshore stuff.
I don't like to be undergunned too much, but then again want sensitivity and light weight. This will be a travel rod, so I understand there may be a compromise.
Thoughts?
I like my okuma.. in fact I have 2 of their travel rods.. a lightweight spinning rod, and a medium/heavy boat rod.
Mind you, these are the first travel rods I have owned.
John
CharkBait sells lots of travel rods.
http://www.charkbait.com
Mike
I don't use travel/pack rods but they say these Balzer Telescopic IM-12 Carbon Fiber rods (http://www.psfishing.net/FishingCatalog/Page.aspx) on pg 34 are awesome with their FUJI reel seats and lightweight SIC guides.
Get a St Croix in the medium heavy if your gonna throw topwater
My personal opinion stay with Okuma or St. Croix.
I also believe that the specs for travel rods are a little over rated.
Mind you they are multi piece rods , so play the fish a bit.
Hi, i would look at Cabela's which has a variety of options. I have a Fish Eagle travel rod that I used in Alaska. It worked well and justified the reasonable price.
All my travel spinning rods are Okuma or Shimano.
The Shimano BX STC are particularly impressive, I have 2 of these, one rated at 50g and the other 100g.
I have used them wherever I have holidayed - they fit in a medium sized suitcase easily. This aspect alone makes them worth consideration as carrying any form of fishing tackle in flight is now impossible on European airlines >:(
Have a look at them online:
http://fish.shimano-eu.com/content/eu/en/Home/products0/rods.html?filter%3dfish%3aeu%2fen%2fatr_a_flt_rod_type%2f5370696e6e696e67
Then check em out at your local tackle shop :)
Hi Brad
I travel quite a bit and I picked up the Lefty Kreh TFO TiCr2 signature series 3 piece travel Rod a couple years ago. mines a 7'6" line weight 6-12 lure weight 1/4-3/4oz paired it up with a penn battle 2500. By far my favorite travel Rod. Might be a tad lighter than what your looking for.
I really like the combination of sensitivity and strength. It's been a fish catcher for me inshore and freshwater.
Bought a rod tube to protect it. I'm good to go
Mike
Here's a picture
I have three of the Okuma Nomad Express travel rods and the inshore models would be perfect for what you want and at a decent price. I have the 10-20 and fish 30 lb braid but it would be a bit heavy for small lures under an once. The none inshore models are very heavy.I have caught jacks and skip jacks and the rod is great The case is decent if you can carry it on the plane or the rod sections fit on the die-angle in my suitcase. I'm taking one to the East Cape of Mexico this week. 99 bucks and its a decent rod.
Todd