SKEET REESE "YELLOW" POLES, DISAPPOINTING.

[capt charlie's charters]

Purchased new from Cabela's in Jan (deal) and finally got to drop shot with it, first time out pulled on the line to unhook a bass and snap, 8" down the rod broke right off.  Cabela's sez sorry, 90 day return policy, McGill Wright wants you to pay $30 to ship back to them, send additional $30 for shipping back to you after they determine it was a flaw...hmmm another $60 for an $80 rod, I don't think so.  Bought my last yellow stick.
capt charlie

[thedude]

they are all the same color under the flashy paintjob.

[LipRip]

I did the same thing with a 7' mojo bass this year. Bought it in jan, didnt fish with it till may. Broke it doin the same thing!! on my first fish with it. St.croix wanted $20 to ship it there, and then an additional 20 to ship it back. I told them what happened and they waved the return shipping and replaced the rod for free. So.......i guess they took care of me better than McGill did u, but i would have just liked a replaced rod without the $20 shipping charge.

[t-bone]

I was with Charlie went this happened and it wasn't a lunker that did it either. That would have eased the pain somewhat. My wife is using the rod this year and so far, so good.

[Waterfoul]

When it comes to rods I have one word:  Shimano.  Best warranty in the business.  Break it, bring it to the dealer and get a new one... really doesn't matter where you bought it either.

I own several Croix rods... love em.  Broke one once... replaced for free but I had to pay the $20 shipping fee.

I also own a Palehorse rod that thedude made for me.  Broke the tip off it (totally my fault.... made a 7'6" rod into a 7'2" rod).  Still a great rod (dude put a new tip on it for free).  He builds a top notch rod if you're interested in a custom.

[play for keeps]

ive had two of those rods broken during shipping to the gander mtn i work at , and i have had two rods come back in as returns because of the same problem, they seem hit and miss to me ive had costumers who like them and some that hate them

and i agree with waterfoul stick with shimano,st.croix, and palehorse!

[McCarter]

I agree that Shimano makes great rods, but everywhere that used to exchange them no longer does, at least over here.  BPS and Cabelas both told me i had to ship it back to Shimano.

McCarter himself

[1javelin]

Basically for the $90, you don't buy the warranty.  You want a replaced warranty?  Rod is going to cost $180 now.  Sound like any other companies??  You basically get a rod equal to most other companies $150-200 rods for half the price, just no warranty.  Give me that over paying for two rods to get one any day.

1jav

[mikesmiph]

Or, just buy a Grandt rod and get the price, quality and warranty all in one.

[thedude]

i wouldn't buy a high-modulus rod that didn't have a warranty. For bass fishing, high-modulus is what you want for most standard, non-moving-bait presentations as it will give you the best sensitivity and lightest overall weight (when built properly). An inherent property of high-modulus graphite unfortunately is its brittleness. They fail more than a low-modulus blank plain and simple. Companies like Loomis, st. croix, and kistler have put lot of time and money into developing proprietary weaves on the internal backing of the blanks to help add strength to the rod without adding weight - you will find these blanks are less prone to breaking. But still might. It makes sense that if you are going to spend 100+ dollars to get a warranty.

When you purchase a supposed "high modulus" rod for 80$ - the blank was probably made in china - maybe even in the same factory as other companies offerings.  Its something to watch out for with the newer rods that are coming out. Seems to be a lot of flashy and colorful rods being marketed for their bling, looks or tiny guides right now. While there is nothing wrong with any of those things, they should not be the only deciding factor in purchasing a rod. You have to figure, if the MSRP on a rod is 80$ its costing the company that builds it less than 20$ in materials - maybe even less than 10 or 15.

I guess what it boils down to is - i've bought 25$ reels that have lasted me 7 years and are still going strong, i've got bargain bin baits that still catch fish, I've got a 100 pack of 4/0 hooks i bought for next to nothing that stay sharp, don't bend and work pretty well, i still use lead weights a lot too - but there's 2 things i don't ever skimp on - and that is LINE and RODS.  Granted, i make them myself, but i spend around 100$ per rod in just materials and buy blanks with lifetime warranties - total rebuild cost of a broken rod (due to defect) would cost me about 20$-30$.

also - as a side note - all the higher end kistler blanks now are being made by North Fork Composites which is Gary Loomis new company.

[MadWags]

Or, just buy a Grandt rod and get the price, quality and warranty all in one.

Now that's what I'm talking about!

[dashaver63]

I bought a Wright and McGill Skeet Reese rod back in the spring and I don't have any complaints yet. It landed a 29lb. flat head catfish that inhaled a 5" Nemisis Sicko a couple weeks ago. It has a lot more tip than I'm used to, I have the 7'2" drop shot model, but I think if it handled that catfish, it will handle a 5lb. smallie. The only thing I don't like about it is it has a lot of tip. I have been using 7'  MH BPS extreme rods for the past couple years and I'm not used to having that light of a rod. Of course my spinning reels have good drag systems and that helps alot, you just don't want to try to horse a fish with it.

[dartag]

I wonder if Skeet is using an 89.00 fishing rod.   bet his are higher quality yellow blanks.  maybe I am wrong.

going to have to borrow a Grant and compare to my Powell. 

[thedude]

I wonder if Skeet is using an 89.00 fishing rod.   bet his are higher quality yellow blanks.  maybe I am wrong.

going to have to borrow a Grant and compare to my Powell. 

i wouldn't be surprised - one of the main reasons Ducket left carrot sticks was that they were giving him "special" rods that were not part of the production line-up yet he was lead to believe they were.

[EKennedy]

I recently picked up a Grandt All American 6'6" Drop Shot rod.  Although I've managed to catch more pike on it than bass so far (really!) It's become my favorite rig along with with my St. Croix Avid. 

[Dan]

I was down in Alabama this Spring and talked briefly with Skeet about his rods. I also heard him at D&R Sports and felt he sincerely wants to put out a rod that is high quality and affordable in today's economy. I know nothing of making a rod blank (along with a lot of other things). Don't know if they are really worth as much as some manufacturers think they should be. I know for myself I can't afford to pay hundreds of dollars for a rod that I may step on or drop over the boat. I use my rods a lot, and even though I try to be careful, they do take some abuse.
Reese's sincerity made me a believer, and I recently bought one of his rods. So far, so good. I'll let you know how it lasts after I step on it a few times.
I see in the ICAST previews that he also has put together, with Wright McGill, a new baitcaster and spinning reel.

http://www.wired2fish.com/WhatsUp.aspx?ArticleID=4010

http://www.bassfan.com/docktalk.asp?id=7379#7379

[Skulley]

I was going to buy a couple of those rods to try.  Now I am not so sure.

BD               

[t-bone]

He has a new rod with micro guides coming out and it sounded like they upgraded the blank but are keeping the price point.

I was down in Alabama this Spring and talked briefly with Skeet about his rods. I also heard him at D&R Sports and felt he sincerely wants to put out a rod that is high quality and affordable in today's economy. I know nothing of making a rod blank (along with a lot of other things). Don't know if they are really worth as much as some manufacturers think they should be. I know for myself I can't afford to pay hundreds of dollars for a rod that I may step on or drop over the boat. I use my rods a lot, and even though I try to be careful, they do take some abuse.
Reese's sincerity made me a believer, and I recently bought one of his rods. So far, so good. I'll let you know how it lasts after I step on it a few times.
I see in the ICAST previews that he also has put together, with Wright McGill, a new baitcaster and spinning reel.

http://www.wired2fish.com/WhatsUp.aspx?ArticleID=4010

http://www.bassfan.com/docktalk.asp?id=7379#7379

[csfishslayer]

I cant say many bad things about the Skeet Reese. I bought the worm spinner bait rod. For me it makes a better Crank rod but out side of the lack of hand space been pretty good rod so far. I would buy again

[thedude]

He has a new rod with micro guides coming out and it sounded like they upgraded the blank but are keeping the price point.

I was down in Alabama this Spring and talked briefly with Skeet about his rods. I also heard him at D&R Sports and felt he sincerely wants to put out a rod that is high quality and affordable in today's economy. I know nothing of making a rod blank (along with a lot of other things). Don't know if they are really worth as much as some manufacturers think they should be. I know for myself I can't afford to pay hundreds of dollars for a rod that I may step on or drop over the boat. I use my rods a lot, and even though I try to be careful, they do take some abuse.
Reese's sincerity made me a believer, and I recently bought one of his rods. So far, so good. I'll let you know how it lasts after I step on it a few times.
I see in the ICAST previews that he also has put together, with Wright McGill, a new baitcaster and spinning reel.

http://www.wired2fish.com/WhatsUp.aspx?ArticleID=4010

http://www.bassfan.com/docktalk.asp?id=7379#7379

$99 on the new micro setup. technically they should be cheaper though, micro-guides retail 10-15$ less than the same guides in a standard configuration.... the cost difference to a bulk manufacturer i'm sure is much less drastic - however, it should still be cheaper.