Thread: Rod for my spinfisher

SO i have an academy card with some cash left on it and i found a "rippinglips" 7'6" spinning rod that is a red Sglass blank with stainless chrome coated guides. Its a rice feeling rod, just curious if any of you have used one or can say yay or nay on it. I will be putting my penn 8500 on it.

my other option at academy or dicks is a ugly stick tiger(which doesnt feel as good, but its twice the price.)

That is rated as a freshwater catfish rod.
Rippin Lips SuperCat® 7'6" MH Freshwater Spinning Rod | Academy

Curious how well it it suite what you want to do and how well those guides will hold up to occasional saltwater use?

If you can wait till you get into Foley they have some nice rods at the Academy Sports Store made for salt water.

Thats why i'm asking you guys! yall are the experts. i'm just the googan trying to catch something that will give me a good tug.(but i want my equipment to last)

What Pier#R said.
I had a couple of Academy "freshwater" rods, the guides did not hold up well at all.
While at BPS in Spanish Fort yesterday, I looked at an Ugly Stik catfish rod that was similar to the Offshore Angler Brawler. Holding them both, they felt almost like the exact same blank. But the Brawler had saltwater grade guides. For the same price, it was a no-brainer.

Wait to get down to Foley.

My humble opinion; and I build rods, the "ugly stik" rod, is a fiberglass rod. The blank is tough as nails, the guides leave a little to be desired. It is the best selling rod in the country because of the price, but lacks the sensitivity of a graphite rod. If sensitivity is important to you, pay a little more and buy a graphite rod with much more sensitivity. It doesn't make since to put a good reel and line on a "stik".

Im cheap so I use a catfish rod with ceramic guides for king fishing. I would spend a little more on a king rod if I lived down there. There a couple of rod builders on the forum and pier rats fb page. You may luck up and get a deal on one they built that got cancelled by the original buyer. J&M has some reasonably priced rods as well.

Originally Posted by flyguy

My humble opinion; and I build rods, the "ugly stik" rod, is a fiberglass rod. The blank is tough as nails, the guides leave a little to be desired. It is the best selling rod in the country because of the price, but lacks the sensitivity of a graphite rod. If sensitivity is important to you, pay a little more and buy a graphite rod with much more sensitivity. It doesn't make since to put a good reel and line on a "stik".

Thanks! thats why i always try to ask before i go get. especially since saltwater items are few and far between up here. I have a very limited amount of actual time once i arrive to the beach so i try to have everything ready to fish upon arrival.

I have never found sensitivity to be a factor with king rods, if I can't feel a king or bull red pick up the bait, its time to hang it up & retire!!!

But yes, if you want a sensitive rod, stick with graphite.

Originally Posted by CarlF

But yes, if you want a sensitive rod, stick with graphite.

and get a reel, a pound or so lighter than an 8500.