"Dave Norton" wrote in message
...
Steve is biased, since he lives so close to St Croix's plant o ! First
set a limit on what you care to spend, then check out 3-4 different
manufacturers. There are alot of quality rods out there now, and a lot of
real good rod blanks. And that is is where the difference is in a rod
today. And of course how much care was taken when it was assembled.When
possible it is always best to test cast a rod before you get stuck. Hope
this helps some!

Well yeah, I guess I am. It is nice that I can drive to the factory and
handpick the blanks I want. Often times, I thought I wanted one particular
blank, but instead ended up with another. A classic example is a
baitcasting rod I built using a spinning rod blank. It gave me exactly the
action I was looking for.

But Dave's advice is right on. Check out as many different rods as you can
and pick the one you like. All-Pro, Falcon, Loomis and others make good
rods, as does St. Croix! :-) Take the reel with you and see how it
balances out and more importantly, how it casts.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com