Are you looking for a really good, bang for your buck bass fishing rod? I am always on the lookout and have been trying to test out everything I can. Some of these models included in this list are not new for 2017 but have a few tweaks. Others are much newer lines to the market, but not brands. You should also know, I have only included rods that are $100. I haven’t gone above it (but some can be found for a little less on sale).
Additionally, I have not included companies that import and rebrand with flash clearances, buy one get one free sales, and online sales through Amazon as their primary business. These rods are from established, reputable brands that have been around for many years and are available in many places.
Shimano Exage
The Exage line has 30 Ton Carbon, Fuji Alconite guides, and split grip cork. I have several of these rods and they meet every challenge I have thrown at them. From punching to finesse, this is my favorite $100 rod on the market.
ONE3 by 13 Fishing Fate Black Gen 2
The Fate Black has a 30 Ton HTC blank, 3A Portugese cork, Zirconia guide inserts, and is an eye catcher on the rack or in your rod box. The link above is to Tackle Direct. The 13 Fishing site hasn’t updated with the Gen 2 rods quite yet.
Lew’s TP-1 Speed Stick
The TP-1 is a great rod for fishing slop. I love the Winn grips and the backbone. I even featured it on a Gear in 60 Seconds last fall.
The Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier 2
The Pro Qualifier 2 is constructed with the BPS exclusive RT3 graphite with Powerwall construction. This construction process creates strong, structurally enhanced rod blanks all with reduced wall thickness. The reduction in blank wall material minimizes the overall rod weight while enhancing sensitivity, making long days of casting more productive and enjoyable. It has a split grip, EVA handle and Fuji guides. You can find these at every BPS and order online.
Daiwa Tatula XT
The Tatula XT incorporates High Volume Fiber (HVF) a higher modulus carbon graphite construction of more volume of fibers and less resin which gives the Tatula XT series its lightweight, strength and sensitivity. It utilizes Fuji guides, a Fuji reel seat and has an EVA foam, split grip handle. These rods are a lot lighter than some of the competitors on this list so if weight is a concern, check this one out.
St. Croix Bass X
The Bass X rods are fabricated from quality SCII graphite blanks and finished with premium components. This is a very similar rod to the St. Croix Mojo Bass line, all the way down to the EVA foam butt, without the $149+ price point. If you’ve always heard great things about St. Croix but the price has been the concern, consider this an open invitation to try one.
Falcon BuCoo SR
Falcon has been one of my “friends and family” secrets for a while. You catch them on sale now and again and you buy them up. This new BuCoo SR has a lot of technical aspects that really make it shine and I can’t do it justice so here is the info straight from Falcon:
With the introduction of the LowRider® series twenty years ago, Falcon pioneered the use of low-profile single-footed guides to improve casting performance. The new BuCoo® SR is the latest continuation of LowRider® technology. Genuine Fuji guides are placed for the best possible casting performance. Sensitivity is further enhanced by the use of a Fuji exposed blank reel seat.
Blank technology takes another step forward. Each BuCoo SR uses multi-directional carbon fiber material with Falcon’s “Cobra-Cloth”™ reinforcement. The result is a rod that is stronger, lighter, and more sensitive.
Honorable Mentions:
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Great article. Looking forward to a reel version too