Bass Boat Forums

Bass Fishing Forums => Rods => Topic started by: dchance on February 20, 2015, 10:24:50 PM

Title: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: dchance on February 20, 2015, 10:24:50 PM
As a frugal angler I have always loved the performance and price of the Berkley rods. More specifically the Lightning rods. I do not think there can be a better value in a rod at any price range. I am interested in their new line the E Motion rods. anybody with any insight?
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Curt on February 22, 2015, 01:48:18 PM
I've used a lot of Berkley rods over the years. My first baitcaster was a Lightning Rod.

I don't use quite as many of them now as I used to, but I still think they're a great rod for the money. And for budget-minded anglers, they're tough to beat IMO.
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: RedAllison on February 22, 2015, 05:01:33 PM
I agree, sometimes with some tactics I wonder to myself why I every felt it necessary to spend several hundred bucks on a rodNreel for that particular tactic when a much cheaper reel and a ol Lightning Rod woulda been just as effective?  (hmm) Summer before last I had a couple of buds down fishing on my farm lake, one of them doesn't use baitcasters but the other had 1 baitcaster and 1 spinnin rod and wanted to go "all baitcaster" and get a couple of new rigs. He's a "weekend warrior" and will never fish tourney's nor will he ever fill up more than 1 tacklebox so I told him to go buy two rods. He got both at Wallyworld, they were Berkley Lightining Shock rods, a 6'6" med general use and a 6'6" med/hvy for plastics. I forget the reels he got but they were middle of the road "decent" and the rods he now LOVES! Compared to what he had they are MUCH better and for his fishing they do 99.99% of what he'll ever need of them. (In fact back in Oct the 3 of us were down in FLA on vacation with our families and they brought their boat so that we could go red fishing. I didn't carry any tackle so he used one of his Berkley's and I used the other slingin live bait. They worked fine for those reds which are MUCH stronger than any bass!) 
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Carter on February 22, 2015, 05:46:37 PM
I don't know anything about the E Motion rods either. Have you tried their Cherrywood rods. While fishing for walleye in Lake Erie I caught several big drum on one. Never had a problem with it.
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: dreaminbig on February 22, 2015, 05:49:26 PM
I am a Berkley rod fanatic!  Every rod except 2 that I own are Berkley's.  I've only broken a couple in 20 years of use and IMO are outstanding rods.  That being said, I picked up one of the E-Motion rods back in the fall.  I got the 7' MH.  I've caught a couple of fish on it and so far it seems to be an outstanding rod.  It's super light and sensitive.  I also love the small eyes on it.  Well worth the money!  (y)
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: dchance on February 22, 2015, 11:07:09 PM
don't get me wrong, i own St. Croix, Veritas, vendettas, BPS, etc. There is definitely a difference in higher end rods, but my question is, is it enough to justify the price difference? I am not so sure. And if the new E-Motion rods can close the gap a bit without the price it may just be a winner...
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Curt on February 23, 2015, 09:37:56 AM
I don't know anything about the E Motion rods either. Have you tried their Cherrywood rods. While fishing for walleye in Lake Erie I caught several big drum on one. Never had a problem with it.

I have two Cherrywood rods. They are definitely budget rods, but still a very good buy for the $20 or so that they cost. I bought both of mine from Walmart several years ago. I had a very minor problem with one of them after owning it for a few years, but @RayZCT fixed it up for me and it's still catching fish several years later.

One of mine was bought for the solu purpose of fishing Texas rigged flipping tubes. It's medium action with a very light tip, so it has enough flexibility to pitch a 4 inch flipping tube with a 1/8 oz. pegged bullet weight, yet enough backbone to haul a 5 lber. in without complaining.

Hmmm... after all of this talk about Berkley rods, maybe I'll buy me another one this season when the need arises  (yes)
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Jimmy RodandReel on February 23, 2015, 10:19:48 AM
but my question is, is it enough to justify the price difference?

Yes! There is no way I would be able to fish a cheap rod ever again after many years of fishing St.Croix SC III, SC IV, SC V's.  The difference is night and day and I love putting a great rod in a persons hands that has fished cheap china made junk and watch their face as they feel stuff they have never felt with a rod before. Priceless!
 I understand the price point of the rod and if that's all you can afford I am cool with that. Many times I see an angler with the cheapest rods he can find with the latest and greatest 20ball bearing mega-blaster brand XXXXX 400.00 reel and I have to stop and think.....WTH????????? 
 Folks need to remember that a reel is just a winch. Plain and simple a winch. It takes in line and plays out line as needed. The rod is the most important part of the rig in your hand because it takes the vibration(Bite) from the line and transmits it to your hand, allowing you to "feel" the bite. If you cant feel that then your not going to catch fish............If you going to spent money, spent it on the best rod you can afford and worry about the reel later. With a good rod you will feel the bites and all the stuff you have been missing in the past.  JMHO.
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: RedAllison on February 23, 2015, 12:53:24 PM
I agree with Jimmy that when you need feel & contact, YES there is a HUGE difference between even most $100 rods & the entry level $20-$35 rods out there. That gap usually only grows as you climb up the cost & quality scale. My GLoomis worm rod is LIGHTYEARS ahead of say a Lightning Rod when it comes to dragn plastics over & thru the lakes bottom. Likewise my GLoomis & Duckett crankbait rods allow me to feel EXACTLY what that crankbait is doing as its bouncing thru a lay down or along a weedline. (Likewise the same for the spinnerbait rods I use, I can feel the blade stop turning/thumping when a soft striking fish takes the bait)

But what about while fishing cranks/spinners over open water when there really isn't anything to "feel"? That's when the cheaper rods are justified for a lot of anglers. & like I told my buddy that I recommended the Lightning Rods to, "He'll likely never need to feel the fish breathe on the rods" so he can save his $. If at a point in the future he wants better feel, then he can always step up with a higher end rod.

The main thing you pay for with OTC rods is the graphite content. A $25 Rod like say a Cherrywood is a composite blend of graphite & something else (usually fiberglass). Whereas at about the $50 & up range you start getting into full graphite content & that type of graphite, other features & materials like trick handles & guides come into play as the price increases. But again, those features may or may not be necessary for all of your fishing. A gent standing on the rocks below a dam & throwing cut bait at catfish ain't really in need of a $300 high end graphite rod & likewise I wouldn't want to use his old tough fiberglass catrod to fish creature baits thru brush tops either.

Like the toolbox out in my garage, different tools for different jobs. Some tools are expe$ive & some ain't. It takes a lil of them all to do it all.  (yes)
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Curt on February 23, 2015, 12:58:08 PM
Points well made @Jimmy RodandReel and @RedAllison  (y)

My main issue has always been my budget. I have to be budget conscious, so I do the best I can with the bucks in my pocket.

Maybe one day soon I can spring for a custom rod. And once I do that I will know the difference and maybe that will change the way I look at rods  (hmm)
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: dchance on February 23, 2015, 04:26:21 PM
I won't debate that you there is a difference in higher end rods, but the price difference I cannot always justify.
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Curt on February 23, 2015, 05:02:31 PM
I won't debate that you there is a difference in higher end rods, but the price difference I cannot always justify.

Understand for sure. If I happen to spring for a custom rod, I'll be sure to post here about it and let you know if I feel like the price difference is justified.
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: dreaminbig on February 23, 2015, 05:27:45 PM
Riddle me this......  how do you know Berkley rods are "China made junk"?  Berkley's price point on everything is much lower.  Who says their $70 E-Motion rods aren't in the same class as the majority of your $150 rods?  .....just food for thought...

BTW, plain and simple, I can't and won't afford a deck full of $300 rods.  I've paired the vast majority of my Lightnings with H2O Mettles from Academy so I have about $70 tied up in a combo.
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Curt on February 23, 2015, 05:29:59 PM

BTW, plain and simple, I can't and won't afford a deck full of $300 rods.

Nor can I (nope)

If I do happen to buy a custom rod, it will be a single expenditure, not the start of a new trend in my boat.
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Jimmy RodandReel on February 23, 2015, 07:02:40 PM
Fair enough questions.   (yes)

Riddle me this......  how do you know Berkley rods are "China made junk"?
 I have never seen a/any Berkley A.K.A Pure Fishing blank that has a "Made in the U.S.A". #2  Every one that I have ever repaired had "Made in China" on the bottom of the butt.
#3. about 80% of everything Pure Fishing does is made in China.
#4. I have used them in the past.......Hence my opinion. 
There was a time in my life where I fished the cheapest stuff I could find because I had another habit called drag racing and my car said I could not afford upper end rods and reels. I used Berkley, BPS buy 2 get one free deals and anything I could find in the clearance bins......I finally got back full time to my first love Fishing. 
 
Berkley's price point on everything is much lower.  Who says their $70 E-Motion rods aren't in the same class as the majority of your $150 rods?  .....just food for thought...
  Its very hard for me to answer this question with-out sounding like a rod snob. And please believe me I'm not and not trying to be. PLEASE. I could go all day about rod modulus in the graphite and carbon scrim and all the other crap they use to build blanks but I digress.......
 I don't know about $150.00 rods because I don't own any. Every rod I own is a American made St. Croix SCIII-SCV at a price point of 250.00 to 420.00....... I do know guys in our local club that fish boat loads of $150 rods Duckett,Shimano,H&H, and many more that feel that their rod brand XXXXXXX is worth every dollar they spent.
BTW, plain and simple, I can't and won't afford a deck full of $300 rods.  I've paired the vast majority of my Lightnings with H2O Mettles from Academy so I have about $70 tied up in a combo.
and I have no problem with that. The only one it matters too is the guy fishing the rod/reel. As long as he is happy that's all that matters
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Carter on February 24, 2015, 08:14:53 PM
I too am considering trying ONE higher end rod this year. Like most of you I can't afford a deck full of high-priced rods either. But I will try one and if I notice a huge difference then maybe I will add one high end rod a year for a few years. Time will tell.
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Curt on February 24, 2015, 08:25:34 PM
@Jimmy RodandReel (http://www.bassboatboards.com/index.php?action=profile;u=5) Some great points, and very well said  (yes) (y)
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Jimmy RodandReel on February 25, 2015, 08:18:41 PM
I too am considering trying ONE higher end rod this year.

A word of advice........Don't go crazy and decide the price range you want to target. Take your time and do your research and handle LOTS of rods. Talk to other people. Make a list of rods you want to look at and again take your time..........Also take the reel you plan to use on the rod.(filled with line) A reel filled with line can change the balance of a rod A LOT.

Find the right rod for YOU and not the rod everybody else wants you to have.  (yes)
 
Title: Re: Berkley E Motion Rods
Post by: Bullet3119 on February 27, 2015, 09:33:09 PM
@Jimmy RodandReel (http://www.bassboatboards.com/index.php?action=profile;u=5) made some very good points. One must also consider what level they are fishing and how serious they are about it. If you are just a weekend angler that doesn't tournament fish, maybe it's pointless to you to buy high end rods. For me, I pretty much want the best rods I can get. I had all Loomis rods, but I have started the process of replacing those with custom rods from Jimmy.
SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal