Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod is a very popular option in the middle of the fishing rods price range. Manufacturer-provided product description, urls and documents. We are free to use a lot of retrieval techniques. Star Rods Stellar Lite Spinning Rod | Bass Pro. Cookie Notice What is the difference between the GX2 Rod and the Crappie Hunter Rod? Irrespective of whether you are a fresher or a seasoned angler, it can never hurt to have an Ugly Stik GX2 by your side. Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Rod: Ugly Tech Construction Ugly Tuff 1-piece stainless steel guides Ugly Stik clear tip design Durable and lightweight EVA grips Enhanced cosmetics for a more modern look 7-year warranty. Introduced in 1976, the Shakespeare Ugly Stik is something that most of us anglers are familiar with. The durable, one piece graphite blank will bend and twist, but won't break. If youre more experienced and looking for a specific rod and reel, apart from the size of the fish youre targeting, youll also have to take into account what kind of fishing youll be doing: Will you be casting artificial lures (objects designed to look like fish or other prey with a hook attached), or using bait (smaller fish, worms, or other natural prey, either alive or dead)? Check Price Be it braided, carbon or monofilament lines, the guides are perfectly fine for all. Im thoroughly impressed, especially with the fact that Shimano includes a cold-forged drive gear (usually cast zinc in reels within this price range), though according to spinning-reel guru Alan Hawk, its made more cheaply than the higher-end drive gears. The rods material, flexibility, sensitivity, and line-guide construction all make a difference in how well the rod will perform and last. Heavy power Available In 2 Models: Large pikes, salmons, and even some saltwater fishes can be your game now. With a signature clear tip, it has helped many anglers to identify this rod easily in a huge stack. If you take this step, our recommended Ugly Stik GX2 and Daiwa BG combo will serve you well for years to come. The Penn combos are the oposite, the Penn Battle II combos are $110-130 but those rods Penn includes . Shakespeare has engineered a whole new single piece guide that they refer to as Ugly Tuff. | 7 Reasons, link to Why Does Cold Water Fish Taste Better? That flexible tip means it wont be ideal for manipulating lures, but we think the added versatility is more valuable to most fishersespecially beginners. Have seen decent reviews on it and I thought it would be fine with my kinda of fishing. Rod BlankFirst off this new generation of technology is called Ugly Techand features a new blank through reel seat design that is a combination of traditional fiberglass with the addition of a touch of graphite. (Note that the Cabo PTSE sizes 60 and up are superior to the 40 and 50 sizes, which have inferior anti-reverse clutches.). $50 from Walmart. It has variable lengths with six models dedicated to our female angler friends. Heavy Power Models: Available in length of 66. Ugly Stik GX2 casting rod This model brings the toughness and durability of the Ugly Tech material to a casting lineup which is clearly intended for heavy weight applications. The Ugly Stik fishing rod stands up to misuse and abuse. I was a big fan of St. Croixs Triumph spinning rod as an all-around inshore stickits featherlight, well-balanced, and a pleasure to cast all day long. DurableGrip The new grip is made of an EVA material which feels very comfortable in your hands even after hours of casting and retrieving. Additionally, the more pieces that make up the guide, the more pieces with the potential to fall apart. So you will put more fish in the boat. Another problem with the Ugly Stik GX2 is that the guides are not always perfectly placed. The eyelets might begin to corrode after a couple of years of usage in saltwater but it is nothing to worry about as you can always wipe them clean. Large pikes, salmons, and even some saltwater fishes can be your game now. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. Come winter, Why Does Cold Water Fish Taste Better? Upload or insert images from URL. Compared with the original, it includes more graphite and less fiberglass, giving the rod more of a backbone for working lures and handling heavier fish, while still keeping the soft fiberglass tip that makes it sensitive enough for detecting subtler strikes and smaller catches. Teresa Taylor is a keen kayak fisher and lover of all types of fishing. Adapted to suit a wide variety of general use. David is a freelance writer. Strong, yet balanced graphite and fiberglass construction, Durable ugly tuff one piece stainless steel guides. Rightly so, their faith is not misplaced in this Shakespearean wonder (just like the great playwright) and it continues to garner attention in the fishing community with its lovely performances. This detail is further testament to the kind of thought that Daiwa put into the research and design of this humble but trusty little $100 reel. Its strong enough to handle salmon and other saltwater fish, but sensitive enough for trout. This design also represents an upgrade from the old Ugly Stik, which had two-piece pop-out guides that were the only weak spot in an otherwise bulletproof rod. I want to also be able to take this rod to fish on the charter boat offshore when I go later this month. Medium Power Models: Available in lengths ranging from 56 to 7. Its unique Ugly Tech construction combines fiberglass and graphite in exactly the right proportions to yield a blank that is sensitive, lightweight, and virtually unbreakable. Learn how your comment data is processed. | 5 Reasons. We also considered several high-end models to determine if paying a lot more would get you a much better product. Regardless of what rod or reel you get, salt is the enemyeven with gear specifically designed for use in the ocean. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. *At the time of publishing, the price was $50. First, its heavier than more high-performance graphite rods (which usually run about 5 ounces for a medium-heavy 6-foot-6 or 7-foot rod), and some people find that tiring. You could either opt-in for more sensitivity with a 1-pc blank or a decent enough sensitivity but the ease of carrying the rod around with a 2-pc blank. Description. The only issue I have with the Triumph (as with almost all other rods that arent Ugly Stiks) concerns the guides. My 2 cents. The Ugly Stik GX2 consistently performs above many rods that cost 2 to 3 times as much and are not nearly as durable. Theyre easy to confuse, and our chosen reel wont fit the casting version. If youre starting from nothing, a spinning outfit offers the highest chance of success. The brand truly excels when it comes to spinning rods and their Ugly Stik GX2 is arguably one of the better spinning models on the market today for less than $100. The Bigwater series features Ugly Tech construction with a combination of graphite and fiberglass to create a strong, yet sensitive rod, Ugly Tuff one-piece stainless steel guides to provide excellent durability and eliminate insert pop-outs, and Ugly Stik Clear Tip design for strength and sensitivity. But mind you, that attachment is not purely emotional. Also, a classic diamond winding pattern, colored in silver and red, highlights the rod right above the grip. Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod is $8.03 less expensive than an average fishing rod ($47.98). Durable and tough fishing rod and reel combo designed for the challenge of big water fishing, Ugly tech construction with a combination of graphite and fiberglass, Clear tip design delivers added responsiveness and strength, Ugly Stikgx2 rods feature ugly Tech construction with a combination of graphite and fiberglass to create a strong, yet sensitive rod with better balance for a lighter weight feel, Ugly tuff guides feature new one-piece stainless steel guides to eliminate insert pop outs and can be used with all types of line, including Braid. I fished with lures in rivers for trout and salmon, and I set 1- to 1-pound live baits from my skiffs, catching ocean fish up to 20 pounds with each rod and reel. Subscribe to our mailing list and receive updates about new gear and special deal alerts. Each one of us at Fishing Is Bliss is an enthusiast in one area or another. But the GX2 is more versatile and cheaper. Successful break tests involved such extremes as attaching the hook to a moving vehicle and hoisting power tools into the air. | 5 Reasons. The guides have been completely redesigned into a single piece, stamped stainless steel which adds durability to the already rugged design. When thinking of an entry-level rod its just nearly impossible to think of an alternative to the Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 where you would get as much bang for your buck. The handles make use of a trig reel seat for a lot more casting movement and lure retrievability. Ugly Stik GX2 is the next generation of Ugly Stik rods that combines the heritage and tradition of the original while maintaining the strength and durability Ugly Stiks are known for. I found this video of a guy putting the Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 to what I would have to call the ultimate challenge. You can see below that we found them equally good. Parallel fibers infused with pigmented polyester resin creates a strong . It's here. It has the same great sensitive tip and single piece construction that Ugly Stik fishing rods are known for, but features a long cork grip and medium action so you can muscle up the fish. For less than a meal for two at your local Chilis, you can grab one of these great rods as either your primary go to or simply as a backup or loaner for your friends. I found the Battalion to be somewhat lightweight for its action and recommended line weight, which you could easily solve by ordering the next weight up (for example, if you want a medium action rod, order the Battalion in medium heavy). Unlike before, it now feels very comfortable even after hours of cast & retrieves. The best thing about this fishing rod is you can toss it in the boat or the bed of your truck and not worry about stepping on it and breaking it. The older version was tough, but it came along with traditional pop-out ceramic inserts that were easy to break. The UglyTech technology features a combination of fiberglass with a touch of high-modulus graphite in its new blank over a reel seat type of design. Please suggest me and guide me in the right direction. and our A nice choice for catching those trout and panfish where some extra lifting power is required. Thats still a lot of drag for most In other words, you dont need much drag to cover a wide variety of fish. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. The new rod design incorporates graphite into the fiberglass which gives it a clean matte black finish which I prefer. The durability of Ugly Stik has your back and the GX2 certainly doesnt disappoint. If you buy the combo, I will say the reel on it sucks compared to a higher end reel. 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