Lately, we’ve been breaking down how to build a highly capable bass fishing rig on a budget. The ultimate goal: finding the absolute best gear on the market for under a hundred bucks.
We’ve already covered the reel side of things, both casting and spinning, as well as my favorite budget casting rods, so today we’re shifting focus to my top spinning rods in that sub-$100 price range. There will be some overlap with the casting rods since most companies price rods in the same line at the same or similar prices.
But these are durable, high-performing rods I trust on the water regularly. For me, spinning rods generally handle the bulk of my smallmouth fishing, but there’s a number of great finesse techniques that will catch you a ton of largemouth. Drop shots, wacky rigs, flukes, small paddle tails, I even like a Coike on a spinning setup… a spinning rod can do just about everything you need in bass fishing.
Let’s get right to it… here is a breakdown of four fantastic spinning rods you can grab for less than a hundred bucks.
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1. Fenwick Eagle: $99.95- $119.95
Fenwick completely overhauled everything in their lineup in the past couple years, the result is phenomenal. The Eagle is their most affordable line of rods, and with 19 different models, you can easily cover all the bases… and then some.
My spinning arsenal primarily consists of Fenwick rods across the entire spectrum. I have a number of Elite and World Class Fenwick rods, but I have a few HMGs and Eagles as well. Lightweight, durable, sensitive across the board, and you get the same action regardless of what line you’re choosing. At 100 bucks, the Eagle is tough to beat.
2. Shimano SLX A – $99.99
The Shimano SLX line is fantastic. For $100, you’re getting a fantastic rod that can hang with rods well above its price point. I have a 7′ ML Extra Fast SLX A spinning rod rigged up at all times, but they have plenty in the lineup (17 different rods I believe) to cover all the bases. You just can’t go wrong with any of their spinning models, no matter what technique you’re looking for.
3. Daiwa Tatula XT – $99.99
As I’ve said before, I love the Tatula lines, all of them really, but the budget-friendly Tatula XT always seems to find its way into my hand.
I primarily utilize their spinning rods for throwing swimbaits and minnow-style baits, but the Tatula XT line has 15 great rods across casting and spinning. If you’re looking to get into bass fishing on a budget, you just can’t go wrong with the Daiwa Tatula XT. They just look so clean too… if that matters to you at all (let’s face it, nobody wants to fish an ugly rod).
4. Abu Garcia Vengeance – $74.99
An Abu Garcia Vengeance is a steal at 75 bucks. I have a 7′ MH Fast that I use pretty often with heavier soft plastics and even the Coike or other urchin-style baits. Urchins have become the rage this year and while a lot of people fish them on casting rods, it’s just so much easier to control and to cast with the spinning setup.
Abu also makes some pretty affordable reels to go with it such as the Max Pro.
And for a detailed bait recommendation, specific to your exact location and waterbody, check out the Bass Forecast Bait Advisor. Just input your ZIP code or share your location, and Bass Forecast will give you 5 bait recommendations, a bite rating, and suggestions for peak feeding times.
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