Best looking rods

[Philip]

Read something on another thread about nice looking rods and made me wonder what people considered to be the best looking rods out there.

We are talking looks rather than performance - any era, what would be your choice ?

 

[mikench]

They mostly look the same with their fuji reel seat and cork handles . My favourite rod in the looks stakes is my Browning Silverlite 13’ feeder with its Alps sculptured reel seat and light grey metallic blank. More importantly it performs as well as it looks and is very comfortable in the hand.

 

[S-Kippy]

Hardy Marksman….beautiful rods imo.

 

[@Clive]

ABU Suveran and Allcocks Wallis Wizard.

 

[chevin4]

Any cane rod produced by Edward Barder

 

[seth49]

I like the look of my Korum allrounder quivertip rod, brown carbon rod with full cork handle, and gold coloured writing, it looks good, and it’s a good rod also, liked it that much I bought another .

 

[The Sogster]

A plain blank with subtle highlights for the whipping and a full cork handle is my preference.
As for actual rods.
I like the shimano technium rods looks, a nice glossy blank and subtle logo in silver- no full cork though.
I also like the early fox duo-lite .75lb avon rod in green with carbon effect reel seat, shame the float rod is an absolute dog.
Similarly I like my matchpro rods, nice cork handle with a subtle 'onion' swell at the butt.
The tackle boxes own DV rods are quite nice with their green whipping.

I remember some truly garish rods in the 80s and 90s, also the vertex range with their overdone blue colour but times change I suppose.
Also practical they may be but I wouldn't want a rod with a Wye style butt cap.

 

[Keith M]

I find simplicity makes a more attractive rod for me; like my original Hardy Marksman Specimen float rod with its simple and not too garish blank and simple silk whippings.

Although I do like the carbon weave effect on my Amorphous Whisker float rods.

Keith

 

[chevin4]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Obviously if you decide to have a rod built you have the option of handle length colour whippings etc. The last rod I had built by John Hutchinson was an 11ft Torrix 1.5tc. John suggested the whipping colour ie marroon tipped gold. The rings are Fuji kingen short cork handle. I am pleased with the result .

 

[S-Kippy]

Thinking about it my very first carbon float rod a Normark was a good looker. Grey blank, black whippings tipped red. Lovely rod and a joy to use after the glass hernia poles I had been using.

 

[Philip]

Some very nice rods being mentioned. I always think rods with a cris-cross weave on the blank look nice especially if its on the whole rod and not just the butt section.

Also practical they may be but I wouldn't want a rod with a Wye style butt cap.

Totally agree...practical but they just look awful especially on a freshwater rod.

 

[mikench]

I must have a reel seat fetish. I chose

an Alps for my 12’ Torrix.

 

[chevin4]

Is that a custom build Mike or factory build either way looks great

 

[mikench]

Custom build.

Gold thread on whippings, Kigan guides and black collars and butt cap. Its 2 lb tc and wasted on me but what the heck!!!

 

[chevin4]

Some very nice rods being mentioned. I always think rods with a cris-cross weave on the blank look nice especially if its on the whole rod and not just the butt section.



Totally agree...practical but they just look awful especially on a freshwater rod.

They are not generally fitted I have a rod built by Simpsons of Turnford which I picked up second hand which has one fitted I think the metal section adds unessary weight to the rod. I believe that a few high end builders eg Peregrine rods fit them as standard

 

[terry m]

For my 60th birthday I treated myself to a set of three Armalite Mk 3 rods. The quality and detail is excellent, and imo aesthetically top notch.

 

[chevin4]

For my 60th birthday I treated myself to a set of three Armalite Mk 3 rods. The quality and detail is excellent, and imo aesthetically top notch.

It's a shame Century only produce Armalites in the higher test curves now. The 1lbtc rods were superb with a lovely action.

 

[steve2]

Cane rods to me will always look better than carbon. But give carbon rods to fish with.

 

[Alan Whitty]

Yeah, great for holding up the runner beans...

 

[@Clive]

Yeah, great for holding up the runner beans...

Fillystein!