Ugly Stiks | Ultimate Fishing Directory

28 Jul

This Fisherbabe LOVES Her $30 Dollar Rod…

Posted by the fisherbabe, under Gear Reviews, fisherbabe

…and cannot understand why everyone makes fun of her when she states “I fish with an Ugly Stik“!!!!! I mean, I understand that there are more expensive and fancier rods out there. But I know that my Ugly Stik will hold up and serve me well. SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL?????

I am starting to become a little hurt and maybe even offended by some of the remarks I get when I pledge my allegiance to Ugly Stik Rods. I mean…ok so ya…I have been a little ticked off at the company lately because they will not make MY PINK ROD…but that is another issue that I will not go into again here!!! I just wanna know why its so bad that I love my cheap, old ugly stik.

Some of the most recent responses I have received are:

“You are NOT serious”

“You cannot possibly be serious”

“Why do you fish with that cheap, old thing”

“Do you know anything about fishing gear”

“Oh sweet thang…you need serious help”

and my favorite…”Awwwww…that is SOOO cute”

Now…I will not deny that I like being called cute, but Ugly Stiks are not cute…and I am not cute for using one. I am just a fisherbabe who likes products that are dependable, sturdy, trustworthy, strong, and capable. I like companies that have strong reputations for good products and great customer service.

I fish in locations that are remote and isolated. There are no corner marinas or tackle shops. I get dropped off by a float plane in the middle of an island with the instructions to “lay out a tarp if there is an emergency and we will get to you in a day or two.” This is not a place in which you want your gear to break down.

So I use Ugly Stiks because I trust them. I know that they will work. I know that under most circumstances my rod will last me not only this trip but MANY trips to come…and all for under $30.00!!! What can beat that!!

Now this post is not meant to insinuate that my choice is better than anyone elses. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of rods that I would like to try someday. I would really like to fish with a St. Croix rod and a G. Loomis rod. I would LOVE to try them out and see how they stand up to my kind of fishing trips!! I am sure they would be awesome!!

I know that, if I ever get to try these new rods, I will be super impressed and they will work beautifully. But I also know that I will have an ugly stik hidden away in my rod case…just in case.

So I wanna know…What kinds of rods do you fish with and what have been your favorites over the years??? Has anyone ever given you a hard time for liking your favorite gear??? Feel free to join in if you are into another sport and tell us what comments you have encountered with your gear choices!!!!

Happy Commenting ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

Check out my profile on GetREELed.com
Check out my site: www.fisherbabe.com

21 Jun

The Fisherbabe Went To Cabelas…

Posted by the fisherbabe, under General, fisherbabe

and it was GREAT!!! For my 5th…yes I said FIFTH…wedding anniversary this year, I asked my fisherhubby to get me another Shimano Cardiff 200A Fishing Reel. I love these reels. They are amazingly smooth and very easy to use. PLUS – they are very manageable and maneuverable for my tiny little fingers. I have nothing but fabulous things to say about them. Obviously, I love them, because I asked for one for a BIG anniversary.

I was very disappointed when I arrived at Cabelas and found out they did not have my present in stock. They should have known I was coming, right? However, the sales guy was impressed with the fact I knew anything about fishing and waived the shipping price just for me. Therefore, next week I will have a brand new and very shiny Shimano Cardiff arriving at my door. YAY!!!!

Also while I was there, I bought some new Trilene Vanish which has the slogan of being the easy casting Fluorocarbon Line. I have been wanting to try some new types of line. I like Trilene and was happy to see that this type of line was available from a trusted and well known company.

I, of course, wanted to grab a few more orange hammers while I was there, but, unfortunately, they only had 2 in stock. I guess maybe they are catching on

I also bought a couple red and white Cabelas Canadian Casting Spoons. I cannot go to Cabelas without purchasing new lures…it just is not possible.

I always have a good time at Cabelas. I checked the Pink Ugly Stiks just in case something had changed in the last day…but NO!! Still none of the ones that I use. I almost broke down and bought the 6′0 one, but I just could not bring myself to give in. I will just have to wait…and hope.

I hope you all had as great a day as I did today. A trip to your favorite store is always a great way to spend the day.

Happy Shopping ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

20 Jun

Ok…Just Being Pink Is Not Enough…

Posted by the fisherbabe, under Gear Reviews, fisherbabe

Just because I am a woman and I like pink things does not mean that I do not expect the same gear specifications that are available for men. You have all heard this before many times…in reference to just about anything they sell for women who fish. I hate to say it…but so far and from what I have seen…the selection is pretty disappointing.

The places that I fish are beautiful and full of natural wonder, but they are often harsh locations with no other people for hundreds of miles. Seriously, one time they told my husband and father in law to set an island on fire if there was an emergency, because that was the only way anyone would know they were in trouble. There is certainly no corner tackle shop to run to when a piece of gear falters or fails. This means that when I go fishing, I must take gear and tackle that I truly trust and believe in. So that means that I buy manly gear.

I guess in fishing there is no real gender separation because for many years now it has been a sport that has been dominated by men. Therefore, I can understand why companies do not make or market products for women. The ones that do market towards women, most commonly market men’s product in a smaller, shrunken down size. They think this is sufficient. I have news guys…women are not made like men! Apparently this is a common misconception around the world of fishing product makers.

Now…do I truly need pink gear…well it would be super cool, but no. Would I like gear that fits my hands so that I can handle my rod and reel more effectively…YES!!! Would I like gloves that mold to my hands the way my husbands mold to his without leaving at least an inch in the fingertips…YES!!! Would I like pants that fit me properly and do not leave a large amount of room in the “crotchal region”…OMG YES!!!!

All this being said, I would like to give an example of some fishing gear from Shakespeare. Now, I love my Ugly Stiks. I do not use any other rods because I know that the quality you get from Shakespeare is unmatched. The service you get is also unmatched. They are a great company with a solid history of caring about the sport of fishing and their customer. I will probably never switch to another rod. My entire family is Ugly Stik die-hards. That’s the way it is when we find something we believe in…we stick with it!!!

However…look at this new rod they are now selling for ladies.

I am seriously upset that someone FINALLY made a pink rod and they do not even make it in the same specifications as the typical men’s rod. THEY DO NOT EVEN HAVE ONE THAT IS EFFECTIVE FOR 20 POUND TEST!!! Are you kidding me? Do they think that women do not want to catch HUGE fish? What if I had a 150 pound tarpon on my line (as my step mother in law did), should I just not fish for that kind of fish and let the big, strong men handle it? That is offensive to me.

A second horrible thing about these rods is that most of them break down into two pieces which means…they have a bigger chance of actually “breaking down” when you catch that fish of a lifetime. It’s a known fact that collapsible rods are not as strong as ones that are all one piece because of the pressure put on the place where the rod comes apart.

Another crappy problem with this rod is that the only 5′6 model available collapses. I only fish with 5′6 BCL 1100 ugly stiks. That is all. They are smooth and easy to handle, and I love them. However, I cannot have it collapsing on me. I really wish they had not made these poles collapsible at all. I mean the choices are insane…I can either get a tiny 4′0 or 5′0 rod or an enormous 6′0 or 6′6 rod. There is nothing in between that comes in one piece.

They are also selling combos now. I will not even get into those…I do not want to compare what they are offering to my shimano cardiff reel, because I will not have nice things to say at all. They do not even offer a baitcaster in their combos. They offer spinning combos and one closed face reel that comes pre-spooled…most likely not with 25 pound test. Oh…and they call it Ladyfish!! Come on now…really?

Perhaps, I am just mad because they are not making exactly what I want. I will commend the company for caring about breast cancer and supporting finding a cure. As I said before, this company is one that is solid and trustworthy, and obviously cares. But I just wish that, if they are going to make stuff for the ladies, they make the same stuff as they have been for men. There are all types of ladies out there, and we need all types of gear. The truly offensive thing is the action of the rods. It’s like they are saying to me…women aren’t good enough to handle the big fish so you don’t need a rod that holds 25 pound test.

Well, I have news guys…I am woman enough to need 100 pound test, and someday I am going to catch a fish big enough to need it!!!

Happy Rod Shopping and Happy Saturday~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

**Photo taken from http://www.shakespeare-fishing.com/