I buy a rod every other season or so; this spring it was time to buy a float rod, so I did. Before that I did all my bobber fishing with a crappy 8'6" baitcaster and it worked fine. Now I use a crappy 10'6" float rod and it works fine, too. I mean, it's not like a float rod needs to be built for sensitivity. Or speed. It just needs to be long and light, and able to load up.

I don't have a lot of money to toss around so I picked up a 10'6" Shimano rod at a GI Joe's in Eugene when I visited some friends this summer. It was $79.99. I love it. I've fished a couple of buddies' Loomis and Lami float rods and frankly still can't justify the $120 difference. and I say this even though I love my Loomis 8wt fly rod...

I use a carbon microfilament line (Power Pro) and mending that setup is a dream, as is keeping line off the water and controlling a drift.

I know the elitist crwds will tell you you need to consume the hot brand-name product to be a part of the elite fishing clique, but spending hundreds of dollars really isn't necessary. Sure, a lousy craftsman always blames his tools, but fancy tools don't make a better craftsman.