I have never used one of the dearer rods like an Orvis or a Hardy and I was wondering if the extra cost was worth it? is there a big difference in performance and feel when you pay more?

You do get more for your money with the big name brands but whether a £600 rod is six times better than a £100 rod is doubtful given the quality of the cheaper rods today. Some rods costing less than £200 are amongst the favourites of many forumites. If you want to dabble try a 2nd hand one first, there's a good chance of getting an Orvis for less than £100.

Worth every penny of the money is the Orvis customer service which is second to none.

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

OOOOHHH YES!!
Ask any tackle tart!
Logically a carbon rod of say #7 weight, costing up to £100 should cast a #7 weight line, just as well as say a #7 up to £1000.
That is what it is made for.
However things like overall weight, action, finish of rod, cork on butt, type of reel seat, style of rings, overall finish and guarantees, and after sales service, then play major part in price.
Best quality carbon bales cost a hell of a lot more than dodgy ones, thus the comparitve increase in costs.
Then there is the "branding" some rods will always command higher prices just because of the name on the butt.
As to your original question re performance, a top end rod, over a long fishing day will probably feel like it performs better than a bottom end rod of similar rating, purely because of the weight/action fatigue factor suffered by us anglers!
regards
bert

and you will virtually get that regardless of whether it's a new or second user purchase.

If you hunt about using the search facility you will find this topic comes up about every three months and usually degenerates into a very unpleasant spat. I have little doubt this one, if it gets going, will end up the same way.

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Roy

No contest.
Orvis are the best on the planet re customer service and replacement of goods!!
However that doesnt mean their rods are the best!!!
regards
bert

It really comes down to how many fish you want to catch Why not visit a larger local tackle store and they would surely give you a few rods to have a chuck of. Some insisit you bring your own reel/line. Have you had a look for a local casting club, you will often get a shot of other peoples gear at these aswell.
I like how you use the words performance and feel. Many people expect to buy and expensive rod so they can cast to the horizon, but thats not what it is about. Feel is really what its about whether its a fast or slow action, this allows you to be more accurate with your timing and essentially the rod is more satisfiying to use because you are more in tune with what its doing and you are working in harmony.

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http://www.fishleven.co.uk/
http://www.edenangling.co.uk/

Personally I fit myself around the rods I buy as I can't afford expensive ones. I've grown up on fibreglass ones and bought a hundred pound greys GRXI about 2 years ago. That's now used for sinking lines and rarely. Last year I got a Cortland 9 ft 4 weight from a forum member for about 35 quid and I can't fault it. Whether float tubing, bank fishing or stalking fish in the trees it's the one I use. I've always wanted to own a really expensive rod which outfishes everything I previously owned but to be honest I found more enjoyment in learning how to fish and what gear I really need to suit my kind of fishing. I would say buy a rod under a hundred quid and second hand from a forum member, that way you get a rod that's high quality and usually under used.

Plodger

No rod is good for that, they are called birds and an air rifle is more suited to the purpose

A fine rod is like a fine woman, expensive to aquire but as long as you look after them properly they'll last a lifetime and will be much more pleasant to use.
Even if you don't appreciate all their finer qualities at first, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you've got a grip on the best.



Having said that I'm definitely one who has to cut his cloth to suit his wallet so am totally unqualified to comment for real.

Be careful in your pursuit of the finer quality fishing tackle, or you may become a "Tackle Tart" like the rest of us!

For me? Hardy, Grey's and a couple of cane rods. I also have a Sage; but prefer the feel and action of the Hardy Classic Lightweights, Echo, rods are also very nice! - Reels, ORVIS you wont beat them! Although, it depends on your fishing; and the choice is yours. I fish rivers and streams only!!

So my fishing tackle reflects the type of fishing I like!

Try some before you decide.

M