Ive heard many debate on whats better seeker or calstar. This discussion has been brought up more than once. Im not here to argue which company makes a better fishing rod. Im curious as to what makes the two rods different. Does one rod shutoff faster than the other...im trying to become more informed on which rods to purchase.
The main differance between the Calstar and Seeker lines is that Seeker is a bit softer in the tip than Calstar. And when I say a bit I mean just a little bit.
I have two calstar rods and i love them. Im lookin to start buyin top of the line rods and wanted to find out what line of rods to buy. Seeker black steel or the the calstar graphfiters.
That all comes down to how you like a particular rod. You have to feel them, bend them and compare them. I own both Calstars and Seekers, more Calstars, but I pick based on how they feel to ME!, not how they feel to someone else. My money, my choice.
I know what you mean, the problem is that there isnt a shop that carries these higher end rods in my area. I wish i could these rods by actually holding and loading up each one, but i unfortunately cant.
I also have the problem of no local dealer. Who carries Calstars or Seekers. The nearest is a 2 hour drive away with a limited selection.
I took the advice from some of the more experienced salt water fishermen here and at other sites. Made a note of recommended rods and when I had a chance to get to a tackle shop. I knew what I was looking for. I actually bought a couple of rods mail order, solely based on the opinions of anglers. Who I learned to trust over a period of time. I have 5 Seekers and a Calstar. I am happy with all.
I have found that Calstars start out a bit lighter as a blank. Seekers are heavier. You just have to pull on each one of them and see what you preferences are. There are sooo many different models out there so go compare how comperable models of each maker pull. To me the Seekers pull nice but I love the lighter weight of the Calstars.
You should consider the type of line and the line class you will be fishing. Both companies have newer rods that are extremely soft and shutoff extremely fast for braided lines.
Seeker makes a good rod, although I do question why you have to pay $50+ to replace a rod that breaks from a defect while under a “lifetime warranty.” Check out their promo video for construction info: http://www.seekerrods.com/media/seekerdemo.wmv
I have 5 grafighter rods. Think of them as upgraded versions of the original Sabre design. (See http://www.onorods.com/calhist.htm for some history.) My personal favorite is the 800M. Like others have stated, the Seeker Black Steel and Super Seekers are heavier. All I know is that I still have my first CalStar purchased 10 years ago. I no longer own a Seeker.
Both Seeker and Calstar approach the warranty issue exactly the same way. If a rod breaks due to DEFECT is it replaced without charge. That does not happen often. What's more common is that a guy breaks a rod by "high-sticking" or going vertical under load or when setting drag on a reel with the rod vertical, or by having a buddy grip the tip to show how hard you can pull on a rod - and then snapping it off because he didn't know how to handle the tip correctly. Of course other rods are damaged by the isidous attack of car doors. In all these cases it's not a manufacturers defect that causes the break, it's user malfunction. In these cases, both Calstar and Seeker will try to accomodate the client through replacement. Yes, they do charge $50-60 for this service. And, in my mind, that's very fair.
GS< MS -I own both Seeker and Calstar rods, love 'em. I tend to use my Seeker's more on my private boat and shorter trips (with the exception of my 6463XXXXH rail rod) and my Calstars more on the longer trips. The Grafighter's are indeed lighter than Seeker's Black Steel or Super Seeker series, but that was not part of the design equation for Seeker in coming out with the Super Seekers. Given the use of S-glass, they are indeed heavier rods, and proud of it. No knock on Grafighters, they are excellent rods and I'm very happy with those I own, just wish I could swing having a few more...765XL with light AFTCO rollers...I'm pining for the darn thing, nicest 40# rod I've ever played with.
I've had the unfortunat need to return 4 rods to Seeker for repair, twice due to bonehead stunts by me and twice due to i don't know. I was upfront with Seeker and they treated me well, only charging me for one "repair" and I gladly paid the $50 for a New replacement G 6463XXXH AR/WO that wasn't broken by my stupidity.....well hooking it up to our 350lb ram to test it wasn't a good idea I guess.
In the case of the Seeker, it was broken by pulling on a 2-3lb Sheepshead. Not a car door, abuse, or the fish of a lifetime. I assume this would be a normal activity for a fishing rod? Under the warranty, it is up to the company to decide if it was a legitimate defect or abuse. In this case, they were wrong.
