Sorry for clogging up the forum guys.

Try and get a graphite rod which is rated around 1-3kg. It would be harder to cast light lures using heavier rods.  

Aw ****, veritas was on sale today so i bought one haha. Oh well will give it a spin anyway

G-Loomis do some very nice rods if you don't mind paying the $$$...

X2 for St Croix

X3 for St Croix

ThomasW wrote: My experience with the Vertias (in a slightly heavier weight). The guides were rubbish and would bend. The blank was rubbish and would break. Otherwise it was a nice rod.

Yeah, loomis rods are very much over rated (and dropshots very underrated, especially the 1st gen) in my eyes, I don't like the handles, the components are not that great for the price either. I am currently building a 8'6" 4-8lb rod for spinning lakes, just glued the handle 2 minutes ago!

Loomis do not tend to have enough guides to cover the blank actions for my liking (7 guides usually when I think 8-9 is preferable), but nice hardware, the GL2 series is common is aussie and well priced (it never used to be).

My favorite by far is the Daiwa (I don't usually like Daiwa) Wilderness 7 foot, three piece (packs down to fly rod length) and is rated 2-8lb. Such an amazing rod, crisp, light and powerful with split-butt, Alconite guides and air-foam grips. Infact Daiwa do make some excellent, light spin sticks with aussie bream tournaments in mind - which suit trout fishing styles perfectly!

Do not think you can get them here however, but by far the best actioned spin rod for trout I have used. Also the T-curve T-series 702, 2-4kg is a nice stick but a short butt (great for working plastics). The Dropshot's, especially their 7' 1-3kg is excellent value for money also. The Veritas is very light, but stiff and let down by cheap hardware, but for the price okay rods.

St Croix make some nice spin rods as Shimano. The Mexican Fire and Raider's are not bad mid-range rods. There is a huge choice out there... Don't discount the Shimano Telo-spin either! Amazing teloscopic rod with full Fuji Sic guides, Fuji clamp seat, IM7 blank and lighter than most conventional rods (approx $200) but Berkley have come out with the Nomadic knockoff for around $120. I keep one on my pack when fly fishing... 12 seconds from touching it.... to cast to a fish, I'm such a nerd I've timed it!!!

We get stuck with a very limited selection in NZ, you really have to look to aussie if you want something very decent, or Malcolm Bell stocks some good stuff at the Complete Angler in Chch and is a very accomplished spin fisherman.

Yeah, my T-Curve was a bream rod from Australia, I got it from trademe for a fraction of what the guy who got it in paid.   

Before the Softplastic craze occurred, the range of suitable trout rods was extremely poor, most of them would be sub $120, maybe with the occasional high end loomis.